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16514  - Inherited Firearm
7/31/2021
Gregory Raleigh NC USA

Maker: Fa Roque Nationale, Model: Herstal Liege, Caliber: 308, Barrel Length: 20, Finish: Long Gun - Blue, SN: 3332

Markings:
Stamped on the tip of the barrel is RA 8-44 Also their is some sort of emblem which looks like a circle with a flame on top of it almost looks like a birds tail feathers

Question:
I inherited this firearm and would like to ensure it is actually a 308. Any information you could provide would be helpful I would like to be able to shoot it if possible. Since it is a military firearm could it be a 7.62 or some other military round

 Answer:
Don- Thanks for the photos, they help a lot. In the mid to late 20th century replica locks were made with the Maslin name, but your photos show a back action lock, not the type which was reproduced.

Your rifle is relatively plain, with iron trigger guard and buttplate, and a full length stock with ``tiger stripes`` which may be natural grain figure or artificially added by chemicals, tar or heat or a combination. The back action lock was most popular circa 1840-1880. The iron mountings are most often found on ``Southern`` long rifles such as those made in Tennessee and the adjacent area. The barrel also has a partially legible ``DAYTON`` near the breech. While the lockmaker (Maslin) can be pinned down, the Dayton and JM markings are unidentified, but Dayton is probably the barrel maker, and JM either the gunsmith who made the rifle, or perhaps the initials of the original owner. The decorative borders and punch marks on the face of the muzzle are a feature which may help identify a specific maker, but I do not have the knowledge (or reference books) to pursue that. The trigger and trigger guard and overall workmanship are somewhat crude, quite adequate for a functional hunting arm, but not in the same category as some of the artistic pieces made by the better makers.

Michael M. Maslin was a lock maker active in Baltimore and Philadelphia circa 1822-1847, and would have sold his locks to the trade to be assembled into complete rifles virtually anywhere.

With that, my opinion is that this was made in the Tennessee mountain region circa 1840-1860. As far as value, these have limited collector interest and seem to be most valued as decorative pieces for people with mid 19th centurey country homes needing an old gun too hang over a fireplace. I would expect to see one like this at a gun show or auction selling in the $400-600 range.

Hope that helps.

John Spangler



16518  - Possible Gettysburg Rifle
7/27/2021
Milo Camp Wood Texas U.S.A.

Maker: Springfield, Model: 1863, Caliber: .58, Barrel Length: Musket, Finish: Long Gun - Other, SN: NONE

Markings:
on lock plate 1863 Springfield Eagle BridesburgThree file marks on edge of bayonet

Question:
Is it possible this musket saw action at the Gettysburg battle Are the three file marks on bayonet indicative of three kills Is it true that these muskets have no serial numbers

 Answer:
Milo- First, it is true that these have no serial number, and firearms made before 1968 were not required to have serial numbers, unless the maker want to number them for reasons known only to them.

As far as ``kill marks`` that seems to be a fantasy which appeals to some people, but has little foundation in facts. Especially on a bayonet. It is more likely a prior owner`s attempt to identify it in some way as their property to distinguish it from others in the area.

Your musket should be a Model 1861, even though dated 1863. These originally had .58 caliber, 40 inch barrels secured by three barrel bands, bright finish, walnut stock. Lock plate marked: US / BRIDESBURG and dated 1863 at the tail. Breech with matching 1863 date, and with JM sub-inspection on the barrel flat. Left side of the stock may have visible PSS (Porter S Shattuck) and FR (Franklin Root) inspector marks. The firm of Alfred Jenks & Son, marked their contract guns ``Bridesburg`` for their physical location in the Philadelphia section by that name. They delivered some 40,000 US M1861 rifle muskets during 1863 and a total of more than 92,000 between 1862 and 1865.

Assuming that Jenks delivered the muskets at a steady rate through 1863, and it would have taken a few weeks for acceptance and delivery to a unit, that means that about 5 out of 12 months production (or about 16,667 out of 40,000 muskets made in 1863) might have been in the hands of troops by July 1, 1863. We can certainly agree that your musket is ``them same as those used at Gettysburg`` if not verifiable as ``this gun was used at Gettysburg.`` Hope that helps. John Spangler



16511  - Win 77 Nickel - John`s Ideas
7/24/2021
james ohio

Maker: Winchester, Model: 77, Caliber: .22, Barrel Length: 20, Finish: Other - Nickel, SN: NOT SERIALIZED

Markings:
none to mention

Question:
I am interested to know how many of the model 77s where nickel finished tube fed versions and if that makes it rare or more valuable.. condition is functional shooter with 13rd of the plating worn down but some sort of clear coat over it now i assume someone tried to protect the finish a bit longer.

 Answer:
James- The Winchester Model 77 was made from 1955 to 1963, with about 217,000 made. I cannot find anything indicating that any were originally made with a nickel finish, but that is not proof that some were not.

They were made in two versions, one with a detachable 5 shot magazine which attached ahead of the trigger guard, and a slightly more expensive tubular magazine model. They were made in two grades, one with a plain stock the deluxe grade with a checkered stock.

My guess is that the nickel finish was a later owner`s work, possibly for use in a shooting gallery where they would see hard use, with little care, and it is the sort of use that would account for one third of the nickel being worn off or flaked off from poor workmanship.

Even if it is a factory applied finish, the present condition really degrades it in the eyes of most collectors, so actually I think it would sell for the same or less than a blued version. There is an old gun collectors saying ``Rare junk is still junk.`` If factory, some really advanced collector looking for one may be happy to get it, but if not known to be factory, it may be a hard sell at any price. Reportedly they are pretty good guns, but pretty much lost the market to Remington`s Nylon 66 and the Ruger 10-22.

There is a nice article on these here:

https://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2019/04/featured-gun-winchester-model-77.html

Hope that helps.

John Spangler



16509  - Marlin 1892
7/17/2021
Fred

Maker: Marlin, Model: 1892, Caliber: ?, Barrel Length: ?, Finish: ?, SN: 210805

Question:
I have a Marlin Model 1892 ser # 210805 that was my grandads that is in really great shape, no rust wood no cracks some dings action very tight shows very little wear. I have no intentions of selling this gun as it is the only thing I have that was his. Can you give me a range of what it is worth?

 Answer:
Fed- Thanks for contacting Antique and Collectable Firearms and Militaria Headquarters. Value will vary with condition, caliber, and any special features. I checked on GunBroker.com and it looks like the Model 1892s are actually selling at around $550-700, and NOT selling when people are asking $800-1200. John



16506  - WW-II K98k
7/10/2021
Ken

Maker: Mauser, Model: Mod. 98, Caliber: 8mm, Barrel Length: 24¨ ??, Finish: Blue, SN: 6744

Markings:
6744 is stamped on the two metal fitting toward the front of the rifle. (Sorry, I don't know my rifle anatomy very well) It is also stamped twice on the base of the internal magazine. 306 is stamped twice on the bolt assembly. On the top of the barrel(or just before the barrel) is a byf (lower case)To the side of that same area is an slightly crooked 46306A (? on the A)Further down toward the bolt is engraved Mod. 98

Question:
Just wondering the relative age of the rifle, where it was made and possible value. I got it from a friend and just wanted to know more about it. I understand from my research so far that this rifle was produced for many, many years, in various countries. I was hoping you could narrow it down a little for me. There are some other marks that are difficult to describe. The rifle has %0D! %0Aan adjustable rear site that is numbered from 1 to 20 (2000 meters??) It also has some interesting devices on the stock. Anyway, anything you could tell me about this rifle would be wonderful. Thanks in advance.

 Answer:
Ken it sounds like you have a WW-II K98k. The K98k over its lifetime has been manufactured at many factories. Total K98k production is estimated at 11,500,000. During WW-II most factories that manufactured the K98k were designated with codes to conceal their identities. The byf code that is on your K98k was assigned to Mauser-Werke, Oberndorf on the Neckar. In most cases the year of production of a K98k will be stamped on the receiver over the chamber. The year was usually stamped in full until 1941/42 at which time it was changed to the last two digits of the year. The value of your Mauser depends on many things, the most important of which being condition. Many K98k's have been "sporterized" over the years. From your description of the numbers stamped on your barrel bands it sounds like there is a good chance that your Mauser is still in original condition, but if your Mauser has been "sporterized", I would value it at under $100.00. Most K98k's have numbers stamped on their parts that should match the serial number or the last two or three digits of the serial number. On early K98k's most of the parts were stamped with a number including the screws holding on the trigger guard and the butt plate. As the war progressed less of the parts were stamped with a number. From your description your numbers do not match and this lowers the value. Marc



16505  - Springfield M1D Sniper
7/10/2021


Maker: Garand, Model: M1D, Caliber: 30.06, Barrel Length: ?, Finish: Blue, SN: 159XXXX

Question:
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



16504  - Border Rifle
7/6/2021
David

Maker: Border Rifle, Model: Unknown, Caliber: Unknown, Barrel Length: Unknown, Finish: Unknown, SN: UNKNOWN

Question:
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



16503  - Baby Nambu
7/6/2021


Maker: Nambu (Japanese Military), Model: ¨Baby¨ (Type-A, I Think--not Positive), Caliber: ???, Barrel Length: 4¨ (Approx.), Finish: Blue, SN: 549 (MAGAZINE IS 548)--ALL OTHER NUMBERS MATCH.

Markings:
No special markings.

Question:
My father, before his passing, gave me his cherished Japanese ¨Baby¨ Nambu which he has had since 1960. It is in very nice shape, with little or no rust and only minor wear on the finish. It has a pretty low serial number (549)and an apparent mix up at the factory caused it to be issued with Magazine #548. All other numbers match. What I'm curious to know about is the origin of the weapon, possible value, and Internet folks who might be interested in obtaining such a firearm. I have done some pretty exhaustive searching on the Internet and found little or no information about this weapon. Apparently, this very weapon (same serial number) was once featured in an American Rifleman article, believe it or not! Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Tom Eads,ConsultantUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln--Information Technology Support

 Answer:
Tom, "Baby Nambu" is the name that the Type B Nambu is commonly called by, the type B Nambu is also called the "Officers Model". The Baby Nambu is of the same general design as the Type A Nambu but is smaller and fires a 7mm bottle-necked cartridge. The Baby Nambu was developed for purchase by senior Japanese Military officers as a badge of rank. The Baby Nambu never achieved great popularity because it cost almost twice what a comparable imported model did. Baby Nambu production began in 1903 at the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal, Koishigawa and continued there until about 1923 when it was moved to the Tokyo Gas and Electric company where approx.. 550 were made. The total number of Baby Nambu's produced is about 6500. Among military collectors the Baby Nambu is one of the most desirable of the Japanese military handguns. Marc



16502  - Refinish?
7/3/2021
Frank

Maker: Any Military Firearm, Model: ?, Caliber: ?, Barrel Length: ?, Finish: ?, SN: ?

Question:
Is it a cardinal sin to sand the stocks, touch up blue, and refinish the average WWI/WWII ($30-$100) surplus firearm. I am not speaking of a rare sniper variant etc. I have done a couple and have really been pleased with the result. Thanks and regards, Frank

 Answer:
Frank, the question of firearms restoration has been a matter of contention among gun enthusiasts for as long as I can remember. There are some collectors who do not want a restored firearm no matter how good the restoration job is. If a restoration is done correctly one can be hard pressed to be able to tell that the firearm had been restored. I have found that you never know about that "average WW-I / II ($30-$100) surplus firearm", in 10 years it's value may have increased greatly. You may find that when you sanded the stock on that old beater rifle, not only did you sand off the dings and scratches, you also sanded off $100 or $200 dollars worth of the guns potential value. My rules for what to restore and what not to restore are: 1- I never touch a firearm that has some historical significance, for example you would not want to restore a firearm that was used at the Battle of the Little Bighorn no matter how bad a shape it is in. 2- Keeping rule 1 in mind, I only restore firearms that I consider to be "junk" in their present condition. I have a favorite saying, "Rare junk is still junk!" 3- If I am trying to sell a firearm that has been restored I always make it a point to tell potential buyers about the restoration. You should also consider whether the value of the firearm after the restoration will be greater than the time and money it took restore it. Those are my rules Frank. In the end, they are your rifles, I think that you should do what makes you happy... Marc



16501  - Spanish Mauser
7/3/2021
B.K.

Maker: Spanish Mauser, Model: Two Rifles: Oberdorff And Olvido (spelling ?)1893, Caliber: 7 Mm, Barrel Length: Long..., Finish: Blue, SN: ?

Question:
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