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15888  - FIE Shotgun
9/18/2018
Joe, Lufkin, Tx

Maker: FIE, Model: Idk, Caliber: 12, Barrel Length: 19'', Finish: Stainless Steel, SN: 84129

Markings:
FIE with a tiger above those letters.

Question:
What is the model of the gun? Name or number?

 Answer:
Joe, you did not give much information to base an answer on. I can tell you that F.I.E. is the acronym for Firearms Import & Export. If memory serves FIE was most active during the 1980s, they filed bankruptcy in November of 1990 and all models were discontinued at that time.

A quick Google search on "FIE Tiger" resulted in information on the FIE Titan Tiger, this model was a .38 revolver that came with either a blue or chrome finish, 2 or 4 inch barrel and fixed sights. Not much help since it looks like you have a 12 gauge shotgun with 19 inch barrel. Your best course of action would be to have the gun examined by a gunsmith for identification. Marc



15876  - FOREIGN PERCUSSION CONVERSION MUSKET
9/18/2018
Kevin, Fife Lake, MI.

Maker: ?, Model: ?, Caliber: 70, Barrel Length: 41'', Finish: Blue, SN: 4912

Markings:
2:F:G:M:C:4:S:N°70

Question:
Looks to be a cap and ball conversion from a flintlock. Military. What is it?

 Answer:
Kevin- The markings are foreign, but it is hard to pin down what country. My guess is some Germanic state (prior to German unification in 1870) or one of the Scandinavian countries. Surplus (and usually obsolete) military arms from all those places were brought to the U.S. during the Civil War, so there are a lot of them in the U.S. for collectors to enjoy. Search for “imported Civil War muskets” and click on images and that may turn photos to help you identify this. John Spangler



15866  - RUSSIAN NAVAL PISTOL?
9/15/2018
Robert W. Grose Jr

Maker: Russian Naval, Model: ?, Caliber: 50 Cal. ?, Barrel Length: 6 To 8, Finish: Blue, SN: N/A

Markings:
have bench markings on barrel, believe they are Russian. Horse traded with my late uncle for this. any info would be helpful.

Question:
any info would be grateful.

 Answer:
Robert- Russian guns before the 1891 Mosin Nagant rifle or M1895 Nagant revolver are scarce in the United States, and information on them is almost as scarce. The best sources are on line searches for terms like “Russian pistol” and it is good to try “image search” since it is easier to visually check to see if something looks remotely similar to what you have. Value on these is pretty much whatever a willing buyer and seller can agree on, so if you and your uncle are on good terms, it was probably a fair deal. John Spangler



15891  - Phoenix 25
9/15/2018
Linda, Mukwonago, WI

Maker: Phoenix, Model: P -A- 51, Caliber: 25 Auto, Barrel Length: 4 Inches, Finish: Don`t Know, SN: 6259

Markings:
Pearl handles

Question:
How old is this gun? It belonged to my Grandpa. I am interested in hearing any information about it.

 Answer:
Linda, my references contain information on two types of Phoenix pistol. The first is the .25 caliber Jieffeco manufactured by Robar (q.v.) of Liege, Belgium, it is marked PHOENIX LOWELL MASS. USA PATENT, This presumably refers to an American importer active in the 1930s. The second gun is also a .25 caliber, it resembles the usual 1906 pattern Browning but has an external hammer concealed within a slot in the rear of the slide so that only the serrated top may be seen when down, The gun has an unusual knurled-button dismantling catch midway along the frame on both sides, and is marked only PHOENIX ARMS PATENT,with a crown and PHOENIX on the grips. Some sources attribute this pistol to the Viktoria Arms Co of Eibar, but no other record of this company exists. There is not allot of collector interest in either of these two models and values for them tend to be modest. Marc



15864  - Marlin 30-30
9/11/2018
John, Maumelle, Arkansas

Maker: Marlin, Model: Unknown, Caliber: 30-30, Barrel Length: 20 Inch, Finish: Don`t Know, SN: R26525

Markings:
Jm marked on barrel

Question:
What is the model of this gun? Or anything else you can tell me about this gun.

 Answer:
John- Marlin made many different rifles in .30-30 caliber, all of them good reliable guns made of good materials with nice fit and finish. However, they were also pretty good about marking them with the model, usually on the upper tang behind the hammer (sometimes obscured by a tang sight) or on the barrel. Without that we would only be guessing. Since it has an “R” in the serial number, my guess is that it is a Marlin 36 or 336 made sometime in the mid to late 20th century. John Spangler



15867  - Browning 12 Ga
9/11/2018
Phillip Andalusia Al.

Maker: Browning, Model: 12 Gauge, Caliber: 12, Barrel Length: 28'', Finish: Blue, SN: H 18545

Question:
how old is this gun and possible value condition good

 Answer:
Phillip, our main focus at FineOldGuns.com (OldGuns.net) is military firearms. We sometimes list sporting shotguns for sale in our catalogs but we do not have a lot of interest in collecting them and are by no means experts in this field. There are several dealers listed on our links page that specialize in shotguns who would be able to give you a better answer to your question. With that being said, I can tell you that I do not think that "12 Gauge" is the model of your shotgun and not knowing the model makes answering your question much more difficult. A quick look at the information posted at proofhouse.com indicates that the "H" part of your serial number may be a code for Browning Citori Over-Under Shotguns manufactured in 1973 or Browning Semi-Automatic Five (A-5) Standard Weight shotguns manufactured in 1954. Hope this helps. Marc



15865  - JC Higgins Model 88
9/8/2018
Krista, Bosque Farms,NM US

Maker: JC Higgins, Model: Model 88, Caliber: 22cal, Barrel Length: 3 1/2”, Finish: Blue, SN: 583881

Markings:
Has a plastic grip with JC Higgins on both sides. Also on the body of the pistol is another number down by the trigger 704989

Question:
My grandfather gave me this pistol and was wandering if it’s worth anything. I’m going to keep it because it was his but was just trying to find out something about it. Thanks for your help Krista

 Answer:
Krista The JC Higgins Model 88 was manufactured for Sears by High Standard, it is their Sentinel model/. The Standard Catalog of Firearms indicates that the Sentinel was made for Sears form 1959 until 1965. There is not allot of collector interest in JC Higgins marked firearms in general and values for them are modest. I was able to find an owners manual for your little revolver at the following link:

http://pdf.textfiles.com/manuals/FIREARMS/jchiggins_88.pdf.

Hope this helps, Marc.



15847  - M1903 SPRINGFIELD DATE OF MANUFACTURE
9/8/2018
RALPH BEDFORD HILLS NEW YORK

Maker: SPRINGFIELD, Model: 03, Caliber: 30/06, Barrel Length: ?, Finish: Blue, SN: 1523958

Question:
good morning.. I have a Springfield 03 ww2 the serial number is 1523958 I checked it and your sight states made in 1938 on top of my barrel states under sa marking 3/39 are they fairly close are they exact? thank you ralph

 Answer:
Ralph- You need to remember that the U.S. Army adopted the M1 Garand in 1936 and after that all their production efforts were focused on the “new” rifle, and work n M1903 rifles was limited to assembly of National match rifles and occasional odds and ends for specific needs, but most of the late 1930s parts made ended up as just that, parts to be used on overhaul and repair operations to maintain the obsolete M1903 rifles still being used by the Navy, Marine Corps and lower priority Army units. While in “normal” full production the barrel dates and receiver dates track along pretty closely, during the final days of the M1903 support there can be much wider variations. In my opinion the barrel date is good for the barrel, but final assembly may have been a year or two after that, perhaps a “manufacturing” a complete rifle, or more likely as the basis for a rebuilt rifle using serviceable parts in the overhaul and repair shops also located at Springfield, but paid for out of a different pot of money than “new rifle manufacture” pot. John Spangler



15883  - MAB Model A
9/4/2018
Greg, New Orleans, LA

Maker: Pistolet Automatique 6 35 "MAB" Brevete, Model: Pistolet Automatique 6 35 "MAB" Brevete, Caliber: .25, Barrel Length: Approximately 2-1/8" Long, Finish: Blue, SN: CANNOT FIND A SERIAL NUMBER

Markings:
The end of the barrel has 10 oval shaped slots around it. Each are approximately 1/4" long and 1/8" wide. The gun is 4-1/2" long at the slide.

Question:
I'm curious about the history of this gun...where did it come from, how old is it, etc?

 Answer:
Greg, Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne (MAB) of Bayonne, France has been in business since 1921. From 1940 to 1944 the MAB factory was under German control, and they manufactured pistols for the German military and police. After WWII, MAB resumed production of commercial pistols. I believe that you have a MAB Model A, the Model A was a well made 6.35mm blowback semi-automatic pistol based on the Browning 1906 design with grip and magazine safety. I have no serial number information on the Model A, it was the first model produced by MAB in 1921 and it has remained in production up to the present, this makes it hard to pin down a date of manufacture. Marc



15838  - Marlin 39A VALUE
9/4/2018
John Norwood, North Carolina

Maker: Marlin, Model: 39A, Caliber: 22 Cal, Barrel Length: 24 Inch, Finish: Blue, SN: 1979

Question:
Hello, I need to know what the appraised value of this rifle is worth. It is very good condition with no marks or dings on the stock and bluing is in great condition.

 Answer:
John- The last five Model 39A Marlins to sell on GunBroker.com went at prices in the $400-800 range. Note that most of these were great condition and early dates making them more desirable to collectors than other guns which show more use or lack some desirable features. We very seldom deal in Marlins, so we really do not have any better feel for prices. John Spangler



15892  - US Carbine Cal..30 M1,. National Postal Meter
9/1/2018
jeff.okmulgee.oklahoma

Maker: Inland/Underwood, Model: US M1 30 Carbine, Caliber: .30, Barrel Length: ¨18., Finish: Blue, SN: 2745508 ¨N¨ STAMPED BELOW #

Markings:
walnut stock, lots of character, fine condition.

Question:
original theater of operations, service record, fair market value.

 Answer:
Jeff- These were all produced during WW2, but there is very little info on where particular guns went after their initial delivery to the ordnance department. Most got shifted around among several units of the U.S. military, with some left in use by the Navy and Air Force until the late 1960s. Many were sold off through the DCM program in the 1960s for under $20 each. Huge numbers were given to various allies, friendly nations, and ungrateful semi-hostile nations as foreign aid from mid WW2 on. I understand that the Army Special Forces still have some for training purposes, but had a heck of a time getting parts for them….a problem solved by the ingenuity of the American GI that can be told another day. Many of these foreign aid guns have been imported in recent years, with prices as low as $139 each in the early 1990s. Anti-gun Congressmen are trying to prevent DCM from selling any more M1 carbines under the guise of "anti-crime or safety or some other BS reason, covering their true anti-gun agenda. A larger group of pro-gun Congressmen requested the Secretary of the Army to ignore such foolishness and proceed with sales. Right now decent M1 carbines seem to sell at the $300-400 level, with really nice matching original ones nearly double that. Okay- a story for yours- Maybe it was used by Army troops landing on Okinawa, then after overhaul reissued to Marines for use in Korean War, then overhauled again and given to the South Vietnamese. Captured by the Viet Cong and then liberated by an American soldier who smuggled it home in his duffel bag. (Was that worse than being a dope-smoking draft-dodger leading protests against their own country?) Heck, you can probably make up a better story yourself, so go for it... John Spangler



15890  - Progress Shotgun
9/1/2018
Peggy, Jackson Ohio

Maker: Progress, Model: 215, Caliber: Not Sure Shot Gun, Barrel Length: 22, Finish: Other, SN: 0253

Markings:
Small dog with duck in his mouth on the stock

Question:
What is the worth. And I`m not sure what I have, sorry. The most I can figure out is Belgium fine Damascus double barrel shot gun with number 215 on top of barrel and 0253 under the in side of the stock.

 Answer:

Peggy, our main focus at FineOldGuns.com (OldGuns.net) is military firearms. We sometimes list sporting shotguns for sale in our catalogs but we do not have a lot of interest in collecting them and are by no means experts in this field. A quick Google search on Progress shotguns led me to the following information at this links:

https://www.migunowners.org/forum/showthread.php?92103-Double-Barrel-Shotgun-that-has-quot-Progress-quot-stamped-onto-the-side

http://www.heirloomarmes.com/chapuis_pop.htm

 

PROGRESS SIDE-BY-SIDE SHOTGUNS
Just like their express rifle counterparts, the Progress shotguns are built on the Chapuis Armes double under lug locking system. This gives them a very sleek shape and exceptional strength. The incredible balance and light weight of these all steel shotguns make them very fast handling and a joy to carry.

Stocks are sculpted from Circassian or French walnut in either traditional English straight grip or pistol grip, with a semi-beaver tail forend. Barrel lengths include 24”, 26”, and 28”. Barrels can be bored, polished, and internally shaped for steel shot on request. Barrels are choked per customer request and fitted with ejectors and full length ribs unless otherwise requested. Sling swivels available at no charge on request. Calibers include : 12 ga. 2 ¾”, 12 ga. 3” 16 ga. 2 ¾”, and 20 ga. 3”.

PROGRESS CLASIC
Chrome bores, Coin finish on the receiver, Ejectors, English scroll engraving, Double triggers, Hand checkering, Dimensions on stock per customer request, Shipped in a molded case.

RGP MODEL - Box lock model with AAA walnut and plastic butt plate

Cal. / Retail
12 and 16- 2 ¾” / $2600
Cal. 12- 3” / $2700
20- 3” / $2900

RP MODEL - Box lock with side plates, AAAA walnut, Rosewood butt plate

Cal. / Retail
12 and 16 - 2 ¾” / $3600
12 - 3” / $3700
20 - 3” / $3900

RGP ARTISAN
Sculptured box lock receiver, Full coverage medium relief hand engraving, Floral décor and game scenes, AAAAA Fancy walnut, Shipped in a trunk type fabric covered case.

Cal. / Retail
12 and 16 - 2 ¾ / $5800
12 - 3” / $5900
20 - 3” / $6200

RP ARTISAN
Same as above except: Box lock with side plates, Floral décor with “al bulino” game scenes.
Cal. / Retail
12 and 16 - 2 ¾” / $7000
12 - 3” / $7100
20 - 3” / $7500

PROGRESS CUSTOM SHOP MODELS
Hand sculpted receiver, Coin finish, Exhibition Grade Walnut, Rosewood butt plate, Medium relief engraving with “al bulino” game scenes, Fitted linen and leather trunk case.

LUXUS
Sculpted Box Lock
All Cal. Retail-$9500

ROYAL
Model with Side Plates
All Cal. Retail- $13000

OPTIONS
Special stock designs and wood upgrades
Splinter forend
Extra barrels- Rifle and smoothbore
Special bore finish for steel shot
Custom engraving patterns
Single non-selective trigger

If this is the type of shotgun that you have, you are in luck but if your luck is like mine, it is more likely that your shotgun is 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.

Good luck, I hope that it turns out that you have a real treasure. Marc