# 25 - H&R Bulldog
9/28/96
103407.1335@compuserve.com

H&R arms company, Worcester, Mass, U.S.A.also says THE H&R BULLDOG on top of the frame.

First, thanks for answering my question on my German WW1 flare Pistol. I would like to know, what exact caliber this Bulldog pistol is, and the approximate date of manufacture, I would also like to know if rimfire ammunition is available for this gun. thanks for all your efforts, and I think you do a really great job. Martin Karp, (London, England)

Answer:
Martin, Harrington and Richardson manufactured reliable utilitarian low cost revolvers from1874 when they were founded, until 1986 when they ceased production. The H&R trademark is now being utilized by a new company (H&R 1871, Inc.). Your revolver may be a Young America Bulldog. The H&R Young America Bulldog was marked ''Young America Bulldog'' it is a variant of the H&R Young America, the Young America Bulldog was originally chambered in .32 rimfire and held 5 shots. H&R Young America models were manufactured from 1884 to 1941. As to ammunition availability, .32 rimfire is now a collectors item and you will have to pay a premium for it. You should look on my links page under More links, Ammunition, there is also a link to the Old Western Scrounger, you should try looking there. One last comment, many things can go wrong with an old revolver like your Bulldog, it may be dangerous to fire. I would strongly advise you to have a competent gunsmith check out your H&R both for safety and to verify the caliber before you try to shoot it... Marc

# 24 - Remington Model 4 Rifle
9/27/96
Patty username@mcn.ne

I would be interested in what you could tell me about a Remington .25-10 RF rifle. It is a Model 4 and the writing on the octagon barrel says Remington Arms--Union Metallic Cartridge Co., Remington Works, ?ilion, New York, USA. It is a single shot. There is no date listed. I'll be waiting to hear from you. Thanks, Patty

Answer:
Patty, the Remington Model 4 was the smallest rolling block rifle that Remington produced. The Mod. 4 originally came with a case hardened frame and an octagon barrel, later on take down models were introduced and round barrels became available. Models chambered for .25 Stevens were marked 25-10 on the barrel. Aprox. 350,00 Model 4 rifles were made between 1890 and 1933... Marc

# 22 - Ansley H Fox Shotgun
9/25/96
John Price

krupp fluid steel barrels

This shotgun is in very good shape...but don't know much about itsell it or hunt with it?

Answer:
Ansley H Fox was a very well known manufacturer of medium to high grade boxlock hammerles shotguns. Ansley H Fox manufactured shotguns from 1896 until 1930, when the company was taken over by Savage Repeating Arms. Savage continued to manufacture shotguns until 1942 when all models but a utilitarian grade were discontinued. Ansley H Fox shotguns are considered to be an American classic on a par with L.C. Smith and Parker, your shotgun in ''very good condition'' could be quite valuable depending on the grade. Values in Fjestad's Blue Book of Gun Values range from $395 for an A grade shotgun in poor condition all the way up to $25,000 for an FE grade shotgun in new condition. My advise would be to have your AH Fox examined by a knowledgeable appraiser in your area to determine it's value. I would not to use the AH Fox for hunting, if you want to go hunting buy a Remington or Mossberg pump and go have fun without having to worry about ruining a very expensive shotgun... Marc

# 68 - Swedish Model 96 Mauser
9/24/96
Permar2@aol.com

Round brass plate on the right side of the stock. also four small hole where another square plate was attached.

Does the round plate indicate Manufacturing place and date? and what do you think was attached next to it with four small nails?

Answer:
The Swedish Model 96 Mauser is said to be one of the best Mausers ever made. Model 96 Mausers have a reputation for being highly accurate and are noted for their quality workmanship. Model 96 Mausers were produced by Mauser as well as in Sweden with the Swedes paying Mauser a royalty for manufacturing rights. As to your question about the round plate on the right hand side of the stock, it was stamped with unit markings. Rifles used by Denmark after WW-II had the Swedish marking disk removed and a Danish silver coin was substituted. The square plate that is missing usually had site-setting data on it... Marc ***Correction*** In your 9-24-96 Q and A page ,you stated that the stock disk on the side of a Swedish Mauser Mod. 96 was for unit marking. Not true, The disk was for identifing the bore size of the gun . This was done in the refit shop and the small triangle mark denotes the bore size in M/M's. Check with the N.R.A tech.staff. John styner

# 44 - Remington 44 Percussion New Army
9/24/96
JSTOVER@PAMDT.ANG.AF.MIL

I have a Remington 44 Percussion New Army, Civil War era revolver. The nipples in the cylinder are frozen and I would like your advice on removing them, cleaning the threads and installing original nipples. Also I would like an additional cylinder. Also I have a Mauser Broomhandle, similar to yours shown in the photo. I would like to know the cost of restoring it, to include relining it to keep it the original caliber.

Answer:
Removing nipples is a real pain. If you get real lucky, a good fitting nipple wrench will turn them right out. However, most of the time it isn't that easy. Drilling the out the old nipples and using an EZ-Out screw extractor works (sometimes). If the E-Z-Out strips them out then you are stuck with drilling to just under the tap size, and trying to pick the remaining nipple material out of the threads, then chasing with the correct tap and then inserting new nipples. If you are having a bad day, things will get cross threaded, and you will have to re-drill and tap to a larger size, or weld or otherwise plug the old hole and drill and tap a new one. I have about a 90% success rate on muskets, but they have larger thread sizes to work with and are easier to clamp in a vise and line up for drilling. Revolvers give you six times as many chances for things to go wrong, and are a real bear to hold on to. (Two close fitting rods stuck in chambers and clamped in the vice jaws is best way.) I have enough projects right now, so I'll let someone else tackle the nipple job for you. Check you local gunsmiths, but see if they have any interest in collector guns first. They may be great at making/fixing new stuff, but not appreciate the need to preserve original finish, and the historical nature of older arms. A lot of the older stuff used non-standard thread sizes that can be damaged if people try to use modern threads that are "close". Another option- why not just leave as is? Or, get a repro cylinder and use it and keep the original for display. In fact, get a whole repro Remington and just shoot it!...John// For the second part of your question, I get the 96 Mausers that I restore from EBCO 24 GREEN SPRINGS DR., MADISON, CT 06443. EBCO converts 96 Mausers form 7.63mm to 9mm. I like the converted Mausers because they have no barrel liner, they have shiny new bores, and because 9mm ammunition is much easier to find than 7.63 Mauser is. When I restore a 96 Mauser my minimum charge is $300.00... Marc

# 43 - Model 1903 Winchester, Black Powder Rrimfire 22
9/24/96
"cle cox" clecox@sirinet.net

Fell heir to 1903 Winchester, black powder rim fire 22. Having problems finding ammo. Can it still be bought? If not can some other 22 round be safely used? Thanks. clecox@sirinet.net

Answer:
Ah, the old Model '03 Winchester .22 ammo problem! The answer is easy, short, and unfortunately, not what you'd like to hear. Except for a couple loose rounds for collectors, ammo is not available, and nothing else works. Sorry... John Spangler

# 45 - Savage Stevens or Merkelbros.410-22 O/U
9/24/96
Mark DiBattiste - madfam@theonramp.net

Does this weapon exist? I'm looking for a certain weapon. a Savage Stevens or Merkel bros. manufactured it. combination gun, 410-22 over under. 15" barrel and 23" over all length. made around 1935 to 1940. If you could help it would be appreciated.

Answer:
Mark, you are looking for something that falls under NFA regulations and is basically illegal under federal law. Shotguns must have a minimum barrel length of 18 inches, and rifles must have minimum overall length of 25 inches. Otherwise, they are subject to registration and transfer fees under the National Firearms Act (which also controls full automatic weapons.) I wouldn't know where to start looking for something like this, other than to check with licensed Class 3 dealers. There probably are some legally registered examples out there, but not many. There are some Savage/Stevens combination guns with longer, legal barrel lengths which should be good for sporting uses... John

# 42 - Russian SKS
9/23/96
TonyRuque@aol.com

What is your opinion of the above as a target practice rifle? Do you have any other recommendations?

Answer:
Tony, the Russian SKS rifles that I have seen have been both well made and reliable. I think that Russian SKS rifles are generally a cut above their Chinese counterparts in both quality and workmanship. When you ask me if a Russian SKS is good for target practice, I need to know what kind of target practice you intend to do. If you intend to plink at tin cans and an occasional beer bottle, I think that any SKS would be a good choice because of the rifles low cost, and reliability. If you are training for the next Olympic marksmanship competition I would recommend getting a firearm more suited to target shooting... Marc

# 41 - German Medals
9/23/96
"Darrell E. Sykes"

I have some historically significant German medals and wish to find someone to appraise them. Do you have any ideas? I thought perhaps, someone that frequents gun and military collectable shows might be able to help me. Thanks, Darrell

Answer:
Darrell, We are not experts on German Medals, but we know other people who are very interested in such things. Doing a full appraisal without seeing them will be nearly impossible, but we can probably help you narrow them down a bit as either relatively common ones or much scarcer items, and get some ball park idea of approximate value. The easiest way to get started would be to place your medals on a photocopier (if you have access to a color one, so much the better!) and make a copy, them turn 'em over and do the other side. If using a black and white, make note of any colors. Also, carefully write on the side any markings that do not copy clearly. Two or three sets of copies would be great, so we could check with different sources simultaneously instead of having to wait for one guy to get done and then get them to someone else. Any information on their identification you already have, where they came from, how they got here, or paperwork concerning them would be a great help. Mail the photocopies to us at P.O. Box 711282, Salt Lake City, UT 84171. We will see what we can find out. Give us a couple of weeks to dig around for you. If they seem to be high dollar items, then we will try to steer you to specialists in the right field. (Some are experts in Napoleanic or Franco-Prussian era, others in Imperial/WWI, and others are deep into Nazi items.) Remember, all our free research comes with a full money back guarantee!... John

# 37 - Portugese K98k Mauser
9/22/96
Charles McCarron - Lutzow@gnn.com

WaA 135, Nazi Eagle on breach and barrel. Tigerwood stock. Mauser-Werke A.G.Oberndorf a.N.Excellent condition. 95%. What can you tell me about this rifle? Specifically shouldn't the barrel Number match the others? How many where made? How rare are they and what kind of value does it have?

Answer:
Charles, you have asked some good questions, I have seen an example of the Portuguese K98k and it was a beautiful rifle, in excellent condition and had all matching parts. The rifle that I examined was not made by Mauser and was marked with a German WW-II maker code (bnz if I remember correctly). I have a theory that might account for the non matching serial numbers on your rifle. During WW-II to increase production it was not uncommon for rifles to be assembled with barrels that were made by a different manufacturer than the receiver. WaA 135 is the WW-II Heerswaffenamt inspector's mark on arms produced at Mauser-Werke AG, Oberndorf am Neckar, Germany. Since WaA 135 is stamped on both the barrel and on the receiver of your rifle, there is a chance that the barrel was made by some other manufacturer and shipped to the Mauser plant where the rifle was assembled (the US did similar things with M-1 carbines to increase production). My theory would account for the different serial numbers and the WaA 135 inspectors marks. I would check the barrel carefully for a maker code that is not Mauser. I have a friend who owns a dou (Waffenwerke Brunn, Bystrica, Czechoslovakia) marked K98k and the barrel is marked Erma. I have to admit that I have never seen an origional Mauser with a barrel that came from a different manufacturer. There is also the possibility that your rifle has been re-barreled. Richard D. Law's definitive book "Backbone of the Wehrmacht, The German K98k Rifle 1934-1945" shows examples of some of the Portuguese rifles, and points out that some were retained for German use, but mentions nothing about numbers made. As to value, I recall seeing some Portuguese K98k rifles advertised recently, and the prices seemed to be higher than typical K98ks. You might want to ask at the Century Arms page (see our links) since they have a lot of folks interested in or are knowledgeable about recent surplus arms... Marc & John

# 39 - Kentucky Longrifle
9/22/96
Matthew Chadwick - mattc@intrnet.net

Kentucky longrifle. marked #9 with 1837 date. has name of Earnheart, possiblyGeorge or Joseph(?)

Where can I find out more about this gun on the internet? I would like to find out what it is worth.

Answer:
Matt, we don't have enough information to do very much for you yet. There were a bunch of Earnharts who made guns in Pennsylvania, and some Barnharts in Ohio. Send us a tracing of the stock, a rubbing of the patchbox and the lock, and measurements on the barrel length and a guess on the caliber and we can probably do better for you. (See answer to question below on how to do this)... John

# 40 - Flare Pistol
9/22/96
onsite@trainltd.demon.co.uk

Just wondered if you had ever heard or seen anything like this before, the gun looks like its seen some use, probably an old war souvenir. it does work perfectly though. anyway, hope you can help.RegardsMartin Karp(London, England)

Answer:
Martin- It does sound like a flare pistol. Nearly every country has made large numbers of these starting in the late 19th century. The most common calibers seem to be around 10 gauge (U.S., say about .80 inch)), 25mm (just about 1 inch), and 37mm (about 1.5 inch). They have been made from steel, brass, aluminum, and various combinations. Most often single shot, there are also multi-barrel guns (to allow rapid selection of different signals, or fire several rapidly.) They are used for distress signals (especially in naval/maritime situations, peace time or wartime). Also they can provide a visible signal to start/stop an attack in land combat. They can be used by aircraft to signal without breaking radio silence (e.g. large bomber formations). They can signal clearance to take off or land. (I've even used one to deliberately set brush fires on a bombing range for controlled burning purposes!) I know there are collectors who specialize in these and could probably identify yours instantly, if they had a photo, or even an image made by putting it on a photocopier. However, I've already told you all I know about flare guns. In the U.S. they are usually not subject to most gun control laws. However, I do not know how other countries treat them. With some of the stringent controls (well intentioned, but absurd nonetheless) in the UK, you may be okay with a flare gun, or may now be an obvious menace to society if you have such an evil-looking "weapon."... John Spangler

# 38 - Swiss Vettereli Rifle
9/21/96
Raymond Badgley - rbadgley@connect.reach.net

I inherited this old timer, caliber unknown. It is German made the writing on the receiver says Waffenfabrik, BernIt is a bolt action repeater with side port loading, when the bolt is pulled open there is what appears to be an elevator to carry the next round up to the chamber level where it can be pushed in by the returning bolt. It appears to be held together by two flat push pins. A cartridge could be not more than just under 2 inches long and maybe a half inch in diameter. Sorry I can't give you any more info on the old weapon. It is indeed in very good shape, it has been well taken care of, if you could give me any information on this weapon I would be very grateful. Thanks in advance.

Answer:
Ray, your good description of the details made this an easy one to answer. You have a Swiss Vettereli rifle, made at the Weapons Factory (Waffen Fabrik) in Bern, Switzerland. These rifles fire .41 Swiss rimfire ammo (European designation 10.4x38 R Vetterli M1867), which is just about impossible to find anymore except for a few loose rounds from dealers in old collector ammo. (Surprisingly, it was made by major makers in the U.S. until about WW2, because of the large demand for it here.) There are a couple different models of the Vetterelli rifle, circa 1869-1881, but the differences are insignificant except to real hard core collectors. In general, value seems to be in the $100 range for fair-good examples, but really excellent guns bring some more and have higher demand. A lot are being shipped back to Europe. Hope this helps... John Spangler

# 36 - Old Percussion Rifle
9/19/96
"Ray Rubarts" erayr@hcc-uky.campus.mci.net

The long rifle is a cap and ball and looks original , overall length is 52". Drop stock of hand carved wood with a couple of small knot holes partially gone. All the pins look original, but a few screws in the but plate and trigger guard have been replaced. There is etching on the hammer plate but is worn pretty bad.{but plate at one time was broke and repaired by a old fashioned blacksmith} Wood to within 1'' of the barrel and capped with brass. No other marks that I see except I forgot to say it does have a set-trigger. Thought maybe you could tell me where to look for information on this.

Answer:
Ray, concerning your old percussion rifle, we can't really add much without more information this one. From the description of the stock going to within an inch of the muzzle of the octagon barrel, it certainly sounds like what we call a "Pennsylvania" or "Kentucky" rifle. The 38 inch barrel length is consistent with the 1820 to 1840 period when percussion was commonly used. You describe the lockplate under the hammer as having been repaired. This might (or might not) indicate it was converted from flintlock, which could make it an even earlier piece. These rifles were hand made by hundreds of different makers, and although some were pretty consistent, many varied according to the whims of the buyer, the current fashion, or what the gunsmith had to work with. Some features which would help date it are the design of the buttplate, (including height and width); the design of the patchbox (if any); caliber of the bore and width of the barrel (measured at the back, the front and about 10 inches from the front; the exact shape of the lockplate; and the shape of whatever is on the other side from the lockplate (where the screwheads are; the shape of the piece at the back of the barrel (called the "tang"); and shape of the trigger guard. These are hard to describe in words. We might be able to help more if you wanted to make drawings (lay the rifle on an shopping bag or other long piece of paper and trace the outline from the butt until you run out of paper. Mark the measurements on the bag, and sketch any details the best you can. (Don't worry, this isn't an art contest!) Lay a piece of paper over the patchbox and rub a pencil back and forth to make a tracing of it so we can see the design. Send these to Marc Wade at Box 711282 Salt Lake City, UT 84171, and we will see what more we can tell you. Since this has some family history, we strongly encourage you to keep it in the family. While some early Kentucky rifles are worth big bucks, those are the fancy ones by famous makers in excellent condition. The plainer guns in lesser condition don't bring a lot of money. The sentimental value is worth far more to you than the gun by itself to someone else... Good Luck John Spangler

# 35 - Swiss Bayonet
9/19/96
100254.1542@compuserve.com 100254.1542@compuserve.com

Hi Marc, John from Western Australia, yes the land of Oz, hoping you can help me. My friend purchased a German bayonet from a swop-meet ( do you have swop-meets in the USA ) and we think it is pretty old, maybe first world war. It has the words Waffen faberik and Meuhausen on the blade and the numbers 348431, please help with any info if you can. looking forward to your reply John C Australia

Answer:
John C.- Good guess on your bayonet, they speak German where it was made, but also French and Italian. Waffen Faberick Neuhausen is a Swiss military arsenal. Without knowing the blade length, we guess that it is probably one of the models made for use on the Swiss "Schmidt-Rubin" bolt action rifles used between about 1889 and the start of WW2. One particularly impressive bayonet is the 1911 "pioneer" version with sharp saw teeth on the back of the long blade (about 22 inches) for cutting wood. Several German bayonets also had the "saw back" feature. The other types are all minor variations of a simple design with about a 12 inch blade length and no saw teeth. All have wooden grips secured by rivets, and a metal crossguard with a hole for the muzzle of the rifle and a "T" slot at the rear of the handle. We find these occasionally at "swap meets" here in the U.S. but there doesn't seem to be much interest in collecting Swiss weapons. Sorry to hear about the needless gun-banning laws you recently had imposed on you by your well-intentioned government. Hope we don't suffer the same fate, but politicians never let facts interfere with an opportunity to take bold action which appears to help people. Too bad the criminals and crazies don't (and won't) obey any of the laws... John Spangler

# 34 - Winchester 9422 Cheyenne
9/19/96
"Gerald L.Kennedy" - gkennedy@istar.ca

Engraved Indian on horse new never fired gold plated medallion affixed in stock.

What is approx. value of this rifle? Thanks

Answer:
Gerald, a word about commemorative values. For a commemorative to have any value over a regular model, it must be in 100% new condition, never have been fired, and have it's original box and papers. If you do not have the original box and papers you can deduct $100 to $150 form the value. If a commemorative has been fired or shows any signs of wear, it is just a ''fancy shooter'', worth little more than a firearm of the same model that is not a commemorative. I would advise you to check and carefully clean and oil your commemorative periodically. I know an individual who bought a new commemorative and put it away for years in it's original box without ever looking at it. When the box was opened, it was found that the firearm had acquired a fine coating of rust. Never cock or dry fire a commemorative. The Cheyenne 9422 was manufactured in 1977, there were 5000 produced and the issue price was $320.00. According to Fjestad's Blue book of gun values a 9422 Cheyenne in 100% new condition with the original box and papers is worth $595.00... Marc

# 67 - Webley Metro-Police 1st Model Revolver
9/18/96
lauriear@erols.com

No police sreial number.

Sir: any idea when this gun was manufactured/in use? Also, I would like to purchase or read the following book as inexpensively as possible: Webley Revolvers/No 4100; Gordon Bruce, Chrisitan Reinhart. Any ideas? Thank you. Mike

Answer:
Mike, I know almost nothing about Webleys, and hope that maybe someone reading this will help us out with your question. My best source on the subject is William Chipchase Dowell. "The Webley Story" (Commonwealth Heritage Foundation, Kirkland, WA, 1987.) He mentions on page 65 "...the 1880 R[oyal] I[rish] C[onstabulary] and Metropolitan and County Police model number 1, .450 caliber, chambered for 6 shots with a 2 1/2 inch barrel. Large quantities of this revolver were made..." The basic RIC mnodel was introduced in 1867, and continued in production "up to the end of the 19th century." That's all I can find, although there might be something in the book I overlooked. You can get this book, and the other Webley book from your local library. They have an "Interlibrary Loan" program where any library can borrow a book from other libraries and the cost is usually just for postage. Take the information down and ask about "Interlibrary Loan." It sometimes takes a few weeks to track down a copy, but they've always come thru for me. Libraries really are great resources, and Librarians love to show off by getting really obscure stuff... John

# 65 - Springfield M1D Sniper
9/15/96
Joar Bo - jbo@sn.no

A label in the wood says HMAK and VSMOR Hrring 18 nov. 1974. I would like to know more about the history of this rifle.

Answer:
Your M1D rifle was made at Springfield Armory in 1943, and undoubtedly saw service in WW2. Sometime in or after 1952, it was rebuilt as a M1D sniper rifle, with a new barrel assembly with the scope mounting block on the rear of it. (The M1 Garand and Carbine Collectors page at http:/www.localnet.com/~carbine/m-1.html has a good photo of the M1D.) All M1D rifles were made by overhaul of existing rifles, so there is no "correct" serial number range for them. However, some fakes have been made with commercial barrels, or mounting real bases on standard M1 barrels. Real M1D barrels have a drawing number ending in 555, not 448. Often it is on the top of the barrel, under the wooden handguard, but sometimes it is on the side, or just the date something like SA 11-51 or maybe as late as SA 9-52. Okay, assuming you've got a "real" one and not somebody's shop project let's look at the "HMAK and VSMOR Hrring 18 nov. 1974" markings you mention. I can say with certainty that they are not U.S. military markings. I suspect that they are Norwegian military marks. A large number of M1D rifles came back into the U.S. from Norway in the late 1980s. Reportedly they had also been connected with Israeli military at some point, but that may or may not be correct. Many of the M1Ds from Norway were sold by SAMCO (in Florida). The few that I saw had a dark finish, and I was unable to find any import markings on them. I heard a report that the folks who handle Foreign Military Assistance Sales for the government have a file somewhere with the serial numbers of all the small arms sent overseas in recent years, including the ones to Norway, and they could possibly confirm that your rifle was sent overseas as foreign aid prior to 1974. (We were converting from M1s to M14s by then.) Hope this helps, although it is mostly speculation. That reminds me of a stuffed deer head I saw offered for sale once. It came with five different stories you could tell your friends about how you got it... John Spangler

# 64 - Border Rifle
9/15/96
"Karen M. Modder-Border" - kmb@corenet.net

I'm seeking any information about the Border rifle. I believe it was used during the civil war. Sorry that I don't have any more info to give. I also am interested in buying any Border rifles that might be for sale. Thank you...David

Answer:
David, I see that your family name is Border, so I will try to give a little extra inf., since some piece may be important to you that appears unimportant to me. Reference books list a number of Borders as gun makers, all from Bedford County, PA (about an hour east of Pittsburgh.) Some are known to be related, and I would assume all are related. Frank Sellers "American Gunsmiths" is the most comprehensive list, and he mentions the following (from oldest to most recent: Gebald Border, active around 1769,. William Border (1800-1881) [born/died?] Active 1820-1881. Made percussion full stock rifle signed W.B. (c.f Whisker book), Daniel B. Border (1826-1891) Active 1848-1884. Made percussion full stock rifles, signed D.B. or D.B.B. (c.f. Whisker book), John Border (1825-?) son of William. Active 1850-61. Made percussion full stock rifles signed J.B. (c.f. Whisker book), Enos Border (1820-?) 1843 tax records indicate gun maker., Samuel Border (1815-1865). Listed on Somerset Co. tax records 1841. Son of John. Active 1843-53. Mentioned in Whisker., William Border (1848-1929) Listed in 1879 directory. Active 1879-1929. Mentioned in Whisker The Whisker book is by James B and Vaughn E. Whisker- The Bedford County Pennsylvania Rifle Book, published in 1982. I don't have access to a copy of this. You can get your local library to request it on inter-library loan, usually for just a few dollars to pay for postage. It probably will include photos of some of the Border made rifles, so you will have a better idea of what you are looking for. While individually owned guns could have been used in the Civil War, this was most unusual (some sniper rifles being an exception) as most militia units and nearly all the troops who enlisted were given arms by the U.S. or C.S. government. Although they included a wide variety of U.S. and foreign made guns, they were nearly all of some standard military pattern. Even so, ammunition supply was chaotic, and privately owned arms would have been completely unworkable. Hope this helps. After you look at the Whisker book, let us know and we might be able to suggest some good gun shows to attend in the Mid-Atlantic area to continue your search...Good Luck! John Spangler

# 66 - US Model 1917 Enfield
9/14/96
jerry ohern - johern@mail.portup.com

It has a small birds head, a star with a circle around it, a circle with wings on left. Is it special in any way, when was it used?

Answer:
Jerry, your rifle is a US Model 1917 Enfield. During WWI, US Government armories were unable to produce enough M1903 Springfield rifles to keep up with war time demands. The need for greater rifle production led to the adoption of the Model 1917 Enfield .30-06 rifle. The Model 1917 Enfield .30-06 is a slightly modified version of the British Pattern 14 which was already being produced by Winchester Remingtin and Eddystone in .303 British. Enfield rifles are noted for their accuracy, durability and ruggedness. One problem with the Model 1917 is that some rifles have been found with cracked receiver rings, rifles made by Eddystone are the most prone to cracking. Cracked receivers sometimes are not easily detected so you should have your rifle checked out by a competent gunsmith before firing it. As a collectors item your Winchester is more highly sought after than ether a Remington or an Eddystone, if it is in original condition. The bird's head is an Eagle head (usually with a few tiny numbers underneath) which was used as a U.S. Ordnance inspectors' mark during WWI. The Circle with a star is found on most Winchesters on the left side of the receiver, but its significance is not known. Other makers seem to have used a flaming ordnance bomb mark instead. The circle with a wing to the left is a flaming ordnance bomb, usually found on the bolt handle, as another U.S. inspector's marking. All these are pretty normal, and do not indicate anything exotic. About the only exotic variation on the Winchester M1917s are the few very early ones marked W on the receiver instead of the full Winchester name. Even those attract little interest except by advanced U.S or Winchester collectors. The Model 1917 over the years has been a popular rifle to ''sporterize'' and if your rifle has been sporterized it has lost most of it's collectors value... Marc

# 62 - Looking For 1907 French Labell Parts
9/13/96
Apool@ix.netcom.com

I am looking for a but plate for this gun can you help. Also ammo cant find any. Their is machine gun ammo but it does not work, in fact it is dangerous. I am looking for some that you can reload, can you help me find what I am looking for.

Answer:
There are two places that I can think of the look for the but plate, the first is Gun World 461 Idaho St Elko, NV. 89801 (702) 738-2666 (attn. Marty), the second place is The Gun Parts Corp., West Hurley N.Y. , (914) 679-2417, fax (914) 679-5849. I have had some success finding rare ammunition for reloading at Ammunition Specialists 215W Hannum Carterville, MO 64835 (417) 673-2015... Marc

# 63 - Spanish Mauser
9/13/96
- B.K.WEED@worldnet.att.net

Do you know if both the German made and Spanish made model 1893 Mausers were used in by the Spanish Army in the Spanish American War. Is there any serial number sequences that were post 1898 SAW, or sent to a non-Spanish customer? Lastly, are only the short bayonets SAW period, or were the long ones without the date but having "Artilleria" inscription also SAW used weapons? Thanks.

Answer:
Good questions, Ben. We can answer a few. I have copies of U.S. military records showing serial numbers and makers for over 600 Mauser rifles taken from rebels during the Philippine Insurrection. Presumably all these were initially brought there by the Spanish prior to their defeat, and thus are properly considered Spanish-American War pieces.The listing includes 309 Model 1893 rifles, caliber 7mm. They are not further described as Long, short, or carbine models, so I would assume that they are all the standard long "Modelo Espanol 1893" Makers include- 71 "Oberndorf", 208 "Loewe, Berlin", and 30 "Fabrica de Armos [sic] Ovieda, 1896". I would recommend that any M1893 Mauser with a manufacture date of 1898 or earlier be considered a SAW weapon (as well as an antique not under the Federal Firearms laws.) The date on the early arms (at least those by Loewe I have seen) is under the Spanish crest on the receiver ring, and also stamped in the stock. I haven't seen Oberndorf or early Oviedo arms to compare them. Also included in the listing of captured arms are 300 "B[reech] L[oading] Mauser rifles, caliber 11mm" mostly Amberg, but also some from Danzig, Spandau, Erfurt, and Sommerda. Frank Mallory of Springfield Research Service Frank_Mallory@srs.blkcat.com) found this information in the National Archives as part of his outstanding job researching U.S. Martial Serial Numbers. His books and quarterly Newsletter are good investments for any serious collector.) I can provide a copy of the eight page listing if desired at $5.00. I am not sure about the bayonets, but think you might find the answer in Keisling's bayonet books, or someone better informed on European arms than we are... Hope this helps John Spangler

# 58 - Colt 25 Automatic Pistol
9/12/96
Ray Rubarts - erayr@hcc-uky.campus.mci.net

We need information on this pistol. COLT 25 AUTOMATIC. Nickel finish in very good condition but has pearl handles. Every thing is original to the best we can tell and the ser# 70XXX is clear except for the bottom of the 0. Some small amount of wear on the edges but is fully functional and quite accurate. Any inf. on value would be appreciated. We know the gun was purchased before 1919.[been in the family since then] Could you give me a manuf. date, etc. Also can the pearl handles be original without the Colt emblem. Thanks, Ray

Answer:
Ray, it sounds like you have a Colt Vest Pocket Model 1908 Hammerless pistol. The Colt Vest Pocket Model 1908 Hammerless was a very well made pistol and for its small size, as you say, quite accurate. 409,000 Mod. 1908 pistols were produced from 1908 to 1941, my records indicate that your pistol was manufactured in 1912. Nickel plated 1908 pistols were usually furnished with pearl grips so I think that your grips are original... Marc

# 57 - Spanish Model 1943 Rifle
9/12/96
Quick6231@aol.com

It has a crown on top of the barrel below the crown it has the word Oviedo.

Date of manufacture where it was exported any other info.

Answer:
Quick6231@aol.com, your rifle is a Spanish model 1943, Oviedo is the location of the arsenal where it was produced. The Spanish model 1943 is a modified copy of the German Kar 98 K. The model 1943 was adopted for use by Spain in 1943 and was in service until September of 1957 when it was replaced by the Model 58 assault rifle. Many of these rifles were imported into the US in the 60s. Although there is not currently much collector interest in Spanish military arms, the Model 1943 is well made and makes a good sporting rifle... Marc

# 54 - Misc.
9/11/96
101742.1602@compuserve.com

A lot of boxes, they come from Lager Haiming in Austria, they were found near the train from the Mauser works in 1945. Inside there are lots of parts, unknown origin, some bear the inscription Ger.06H. Do you know something about these containers? And a luger-pistol, navy variation but with a 1900-mod.-toggle and a flat spring inside, complete with wooden stock and leather box and spare-mags number 13. On the back: COV KIAU, on the left side inscription: KaLeu Petersen Emden. I'm a collector from Germany and interested to hear what you say about these items. regards, dieter

Answer:
Dieter, I have spent some time looking for a reference to a Navy type Luger with a 1900 style cut back toggle and flat recoil spring and I have not been able to find anything. The 1904 luger has a flat recoil spring, the toggles are not cut back like a 1900, but they are knurled only part way around. Could you have a model 1904? The Navy Model rear sight should be a 2 position sight adjustable to 100 and 200 meters mounted on the extreme rear of the rear toggle link, Model 1900 carbines have a tangent type rear sight mounted just in front of the barrel that is adjustable form 100 to 300 meters, could your luger be a carbine? I have seen lugers that are stamped with the original dealers name on the left side, could KaLeu Petersen Emden be a dealer name? I asked John Spangler what he thought about your box of parts, here is what he had to say... Marc ------- This is a great question and you undoubtedly have some good items there, Dieter. Regarding the boxes and other parts- I have learned that we gun collectors automatically think everything is related to some sort of gun, especially if found in gun related boxes. (I remember my joy at finding dozens of large sealed wooden ammunition boxes in an Army trash dump about 30 years ago. I just knew I could shoot for free forever...until I opened them and found them full of railroad spikes!) Gun related boxes could have been used to haul just about anything, including gun parts, parts of the machinery to make them, inspection gauges, something from a house or factory heating system, or maybe someting from a factory nearby. The "GER.06H" marking is not one that I can identify. It might be a weapon designation, an experimental caliber or ammunition designation, a date code, a lot (or batch) number designation, a transportation priority code, or just about anything. Your best source will be to find someone who can identify some of the parts. Sorry we don't have all the answers. Thanks for asking... John

# 61 - Winchester Modle 1897
9/10/96
"Eric M. Conyers" - conyersem.SCSN@usafa.af.mil

I'm just wanting to know about how much this gun may be worth. It is a pump 12 ga with four patent dates ending with October 16th 1900.

Answer:
Eric the Model 1897 Winchester is a slide action shotgun that has a visible hammer, it was made in both takedown and solid frame versions and could be obtained with a plain or pistol grip stock. The Model 1897's design was based on the earlier model 1893 action but was strengthened so that it could use smokeless powder. Over 1,024,700 Model 1897 Winchesters were produced between 1897-1957. I was not supplied with a serial number so I am unable to tell you what year that your model 1897 was manufactured. The value of your Model 1897 depends greatly upon the condition that it is in. Fjestad's Blue Book Of Gun Values lists values based upon the condition of a firearm and the percentage of the original finish left on it. The Model 1897 Winchester ranges form $550.00 with 100% original finish down to $125.00 with 10% original finish... Marc

# 59 - Webley And Scott .25 Pistol
9/9/96
"Philip D. Wasson" - pwasson@netaxs.com

There appears to be a tiny crown with "BV" under it near the base of the hammer.

I just got this gun; it was found in a relative's attic. It's apparently decades old, and I just want to see what I can find out about it. Is it worth anything? Is it still possible to get ammo? etc.

Answer:
Phil, your Webley and Scott pistol takes what we would call a .25 ACP {Automatic Colt Pistol) cartridge, still available from many dealers. W.H.B. Smith's Book of Pistols and revolvers shows two distinct variations of this pistol, one with an exposed hammer at the back, and a "hammerless" model. He says "Like all the products of this famous British firm, this pistol is well made of the finest materials. However, its appearance is typically Webley..." In other words, they are not very pretty. The .25 ACP cartridge, designed by John M. Browning, was introduced in 1905, and FN alone has made over 1 million guns chambered for this round. There are at least 150 variations of simple "blow back" pistols using the .25 ACP, including the Webley & Scotts. Pistols in this caliber have been popular since 1905, but probably peaked by WW2, although some are still being made today. The crown over BV marks are English proof marks showing that it passed the required test firing. There are some people who specialize in collecting variations of the Browning designed .25 pistols, but I don't think many of them extend their interest to the Webley & Scotts. Don't expect much collector interest, or to get a lot of money for this item. Your gun's value is mainly for its usefulness as a personal protection weapon, although the puny ballistics of the .25 ACP don't give it much stopping power... John

# 60 - French Single Shot .25 Pistols
9/9/96
Danny Carter - dcarter@surfsouth.com

On left side, MAS 1943 on one, the other is MAS 1944. single shot, similar but better made than the American Liberator. of World War II. the 1943 has shell extractor on a lanyard. The 1944 has a larger grip for extra ammo storage, similar to the American Liberator.. The barrel flips up to load.

Any info on these items? And value. Please send comments. Thanks

Answer:
Denny, sounds like you have a coupe of unusual items. Sorry I can't help with the identification. Only clues I might add are that they probably have a military connection as MAS was an official French Arsenal (Manufacture de Armes St. Etienne). Presumably the Germans were supervising production in 1943-44, so I would expect to find some Waffenamt inspector marks somewhere (tiny eagles over letter Wa or WaA and one to three numbers.) Finish could be a clue, nice blue arguing against military connection, while a rough parkerize type finish might lean towards military. These may be very limited production items for use by clandestine operators (think SS, or CIA type folks). If so, they are probably very rare, and there are people who like to collect such things, and they may be worth some big bucks. On the other hand, they could be something much less exotic, such as a "cattle killer" type device with very little value. Hope someone else can give you a definitive answer. Let us know if you find out more, or send us a photo and we will [post it on our page to] see if we can find out more for you... Good luck! John

# 55 - Modern Colt Army, Navy, 1st & 2nd Dragoon
9/6/96
Brian L. Rainer - blr@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu

Some years back Colt Industries came out with their black-powder series which included the Army, Navy, 1st & 2nd Dragoon. Is there any market for these re-issued models, especially if they have never been fired? Thank You.

Answer:
Brian I personally have never had much interest in Colt's modern black powder percussion revolvers, so I do not know how high the demand for them is. Fjestad's Blue book of gun values lists the following values for revolvers in 100% condition. Army - Fluted Cylinder: $650, Army - Rebated Cylinder: $595, Navy (blue): $450, Navy (ss): $695, 1st Dragoon $425, 2nd Dragoon $425... Marc

# 53 - Looking For Spanish FR-8 (.308 Mauser 98) Parts
9/5/96
William Davis - wddavis@concentric.net

I would like to obtain the sight adjustment tools for this rifle as well as the users manual. I would like to see if it is possible to mount a scope on this rifle as well.

Answer:
William, I do not have a source for the items that you are looking for. A good place to start your search would be The Gun Parts Corp., West Hurley N.Y. , Telephone (914) 679-2417, Fax (914) 679-5849. Century Arms is another place that I would inquire, Century has a web site and I have a link to it on my links page... Good luck, Marc

# 56 - Model 1917 Trench Knife
9/5/96
Joe Johnson - jjohn@earthlink.net

A friend of mine recently picked up what appears to be a WW I era trench-type knife (knuckle guard) labeled "1917" with a triangular blade. Have you ever heard of these?

Answer:
In the trench warfare of WW-I close combat often ensued, the US Army developed the ''trench knife'' to be used in close combat situations. The model 1917 trench knife had a sharply pointed triangular blade that could easily penetrate cloth and leather. The grips were made of wood and had four shallow finger grooves. The knuckle guard was a sheet iron stamping with a row of pyramid shaped spikes projecting along the outside edge. The spikes along the edge of the knuckle guard were to allow the weapon to be used as a ''knuckle duster''. In 1918 the pyramid shaped projections on the knuckle guard were changed to a triangular shape. In late 1918 the Mark 1 trench knife was introduced, with a flat stabbing blade and a bronze handle with four finger loupes and pointed projections on the outside. These trench knifes were used by both the Army and the Marine Corps... Marc