# 14418 - Determining Value Of A Cannon
9/29/2012
Michael

This gun is pre friction primer. Has touch hole powder trough. Weighs 840 pounds (just barrel). How can we find a fair market price for this unusual item?

Answer:
Michael- There is no “Blue Book of Cannon Values” so you have very little to guide you. Basically the fair market value will be whatever a willing and informed buyer and seller can agree on. In addition to the basic value of the gun itself based on maker, model and condition, you need to consider other factors. Is it shootable? For bronze guns this is a possibility, but shooting old cast iron cannons scares people who write your life insurance because they may have to pay off sooner than they planned. What is the history, either documented or oral that goes with it? Is a carriage included, and is it original (very unlikely), of the correct style (not common), and is it functional for transportation or shooting? And, finally, the cost and hassle of transporting it. .

You may be able to find similar guns that have been sold by the big auction houses. Or you may find a specialist dealer. One I know and highly endorse is John Morris (springfieldarsenal [at] hotmail [dot] com). He has a good feel for the market and knows many buyers and sellers and collectors. Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 14511 - Page-Lewis Information
9/29/2012
Terry Tustin, Mi

It is a Model B Sharpshooter. Can not find a serial number, but has a number 14 at the trigger end of the barrel. Pat. date Apr 25 1923 Would like to know how much this would be worth.

Answer:
Terry, The Page-Lewis Arms Company set up business in 1921 in the old Stevens Duryea automobile plant in Chicopee Falls Mass. employing about 150 workers. Company officers were the president, Irving H. Page; the vice-president, general manager and designer George S. Lewis of East Springfield; and the treasurer Charles H. Leonard of Chicopee Falls; all were experienced gunmakers. The first shipment of Page-Lewis rifles left the factory in July, 1921 but sales were not good and the first year the company just about broke even. In 1923 To increase sales Page-Lewis introduced a small bolt action .22 single-shot rifle design. The new design was quite popular and helped to increase sales. On August 6 of the following year Irving Page died suddenly of a heart attack. Without Page's leadership the company went quickly downhill. Page Lewis was purchased by J. Stevens Arms Company in 1926.

I checked on some of the auction sites for Page-Lewis values and most of them seem to be selling in the $200 to $500 range. The highest asking price was over $900 for a Model C but there were no bids on that one. Marc

# 14414 - Winchester Model 52 Target Sight Adjustment
9/25/2012
Steven, Harwood, MD 20776

Rear Sights ''PAT Nov 11, 1919 Apr 27 1920'' I am VERY impressed with your site! Thanks for putting this on the web! I have a Winchester 52 C with ''flip up'' rear sights. They have a twist screw elevation adjustment on top of the flip up blade, (with elevation gradients,) and two round screws at bottom (one on each side,) also with gradient markings for wind age. I am having trouble figuring out how to properly use these rear sight wind age adjustments...I think they are Lymans, but there are no markings. Turning them does not seem to make the site wind age position change....(could be broken). Any idea on where to get usage instructions? (A manual?) I can send you photos if you like. Thanks in advance for your help! I am at foxhallfarms@msn.com .

Answer:
Steven- First, I think you may have incorrectly identified the model of your rifle. The Winchester Model 52 was a top of the line target rifle introduced in 1920, and discontinued in 1979. The earliest rifles had no letters in the serial number, but at about 38,000 the letter A was added to distinguish the Model 52A from the earlier models. In 1941, at about 48,000 the Model B replaced the A reflecting additional improvements made in the Model 52B. About 1947 the Model 52C was introduced with a much improved trigger at around 75,000. Later the Model 52D was introduced, at first a very fine rifle then the trigger quality went to hell. Eventually an “E” suffix was added but production ended shortly after that. The Model 52C and later rifles were only drilled and tapped for Redfield or Lyman style bases on the side of the receiver. The “pre-A” and 52A and some of the 52B rifles had a large flat surface on the top of the rear receiver ring for mounting sights there, and many makers provided sights, including Winchester, Vaver, as well as Lyman and Redfield, and probably others. The point of all this is to determine that your sight is probably not one ever used on a 52C, but quite likely one of the ones used on the pre-A or 52A which would be consistent with your serial number. Now, I have never used any of the top mounted sights, but have many thousands of rounds experience with the 52B, 52C and 52D with the Redfield Olympic or International sights, and they work superbly, and intuitively. .

I suspect that the dual windage knobs on your sight are not the typical modern arrangement where you turn a single screw and that moves the sight precisely left or right depending on which direction you turn the knob. With the two knobs, I think you have to loosen one knob the number of turns or clicks you want to move, then tighten the opposite knob the same distance to actually move the sight to the new position, and lock it against the opposing screw. Anyway, that’s my guess, but if you drop a couple of points, blame it on your shooting skills, not my free advice. John Spangler

# 14546 - To Fix Or Not To Fix?
9/25/2012
Chuck U.S.A

Oberndorf A/N Oberndorf A. Neckar This gun belongs to my son! It is missing some parts, extractor, firing pin, lock frame, hammer, safety lever, ( the entire lock assembly ) Is this gun worth fixing ?? Thanks

Answer:
Chuck, a few years back a lot of C96 Mausers were imported from China and sold as surplus here in the USA. Many, if not most of the Chinese import pistols were in terrible condition. You may be able to find a complete C96 with shot out bore and zero finish at a reasonable price to cannibalize for parts. I see this kind of C96 at gunshows pretty often selling in the $200 to $300 range. Purchasing a complete pistol for parts would be much less expensive than the cost of purchasing individual parts would be.

Whether or not your son's pistol is worth fixing depends on it's condition. No matter how nice it is, it will probably never be a valuable collectors item because it is a good bet that the numbers on any replacement parts that you find will not match the numbers on the pistol. Even though most collectors are not interested in Frankenstein guns with parts numbers that do not match, if your son's pistol has a good bore and if it is in reasonable condition, it could still make a good shooter. In that case, it may be worth the effort of searching out an inexpensive pistol to cannibalize. Good luck, Marc

# 14544 - Nazi Proofed CZ 380
9/22/2012
Clint, Lansing, MI

Left side CZ 26 & serial no., right side J 26 (with walking lion in between) Eagle over Swastika proof mark oh front of trigger guard. This gun is an all matching numbered 1926 CZ 24, with the exception that it has checkering on its wood grip and more significantly, the Nazi touchmark from 1930s-40s. Must this be a reissue to the German army? Rarity, Value? The gun has a mirror bore, tight, 90 -A- blue, no holster.

Answer:
Clint, I would agree with your assessment. You have a Czechoslovakian military (or police) Model 1925. The caliber, 9 mm short or 380 auto, is also correct. The Nazi proof you describe is a proof mark applied after the pistol had been fired with a high pressure to cartridge to determine its strength. This was standard European practice. There would have been a Government Proof Agency and all guns manufactured would have had to have been fired with high pressure loads.

I'm not an expert on proofing but I would suspect the Nazis, when they took over Czechoslovakia in March 1939 required that the proofing agency change to a Nazi eagle. At sounds like an interesting pistol, and in good condition!

# 14412 - M1903A3 National Match Rifle
9/22/2012
James, Ventura, CA.

Hello, I am looking to verify this rifle as an actual NM.I have not contacted the CMP yet. Thank you for any help on this matter. Jim

Answer:
James- Congratulations! If that is indeed an authentic M1903A3 National Match rifle, you have a real treasure.

National Match competition resumed in 1953 after interruptions by WW2 and the Korean War, but no National Match rifles had been made since the 1930s. Popular belief was that the M1 Garand could never be made into a match grade rifle. Therefore, Ordnance Officers hoped that some of the thousands of unissued M1903A3 rifles on hand could be easily converted for use as National Match grade rifles. Only 140 out of a planned 200 M1903A3 National Match rifles were modified in 1954, when it was pointed out that the basic design was useless! Although using the finest micrometer target sights available, the specified mounting location allowed the choice of two sight positions. In one, the sight interfered with bolt operation. The other prevented use of stripper clips needed for loading during rapid fire. Springfield engineers quickly (and quietly) stopped this project before embarrassing themselves further. Eventually these rifles were sold off through Raritan Arsenal. Based on the information in Brophy’s book, and the one authentic example I have examined in person, these seem to use an older smooth body bolt, polished bright, a two piece M1903 style front sight, and the SA/initial cartouche on the left side of the butt, but otherwise pretty much your standard M1903A3. .

Unless someone can pry loose the information from the Army about DCM sales in the 1960s, it will be difficult to authenticate one of these as being a real one. Please let me know if you have any luck getting info via CMP. John Spangler

# 14538 - 03-A3 With Some Mods
9/18/2012
Jon, Pocono Lake, Pa

This rifle seems to be a hybrid. The receiver is a Remington 03-A3. The barrel is S-A, bursting bomb underneath, 8-42 underneath that. Pistol grip stock which I believe to be original but has no visible cartouches. The floor plate/trigger guard are milled, not stamped. The barrel has an 03 flip up sight mounted directly in front of the receiver. It does not have the normal 03-A3 rear sight which is normally found above and slightly forward of the bolt handle (when locked). I have never seen one like this. If you have any idea of what this is I'd appreciate hearing it. Thanks in any event.

Answer:
Jon, the receiver was made sometime well into 1943 when every rifle Remington was turned out was in the Model 1903A3 configuration. Each rifle had a stamped trigger guard/magazine assembly, stamped butt plate, adjustable rear sight mounted on the receiver bridge, and a top hand guard that extended from just behind the muzzle to the front of the receiver. Your rifle's original barrel was removed and replaced with the earlier type barrel with a rear sight mounted at the base of the barrel. The receiver mounted rear sight was removed and it was placed in a pistol grip stock.

None of these changes would have been done by the U.S. military. Once a model type was accepted any changes by government arsenals had to conform to that pattern. All of the necessary parts have been available as military surplus items for many yours, so any gun smith with barrel vise would have changed out the barrel, removed the rear sight and put the action back into a pistol grip stock. Unfortunately this change ruined any collector value that rifle might have had.

# 14410 - Winchester Lee Navy Parts
9/18/2012
Bill, Gilbertsville, NY

Marked U.S.N. on top Need parts (action) to restore, can you provide parts dealer or gunsmith ?

Answer:
Bill- The best source I know is S&S Firearms on our links page. Good people, fair prices, and know their stuff. I have dealt with them by mail and at shows for about 30 years. John Spangler

# 14402 - Starr Percussion Revolver Nipples
9/15/2012
Gary, Tucson, AZ, USA

Greetings, I am assisting a friend with the liquidation of her deceased husband's firearms collection. One of the guns is a beautiful Starr Arms 1858 Army D.A. Revolver. However, a interested party was looking over the photos and spotted a nipple that looked incorrect. I looked again, and he was correct! That nipple has a round shoulder with no flats for a wrench. I have asked and looked high and low for information about the correct nipples for this gun. NOBODY seems to know. The threads are 12-28. Nipples for a Ruger Old Army screw in OK, but are a bit shorter than the nipples currently in the gun. The current nipples are straight. I've seen photos of nipples in some of these guns that are angled, as well as those that are straight. Angled really makes more sense to me. All the current nipples are mashed (each more to outside) on the end of the cone from the hammer fall. These nipples leave no room to install a cap on them via the recessed area on the right side of the gun. The cylinder must be removed to do so. Can anyone tell me what modern nipple might replace these, and where I might find them? Thank You!

Answer:
Gary- I regret that I do not know much about the Starr revolvers, or a good source of parts for originals. My favorite places to check would be the good folks at S&S Firearms on our links page, or Bill Osborne at Lodgewood. I am not too thrilled with stuff from Dixie Gun Works, but you may get lucky and find something useful there. Probably your best bet is to try to find some of the North-South Skirmish Association people and ask them, since most of them are shooters and many still use original weapons. John Spangler

# 14540 - Keystone Rifle
9/15/2012
Bob, Mt Arlington, NJ, USA

Top of barrel has *''Keystone''*Pat.Appl`d For* These are only marking on the gun anywhere. It has a lever which seals bullet and removes after shot. This also has the firing pin in it. It shoots a 22 short How old is this gun? It is odd looking and I was wondering if it is rare?

Answer:
Bob, my references indicate that Stevens marketed it's "Crack Shot" Rifle No. 16. under the Keystone name. The Stevens Crack Shot rifle was an economy model, manufactured from 1900 to 1913 and it was available chambered in both 22 and 32 rimfire calibers. Crack Shot rifles featured take-down construction and came with a 20 inch round barrel and plain open sights. Weight was a little under four pounds. The finish was a blued barrel with casehardened frame. The two-piece walnut stocks were oil finished and came with a hard rubber buttplate. The action was a rolling block type simplified radial-block which, once the hammer had been retracted to full-cock, could be opened simply by pressing a lever on the right side of the frame. The lever was pulled up to close the breech after a new cartridge had been pushed into the chamber, the hammer locked the components in place as it fell. The earliest Crack Shot rifles had an automatic safety-slide behind the hammer, which had to be held back manually as the trigger was pressed, but this was rapidly abandoned. Many owners subsequently removed the safety-slide spring, altering operation from automatic to manual.

Flaydermans puts values for Crack Shot rifles between $150 and $550 depending on condition. Hope this helps, Marc.

# 14539 - 10 Inch M1 Carbine
9/11/2012
Arturo Beeville TX

What is the value

Answer:
Arturo, it is hard to say for sure without seeing the gun but it sounds like you have one of the post war reproduction M1 Carbines. If your M1 was originally manufactured as a pistol with 10 inch barrel, I would estimate value in the $100 range. If it was originally manufactured as a rifle and then the barrel was cut down to 10 inches, it is legally classified as a sawed off ("short barreled") rifle and value is zero with a possible prison sentence thrown in for good measure.

The National Firearms Act passed in 1934 basically outlawed machine guns and sawed off shotguns/rifles. People who had them were required to register them with the Treasury Department. The Gun Control Act of 1968 had a whole bunch of requirements concerning gun sales, and also included an “Amnesty Period” for people who had not previously registered their machine gun or sawed off shotgun/rifle to do so without any penalty. That Amnesty Period expired in 1968, and there has never been another, and it is highly unlikely that there will ever be another.

When machine guns (or short barreled rifles or shotguns) were registered in 1934 or 1968 the owners were given papers to prove that the guns were registered, and copies were kept on file with the BATF in Washington. Possession of an unregistered machine gun or sawed off rifle/shotgun is a federal felony with big hard time sentences and hefty fines (something like 10 years and/or $10,000 fine). Marc

# 14400 - Springfield Trapdoor With Harpoon Attachment.
9/11/2012
Dee West Palm Beach FL

harpoon attachment I also have a Springfield rifle with a harpoon attachment as described in post #14213. You will find that in the April 1927 Popular mechanics it is part of a story. It was sold at Abercrombie & Fitch on Madison Avenue. My father was the pier master on the Palm Beach Pier and used in to shoot at large bill fish from the end of the pier.

Answer:
Dee- Thanks for the added information. John Spangler

# 14399 - H. Aston Model 1842 Pistol Usage
9/8/2012
Middleton, Conn

There are 2 etched initials in a oval circle (I can't make them out) Is there a way of determining who was issued this pistol? I acquired it from my father who lived in Elmhurst Queens, New York (about 1945). I am making the assumption that the person retired and resided in the same area.

Answer:
Henry Aston made about 30,000 of these brass mounted .54 caliber smoothbore single shot percussion pistols between 1846 and 1853. They were mainly for cavalry use, being “horse pistols” carried in holsters mounted on the saddle, not carried on the belt. They were pretty much obsolete by the time they were delivered, with revolvers much preferred by the bold men who fought, although disliked by the cheap bureaucrats who had to pay more for them.

The initials inside ovals stamped on the stocks are those of the Ordnance Department inspectors, not of some user. Some of the M1842 pistols were used by the regular army, and many were given to state militias. Some saw use in the early days of the Civil War, but they were replaced by revolvers as quickly as possible. These pistols were NOT serial numbered, so while it is possible to research various units to discover which might have had this type of pistol, it is impossible to positively connect a specific gun with a specific unit, let alone any individual. Prior to 1865 it was NOT customary to allow troops to take home or purchase their weapons, so it is highly doubtful that this is something a vet brought home. It is possible that it was a souvenir from a battlefield in the Civil War, but again, no way to prove that. My bet would be that it was purchased from some hardware or gun shop in the 1870s or more recently to add to a collection, or maybe just for decoration. John Spangler

# 14537 - Luger Assembly Problems
9/8/2012
Bob, Crossville, TN

Pistol was put back together wrong with toggle feeding mechanism behind rather than in front of the loading spring. How to remedy this?

Answer:
Bob, this is not an unusual thing to have happen. When it happens to me, I turn the Luger upside-down, slide the barrel extension (upper receiver) forward a little and give the Luger a shake. When you shake the Luger, the coupling link will usually fall free, you can often hear a small "tink" sound when it does. When the coupling link is free, you can slide the barrel extension (upper receiver) forward and remove it. When you put your Luger back together make sure to watch the coupling link to verify that it mates with the hooks on the recoil lever properly. Hope this helps, let me know if you would like to sell, I would be happy to purchase the Luger assembled or disassembled. Good Luck - Marc

# 14533 - Grandad's Shotgun
9/4/2012
Tommy

12 gauge Piedmont hardware Virginia My wife's grandfather passed down a 12 gauge single shot shotgun. NO model or serial number. Only stampings are 12 gauge Piedmont Hardware Virginia

Answer:
Tommy, I do not have a lot of information on this firearm but I did a quick Google search and found one Piedmont shotgun selling on one of the gun auction sites for $24.95. This shotgun is probably one of a huge number made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and sold through various retail outlets. This type of firearm falls into the category of "old guns" that no one seems to be interested in as shooters, but collectors do not want them either. Generally these were basic inexpensive simple guns which sold at modest prices and still have little interest or value on market today. On the retail market they usually sell in the $25-125 range depending on condition and general appearance for use as a "wall hanger" over a fireplace. Where there is any family history, we encourage people to keep these old guns for sentimental value. Please be warned that most of these are not considered safe to shoot. Marc

# 14394 - Winchester Model 12 Limited Edition
9/4/2012
Fred - Monett, MO

Vent rib barrel, IC choke. I would like to know what year this limited edition special production gun was made in Winchester's plant in Japan and then imported to New Haven.

Answer:
Fred- Sorry, we just do not know enough about shotguns to help with that. My guess is probably 1980s or more recent, but that is just a guess. John Spangler

# 14395 - M1842 Springfield Musket With Cross In Stock
9/1/2012
Ned, Buffalo, NY

''99'' stamped on left side of stock. Silver or brass cross on right side of stock. P,B,P stamped on barrel just forward of standard proofs. I have an 1842 US Springfield Musket. It has a large ''99'' stamped on the left side of the stock and a silver or brass cross on the right side of the stock. It also has 3 small letters(P,B,P)in a triangular configuration just forward of the normal barrel proofs. I'm hopeful that you might be able to shed some light on these. I have good photos that I can send you. It's a very nice looking hi condition musket for it's age. Date on lock plate is 1853. .69 cal percussion with 42” barrel. Barrel has a nice soft brown patina with traces of original finish in protected areas. No heavy pitting as I've seen on most others. The lock plate has nice stamped US eagle and name. The stock is in very nice, although refinished along the way. In addition, can you assist me with a rough estimate of the guns value. Any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Regards, Ned Buehler

Answer:
Ned- It sounds like a standard M1842 musket which is typical of all of them except for the markings and decoration. I am sure it was used in the Civil War. At the end of the war, soldiers were allowed to purchase their weapons for a modest price deducted from their final pay. Many troops did that, and kept them as souvenirs. Some added decoration to the stocks, often including the insignia of their old Corps. Several Corps used some sort of cross as an insignia, so I am thinking it might be that. Or, it may indeed be a cross added for religious reasons, in memory of fallen comrades, or thanks for their own safe return. The PBP barrel marks are a bit harder to explain. They may be some sort of early rework marking or even military or naval inspector markings. The 99 is probably a rack number of some sort, perhaps from militia service, or perhaps this musket was used by some sort of veterans organization at some time.

Based on your description, I think ones like this would be found at a gun show priced around $800-900, a bit less than ones without the added cross and markings. John Spangler

# 14531 - 1873 Winchester
9/1/2012
Dale , Atlanta, GA

Father just passed away and this was in his home. What is the approximate worth? Should I insure it? Donate it?

Answer:
Dale, value for this model is hard to estimate without seeing your Winchester. The Model 1873 was manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company of New Haven, Connecticut from 1873 to about 1924. Your rifle was manufactured in 1883. Winchester discontinued normal M1873 production after World War I but a few guns were assembled from parts into the mid 1920s, total production is estimated to be over 720,000. Originally 1873 rifles were chambered in 32-20, 38-40, or 44-40, the 38-40 chambering was introduced in 1880 and in 1882 32-20 was added. The M1873 was initially offered as a Sporting Rifle, Musket or Carbine, decoration, barrel length and type of finish could be special ordered by the customer. As a result, examples can be found in many different configurations with any combination of special finish, sights, half-length magazine tubes, set triggers, extra short or long barrels, and shotgun-type butt plates. Values for Model 1873 Winchesters can very greatly depending on condition, caliber and special features with some selling for as much as $15,000.00 or more.

I think that you would be wise to get the rifle insured, but If you decide to donate it, I would be happy to take it off of your hands. Marc