# 13239 - Early M1903A4 Scope Mount Finish
12/30/2008
John, Springfield, MO

What is the proper finish for the unmarked Redfield scope mount and weaver 3/4'' scope rings for a first run production 03A4? Serial number 348088. I have heard that the finish was always Parkerized for the mount and rings, but I'm just not certain about that since most of the EARLY rifles had hardware which was blued. I.E. Bands, Sling hardware, Bolt, Trigger Guard etc, etc.

Answer:
John- All the original early M1903A4s I have see (several dozen over the last 20 years or so) have had parkerized bases and rings. It is correct that most of the other small parts (bands, trigger guard assembly, follower, trigger, cutoff, bandspring, buttplate) were blued, as Remington found it easier to finish them that way than to parkerize them. However, I believe that the bases and rings were delivered from Redfield already parkerized, not as unfinished parts for Remington to install and finish. This is different from the later M1C sniper rifles, where the unfinished receivers were shipped to Griffin & Howe for fitting of the mounts, and then returned to Springfield where they were then parkerized and assembled into rifles. John Spangler

# 13319 - Herter 44
12/30/2008
James, Deming NM

Herters insignia on grips, single action, 6 shot. What can you tell me about this gun?

Answer:
James, everything I have ever seen about Herters places them in Waseca, Minnesota, from their sudden appearance in the late 1950s (but claiming "since 1893" status as "makers of world's best" just about everything). The company seemed to disappear in the late 1970s. My guess (strictly a guess) is that someone from Mitchell bought the name and may have used it briefly. Herters' made an amazing variety of stuff. Canoes, decoys, reloading supplies, bore cleaner, gunpowder, guns, stock blanks, and who knows what all else. In their day they were sort of like a Cabelas' or Gander Mountain, but nearly everything that they sold was all under the Herter brand name. All of this merchandise was advised as "world's best, award winning, secret European family recipe", etc, etc. I have long thought that collecting Herters stuff would be great fun, if you have a large enough storage area to enjoy it all, and a very tolerant spouse.

Herters revolvers were all made in Europe, and are generally considered to be pretty good quality items. Many were made in a proprietary .401 Powermag caliber that it is difficult to find ammo for anymore. Value and interest in those firearms is pretty low. Firearms chambered in "normal" calibers have a lot more interest and value. I have not seen many for sale, but would guess that a Herters revolver would probably bring a bit less than a similar revolver that was manufactured by Ruger. Unless, of course, yours is in like new condition and you find a Herter collector who wants to pay big bucks for reasons that the rest of us would not understand. Marc

# 13362 - Nazi Ruby Pistol?
12/27/2008
Gary, Draper, Utah

765 1914 Model Automatic Pistol Beistegui Hermanos-FIBAR (Espana) serial# 30262 stamped on slide and above trigger Has bird holding swastika stamped behind grip and BH in a circle behind other grip. I know they made allot of these ruby guns, but is the German stamp anything special? What is it worth? thanks Gary

Answer:
Gary, `BH` is a post war acceptance mark applied by the Austrian military when it was reconstituted as a separate military force by the British after 1945. This marking is seen most often on P38's. I am not aware of the German military buying Spanish Ruby pistols, but it could have happened. If the swastika marking is real, it will definitely add value. Suggest that you post a question on the forum at http://luger.gunboards.com/. You may have a real treasure. Marc

# 13237 - Spanish Military Mauser Made At La Coruna
12/27/2008
Bud, Koshkonong, MO

Number on Barrel 7222 We have a gun that has the name Fabricad Arms La Coruna 1917 around an emblem on the barrel. Is this a Spanish military gun? It has the ladder sites and is in good condition with a metal shoulder plate. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you, Bud

Answer:
Bud- You are correct that this is a Spanish military mauser rifle, made at the Spanish military arsenal at La Coruna,. It is probably the Model 1916 short rifle, and those were generally 7mm, not 8mm. These are not real common, but collectors looking for Spanish military arms seem to be a lot scarcer, so values remain modest. John Spangler

# 13360 - Alpine M-1 Carbine?
12/23/2008
Ann, Arizona City, Arizona

I inherited a gun stamped US Carbine Cal .30 M1 at the top of where the bullets go in and it's stamped ALPINE at the bottom the number 301524 on the side. The only info I can find out about it is that it is an M1 Carbine. I can't find anything on Alpine. My mother said that my uncle was in the Korean war and that it was his gun from the war. Just would like some info on the gun - any ideas?

Answer:
Ann, this one is hard to answer without seeing your carbine. The markings on the receiver over the chamber are correct for a U.S. carbine but Alpine is not. U.S. M-1 carbines have the maker's name stamped on the back of the receiver just behind the rear sight. Sometimes it is under the rear sight and you need a flashlight to read it. Alpine is not a manufacturer who produced M-1 carbines for the US government durring WWII. It may be a company who made their own receivers and used surplus parts to assemble carbines for commercial sales. Marc

# 13235 - Remington Percussion Revolver Dates
12/23/2008
Gary, Martinsburg, WV

Is there another place on the pistol ( other than the barrel) that I can find out the year that it was made. Original pistol.

Answer:
Gary- The dates on the barrel are just patent dates for features that were used on several models over 10 to 20 years. The serial number is stamped on the bottom of the barrel and will help date it, and sometimes it is also stamped on the frame, but you have to remove the grips to see the number. John Spangler

# 13335 - 1927 Eibar Texas Ranger 38 Revolver With Holster
12/20/2008
Diana

Hello! I am trying to research a handgun (revolver) with holster and bullets that have been in the family for years. I went on line searching for some of the initials/ words/ identification I located on the revolver: 38 caliber, 38 Long CTG, PII, A.G.H, Eibar, ET, 5391, Spain, 1927. Based on the limited results, it may be a 1927 Eibar Texas Ranger 38 caliber revolver, but I can't find an exact match with the search criteria I've provided you. Where would you suggest I search in order to determine what it is and what it may be worth? Thank you so much.

Answer:
Diana- I would expect to find ones matching your description offered at a gun show at prices around the few hundred dollar range since it has the holster. In general, the Spanish made (Eibar) revolvers have almost no interest or value, but as a complete rig it may appeal to someone as a representative gun of the type marketed to the least well-paid ranch or farm workers. There is no real handy reference on Spanish made revolvers that I know of. John Spangler

# 13392 - Nickel Luger
12/20/2008
Jewell, Edna, Texas

1937 S/42 all parts have 07 on them - color is silver with brown grips My husband just passed away and I don't know value? It was brought home from WWII by his uncle. Could you help me with how to sell and value of?

Answer:
Jewell, sorry to hear about your husband's passing. Your Luger's value depends on several things including condition, whether all of the parts have matching numbers and any accessories that come with the Luger. It can range from around $300 for a rusty Luger with replaced parts to over $1500 for a really nice one. If the Luger is Nickel plated, that means that it has been refinished and value will be at the bottom end of the range. Contact us at the following link: http://oldguns.net/email/ and I will try to give you a better estimate. Marc

# 13342 - Nazi HP Question
12/16/2008
Len, Ossipee, NH

#795 on receiver and frame/German Bird Insignia on receiver and frame Lettering: Fabrique Nationale D'Armes DE Cuerre - Herstal-Belgique This gun is in good condition but I cannot find much information on it and what it is worth. It has fixed sights with brown checkered grips that look like they are plastic. There is a small mark next to the bird insignia but I cannot make it out. Any information on history and price would be extremely appreciated.

Answer:
Len, the High Power pistol was designed by John Moses Browning and manufactured by Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Herstal, Belgium. The Belgians were first armed forces to adopt the High Power as an official sidearm, they did this in 1935. Between 1935 and the German capture of the FN factory on May 29, 1940 contracts were filled for the armed forces of several countries including Belgium, China, Peru, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Sweden and France.

From the plant's seizure by the Germans in May of 1940 to its liberation in September of 1944, over 319,000 High Powers pistols were manufactured for the German Wehrmacht. The first several thousand pistols were made up from captured parts and had a high polish finish, a shoulder stock slot cut into the rear grip strap and tangent rear sight. To speed production, the Germans eliminated the shoulder stock slot and then the tangent sight at about serial number 145000. As production continued, the quality of finish was reduced to dull blue over a progressively less polished metal. The Germans used three Waffenenamt stamps on High Power pistols:

1. Eagle over WaA613
2. Eagle over WaA103
3. Eagle over WaA140.

Your pistol sounds like it is the third variation, these were stamped with eagle over WaA140, had fixed 50-meter sights, wood or brown plastic grips and dull military-blue finish over rough machine marks. The approximate serial range for this variation is 145000 to 210000, then 01a to 100000a and finally 01b to 63000b. The serial number that you sent `31795` does not fall in any of these ranges, I suspect that it has a letter prefix that you overlooked.

Yearly production of High Power pistols under German occupation was as follows:

1940..................... 8,500
1941..................... 65,700
1942..................... 80,600
1943..................... 101,200
1944..................... 63,000

Values for 3rd variation Nazi Proofed High Power pistols are in the $300 to $1200 range depending on condition. Marc

# 13334 - 1917 New England Westinghouse Rifle
12/16/2008

The weapon has a stamp print for .30-06 bullets. Would this be considered a sniper rifle? If so, how much would one go for out in the rifle market if weapon is in -B condition?

Answer:
Sir- New England Westinghouse only made the Russian Model 1891 Mosin Nagant rifles, which were in 7.62 x 54mmR Russian caliber. The conversions to .30-06 were made by commercial firms, and are generally considered to be UNSAFE TO SHOOT.

They do have some collector interest, but are NOT valuable sniper rifles. I would expect to see them priced at $100-200. Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 13332 - Bogus Brass Belt Buckles (Mills Type)
12/14/2008

I have 5 brass buckles that read ANSON MILLS, PAT, FEB 1 1881. One has a bull with TEXAS CATTLEMENS ASSOCIATION embossed on the face of it. Second has ANSON MILLS, PAT. FEB 1 1881 with KANSAS STATE PENITENTIARY and the word GUARD embossed on the face of it. Third has the same printing on the back and FORT SMITH PRISON ARK and the word GUARD embossed on the face of it. Fourth has same printing on back with WYOMING STATE PENITENTAIRY and the word GUARD embossed on the face of it. Fifth has COCA COLA.

Answer:
Sir- I am 99% certain that all of those are "fantasy" items made to appear old but are not even replicas, but entirely new items which were never made in the time they claim. I vaguely remember seeing that these were offered in the 1960s- 70s. Value is whatever you can get for them. John Spangler

# 13331 - M1917 Rifle With USMC Bolt
12/14/2008
Brent

i have purchased a 1817 [1917?] eddystone with usmc markings on the bolt. the rifle has not been through rebuild, as it is all blue. i am having a hard time finding information about when these rifles were issued to the usmc. the ser. number indicates the rifle was built dec. 1918. do you have any usmc records on this rifle? what is the value of this rifle? metal is in great shape, the stock has a few dings. Thanks

Answer:
Brent- Your markings have absolutely NOTHING to do with the United States Marine Corps, no matter what ANYONE may tell you.

During WW2, spare bolts for the M1917 rifles were made by the United Shoe Machinery Corporation, located in (I think if I recall correctly) Beverly, Mass. John Spangler

# 13363 - FN Rifle
12/14/2008
Ken ,High Point, NC

On top is a crown then a ornate L the A B L 1951. On the right side of barrel 700. On the left side of breech FAB NAT D'ARMES de GUERRE,HERSTAL BELGIQUE I'm trying to get some idea of where this rifle originated. The barrel graduates down 3 sizes in outer diameter.

Answer:
Ken, it sounds like your rifle may be some sort of custom gun that was made up from various parts. The receiver (at least ) was manufactured by Fabrique Nationale D'Armes (F.N.) in Herstal Belgium. Marc

# 13358 - Velo-Dog ?
12/9/2008
Allen, Jonesborough, TN

Arizmendi & Goenaga - Eibah - Scolari - Roma My uncle gave this old gun to me and I'm trying to figure out what kind it is, what era its from etc. Those are all the markings I an make out on the gun, aside from on the right side it has ''AC149'' imprinted on it. Thanks for the help!

Answer:
Allen, Arizmendi & Goenaga, started manufacturing inexpensive 'Velo- Dog' type revolvers in the 1890s and added a line of semi-automatic pistols in the early 1900s. (The Velo-Dog was a pocket pistol or small type of revolver originally created in France in the late 1800s as a defense for cyclists on their velocipedes, who were likely to be set upon by large and ferocious dogs.) In 1914, the company was reorganized as Francisco Arizmendi and they went out of business with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. There is not much interest in this type of revolver and most are considered dangerous to shoot. Values are usually in the $75 or less range. Marc

# 13347 - Early HP
12/9/2008
Joe

receiver has what appears to be a crown with letters ELG, E with star above, RV with lion above, right side C in box, EGB in circle, RV with lion and E with star. Crown with AC below on trigger guard. Labeled Browning's patent despose. Slot in grip for stock. Gun was brought back with my uncle from WW2 and wondering if there is any collector's value or market for this weapon.

Answer:
Joe, when the Germans occupied Belgium in the spring of 1940, a store of captured weapons that included M1935 High Power pistols was turned over to them. The captured weapons were reissued to the German Army without reproofing. These early captured High Power pistols all had a stock slot and 500 meter tangent rear sight. They sometimes have a German Army acceptance stamp on the barrel or left trigger guard web.

It sounds like you may have a Pre - War Commercial F.N. Hi-Power ( M1935 ) pistol. The Pre - War Commercial model came with a slot for a shoulder stock, but it also had the tangent rear sight which you did not mention your pistol having.

Although there is not as much demand for Pre - War Commercial Hi-Power pistols as there is for their war time counterparts, there is still good collector interest in them. The blue book lists values between $500 and about $2000 depending on condition. Value will be higher if you can find one of the German Army acceptance stamps that I mentioned above. Let us know if you would like to sell. Marc

# 13333 - Japanese Rifle Info
12/9/2008

Could you tell me were i can find information on the Japanese rifles used in WW2? Thank you.

Answer:
The best reference is "Military Rifles of Japan" by Honeycutt & Anthony for a good coverage of all the different types. Advanced collectors may want to subscribe to BANZAI, a newsletter devoted to the topic. There are also some on line forums that get heavily into Japanese rifles, but I cannot recommend specific sites. Search for Arisaka, Nagoya, Kokura type 99 type 30 type 38 and that should come up with that sort of site. Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 13330 - Rogers And Spencer Revolver
12/6/2008
Chris

I have come across one of my great grandfather pistols and found out that it is a Rogers and Spencer made in the 1860's. I have been told by different gun deallers that it is worth any where from 750.00 to 1500.00 dollars. Here is the serial number from the gun 933. I am trying to find out the worth of the gun and if anyone mite be interested in the purchase of it. Thank you for your time.

Answer:
Chris- Those figures from the other dealers sound like a reasonable price range. The Rogers & Spencer is an odd item in that while they are often considered to be Civil War revolvers, they were delivered too late to be issued, which greatly reduces collector interest and value, compared to other makers. Also, they remained in storage until about 1903 and thus they are usually found in remarkably good shape- 90% or more original finish. Any in lesser condition are hard to sell.

We have some info at http://OldGuns.net/selling.htm on different selling options that may be helpful. John Spangler

# 13329 - Bill Edwards Revolver
12/6/2008
Anonymous

i came accross a pistol i can't find anything about, could you help me please.it;s a 36 caliber black power six shooter, it's has a name on it. Bill Edwards,Afton,va,navy model,made in italy.16 may 1843,p/n ae,patent n,#71198

Answer:
Anonymous (probably because he is ashamed he cannot capitalize words or spell) - Bill Edwards, who just recently passed away, was the author of the first really authoritative book on Civil War period firearms, "Civil War Guns" which has been reprinted a couple of times since it first appeared nearly 50 years ago. It is still an excellent overview on the field and I highly recommend it.

Bill was also one of the first to report on the then novel idea of making replica black powder revolvers in Italy for sale in the U.S.

I believe that Bill Edwards began importing some under his own name sometime later (circa 1970s?) for a few years, about the time that a dozen or more outfits did the same thing. He lived on a mountain top in Afton, VA, While he was a brilliant researcher and author, he had a reputation for being a bit eccentric, and I suspect that this importing business did not go on for long. While an interesting bit of arms making history, that does not make much difference as far as the value. I would expect these to bring about the same as any of the other Italian made replicas of the M1851 Colt Navy- roughly $100-150 for a used one. Hope that helps. John Spangler

# 13340 - PSP-25 Pistol
12/6/2008
Brian, Kansas City, MO

I acquired one of these years ago and am contemplating selling it. Anyone have an idea of what it would be worth. It was NIB when I got it and I've only shot about 25 rounds through it. Thanks!

Answer:
Brian, I am sure that someone can tell you what your pistol is worth but since your sent your question to John and Marc at OldGuns.net, I will see what I can do to help. The blue book says that the Precision Small Arms PSP-25 was a Semi-Auto, .25 ACP caliber single action handgun that was based on the Baby Browning design. It was manufactured here in the U.S. and came with a 2 & 1/8 inch barrel, it had a magazine capacity of six rounds. The pistol had a dual safety system and all steel construction. Several choices of finish were available including polished blue (new 1999), black oxide (disc. 1999), brushed satin white nickel (Nouveau satin), or highly polished white nickel finish (Nouveau mirror). Grips were checkered black polymer. Values for this model in the blue book range from $140 to $235 depending on condition. Marc

# 13359 - Gestapo P.38?
12/2/2008
Heinz ,London ,Ohio

6145 a ac 45 With military acceptance stamp 359 with the military test proof mark in the middle of the 2, I believe the test mark is Heereswaffenamt I was told that these were made for the Gestapo in limited numbers. is this correct ? What is the value ? Pistol is in very good condition

Answer:
Heinz, Orv Reichert who created and maintains the largest database listing P.38 serial numbers in the world (38,000 serial numbers) has stated many times that there are no P.38's that can be identified as being used by the Gestapo. A very small number of P.38's were made for the German police right up through 1944. They can be identified because the proof eagle has an L or C next to it, and they usually do not have the 359 waffenamt stamped on the frame and slide. The 359 waffenamt is a military acceptance mark and it was not put on pistols used by the police. Your pistol has all the markings I would expect to find on a late war P.38 made for the German military. Marc

# 13327 - Very Old Camel Gun
12/2/2008
Dave

Iron rolled barrel with tooled brass bindings leather with bone inlays, and bone with some scrimshaw on it, and it has a iron tit at back of the but for head blows, red coral silver more brass the plunger under the barrel. It is over 63" long. And does the word Snaphoss mean anything. I took it to a gun show today and everyone was looking at it asking how much was it, however no one could give me a price on what it was worth. It hangs on my wall in my office and I have never seen one and we travel a lot and I love antiques. I would consider selling it. I paid a good amount for it not knowing its real value. Since then my wife found a camel saddle in a antique store and had me buy it I believe it is close to the same age. Thanks.

Answer:
Dave- These are neat oddities, and valued mainly for their decorative value. Many are convincingly aged items made in recent years for the "tourist" market.

I see prices all over, from $150 to several thousand dollars. Realistically, they seem to sell in the few hundred dollar range, when they sell at all. There are just not very many people who care for them as collector items, except as a an impulse buy curiosity type item.

They are best sold face to face, as shipping is very difficult due to the extreme length, strange shape and fragile construction. We just avoid handling them at all. John Spangler

# 13348 - Need More Information
12/2/2008
Barb, Etters, PA

If you count the bullet chamber it is 6 inch, if not, it is a 4 inch barrel. How much is this gun worth? It is in pretty good shape and it has a rubber grip. I have a co-worker interested in buying it, but I have no idea how much it is worth. My ex-husband and I use to target shoot and he bought me the gun. I want to say it was probably 25 years ago. Thanks for your time.

Answer:
Barb - sorry to say that without more information like a model number and the condition that your gun is in, I really can't tell you much more than value is probably somewhere between $300 and $650. If you need more information you can get an appraisal from us at the following URL: https://oldguns.c3.ixwebhosting.com/paid_q/paid_q.php. Good Luck - Marc