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15485 - Remington 770 Manufacture Date
9/27/2016
Daniel Chambers

Maker: Remington, Model: 770, Caliber: 30.06, Barrel Length: 22 Inches, Finish: Other, SN: M7183966

Question:
I would like to know the year of manufacture of this rifle.

Answer:
Daniel, The Remington Model 770 was introduced in 2007 and it is manufactured in Mayfield Kentucky. Wikipedia indicates that the Model 770 is a magazine-fed bolt-action rifle marketed as a lower-cost alternative to the popular model 700. It is available in 243 Win, 270 Win, 7mm-08 Rem, 7mm Rem Mag, 30-06 Sprg, 300 Win Mag, and 308 Win. The standard, factory magazine can hold up to 4 rounds plus 1 loaded directly into the chamber. From the factory the model includes a mounted, bore sighted 3-9x40mm scope that comes sighted in at 100 yards. The 770 is available in black, synthetic composite, various real tree composite designs, and original wooden stocks.

The Remington Society of America is the best place to find the manufacture date for your rifle, try the following link: http://www.remingtonsociety.org/manufacture-dates/. Hope this helps. Marc

15339 - Value Of “ Jezail ” Or “ Camel Gun ”
9/27/2016
Dennis

Maker: Jazel, Model: ?, Caliber: ?, Barrel Length: 4 Foot, Finish: Stainless Steel, SN: ?

Markings:
no markings

Question:
what is it worth it is a match lock

Answer:
Dennis- I see people asking all sorts of prices, but there is very little interest in these, so they actually sell for modest amount (if a buyer can be found). I have seen some sell at auctions at prices under $100-200 mainly for decorative purposes. Hope that helps. John Spangler

15476 - Kolb With No Serial Number
9/24/2016
Bill, Naples, Ny, USA

Maker: Kolb, Model: 1916, Caliber: 32, Barrel Length: ?, Finish: Blue, SN: CAN NOT FIND

Markings:
PATS.APRIL 5.12 BABYHAMMERLESS MODEL 1916

Question:
Where should I find the serial number. It appears to have been reblued.

Answer:
Bill, Baby Hammerless was a name given in general to "Saturday Night / Suicide - Special" type revolvers manufactured by Henry M. Kolb of Philadelphia.
Most Kolb revolvers were a five shot .22 Short RF, design with ribbed barrel and a frame latch that used two knurled buttons, they were similar to the system used on more modern Iver Johnson revolvers. Early Kolb revolvers had a knurled axis pin beneath the barrel, with a vertical spring catch on the right of the frame, which allowed the pin to be withdrawn for removal of the cylinder.

References indicate that Baby Hammerless revolvers were manufactured from about 1911 to the early 1920s. In 1930, Kolb became R. F. Sedgeley & Co.

Values for Baby Hammerless revolvers depend on condition, I would expect to see most examples at a gunshow selling in the $100 to $200 range.

Firearms manufactured before 1968 were not required by law to have serial numbers as they are today. It is not uncommon to find older firearms, especially inexpensive models, that are not numbered. Marc

15337 - Pennsylvania Rifle With C. Bird Lock
9/24/2016
Dianne, Visalia, CA

Maker: C. Bird& Co., Model: Philadelphia Flint Lock Long Rifle 1800`s, Caliber: I Don`t Know, Barrel Length: 36 Inches, Finish: Don`t Know, SN: CAN`T FIND ONE ANY WHERE ON THE GUN

Question:
The gun has been in the family for 150 years and we do not know much about the history, so we would like to know approximate date it was produced as well as any value it may have for insurance reasons. Our daughter and son in law want to take it and are moving to Texas. We are concerned it could be stolen. Thank you so much for any help.

Answer:
Dianne- Thanks for the additional photos, they help a lot. I guess the first two you originally sent got "mirror" imaged somehow so that it looked like the rifle had a left hand lock, which would be unusual, but the rest all show a conventional right hand lock, so I am sure they are right.

Overall, it is a very handsome early percussion long rifle, totally unmolested and untouched, with a lovely patina and having been carefully protected from abuse and damage over the years. It is wonderful to see something like this still held in a family where the sentimental value can be appreciated as well as the intrinsic collector value.

The information I have on C. Bird of Philadelphia is that he only made locks, not complete rifles, and is listed in city directories circa 1790-1814. However, percussion locks did not appear until about 1825 or achieve any real popularity until about 1830. Without a better shot of the lock plate to look for possible evidence of two former screw holes being filled, I cannot tell if this was originally a flint lock which was later converted to percussion, or a lock which was originally made as percussion.

I am leaning toward this being an original percussion lock, which would indicate that Bird worked longer than has been documented, but probably not very long into the percussion era.

The stock appears to be curly maple, but may have artificial striping done, which was quite common, but in either case it is a handsome looking rifle. The overall design of the stock is consistent with what I would expect to find circa 1830, not much changed from earlier guns although rounded rear of the lockplate was seldom found on earlier rifles. The style is typical of northern and western Virginia (later to become West Virginia), Maryland and probably Ohio and Kentucky as well. The 41 inch barrel and large caliber (somewhere around .50 caliber per your measurement) is typical of guns of the late frontier period when they were serious weapons for warfare and defense against hostile Indians or predatory criminals and each family had to fend for themselves. Later rifles only needed to be heavy enough for hunting deer, and are usually more like .36 to .45 caliber, with shorter barrels and lighter construction.

It is a good solid working rifle, not one of the high art masterpieces with fancy brass inlays or a patch box, but a rifle that was intended for rugged and reliable use, probably at a higher purchase price, as opposed to some of the cheaply made rifles of lesser quality.

I would put an insurance value of $1,200 on it, but if looking to sell would realistically expect to get closer to $800-1,000 or so. If it was a flintlock instead of percussion, retail value would probably be more like $1,600-2,200. These are long and relatively fragile in the wrist area of the stock, especially with a heavy barrel. I know from experience that Navy movers are not always careful or honest, and it may be best if you hold onto this as long as possible instead of having your son take it with him now.

Someone with more expertise than I have might be able to identify the maker by the unusual shape of the brass side plate on the left side of the stock, where the screw holding the lock plate goes through. Hope that helps. John Spangler

15474 - Universal Carbine Bolt
9/20/2016
Pat, Battle Creek, MI USA

Maker: Universal Hialeah, FLa, Model: M1, Caliber: .30, Barrel Length: 18'', Finish: Blue, SN: 2144158

Question:
correct BOLT Replacement for my M1 Universal please. The bolt is cracked and must be replaced, the condition of the rest of the gun is Good only not any higher than Good though. NUMRICH CO. #1139990 Bolt Assembly, Flat, Used Good, GI, Packetized (Winchester - Marked W is what I am thinking of ordering please?? Thank you -SC-

Answer:
Pat, I have never heard of a M1 Carbine bolt cracking and it makes me suspicious. Universal used all sorts of different parts, over the years so it is not possible for me to say what bolt will work for you without being able to examine your carbine in person. I would advise you to take your carbine to a gunsmith and have him verify that you are ordering the correct bolt. Marc

15327 - SPANISH MAUSER RIFLE
9/20/2016
Tim McCormick

Maker: FN, Model: Oviedo 1928, Caliber: ?, Barrel Length: 14'', Finish: Other, SN: NOT SURE

Markings:
!st time Mauser owner.

Question:
I have checked all websites, a few book. And I cannot find ANY information on this specific Mauser. Spanish I think. The whole rifle is only 3ft long. It does not appear to be deliberately shortened. What is this (type) of Mauser. I have pictures Maybe it`s a ''one of a kind'' Tim

Answer:
Tim- It sounds like you have one of the Spanish Mauser carbines with a barrel about 18 inches long, but if the 14 inch measurement is correct, then I must conclude that it has been cut down from a longer rifle. We would need pictures to tell you more. John Spangler

15471 - Marlin Model 18
9/17/2016
kevin freeport ohio usa

Maker: Marlin, Model: No 18, Caliber: 22, Barrel Length: ?, Finish: Blue, SN: 7603

Markings:
Round barrel

Question:
Just was trying to find out when it was made.

Answer:
kevin, the Marlin Model 18 was a slide action rifle that was chambered for .22 Short, Long, or Long Rifle cartridges. It had a tubular magazine and a 20 inch round or octagon barrel. Rifles came with open sights, exposed hammer and a plain straight grip stock. This model was manufactured from 1906 to 1909. Marc

15326 - Trapdoor Springfield Markings
9/17/2016
Ken, Myrtle Beach SC

Maker: Springfield, Model: 1873 Trapdoor, Caliber: 45-70, Barrel Length: 32`, Finish: Blue, SN: 190140

Markings:
Metal tag oval in shape held in place with brads about 1`x 1/2` at the base of the stock with the number 23 in the center. A D with a line stamped under it on the hammer side of the barrel where the barrel meets the breech just above the stock. The D is on the barrel side the line meets the line at the breech both about 1/8` in length.

Question:
I`m Trying to identify the markings listed about.

Answer:
Ken- There is no documented history for your rifle to help identify the markings. The oval plate with the number 23 is a “rack number” of some sort, perhaps from a veterans group, or even a movie studio prop supplier. I think I have seen markings like a small “AD” on the side of the barrel by the witness mark for aligning the barrel and receiver as some sort of inspector marking. That is the best I can do. John Spangler

15470 - Shotgun With No Serial Number
9/13/2016
Walter Spring Tx

Maker: Ithaca, Model: 37, Caliber: 12 ga, Barrel Length: 30 '', Finish: Blue, SN: none

Markings:
flaming duck armory stamp

Question:
How can this gun not have any serial number?

Answer:
Walter, firearms manufactured before 1968 were not required by law to have serial numbers as they are today. It is not uncommon to find older firearms, especially inexpensive models, that are not numbered. Marc

15325 - Steel Cases For U.S. Ammunition
9/13/2016
David, University Park Md

Maker: N/A, Model: N/A, Caliber: .45 ACP, Barrel Length: N/A, Finish: Other, SN: N/A

Markings:
Cartridge, .45ACP, Headstamp EC 43. Steel case. Bullet is copper colored but steel coating underneath (magnet sticks.) Primer case also copper colored

Question:
Online references say headstamp is from ''Evansville Ordnance Plant (Chrysler)'' 1943 was also the year that pennies were made of steel, stated reason was shortage of copper needed for military purposes. Questions: was US small arms ammunition made with steel cases any other time? Was the shortage of copper due to German U-boats disrupting supply lines from Chile, or other reasons? If copper was needed for military use, it seems logical to me that .45 ACP would have been last in line for copper, with rifle and machine-gun ammo taking precedence. Correct? What allowed resumption of brass cases (I assume) in 1944 (pennies returned to ''bronze'' alloy that year also.) Finally, online article says Evansville produced 90% of the .45 ammo during 1942-44, reaching 3,264,281,914 rounds at a rate of up to 12,500,000 per day. Is that comparable to the other ordnance plants? Thanks for the service you provide.

Answer:
David- Excellent questions. Reminds me of the old adage that “Amateurs talk tactics, but professionals talk logistics.”

During wartime massive amounts of materials are needed for products which differ from peace time consumption patterns. The use of steel for the 1943 one cent pieces and some cartridge cases are examples of some of the changes in priorities.

Lots of the wartime procurement involved non-ferrous metals, as well as steel. The construction of warships and merchant ships by the thousands required huge amounts of copper and copper alloys such as bronze. A single ship the size of a destroyer probably used several hundred tons of copper and bronze. There were huge mining operations for copper in the U.S., most notably in Utah, Arizona and Montana. Foreign copper supplies were important, but U-boat attacks made deliveries uncertain. In 1943 improved convoy operations began ensuring more and more ships got through. Small arms ammunition production peaked in 1943 and by mid 1944 such huge supplies were on hand that many of the ammunition plants added for wartime production were shut down. Thereafter small arms ammunition was no longer much of a factor competing for the copper.

During 1943-45 the Ordnance Department worked diligently on ways to use steel instead of copper for ammunition cases, initially for immediate use, and later as a backup against future copper shortages. This included both small arms ammunition where each case is a mere fraction of an ounce and artillery cases which can weigh 10-15 pounds each. This involved many considerations: The cases had to be flexible enough to seal the chambers on firing, and they had to resist corrosion during storage, shipping and use to prevent feeding and extraction problems. The case necks had to be soft enough to resist splitting, but the rims had to be strong enough for good extraction. The steel had to be formed to the same precise dimensions as the brass cases, but the different working properties of steel required different drawing steps, annealing, tooling, lubricants and a final corrosion resistant treatment. The .45 ACP was probably the easiest case to manufacture from steel, but small quantities of .30 carbine, .30-06 and .50 BMG were also made from steel.

The cartridge cases were steel, and the bullet jackets were steel, clad with a coating of copper-based “gilding metal” to reduce bore wear, and reduce the amount of copper used in each round. While the copper saved for each round might be an ounce or two, multiply that by the billions of round made in each caliber, and you are looking at thousands of tons of copper Justin small arms ammunition with even larger amounts in artillery shell cases.

In the 1950s, the Army again went on a “copper saving” binge, and resumed work to use steel cases for small arms ammunition, so lots are seen with 1954-56 headstamps. Artillery cases consumed large amounts of copper, and they were easier to make from steel, and by 1942 they began to appear, and I estimate that about 50% of the post 1942 artillery cases were made of steel. In the post-WW2 era steel continued to be used for most artillery cases, and by 1970 brass cases were only rarely used.

The subject of steel small arms cases is covered in great depth in Volumes 2 and 3 of Hackley Woodin & Scranton’s “History of U.S. Military Small Arms Ammunition.” These are exceptionally well researched and documented, and loaded with details on ammunition details that most people never even dreamed might exist. They also have sata on numbers of rounds produced, sometimes in lots of a few hundred or thousand, or sometimes a million at a time. Sadly, there is no comparable work on artillery ammunition. There is an obscure out of print publication that details a lot of WW2 ordnance production, but I have only seen two copies come up for sale in the last 20 years.

If you look at our situation today, we have basically one plant making small arms ammunition, Lake City in Independence, MO. Perhaps we should be talking logistics instead of tactics or politics. John Spangler

15460 - Model 70 Question
9/10/2016
Rock Hill, SC

Maker: Winchester, Model: 70, Caliber: 300 Win Mag, Barrel Length: 26'', Finish: Blue, SN: G368XXX

Markings:
Winchester old style MODEL 70 Mfg. 1956 or 1969. Serial no. G3680xxx on receiver. Made in New Haven, CT USA on barrel, probably Sporter (Deluxe). 300 Win Mag on barrel, 26'' tapered, no sights, scope mounts. Packmayr Decelerator recoil pad, left hand action, semi-fancy American walnut checkered stock, engine turned bolt with blued follower, hand honed internal parts, controlled round feed bolt, two part trigger guard and floor plate assembly (3 screws), long action 7 5/8''. No optics but rings.

Question:
Can anyone tell me when this gun was made and what garage it isn`t?

Answer:
There are a few hints to the year of production on your rifle. First, .300 Win Mag was introduced in 1963. Second, if it has a controlled round feed bolt it could not be produced in 1969. The two dates you have provided are therefore incorrect. Since your rifle has a New Haven inscription on the barrel it was made before 2006, when that plant was shut down. Also, Winchester reissued the controlled round feed type bolt circa 1992, so our best estimate of production for your rifle is 1992-2006. A Super Grade rifle made during this era will feature the words "Super Grade" on the magazine floor plate, and will also say "Super Grade" near the New Haven inscription on the barrel. We believe you have a standard sporter rifle produced between 1992 and 2006. For a definitive answer to your question, you can contact Winchester at 800-333-3288. JTW

15324 - MARLIN RIFLE ENGRAVED BY JIM LOWE
9/10/2016
Philip, Denver, CO

Maker: Marlin, Model: Lever Action, Caliber: .38-55, Barrel Length: 24'' Octagon Bbl, Finish: Blue, SN: J. LOWE 14 S/N 11671

Markings:
Engraved, standing deer on the left side, fancy walnut stock, checkered, with Marlin bullseye ''Marlin Safety'' on top of receiver. ''Marlin Fire-Arms Company New Haven. CT. USA''on top of barrel. King buckhorn rear sight on barrel. Mint condition. Finish is blue. Could be a take-down. Recent butt plate.

Question:
What have I got? What is it worth? I can`t find out anything about Jim Lowe other than that he worked at Tiffany`s. When did he live? What type of action do I have (1873?) When was the rifle shipped? When was the customizing done? Was the customizing done under Marlin`s auspices? Where can I find out more about this rifle and the engraver?

Answer:
Philip- Info on Jim Lowe is sparse, although several links I found mention him as an engraver who formerly worked at Tiffany’s for about 20 years. I believe he is still alive and living in the Washington, DC area somewhere, and has a Facebook page with entries in 2015. There were several references to firearms he had engraved, one in 2007, and including a Winchester Model 1890 and a Colt Police Positive. Photos of the latter show that he is extremely talented, and can produce beautiful deep scrolls. Just from what I saw, I think the quality is right up there with many of the old time masters, and I would be proud to own an example of his work if I were into contemporary engraved arms.

As far as value, I really cannot help as that is not an area we have any experience in. Your best bet might be to check some of the big firearms auction houses and check their past sales to see if you can find any of his work, or at least get a feel for what newly engraved arms are selling for. John Spangler

15457 - Model 1890 Or 90?
9/7/2016
Danny, Arlington, Texas

Maker: Winchester, Model: 90, Caliber: .22 Long Rifle, Barrel Length: 24'' Octagon, Finish: Blue, SN: 826XXX

Markings:
Slide action rifle, marked as Model 90, not 1890.

Question:
When was it made? Model 90 rifles are not on your Winchester list. Any other Model 90 information would be appreciated. Thanks

Answer:
We assume that you are looking at the Model 90 marking on the barrel rather than the other Model 1890 marking on the tang near where it joins the stock. If you were holding the rifle at the time it is very likely that you just had the 1890 marking covered by your hand and therefore missed seeing it. We are not aware of any difference between the two rifles, and as such, any information you find on the Model 1890 will be applicable to your rifle. JTW

15320 - TWIGG & BASS FOWLER
9/7/2016
Tim Webberville, Michigan 48892

Maker: Twigg And Bass, Model: Smooth Bore ?, Caliber: 58, Barrel Length: 38 Inches, Finish: Blue, SN: ?

Markings:
Lots of engraving, some inlaid gold. Possible converted from flintlock. Proof marks date gun to mid- late 1700s.

Question:
Any information regarding the gun would be very helpful as to make it a display piece or lock it up.

Answer:
Tim- T. Twigg was highly regarded London gunmaker who worked circa 1760-1780, making all types of guns, but especially multi barrel type arms like pepperboxes or “duck foot pistols”, and frequently adding pring loaded bayonets or knives on his arms. The name was changed to Twigg and Bass in 1783 and operated as such until some time in 1783 when they reverted to just the Twigg name.

It sounds like you have a fowler, which is what shotguns were called back then. It definitely would have started life as a flintlock, and was probably converted to percussion circa 1830-1840. Value would depend on condition, but generally t here is not a lot of interest in old fowlers. Hope that helps. John Spangler

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