GunDigest Collectors Guide 2011

WW
GunDigest
Collectors
1911 PISTOLS / MILITARY GUNS / ODDBALLS / VINTAGE ARMS
Collectors
WINTER 2011
PROTECTING

YOUR INVESTMENT
PROTECTING

YOUR INVESTMENT
INSPECTION GUIDE TO
USED GUNS
VALUE ADDED:
FACTORS THAT
INCREASE PRICES
INSPECTION GUIDE TO
USED GUNS
VALUE ADDED:
FACTORS THAT
INCREASE PRICES
Contact Wes Dillon or Judy Labbe Email: [email protected] James D. Julia, Inc., 203 Skowhegan Rd., Fairfeld, ME 04937
Web: www.jamesdjulia.com Tel: (207) 453-7125 Fax: (207) 453-2502 Auctioneer: James D. Julia Lic#: ME: AR83
Consignments Wanted
For Our Extraordinary March 2012 Firearms Auction
Te Final Robert Howard
Collection
Dr. James Lucie Collection
of Scagel Knives
Sampling of extraordinary Winchesters, Marlins and Colts from the Adams Collection
Examples of Investment Grade SAAs - All In Near New Condition
Planning for the future of your collection? Julias New and Unique Estates Division featuring our Plan in Place is the ideal solution.
Call today! Ask for Sonia MacNeil. Email: [email protected]
Superb eng. w/gold 1894
DLX TD
Rare gold plated
Marlin 1893 DLX TD
Choice eng. 1886 DLX
TD w/carved stocks
Near Mint 1886
DLX cal. .50 Ex
Magnifcant gold & nickel
plated Exhib. 1866
Superb eng. gold and
nickel plated 1892 DLX SRC
Marlin 1803 DLX TD
w/gold & platinum accents
Ex. rare 1886 DLX
Short Rife
Ainsworth Insp. Nettleton Insp. Casey Insp. Draper Insp. D. F. C. Insp.
1878 1876 1885
Our October 2011 sale was another great success at over $9.1 Million. Te total low estimate of the items sold was $6,492,000 which generated over $9.1
Million in sales, approx. $2.5 Million over low estimate! Our Spring 2012 auction will be a most superlative sale including the extraordinary Wes Adams
collection of rare Winchesters, one of the fnest Winchester collections ever to be ofered at auction; Te Dr. Lucie collection of Scagel knives, the largest
and fnest ofering of Scagel knives ever ofered in history; a superb single owner collection of rare Civil War and Conf. items; the fnal collection of Mr.
Robert Howard who originally amassed one of the greatest collections of frearms in the 20th century; and a great collection of Class III. We are most
solicitous of quality sporting arms, high-end military, Rev. War, important historical items and all types of desirable antique frearms and accessories.
We are the worlds leading auctioneers of rare, high-grade, quality frearms. We do not sell the
greatest number of frearms in a year, we sell the greatest number of expensive frearms in a year.
In addition, our commission on expensive items is the lowest in the industry at
0
%
(Wes Adams Collection)
Consignment Deadline January 20, 2012
g undi ge s t . c om COLLECTORS GUIDE WINTER 2011
|
3
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COLLECTORS GUIDE WINTER 2011 g undi ge s t . c om
Feature Stories
Want to get the latest news in
rearms trends, including auction
results, new products, great deals on
new stuff, and information you cant
nd anywhere else?
Get a free weekly subscription to the
GUN DIGEST E-NEWSLETTER!
Sign up at www.gundigest.com
Winter, 2011
Get the Latest!
Collectors
GunDigest
presents
6
|
Protecting Your Investment
by Jack Myers
10
|
Better Than Book:
Factors That Add to the Value of a Firearm
by Phillip Peterson
12
|
Firearms Restoration
by Peter Koppmann
14
|
Guide to Used Guns
by Patrick Sweeney
56
|
Grandpas Guns
by Andy Ewert
60
|
A Century-Old Hammer Gun
by Jim Schlender

62
|
Mysterious Stranger
by Jack Myers
68
|
Three Unusual Rolling Blocks
by George J. Layman
78
|
Military Handguns of Japan
by Teri Jane Bryant
88
|
When Bulldogs Ruled
by George J. Layman
94
|
The Colt 1911: The First Century
by John Malloy
96
|
The Mighty 9MM Rimre?
by Phillip Peterson
98
|
Addicted to Military Iron
by Andy Ewert
WW
GunDigest
Collectors
1911 PISTOLS / MILITARYGUNS / ODDBALLS / VINTAGEARMS
Collectors
WINTER 2011
FnL1 04 0120 01 JUYrVyBQdWJsaWNhdGlvbnMsIEluYyAo 02 SW9sYSBkaXZpc2lvbikPR3JlZ29yeSBL03 cnVlZ2VyAE6f23MEMTAuNAI4MAExBVVQ04 Qy1BDDA3NDQ3MDI2MjAxNQA=
US $5.50 CAN $6.50

Disp|ay unti| March 12, 2012
PROTECTING
YOURINVESTMENT
PROTECTING
YOURINVESTMENT
INSPECTIONGUIDE TO
USEDGUNS
VALUEADDED:
FACTORS THAT
INCREASEPRICES
INSPECTIONGUIDE TO
USEDGUNS
VALUEADDED:
FACTORS THAT
INCREASEPRICES
96
98
88
On the cover:
This Kimber Ultra TLE is a
modern classic built not just to
sit on a collectors shelf, but to
be carried into action. A gun
collection can mean different
things to different people. This
Kimber Ultra TLE would be a
great addition to any collection.
|
5
MY NAME IS KEVIN AND I OWN
SEVERAL GUNS. Tere. Its out
there. I got that of my chest.
It all started when I was very young.
My father was a factory worker and
we never had much money, but Dad
did have an af nity for frearms. Still,
he was a practical man, and as such he
didnt really express a need for many
guns. Oh Im sure he wanted them, but
as I was growing up, the gun collection
was limited to a deer rife or two and a
shotgun or two.
In my late teens, Dad let his love for
guns show. He picked up a revolver and
an autoloading pistol. Ten one day we
were talking about skeet shooting and
he let it slip; he had set aside his love for
guns in order to better take care of his
young family.
I dont remember how the conver-
sation started, but talk turned to the
need for a double-barrel in order to
shoot skeet efectively. Up until then we
both shot pumpguns and that would
just not do. We talked about the merits
of diferent brands when my dad said
something that would stick with me
forever.
Te gun I really liked was the old
Herters over/under. Tat thing just felt
great. I was going to buy one, but you
kids needed shoes or something like
that, he said with a grin.
I could tell the decision still lingered
in the back of his mind. I didnt press
the issue, because... well, I was about 16
at the time and didnt know what to say,
but also because he then stood up, told
me to follow him and we drove to the
local sporting goods store and bought a
nice little double. Just like that.
Fast forward about 15 years and Im
standing in a pawn shop in Aberdeen,
South Dakota and there in the rack sat
a dandy Herters 12-gauge double. Te
price on the tag was $525. But I had a
young wife and a baby on the way. Had
I not, I would have bought that gun on
the spot and delivered it to my dad with-
out a word. You see, in that moment I
knew how he felt and I knew what was
most important to me and I made the
right choice.
But it also lef a mark. And, like my
dad so many years ago, Im at the point
in my life where, if Im careful, I can
stand up and go buy the gun I want
when I want it. In the intervening years
Ive made many impulse purchases in
pawn shops, at gun shows and even re-
tail stores. Ive never come across an-
other Herters 12-gauge, but even if I
did, I dont know that Id buy it today.
Tat magical moment has passed.
Tese days I fnd myself looking more
closely at single-shot shotguns. Tere is
something about those old workhorse
guns that makes me want to pull the
hammer back and listen to the roar. I
might be needing one or two of those
pretty soon.
Good Shooting,
EDITORS SHOT | Kevin Michalowski
What Sparks Collecting?
700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001
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GUN DIGEST THE MAGAZINE (ISSN: 1938-5943) is pub-
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|
I
ncreasing numbers of older gun collectors are be-
coming aware of a huge problem their heirs will face
in the future: the (usually) ever-rising value of their
collectible rearms. And as we all know, there are
many unscrupulous folks out there ready and willing to
assist your family in disposing of these valuable items.
So how can you protect your loved ones from falling vic-
tim to these predators? Using the following record-keep-
ing method, you can make sure your heirs get full value
from your collection after your demise.
Collectible guns have become much more than just a
relaxing hobby. Theyre now considered by most collec-
tors and their families as a valuable part of their estates.
Because your collection is a major asset that you might
plan to pass on, it should be fully described and recorded
in a manner in which you and your family members can
CollectorsGuide
by Jack Myers
Protecting Your
Collection Investment
POPULAR TELEVISION PROGRAMS SUCH AS PAWN STARS
AND AMERICAN PICKERS SHOW WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN
UNSUSPECTING SURVIVING FAMILY MEMBERS SUDDENLY HAVE TO
DISPOSE OF A LOVED ONES COLLECTION. HERE IS A PRACTICAL
APPROACH TO PROTECTING YOUR ESTATE AND YOUR FAMILYS
FINANCIAL SECURITY.
Open loose-leaf binder with sheet protectors on right show the illustrated record of the
rearm or item, and the backside of the previous record (at left) shows receipts, bills of
sale, and other documentation stored behind each rearm or item in its sheet protector.
|
7
nd it quickly. Also, In case of loss due to burglary, re
or ood, this information can help you establish owner-
ship and value of each item in your collection.
With a reasonable amount of luck, youll never experi-
ence a loss of your collection through theft or mishap.
However, its a sure bet that some day, hopefully well in
the future, the gaunt hooded gentleman carrying the
scythe will come a-knocking at your door. In the unhap-
py event of your passing, your knowledge of each piece
in your collection is suddenly lost. However, the proce-
dure Im outlining here will help those loved ones who
will inherit your collection to obtain the highest possible
value when they have to liquidate your collection. Your
knowledge and help today can prevent a nancial disas-
ter tomorrow.
I began documenting my collection in earnest about
ve years ago. After a lot of thought and experimenta-
tion I came up with a solution for my personal concerns.
Yours may differ. If this method does not t you com-
pletely, you can easily tailor it to accomplish the same
results. Use what is best for you and yours.
Before you begin, its a good idea to keep handy the
latest edition available of Standard Catalog of Firearms
(www.gundigeststore.com) or other reputable rearms
value guide to give you, and your heirs, an up-to-date,
current evaluation of most rearms. I might also point
out that the approach I describe below works not only for
gun collections but for those of virtually any type: am-
munition boxes, shing lures, you name it.
Essential Data
At a minimm, your records should consist of the fol-
lowing data:
1) Complete, detailed descriptions of each piece, includ-
ing photographic proof of ownership and relevant infor-
mation. This also greatly simplies the chore of an heir
having to identify each piece. NOTE: Should your collec-
This scan illustrates how the record keeping idea can be as easily applied to collectible
ammo boxes or any other collectible items. Taking detailed photos from all angles
provides more identifying data, which helps pinpoint the value of a specic item.
8
|
A in the hand is worth...
...a LOT more than ANYTHING thats not at hand when you need it. Your large, powerful,
heavy, difficult to carry (fill in the blank) is of absolutely no use when youve left it at home,
in the car, etc...
Regardless of your location, your dress or the season, NO gun is easier to carry or conceal
than a North American Arms mini-revolver. Is it an effective deterrent? Would you want to be
shot with one?
Join the millions who dont leave home without one!
Remember Rule #1: Have a gun!
North American Arms Inc.2150 S. 950 E.Provo, UT 84606-6285
www.NorthAmericanArms.com
9MBSCK SureStrike 9mm Dry

Fire Laser Bullet Kit
COM-680, Ear Muffs
with a Sensitive AM / FM Radio,
SX21R-M Ballistic LED
Flashlight 12,000 Lux.
3 - 9 x 40mm
MC Conquest Series Riescope,
Matte Black Finish with #20 Z
Plex Reticle & Hunting Turret
Sniper STC-DVIR8 IR
IDVR 8 Megapixel
Digital Scouting Camera
Game Spy D-55IR
Infrared Digital Game Camera,
5.0 Megapixels, 50-ft range Flash
Basic Tactical 180 Lumen LED
Flashlight
Canvas Heart
Shaped Handgun Case
CHECK OUR WEB
SITE FOR A FULL
LINE OF:
Photograph], NP8 Pla]ers,
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|
9
tion be placed into the hands of an
auction house for disposal, it is a great
help to them if you have already com-
posed a history of each piece which
explains why it may be of more than
ordinary interest to their bidders. This
may also help boost the price that par-
ticular piece may bring.
Most auction houses appeciate it
when a seller can furnish good, clear,
detailed photos of the guns being
offered. When photographing your
guns, make sure to take close-ups
of smaller details such as scratches,
dents, cracks, repairs and other small
aws which might aid in identifying
a piece which may not have serial
numbers stamped on it. Federal law
did not mandate serial numbers un-
til after 1968, so a lot very valuable
older pieces are NOT numbered;
thus detailed photos would be even
more important in identifying them
in case of theft.
2) Details of WHEN obtained;
FROM WHOM obtained; WHERE
obtained; and at WHAT COST. I also
record how much I believe the piece
should sell for when it is offered for
sale. What may appear as a beat-up
old junker to others could be one of
the most valuable pieces in your col-
lection due to its provenance which
only you know and can furnish.
3) EVERY receipt, invoice, bill of
sale, ad, owners manual, or any oth-
er items connected to your acquisi-
tion of EVERY piece. Photocopies of
various historical magazine articles
can be slipped into a sheet protector,
to add credence to your claims about
any particular piece. Exploded views
of guns with parts lists, are some of
the items you may wish to include
in those pockets. I preserve as much
info as possible on each piece, info
which will come in handy whether
your heirs decide to keep the piece or
sell it.
How To File Your Data
I use a loose-leaf, three-ring binder
containing clear plastic page protec-
tors. Each individual piece is led in the
binder in alphabetical order according
to maker name or description (if no
maker name is known). I have separate
binders for each category in my col-
lection: HANDGUNS, LONG GUNS,
AMMO BOXES, and ACCESSORIES.
All of this information is then copied
onto an inexpensive 4GB Flash Drive
that is well labeled and kept in a bank
safety deposit box with other impor-
tant items I wish to protect. Depending
upon how often you add to your collec-
tion, you can add the new piece to your
computer les and at-home three-ring
binders, then do a new, updated Flash
Drive and take it to the deposit box,
regain your previously recorded ash
drive, and erase it for use at a later time
when updating your les.
You must be sure to fully instruct
your heirs as to where this valuable in-
formation is located, and especially to
instruct them on how to use it.
Remember that in some states, your
heirs might not have immediate access
to the contents of your safety deposit
box, so it behooves you to leave your
hard-copy bound records where they
can be found quickly.
Winchester NOT A Name But AMERICAN LEGEND Winchester NOT A Name But AMERICAN LEGEND Winchester NOT A Name But AMERICAN LEGEND
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|
W
e all know that non-factory alterations can reduce
the value of a collectible rearm. Aftermarket
chokes, cutdown stocks, recoil pads and other im-
provements may have looked good in their day,
but for the most part they leave todays collectors cold. (How
many Winchester Model 12s have you seen with those hideous
adjustable chokes hanging off them?)
Recently, however, it was suggested to me that there might
also be items or features that could add value to a given re-
arm. So true.
There are many factors that can be used to arrive at a price
for a gun. Some reduce the price, some add to it. In fact, al-
most any of the factors I just mentioned that can lower the
price can add to it as well. It really depends on the intended
use for the rearm. Certainly, if you repair a broken gun to
make it usable again, that will add to the value of that gun. It
might hurt the value in the eyes of a collector or investor but
not the hunter who wants a functional tool to use in the eld.
The collector probably would not have wanted that particular
rearm anyway. If it was in need of repair it likely was not in
good enough condition to appeal to discriminating collectors
or investors. Thus it still comes down to the seller and poten-
tial buyer agreeing on a price.
Here, the, are just a few of the factors that can add to the
value of a rearm:
Scopes & Sights
Many add-on accessories and customizations found on re-
arms are there to make aiming the piece easier and increase
the chance of hitting the target. After all, that is the ultimate
use for any rearm. So, the holes that are drilled in the receiv-
er of, say, a Winchester Model 75 bolt action .22 to allow the
mounting of a scope might not hurt its value at all. In fact, if
a hunter wants that model with a scope he will likely be more
interested in it. Yes, it is still reduced in value to a collector,
but the hunters cash is just as spendable. Of course, if a gun-
smith drilled seven off-center holes in the receiver before he
got four to match the mounts he had, the gun just looks bad.
You can take a good thing too far.
When a rie or shotgun is offered with a scope already in-
stalled, the value of the scope should be included in the overall
value of the gun. How much are used scopes worth? I gure cur-
rent production optics at about one third to one half of retail
price when attached to a gun. That way, if the buyer does not
want the particular scope they can negotiate a price reduction
with the scope removed. Or they can sell it themselves and buy
the scope that suits their needs. Older, out of production scopes
have become collectibles in their own right. The long target
scopes as made by Unertl, Fecker, Winchester and others can be
worth hundreds of dollars. Some rearms manufacturers, such
as Marlin and Mossberg, actually used to make their own scopes
or had scopes made for them that had their name on it.
Many times I have bought a used Stevens or Mossberg .22
rie with an old scope on it that is worth more than the gun. I
suggest consulting the book Old Rie Scopes by Nick Stroebel
when attempting to price older optics. Always check the scope
for damage if it is adding to the price of the gun. Make sure
the optics are clear, glass lenses have no chips or scratches,
crosshairs are intact, and adjusting knobs are working. Get-
ting a broken scope xed is possible but expensive. Original
replacement parts are hard to come by.
In addition to scopes, metallic sights of several congu-
rations will be found. The most popular of these is the tang
sight. This is a peep sight that mounts on the tang or back
of the receiver of many guns. These were frequently found
on Winchester, Sharps, Remington, and other quality sport-
ing ries. The tang sights made by a gun manufacturer are
especially desirable. Winchester-made sights are among the
most valuable as collectibles. Other tang sight makers include
Marble and Lyman.
Besides tang sights, there are peep sights that mount on
the side of a rearm. These were offered by companies like
Mossberg, Redeld, Williams, and Lyman. When a rearm
is offered that has an older metallic sight, I refer the reader to
the book Old Gunsights, also by Nick Stroebel. This ne book
lists the metallic sights by maker and model number.
Some of the old aftermarket tang or peep sights required
the gun to be drilled and tapped to install the sight. This sort
of modication usually reduces the price of a rearm. On the
other hand, a Winchester Model 1886 that has had its receiver
drilled to install a newer Marbles sight might be worth less
to some buyers, but if a period, i.e., vintage, sight is present it
could add to the value. Depends on the buyer.
CollectorsGuide
by Phillip Peterson
Better than Book
FACTORS THAT ADD TO THE VALUE OF A FIREARM
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11
All Scratched Up
Fine engraving on a rearm denitely adds to its value.
The amount of coverage can range from a ne highlight on
the edges all the way to fully engraved hunting scenes com-
plete with gold inlay. If the work is done by a known engraver,
pricing the rearm becomes more akin to pricing a piece of
art than a useful tool. As with a ne painting or sculpture,
when a known engraver dies, examples of his or her work will
skyrocket in price. Some gun makers offered engraving as a
special order option on their products. The factory engraved
Colts and Winchesters done in the late 1800s by artists such
as Nimschke and Ulrich will bring several times their book
value. Indeed, many books are devoted solely to this subject.
Sometimes the style of engraving may make a gun more (or
less) attractive to a given buyer. For example, Germanic-style
engraving, with its deep-cut oak-leaf patterns and dramatic
portraiture, may turn off some buyers but attract others.
Get a Grip
Grip materials can also add to the value of a handgun. A
S&W First Model .32 Hand Ejector with factory pearl grips
can bring 50 percent more than an otherwise identical gun
with hard rubber grips. In fact, in some cases factory pearls
are worth more than the gun itself! None-factory aftermarket
grips, no matter how nice, do not generally add to the value of
a gun. Quite the contrary.
Previous Ownership
Previous ownership of a gun can also add signicantly to
its value. One of John Waynes Great Western revolvers, for
example, can bring many times as much as a similar model
owned by Joe Blow. But such enhanced value depends on the
celebrity status of the previous owner. A Colt SAA owned by
Mel Torme might not be particularly attractive to a younger
buyer (Mel Who?).
Note that previous ownership of a gun always depends on
provenance, i.e., the paper trail that proves such ownership.
Without provenance, claims of previous ownership are merely
talk, and worth about just as much.
Potential Historical Association
Sometimes a gun is worth more merely because it was pro-
duced during a historically-relevant era. A Colt SAA whose
serial number places it in the range of those used by the U.S.
Army at the Battle of Little Big Horn, for example, is auto-
matically more valuable than one outside that range. It doesnt
matter if it cant be proven that the gun in question was car-
ried during the battlealthough that would be nice. The mere
fact that it might have been signicantly adds to its value.
Got Wood?
Walnut was the primary type of wood used to make fac-
tory gunstocks in America through the WW II era. The mas-
sive production of ries for military use reduced the stands of
available walnut trees and set the industry on a quest to nd
acceptable substitutes that cost less. In the 1950s, many of the
less expensive rearms began being equipped with birch, ash
or particle wood stocks. When a model that was once offered
with a walnut stock is then sold with a cheaper kind of wood,
the older walnut stocked models can bring a higher price. A
good example of this is the Ruger 10-22 semi automatic rie.
When introduced in 1964, it sported a walnut stock. In the
early 1980s a birch stock replaced the walnut. So a 10-22 with a
walnut stock can be worth as much as $75 more than a recent
birch stocked rie.
The grain structure or pattern in nice walnut stocks can add
a lot to the price of a long gun. When walnut stock blanks
are sold to gun makers there is a grading system based on the
attractiveness of the wood. They use terms like AAA or AA
Fancy down to eld or utility grade. Very desirable is a striped
pattern in the buttstock. This can look like the stripes on a
tiger or it might be a pattern of wavy lines of coloration. The
nest grade AAA walnut stock blanks can be priced at over
$1000 just for an unshaped wood blank. Imagine how much
that nished stock would add to the value of a pre 1964 Win-
chester Model 70. It could quickly make that $750 rie in to
a $4500 rie.
Any discussion of stock materials must also consider syn-
thetics. Some synthetics can add signicantly to the value of a
gun. A Remington Nylon 66 .22 rie with Seneca Green stock
can bring twice as much as an otherwise identical model in
Mohawk Brown.
Wrapping It Up
Another item that will add to the price of an older gun is
the original box and paperwork that came with a gun when
sold new. On vintage Colts or Smith & Wessons a box and
papers could almost double the price of the gun. Of course,
the Commemorative guns as made by Colt and Winchester in
the 1960s and 70s have to be unred and have their boxes and
literature to be worth full book price. Even utility grade re-
arms sold as recently as ve or 10 years ago can be enhanced
by having the box with them.
Finally, there are any number of add-on accessories that
might come with a used gun that can add to the value for a
prospective buyer: Slings, holsters, extra magazines, boxes of
ammunition or brass, scope covers, bi-pods, cases, or any oth-
er accessory that was purchased and installed by the owner.
All of these cost money. I frequently buy guns, then the owner
brings in another $50 or $100 worth of stuff and says here,
these were with that gun. Every little bit helps.
When acquiring or selling rearms, it pays to remember
that not everyone wants a museum-quality collectible. Some
want hunting guns, some want shooters. Some want guns
from a specic period in history. Any factor that caters to any
of these interests can add to the value of a gun sometimes a
little, sometimes a lot.
W
hat is rearms restoration making old guns look
new? That denition is close, but not completely
accurate. Restoration of anything (cars, boats,
paintings, furniture even airplanes) is the care-
ful re-construction of that particular item to as close to new
condition as possible.
The most important factors in any type of restoration
project are time, price, and the skill and resources of the re-
storer. The factor that surprises most people is the cost of a
full, high-quality restoration project. High-quality restora-
tion takes a great deal of skill and knowledge; the ability of
the restorer to deliver the highest quality restoration possible
should be the foremost concern.
Renishing vs. Restoration
The terms renishing and restoration are sometimes used
interchangeably, although there is considerable difference be-
tween the two. Renishing is just what the name implies, ap-
plying a new nish to an existing piece with little or no con-
cern for the underlying surface or internal condition. Think
of renishing as what you do when you repaint a room; you
are basically putting a new nish over the old. Restoration is
renishing taken to the highest level.
When restoring rearms, the gun must not only look
good but it must be safe to shoot. Any mechanical problems
should be corrected before any other work is started. If the
mechanical problems cannot be xed at a reasonable cost,
this a good time to decide whether to proceed with the res-
toration. Once the mechanical issues have been addressed,
work on the outside of the gun can begin.
The key to any restoration project is the surface prepara-
tion of either the wood or the metal or both. One of the
most overlooked details of modern rearms manufacturing
is the t and nish of the nal product. The degree to which
most early rearms were nished is one of the
reasons they are so desirable. In a restoration
project, however, the aspects that generally
receive the most attention are the prepara-
tion of both the wood and metal surfaces.
Value of Restored Firearms
For whatever reason, rearms restoration has long been
looked upon as an undesirable practice. The commonly-
held view is that a restored gun is not worth as much as an
untouched original gun. That view would be accurate only
if you could nd an original gun in as-new condition.
In most cases restoration of a rearm will improve the
CollectorsGuide
by Peter Koppmann
Firearms Restoration
WORKING ON A COLLECTIBLE FIREARM CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON
THE VALUE. YOUR EFFORTS MAY NOT ALWAYS MAKE IT MORE VALUABLE.
These two photos are great examples of before & after images of a restoration
project to return a Colt Single Action Army to original condition. The original gun
(left) was chrome-plated and tted with a set of plastic imitation stag grips.
Notice the gap where the grips meet the frame, and the rounded edges on the
cylinder. The completed gun (right) has undergone a complete restoration,
including a complete metal polish & new period-correct grips. Notice the crisp
lines of the frame and the crisp edges on the cylinder.
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13
condition and value of the rearm providing the restora-
tion is done correctly.
Reasons for Restoration
Restoration offers the shooter the opportunity to own a
rearm (often historical) that is as close to factory original as
possible. Firearms have played an important role in shaping
and protecting this country and certain models are impor-
tant pieces of history that should be preserved.
In some instances, the costs involved in restoration greatly
exceed the value of the nished gun. Remember, the value of
the gun is what you would expect to pay for the same gunif
and when you could nd it. In some cases the gun may have
belonged to a family memberor hold some other sentimen-
tal value. A sentimental restoration can return a piece of fam-
ily history to the current generation or fulll a desire to own a
rearm with particular signicance.
Metal Polishing
The degree and direction of polish on metal parts in a res-
toration is one of the things that differentiate a restored gun
from a renished gun. Remember, a restoration is trying to
return that rearm to as close to original condition as pos-
sible. A renished gun may receive only a minimal amount
of metal polishing before the nal nishes are applied. In
contrast, some restorations may require as many as 40 or 50
hours of polish time to prepare the
surface for nal nishing. Metal
polishing, if done correctly, will
never be noticed; if done incorrectly,
however, the deciency will stick out
like a sore thumb.
True metal polishing is a lost art. Most people
think of polishing as machine-bufng the part until you can
see your reection. Polishing is not just about making the
metal shiny. The order, direction and degree of the polish are
just as important as (in most cases, more important than)
getting the metal bright and shiny. One of the most critical
areas in the polishing sequence is the restoration of the edg-
es. The transition between at and round surfaces should be
sharp and crisp, with the correct direction and degree of pol-
ish. The early gunmakers were masters at keeping the edges
sharp, crisp and straight.
Another area where the early gunmakers excelled was the
polishing of large at areas leaving few, if any, aws in the
surface. Remember, the surface has to be completely at,
with no ripples or aws; its not as easy as it may sound. The
skill and talent required to correctly polish these areas can-
not be understated.
Checkering patterns come in many forms. This Parker A1
Special is an example of a very elaborate checkering pattern
that combines standard checkering with woodcarving. This type
of work takes a keen eye for detail, and a very steady hand.
Notice the crisp, straight edges on this Colt 1911.
This gun has been completely restored and looks just
the way it did when it was made in 1917.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 17
14
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W
hile the satisfaction of buying a new rearm, from
the standpoint of warranty and features, appeals
to many shooters and collectors, sometimes "used"
is the only route. After all, how many new-in-the-
box Winchester pre-64s still exist? Sometimes the only way
to acquire the rearm model, or the rearm with the fea-
tures you desire, is by buying it used. We all have budgets,
and purchasing a used gun is much easier on them! Read on
and learn how to buy "used" safely.
If at all possible buy from an established dealer, with a
track record and reputation. Even better, a dealer who has an
in-house gunsmith who inspects all their used rearms and
makes sure no lemons slip through. In the event one does, a
reputable dealer will take it back or make it right.
What should the dealer warranty? The normal and expect-
ed performance and durability of that model rearm, and
that he presented it correctly as to its features and perfor-
mance. If you buy a plain old used 30-30 and nd it shoots
three- to four-inch groups at 100 yards, don't expect to be
able to return it. If, however, it shoots those groups four feet
to the left or right, you have every right to return it. An as-
new benchrest rie better do well under an inch with its pro-
vided ammo, or you may have cause to return it (assuming
you can shoot that well). If the dealer doesn't have a written
warranty, ask what the return policy is.
If you are not buying from a dealer, you have the standard
business-school Latin to guide you Caveat Emptor: "Let
the buyer beware." One approach that some of my customers
took and more should have was to have their purchase
inspected by a pro. If you have any doubts about an attractive
purchase, take it to a gunsmith and explain things. Don't just
drop it off for a "strip and clean" and count on him (or her)
uncovering hidden problems.
Come right out and explain: You just bought it, and you
want it inspected for safety, durability, function and head-
space. If there is a limited return time, the gunsmith needs
to know in order to inspect it within the allotted time. Many
gunsmiths are booked solid for months and may not get it
back to you in time if you leave your purchase for what the
smith understands is just a "regular cleaning." By explaining
your inspection period time constraint you can get your new
purchase back in time to meet the refund terms of the sale,
should you need to return the gun.
General Inspection of a Used Firearm
To start, give the rearm in question a quick visual inspec-
tion. I call it the "tire tracks and hammer marks" look, and it
is the same regardless of the type you are thinking of buying.
The inspection of a rearm to determine the percentage of
nish remaining is covered elsewhere. The purpose of this
initial inspection is to uncover damage, repairs or abuse. Is
the stock straight and clean? Is the barrel straight? Are the
sights centered? Are there dents, scratches, cracks or repairs
to be seen? Does the bluing have the right color? Are the bar-
rel markings clean and crisp, or are they blurry or smeared?
Is the barrel, the correct length? Is the muzzle uniform? Does
the chambering marked on, the barrel match what the seller
tells you it shoots? Try to get a feel" for the history and typi-
cal condition of the gun you are looking at. Does it match the
description of the one the seller is trying to sell you? A re-
arm that doesn't match what the seller describes is probably
best left on the table.
Just because you are looking at a worn, used-to-gray rie
the seller describes as "the best he's seen" doesn't mean he's
bbing. If you are holding a Remington 700 in 308 Win-
chester yes, he is. On the other hand, if you are holding a
pre-'64 M-70 in 300 Savage no, he isn't.
CollectorsGuide
by Patrick Sweeney
Inspection Guide
To Used Guns
HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN CONSID-
ERING THE PURCHASE OF A USED FIREARM.
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15
Ries
Open the action. With a light or reector and with the
action open and bolt removed if appropriate look down
the bore. Clean, shiny and clear of obstructions, right? If
not, let the bargaining begin!
While many ries will shoot accurately with a slightly
pitted bore, some won't and all will require more fre-
quent cleaning. Work the action and see if there are any
binding spots or if the action is rough. Ask if you can dry
re it to check the safety.
Some people do not like to have any gun in their posses-
sion dry-red; others don't care. If you cannot, you may
have to pass on the deal. Or, you can assure the owner
that you will restrain the cocking piece to keep the striker
from falling.
Close the action and dry-re it. How much is the trig-
ger pull? Close the action, push the safety to ON, and pull
the trigger. It should stay cocked. Let go of the trigger and
push the safety OFF. It should stay cocked. Now, dry-re
it. Is the trigger pull different than it was before? If the pull
is now lighter, the safety is not fully engaging the cocking
piece, and you'll have to have someone work on it to make
it safe. If the rie res at any time while manipulating the
safety (even without your having touched the trigger) it is
unsafe until a gunsmith repairs it.
While you were checking the safety, just what was the
trigger pull? A very light trigger pull is not always bad,
but may need adjustment. As an example, if you are han-
dling a Remington 700 or Winchester 70, and the trigger
pull is one pound, someone may have adjusted the trigger
mechanism. If you are handling a Winchester '94 and the
A rie red with a poorly-tted stock, or one dried out from decades of storage, will
often crack light behind the tang. Look closely for cracks or repairs.
Are the screw slots clean, or are they chewed up? This screw is just tolerable. Any
worse and it would indicate abuse instead of 59 years of indifferent attention.
Check the edges of the stock where the action rests for signs of glass bedding.
Bedding is not bad; in fact, it can be good. But dont pay collectors prices for a
working tool that has been modied.
16
|
trigger pull is a pound, someone has
been stoning the hammer or sear. On
the rst two, you or your gunsmith
can adjust the weight back to normal
ranges. On the '94 you may have to
buy a new hammer or sear or both
to get the pull back into the normal
range.
Inspect the action and barrel
channel. Is the gap between the barrel
and the channel uniform? Ordoes the
forearm bend right or left? Changes
in humidity can warp aforearm and,
if the wood touches the barrel, alter
accuracy. The owner may be selling it
because the accuracy has "gone south,"
and not know that some simple bed-
ding work can cure it.
Look at the action where it meets
the stock. Is the wood/metal edge
clean and uniform? Or do you see
traces of epoxy bedding compound?
Epoxy could mean a bedding job,and
it could mean a repair of a cracked
stock. Closely inspect the wrist of the
stock, right behind the tang. Look for
cracks and repairs.
Turn the rie over and look at the
action screws. Are the slots clean, or
are they chewed up? Mangled slots
indicates a rie that has been taken
apart many times and at least a few
of those times with a poorly-tting
Be sure of the chambering, and be sure it is clearly
marked. This Marlin was not a 38-55 when it left the
factory; but is now and is clearly so marked.
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17
Stock Work
The marriage of wood to metal is
one of the most complex and some-
times frustrating aspects of gunmak-
ing. A restoration may involve only
the renishing of the wood to return
it to the correct color. It may also in-
volve the repair of dents, scratches,
cracks or splits in the wood. Some
restorations may require the complete
restocking of the gun, starting with a
blank that must be cut and shaped to
duplicate the original piece. The type
of wood, direction of the grain and
the color of the wood are just a few of
the variables in constructing a stock
from scratch.
Restocking is the last resort in the
restoration of a rearm. If the original
wood can be saved it can signicantly
reduce the cost of the project.
The new stock must be cut and
shaped from a block of wood, then
married to the action in a process
known as inletting. Once the inletting
is complete, shaping the stock an art
to nal dimensions can begin.
Once the stock has been shaped,
sanded and nished, the process of
checkering can begin. Checkering is
the cutting of lines into the wood to
form small diamonds so the shooter
has a textured stock surface to grip.
Checking comes in many shapes and
styles, from basic to elaborate pat-
terns with carving; in some cases
ebony, brass, and gold even ivory
may be inletted in and around the
checkering. Checkering can add great
beauty to the stock as well as being a
truly functional part of the gun.
Metal Finishing
Metal nishing comes in many dif-
ferent variations. We are all familiar
with the bluing on a gun. But did you
know that bluing comes in many dif-
ferent varieties and color shades and
is specic to certain parts of the gun?
For example, Winchester ries used
three different types of bluing on rie
and shotgun barrels throughout the
years. The original gunmakers, to
harden steel, used color case-hard-
ening. Today we use its vivid colors
and unique patterns on the frames of
shotguns, ries and handguns.
Without going into the specics
of each process, the biggest mistake
do-it-yourself gun restorers make is
using the wrong nish for a particu-
lar rearm. For example, one of the
simplest methods of bluing is hot
bluing, also referred to as salt bluing.
Hot bluing is used by almost every
modern gunmaker because it is very
easy to do and requires only a small
amount of specialized equipment. If
you can read a thermometer, you can
hot blue! The problem is that hot blu-
ing was not used until the mid-1940s.
One of the most common mistakes
we see as professional gun restorers is
the incorrect use of nishes on vin-
tage rearms. That said, some guns
were reblued before they became so
highly collectible.
Do-It-Yourself
vs. Professional Restoration
Most rearm owners do some form
of gunsmithing at some point. One of
the most important things to remem-
ber about working on your own re-
arm is to know your limitations and
to be careful. The last thing you want
to do is something detrimental to you
or the rearm.
If you decide to restore your own
rearm, pay attention to such de-
tails as wood-to-metal t, direction
and degree of the metal polish, bar-
rel and frame markings (these may
need to be re-cut or re-applied) and,
of course, the correct nal nishes.
The restoration of a rearm can be
a very satisfying and rewarding un-
dertaking, whether you chose to do
the work yourself or have it done by
a professional. The reasons for restor-
ing rearms vary greatly. Maybe you
want to restore your fathers old gun,
or you just like the look and feel of a
classic rearm. Whatever the reason,
rearms restoration is a great way to
preserve these important pieces of
history for future generations. .
Author Peter Koppmann is the
shop manager at Turnbull Restora-
tions, which specializes in the refur-
bishment of American rearms made
from 1870 to 1940; to include Colt,
Winchester, Marlin, Parker, Fox, L.C.
Smith and Ithaca. Specializing in his-
torically-correct metal nishes, in-
cluding bone color case-hardening,
charcoal bluing, rust bluing, nitre
bluing and hot bluing, Turnbull Res-
toration also offers complete metal
polishing services and has a complete
wood department for restocking and
repairs all under one roof.
This Winchester 1873 features a color case-hardened receiver, one of the most beautiful of the old-time
rearm nishes. Due to the varying composition of steel, no two guns ever have the same pattern.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
18
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screwdriver.
Remove the bolt if you can. If not,
use a reector or light to illuminate
the bore. Is the bore clean and bright?
Look at the bore near the muzzle. Do
you see jacket fouling or lead depos-
its? Many an "inaccurate" rie can be
made accurate again simply by clean-
ing the jacket fouling out of the bore.
While looking down the bore, hold
the barrel so a vertical or horizontal
bar in a window reects down the
bore. If the reection of the bar has a
break in it, the barrel is bent. Sight
down the outside of the barrel and see
if you can spot it. A slightly bent bar-
rel can still be accurate, but will walk
its shots when it heats up. A severely
bent barrel must be replaced.
SHOTGUNS
Pump-Action &
Autoloading Shotguns
Pumps and autoloaders require the
same safety check as ries do, with a
few additions. Safety on, pull the trig-
ger, let go, safety off. Dry re and see
if the weight of the trigger pull chang-
es.
When inspecting the barrel,
look for dents or creases. Also, inspect
the rib (if there is one) to see if it has
been dented. While a dented barrel or
rib can be repaired so the damage is
almost unnoticeable, you can still see
evidence of the repair.
Remove the barrel to inspect the
bore. Is the bore clean of plastic? Is
the choke clean? If not, swab them
clean. If there are screw-in chokes, do
they unscrew easily and smoothly?
While you have the forearm off an
autoloader, look at the gas system. Is
it clean? Or is it crusty from powder
residue? Powder residue can be wiped
off, but rust requires more a vigorous
remedy, and may leave the shotgun as
a non-cycling autoloader.
Double-Barrel Shotguns
Doubles require a different inspec-
tion. While looking over the barrels,
look to see that the side or bottom
ribs are smoothly attached along their
length. A lifted rib that has been re-
paired will have a different appear-
ance at the repair.
Open and close the action. Does the
lever move smoothly into place, or do
you have to push it the last fraction to
fully close it? How far does the lever
move? Levers are initially positioned
to not go fully to the centerline. As
the action wears, the lever moves fur-
ther and further, taking up the wear.
A shotgun with a lever too far past the
centerline may have been shot a great
deal, or been taken apart and put back
together with the lever mis-timed.
Next, check to see the barrels are
tight. Often, the forearm will put
enough pressure on the action to
make it seem tight. Remove the fore-
arm and then check barrel tightness.
Does the barrel assembly move or
wobble when closed? Can you see
the joint at the action changing size
Are screw-in chokes easy to remove? Or do you have to wrestle with them? A bulged choke may mean a ruined barrel.
Always unscrew the chokes to make sure they work as intended.
The screw-in chokes in this barrel, while
functional, doom the barrel for resale. The wall was cut too thin on one side and chipped out. The owner will never be
able to sell the barrel, for who would buy it? You might, if you neglected to check.
|
19
$
229
99
PPS RIFLES
FAITHFUL COPY OF FAMOUS RUSSIAN PPS MACHINE GUN
BLACK SYNTHETIC 22LR
SHROUDED
16 BARREL
LIGHTWEIGHTONLY 5.5LBS
EASY TO USE OPEN SIGHTS WAS
$
519
SAVE MORE MONEY
SHOOTING 22LR AMMO
SLING SWIVEL STUDS
1-10RD BLOCKED MAG
$
269
99
WAS
$
559
SHROUDED
16 BARREL
FOREARM TAC RAIL WITH VERTICAL GRIP
33.5 OVERALL
SMOOTH HARDWOOD
LIGHTWEIGHTONLY 5.5LBS
EASY TO USE OPEN SIGHTS
SAVE MORE MONEY
SHOOTING 22LR AMMO
1-10RD MAG
$
299
99
YOUR
CHOICE
PPS WILDCAT
WAS
$
589
SHROUDED
16 BARREL
BLACK, GREEN OR SAND STOCK
RETRACTABLE
BIPOD
COMPATIBLE
FRONT
SWIVEL
STUD
35 OVERALL W/EXTENDED STOCK
1-30RD
HI-CAP
TACTICAL CHARGING HANDLE3/8 GROOVED RECEIVER
EASY TO
USE OPEN
SIGHTS
22LR
22LR
$
19
99
30RD
EXTRA 22LR MAGAZINES
SMOKE SEE-THRU DESIGN
TACTICAL FOREARM RAIL
ATTACHES IN
SECONDS
$
19
99
LIGHTWEIGHT SYNTHETIC
HEAVY DUTY CONSTRUCTION
MOUNT EVEN
MORE ACCESSORIES
3/8 GROOVED RECEIVER
33.5 OVERALL
3/8 GROOVED RECEIVER
ONLY
5.5LBS
SEMI
AUTO
#LEG
PPSM
SAVE OVER 50% OFF
AR-15 MAG SALE!
$
18
99
EASYMAG
AR-15/M-16
30RD .223
UNIQUE
DESIGN
ALLOWS
FOR
FAST
LOADING,
UNLOADING
& CLEANING!
USED BY NATOSTEEL MFG
2 LAYER ANTI FRICTION COATING
TIP PROOF STEEL FOLLOWER
CHROME SILICON MAIN SPRING
ELIMINATES SEPARATE LOADER
30 PACK
CASE LOTS
$
8
99
PER MAG
STEEL .223
PUSH BUTTON ASSEMBLY/DISASSEMBLY-NO TOOLS
ONE PIECE MIG WELDED BODY FOR STRENGTH
MEET ISO 9001-2000 INTERNATIONAL SPECS
STEEL CONSTRUCTIONSTEEL NO-TILT FOLLOWER
BULGARIAN
$
12
99
.223
HIGH QUALITY ISD MFG
UNIQUE AR STYLE MAG
.223
$
19
99
FNCSCARAR-15M-16
NEW AR-15/M-16 FOLLOWER
FOR LAST SHOT HOLD OPEN
SUPREME DUTY STEEL CONSTRUCTION
MADE IN BELGIUM!
ORIGINALLY MADE FOR THE BELGIAN FNC AND SCAR RIFLE
AR-15 5RD/9RD
TARGET/HUNTING
INCLUDES 2 FOLLOWERS
BRAND NEW
ALUMINUM &
SYNTHETIC MFG
COMPETITION GRADE
$
14
99
YOU DECIDE
THE MAG
CAPACITY!
AR-15 STANDARD CAPACITY
CHOICE OF
THE CANADIAN
MILITARY!
$
6
99
AR-15 THERMOLD
VIRTUALLY
INDESTRUCTABLE
10RD
MASTER
MOLDER
.223
GREAT FOR
RESTRICTIVE
CAPACITY STATES!
$
12
99
AR-15 PREMIUM
STEEL
10RD
TARGET
HUNTING
.223 .223
MILITARY
GREEN FOLLOWER
BUILT BY HIGH
QUALITY ORIGINAL
EQUIPMENT MFG!
SALT RESISTANT MARINE COAT FINISH
.223 30RD
THE
BEST!
U.S. MILITARY FUSIL
$
9
99
30RD
FLOORPLATE
LANYARD LOOP
BLACK SYNTHETIC
RARE STEEL LINED
35RD
SPECIAL PURCHASE
$
329
99
.223 FLAT-TOP
UPPER ASSEMBLY
COMPLETE
BOLT & CARRIER
1-9 BARREL TWIST
WASP-WEAPONS ARMORED SURFACE PROTECTION
WASP COATED CHAMBER & BORE
16 M4 CONTOUR BARREL
BAYONET LUG
G.I. BIRDCAGE
#CMMU
NET
WITH QUAD RAIL #CMMUQUAD
$
369
99
$
119
99
.300 BLACKOUT
FLAT-TOP UPPER
COMPLETE
BOLT & CARRIER
$
119
99
WITH QUAD RAIL HANDGUARD
$
429
99
$
399
99
16 M4 CONTOUR BARREL
BAYONET LUG
G.I. BIRDCAGE
SAME AS .223 EXCEPT SUBSONIC 175 GRAIN
975 FPS BULLET IS IDEAL FOR SUPPRESSORS
WASP COATING
USES AR
.223 MAGS
$
184
95
.300 BLACKOUT
SUB-SONIC AMMO200RDS BULK
.300 BLACKOUT M4 STYLE RIFLE
$
849
99
.223 OR .300 BLACKOUT
CUSTOM
PISTOLS
$
849
99
YOUR
CHOICE
A2 FLASH HIDER
MORE DURABLE THAN CHROME LINING
QUAD RAIL HANDGUARD
8.5 BARREL
AR
PISTOL
GRIP
1-30RD HI-CAP MAG
FULL LENGTH TOP RAIL
QUAD RAIL
HANDGUARD
MK-4
$
1399
99
BLACKDARK EARTHO.D. GREEN
YOUR
CHOICE
.308 FLUTED
NEW ULTRALIGHT XTRA COMFORTABLE QUAD RAIL DESIGN
2-20RD HI-CAP
MAGPUL MAGS
MORE DURABLE THAN CHROME LINING
18 FLUTED BARREL
FULL LENGTH TOP RAIL A2 FLASH HIDER
FREE FLOATING HANDGUARD
CUSTOM
2-STAGE
TARGET
TRIGGER
MAGPUL STOCK
WITH ADJUSTABLE CHEEK
PIECE AND LENGTH OF PULL
SEMI
AUTO
ADJUSTABLE FOREARM RAILS
$
1099
99
BLACKDARK EARTHO.D. GREEN
YOUR
CHOICE
WASP COATED
PROTECTIVE FINISH
.308 CUSTOM
MAG-PUL MOE COLLAPSIBLE STOCK
A2 FLASH HIDER
FULL LENGTH PICATINNY TOP RAIL
ADJUSTABLE FOREARM RAILS
MK-3 SEMI-AUTO
FREE FLOATING HANDGUARD
MAGPUL MOE PISTOL GRIP
2-STAGE TARGET TRIGGER
1-20RD MAG-PUL P-MAG
FLARED
MAGAZINE
WELL
AMBIDEXTROUS
SINGLE POINT SWIVEL
NO FORWARD ASSIST
16 FREE FLOATING
STAINLESS BARREL
FLARED
MAGAZINE
WELL
P.O. Box 6514 Abilene, TX 79608
Monday - Friday 8-7 CST Sat. 10-2 CST
SAME DAY SHIPPING ON ORDERS
PLACED BEFORE 3:30 p.m.
ACCESSORY SHIPPING
$
9
99
ANY AMOUNT
CDNN
SPORTS, INC.
<>
NO CHARGE
FOR CREDIT CARD
1-800-588-9500
PUBLIC: www.cdnnsports.comFFL DEALER: www.targetsportsinc.com
20
|
MADE IN SAME FACTORY AS THE BROWNING SUPERPOSED
$
999
99
YOUR
CHOICE
26 OR 28 LIGHTWEIGHT BARRELS
THREE INVECTOR
PLUS CHOKES
BACK BORED3 MAG CHAMBERQUALITY BELGIAN MFG
DECELERATOR RECOIL PAD WITH CLASSIC WHITE LINE SPACER
BEAUTIFUL HI-GLOSS GRADE II/III WALNUT CHECKERED STOCK & FOREND
REG.
$
1869
BELGIAN FN MFG OVER/UNDER
SELECT MODEL 101 12 GAUGE
UP TO
$
500 BELOWDISTRIBUTOR COST
SHOTGUNS
BLUE RECEIVERDEEP RELIEF ENGRAVING
METAL GRIP CAPBRASS BEAD SIGHT
$
889
99
YOUR
CHOICE
SUPER X3
12 OR 20
GAUGE SAVE
$
320
WALNUT FIELD
ADJUSTABLE LENGTH
OF PULL SPACERS
RARE PATTERN
CHECKERING
PERMA-COTE ULTRA
TOUGH PROTECTION
RECORD 12-SHOTS IN 1.442 SEC.
SEMI-AUTO
26 OR 28 VENT RIB BARREL
NEXT GENERATION PACHMAYR DECELERATOR RECOIL PAD
SELF-ADJUSTING ACTIVE VALVE GAS SYSTEM REDUCES RECOIL
TRIMMER GRIP & FOREARM FOR LIGHTER WEIGHT & FAST HANDLING
THREE INVECTOR
PLUS CHOKES
3 MAG
$
329
99
1500 SAND STOCK
243WIN22 BARREL
WAS
$
525
3-POSITION SAFETYHINGED FLOORPLATE
SLING SWIVEL STUDSBLACK RUBBER RECOIL PAD
RECEIVER DRILLED & TAPPED FOR SCOPE MOUNT
HOGUE SOFT GRIP STIPPLED SAND OVERMOLD STOCK
PILLAR BEDDED STOCK FOR STRENGTH & ACCURACY
CUSTOM RIFLES
REALTREE CAMO CUSTOM RIFLE
$
339
99
YOUR
CHOICE
1500 LIGHTNING 22 BARREL
SLING SWIVEL STUDSBLACK RUBBER RECOIL PADHINGED FLOORPLATE
RECEIVER DRILLED & TAPPED FOR SCOPE MOUNT3-POSITION SAFETY
STRAIGHT COMB BUTTSTOCK PROVIDES FOR MORE REDUCED FELT RECOIL
$
389
99
RELIABLE COMPACT RIFLE
1500 CUSTOM VARMIT
YOUR
CHOICE
20 OR 24 TARGET HEAVY
CUSTOM BLACK SYNTHETIC STOCK
3-POSITION SAFETYHINGED FLOORPLATE
SLING SWIVEL STUDSBLACK RUBBER RECOIL PAD
RECEIVER DRILLED & TAPPED FOR SCOPE MOUNT
STRAIGHT COMB STOCK FOR REDUCED FELT RECOIL
$
130 VALUE
CAMO STOCK
CUSTOM FIBERGLASS RESIN AND SMOOTH SURFACE COMFORT
IMPERVIOUS TO WEATHER & HUMIDITYEXTREMELY LIGHTWEIGHT
BLUE FINISH
CUSTOM FIBERGLASS RESIN
SMOOTH SURFACE COMFORT
EXTREMELY LIGHTWEIGHT
BLUE FINISH
22322-250243308204RUGER
BLUE FINISH
25-06 SHORT ACTION
308 SHORT ACTION
270 LONG ACTION
30-06 LONG ACTION
BONUS BUY
4-16X40 TARGET SCOPE
$
39
99
WITH
HOWA
1 FOR 1 WITH ANY HOWAREG.
$
129
99
ADJUSTABLE OBJECTIVEZIP FOCUSTARGET TURRETS
2-COLOR LIGHTED MIL-DOT RETICLEBLACK MATTE FINISH
FLIP-UP
LENS CAPS
15.25
OVERALL LENGTH
551-A1
TACTICAL
SEMI-AUTO
SPORTS, INC.
AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM
ORIGINAL AK STYLE MAG RELEASE
FOLD DOWN WINTER TRIGGERGUARD
ORIGINAL SWISS FURNITURE
TWO POSITION ADJUSTABLE GAS VALVE2-STAGE TRIGGER
GAS PISTON ROTATING BOLTAMBIDEXTROUS SAFETY SELECTOR
MILITARY GRADE BARREL ENSURES ACCURACY & DURABILITY
7075-T6 ALUMINUM HARD COAT ANODIZED LOWER RECEIVER
INTEGRATED PICATINNY OPTIC RAIL
FOLDS TO ONLY 26 OVERALL
ORIGINAL SIDE
FOLDING STOCK
P
IS
T
O
L
G
R
IP
S
T
O
R
A
G
E
16 BARREL
FLASH
SUPPRESSOR
2-SWISS MFG 30RD MAGS
36.1 FOLDS TO 26 IDEAL FOR MAXIMUM MANEUVERABILITY
DESIGNED FOR SPECIAL FORCES REQUIRING A MORE ACCURATE & POTENT RIFLE
BARREL HAS FOUR GROOVE RIFLING WITH 1 IN 7 BARREL TWIST
18 SIGHT RADIUSPROTECTED FRONT SIGHTBAYONET LUG
ONLY
7LBS
$
1499
99 30RD
HI-CAP
FACTORY MAGS
$
49
99
$
1399
99
WAS
$
2397SAVE
$
997 TODAY!
TTR
SIDE
FOLDER
TACTICAL TARGET RIFLE
1-30RD
RARE RDSRAPID DEPLOYMENT STOCK
MULTIPLE
SLING
MOUNTING
POINTS
FINGER GROOVE PISTOL GRIP
MATTE NON-REFLECTIVE FINISH
NO EAR TWANG
SUPER DUTY
$
24
99
#TAR
144
1 OR 30MM WITH
REMOVABLE INSERTS
15 TIMES THE STRENGTH OF OTHER RINGS
DESIGNED FOR TACTICAL PICATINNY RAILS
MATTE BLACK COMBO
MEDIUM
HIGH
TTR AR-15
$
12
99
.223
30RD HI-CAP
STAINLESS STEEL MFG
BLACKENED
YOUR
CHOICE
CALIBER: 5.56 NATO (.223)
BARREL: 16.5 CHROME LINED
BOLT: ROTATING LOCK
TWIST: 1 IN 9, RIGHT HAND
TRIGGER: SINGLE STAGE
SAFETY: TRIGGER BLOCK SELECTOR
ACTION: SEMI-AUTO, DIGS
(DELAYED IMPINGEMENT GAS SYSTEM)
RECEIVER: FLAT-TOP WITH FULL LENGTH
PICATINNY MOUNTING RAIL
LENGTH: (EXTENDED) 36.25
(FOLDED) 26.5, (TELESCOPED) 33.25
USES AR-15 MAGS
XA MODEL
XAS MODEL
ALUMINUM SHORT
FOREARM RAIL
ALUMINUM LONG
FOREARM RAIL
DUAL AIMING
APERTURES
FLIP-UP
POSI
LOCK
DESIGN
TACTICAL
FRONT
PRECISION
ELEVATION
ADJUSTMENTS
INTEGRAL PICATINNY
MOUNTING DECK
USE IN SECONDS!
USER FRIENDLY LOCKING
THUMB NUT FOR EASY
& QUICK INSTALLATION
FLIP-UP SIGHTS
$
29
99
YOUR
CHOICE
#TAR150 #TAR151
TACTICAL
REAR
QUICK
DETACH
WINDAGE
ADJUSTABLE
FOLDED
WE BOUGHT
THEM ALL!
SAVE
$
997
ACCESSORY SHIPPING
$
9
99
ANY AMOUNT
CDNN
SPORTS, INC.
<>
NO CHARGE
FOR CREDIT CARD
1-800-588-9500
|
21
ATTENTION COLLECTORS
LIMITED SERIES
1885
LEVER
ACTION
VERY RARE
LIMITED
PRODUCTION
FAITHFUL REPRODUCTION OF THE FAMOUS JOHN M. BROWNING SINGLE SHOT RIFLE
SINGLE DIGIT SERIALS
#
2 THRU 9 ADD
$
100
SPORTER
ONLY
140
MFG!
24 OCTAGONAL BARREL
CHECKERED STRAIGHT GRIP WALNUT STOCK
MARBLES BLADE FRONT SIGHTBUCKHORN REAR SIGHT
WEIGHS 8.25 LBSPACHMAYR DECELERATOR RECOIL PAD
SWIVEL STUDS
SCHNABEL FOREARM
DRILLED & TAPPED
$
899
99
YOUR
CHOICE
405WIN OR 45-70
HIGH WALL
TANG PEEP SIGHT
BEAUTIFUL
WALNUT
SATIN OIL
FINISHED
SEMI-HEAVY
OCTAGON BARREL
405WIN OR 45-70
REAR ADJUSTABLE TANG PEEP SIGHT & LADDER SIGHT
BLADE FRONT SIGHT WITH GOLD BEADWEIGHS 9 LBS
SCHNABEL FOREARMCRESCENT BUTTPLATESWIVEL STUDS
HUNTER
$
989
99
YOUR
CHOICE
30-4038-5545-70
LADDER REAR SIGHT
BRASS BLADE FRONT SIGHT
ONLY 6 LBS
THE
B
EST
P
ACK
R
IFLE
SADDLE RING CARBINE
16.5
ROUND
BARREL
UP TO
$
250
BELOW OUR
NORMAL COST
$
19
99
#LEU
50012
2-PIECE STEEL MOUNTS
WINCHESTER 1885 HIGH-WALL
INCLUDES WRENCH & TORX SCREWS
MATTE BLUE FINISHALSO FITS BROWNING 1885 HIGH-WALL RIFLES
BLUE RECEIVERSTEEL BUTTPLATE
WALNUT SATIN FINISH STRAIGHT GRIP STOCK
FINELY CHECKERED
STRAIGHT GRIP STOCK
22 SHORT
$
799
99
YOUR
CHOICE
TRAPPER
$
899
99
YOUR
CHOICE
SAFARI
300H&H OR 375H&H
HIGH WALL
28 OCTAGONAL BARREL
MARBLES GOLD BEAD FRONTSEMI-BUCKHORN REAR
DRILLED AND TAPPED FOR REAR TANG SIGHT SYSTEM
BLUE STEEL RECEIVERCHECKERED SCHNABEL FOREARM
GRADE I CHECKERED STRAIGHT GRIP WALNUT STOCK
WEIGHS 9.6 LBSPACHMAYR DECELERATOR RECOIL PAD
FALLING
BLOCK
ACTION
SINGLE
SHOT LEVER
SAVE
$
440
MSRP
$
1339
TANG MOUNTED SAFETY
CLASSIC LADDER REAR SIGHT
COMPACT 22 CARBINE BARREL
DRILLED & TAPPED FOR LYMAN SIGHT
$
899
99
SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION
1895 SADDLE RING
RARE 30-40 KRAG
1892
LIMITED SERIES
DELUXE
SERIES
VERY RARE
LIMITED
PRODUCTION LEVER ACTION REPEATER
TAKEDOWN OCTAGON BARREL
32-20 24 BARREL 44-40 20 OR 24 BARREL
38-40 24 BARREL 45 LONGCOLT 20 OR 24 BARREL
$
999
99
SATIN FINISH GRADE II/III WALNUT
TAKES DOWN IN SECONDS
6.5 TO 7LBSSTEEL FOREND CAP
BEAUTIFULLY MADE FAITHFUL REPRODUCTION OF
AN ORIGINAL
$
15,000 COLLECTIBLE WINCHESTER RIFLE
STEEL BUTTPLATE
WITH TRAP DOOR
WOODEN UPPER FOREARM
RARE FIND
OVER
$
200
BELOW COST
SINGLE DIGIT SERIAL ADD
$
100
YOUR
CHOICE
BLUE RECEIVERFULL LENGTH MAGAZINE TUBE
STEEL CRESCENT BUTTPLATETANG SAFETY
PISTOL GRIP HIGH GRADE CHECKERED WALNUT
1895
RARE NON-CHECKERED GRADE 1
LEVER ACTION
24 BLUED BARREL & RECEIVER
STRAIGHT GRIP BUTTSTOCK
SCHNABEL FOREND
STRAIGHT BUTTPLATETOP TANG SAFETY
SPUR HAMMERSATIN FINISH WALNUT STOCK
TRADITIONAL BLADE FRONT SIGHT
ADJUSTABLE BUCKHORN REAR SIGHT
$
899
99 $
989
99
OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY
30-06 405WIN
3-GUN SET
CONSECUTIVE
SERIAL #S
$
5999
99
DOUG TURNBULL CUSTOMS
Standard Model Open Range
Revolver with the addition of
A-Coverage (25%) Engraving
$
1699
99
FANCY ONE-PIECE
SMOOTH WOOD GRIPS
Open Range
A-Coverage
Engraving
$
1999
99
Open Range
B-Coverage
Engraving
B-Coverage (50%) Engraving
FANCY ONE-PIECE
STAG GRIPS
Open Range
C-Coverage
Engraving
$
2499
99
C-Coverage (70%) Engraving
CUSTOM CARVED
IVORY GRIPS
AMAZING
DETAIL!
CALL FOR
AVAILABLE SETS
COMPONENTS
MFG BY
U.S.F.A.
4
3/4
5
1/2
OR
7
1/2
BARRELS
AVAILABLE
38SPECIAL
38-40
44SPECIAL
44-40 OR
45 COLT
$
1199
99
YOUR
CHOICE
DOUG TURNBULL
CUSTOMIZED SINGLE ACTIONS
34
3/4
5
1/2
7
1/2
BARRELS
SPECIAL
ENGRAVED
CYLINDER
32-2038-4044-40
44SPECIAL45COLT
COMPONENTS
MFG BY
U.S.F.A.
SPECIAL DOUG TURNBULL SERIAL #S
DELUXE TURNBULL
CASE HARDENING
BLACK SYNTHETIC CHECKERED GRIPS
BEAUTIFUL HIGH POLISHED BLUE
BELOW
COST!
LIMITED QUANTITIES
ACCESSORY SHIPPING
$
9
99
ANY AMOUNT
CDNN
SPORTS, INC.
<>
NO CHARGE
FOR CREDIT CARD
1-800-588-9500
22
|
when you try to move the barrel? A
loose barrel is an expensive repair, so
be sure to check. Pull or twist the bar-
rel in all three axes; attempt to move
the rear side to side, lift as if you were
opening the action (but not pushing
the lever), and pull the barrels for-
ward. The action should be as tight as
a bank vault.
Next, the triggers. You'll need snap
caps and the owners permission. In-
sert the snap caps and close the ac-
tion. Put the safety on. If the double
is a twin trigger, check to make sure
the safety blocks both triggers. If it is
a single trigger, make sure the safety
blocks the trigger when the barrel se-
lector is set to each barrel in turn.
Push the safety to OFF and snap one
of the barrels. Open the action (keep
your hand over the action to stop the
snap cap from being launched across
the room) then close it and select the
other barrel. Snap that barrel and
open the action again, stopping the
snap cap from being ejected. Both
barrels work? Good. Close the ac-
tion, snap one of the barrels, and then
slap the butt of the shotgun with your
hand. If the shotgun has a non-iner-
tial trigger like the Ruger Red Label
you can forego the slapping. Does
the second barrel now re when you
pull the trigger? If so, the inertial trig-
ger is working. If not, you may have
to slap it harder, or the inertia weight
needs adjusting.
HANDGUNS
Handguns come in two types: re-
volvers and autoloading pistols, and
each has sub-types with their own pe-
culiarities. The four types we'll cover
are the single-action revolver and
double-action revolver, single-action
autoloading pistol and double-action
autoloading pistol.
Single-Action Revolvers
The single-action revolver is known
by many as the cowboy revolver. Your
quick visual inspection of the exterior
should start with the sights, to make
sure they are straight, and the grips
to make sure they are without cracks
or dents. Also look at the exterior
edge of the muzzle, and the corners
of the frame, for signs of dropping.
Bent sights and cracked grips indicate
a dropped handgun. Dropping can
bend the barrel, warp the frame or
throw off the timing.
Hold the revolver up to the light,
sideways, and look at the cylinder
gap. There should be daylight, but not
too much of it. The SA comes in the
Colt pattern, old Ruger, and the new
Ruger.
In Colts and old Rugers, open the
The wood on this shotgun can be repaired, but what caused it? If a previous owner used magnum shells in a non-
magnum-capable gun, the action may be loose. Check the tightness of the barrels to the receiver.
On doubles, check to see if the top lever is easy to move and the action easy to open.
|
23
Doug Eberhart,GA
Frank Berry,MS
David Noll,MO
G
S
P
U
BRING OUT YOUR BEST
EXTENSIVE NATIONAL ADVERTISING
RADIO + TELEVISION + NEWSPAPER
SHOW HOURS: 9am to 5pm Sat.
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SET-UP Hrs: 3pm to 8pm Fri.
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Richard Binger, IN
Larry
Bob Peterson,OH
Bobby Smith, TN
THE GREAT EASTERN
THE WORLDS LARGEST GUN and MILITARY SHOW
Dec. 10, 11, 2011
KENTUCKY FAIR & EXPO CENTER
(SOUTH WING A)
LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY
1650 Tables (8 Ft.)
Next Show: Louisville, KY
Feb. 25, 26, 2012
Ralph Petrilli, OH
Gun Show Protection Union
Membership $25 Donation
Walter & Butch
Dave
Jim
APAN MERICA
ERMANY
It
is my
pleasure
to announce
the Great Eastern
National Gun Day
Show + JAG Military
Show = 1650 tables in one
room for One Admission.
The WORLDS LARGEST
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When making reservations, indicate
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An event you will remember for years!!!!
Gun
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From all over
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|
loading gate, cock the hammer back
to the (half-cock) notch that frees the
cylinder, and rotate the cylinder. Look
to see that it isn't loaded. On new Ru-
gers, opening the loading gate frees
the cylinder to rotate. To close up
both action "systems," close the load-
ing gate, cock the hammer and, with
your thumb on the hammer spur, pull
the trigger and ease the hammer for-
ward while holding the trigger back.
Check the cylinder for play.
For those who may not know, spin-
ning the cylinder at high speed, or fan-
ning the hammer are both considered
abusive handling, and will likely end
the sale before it starts. Don't do either!
Does the cylinder move back and
forth? Called endshake, it can be eas-
ily xed, but if there is too much it
indicates a revolver that has seen a
lot of use. On a Colt-pattern revolver
it could mean that the cylinder has
been replaced and not properly tted,
or the bushing is worn or peened
from heavy loads.
Does it wobble from side to side?
The cylinder stop may be worn, or the
slots may be worn or too large. Look
at the slots. If they have been abused,
the edges will be chewed up. If they
appear sharp and clean, the cylinder
stop may be worn or its spring weak.
A worn or abused cylinder is expen-
sive, while a new cylinder stop or
spring is relatively cheap.
Slowly cock the revolver, watching
the cylinder. Does it come fully into
position? Or do you have to push the
cylinder around the last fraction of
an inch to get it to lock? A cylinder
failing to carry up will require a new
hand or require that the old one be
"stretched."
Check each chamber. It isn't unusu-
al for a revolver to have one chamber
that has a slightly different timing on
the carry up than the others do. Once
you've checked carry-up, test the trig-
ger pull. If the owner is leery of letting
you dry re, catch the hammer with
your other hand each time you cock it
and pull the trigger. Is the pull within
normal limits? A heavy pull may in-
dicate someone has fussed with the
trigger as would a very light pull.
While a trigger is relatively cheap,
they can be salvaged only sometimes.
The hammer is expensive, but you
can often have the notch re-stoned
(properly, of course) or in extreme
cases, welded and re-cut. If the trig-
ger pull has been "messed with," what
was done? You can't tell without get-
ting out a screwdriver set and disas-
sembling the revolver there and then.
You will have to either take the risk,
or insist on a return/refund option if
your gunsmith nds something too
expensive to x.
You must remove the forearm before checking a double for tightness. If you dont, the forearms support may mask any
looseness present in the action.
Does the top lever go past center? As the locking
surfaces wear the lever moves farther and farther.
When it reaches the far side of the top strap, it needs
to be retted.
|
25
To continue inspecting the Single
Action, open the loading gate, re-
lease and pull the center pin, roll
the freed-up cylinder out of
the frame (to the right) and
inspect the front and rear of
the cylinder. On the rear, is
the bluing of the ratchet that
the hand pushes against even-
ly worn white? (A difcult in-
spection on a stainless or nickel
gun, but you can see the wear if you
look closely.) Each chamber should
be clean, their edges unmarred. On
the front face of the cylinder, check
to see if there are marks from the cyl-
inder face rubbing against the rear of
the barrel. A cylinder with endshake
may rub. The rubbing may even be
only partial. Don't worry unless the
rubbing has been hard or extensive
enough to have marred the face of the
cylinder.
Look at the rear of the barrel. Is the
end even and square to the bore? Or
has someone been stoning or ling
the rear face for some reason? Is the
forcing cone clean and smooth?
A revolver that has been red with
lead alloy bullets will often have a
forcing cone crusted with lead, even
when the rest of the barrel is clean.
A revolver that has seen a lot of
jacketed magnum-level loads will
show the wear in the forcing cone, the
edges of which will be slightly round-
ed from the heat and abrasion.
Look down the bore. Is it clean and
are the lands and grooves smooth
and shiny? A pitted bore means the
barrel must be replaced. If you see a
dark ring (or donut) that indicates a
"ringed barrel," the barrel may still
be accurate but will probably lead
quickly. A bullet stopping partway
down the bore, and then being jolted
out by the next round red, causes a
"ringed" barrel. The bulge may not
show on the outside.
Double-Action Revolvers
The quick exterior inspection
should include the hammer spur.
Dropping a DA revolver can bend
the spur, keeping the hammer from
being cocked. Your inspection will
reveal this, so be prepared when you
get there.
Push the cylinder latch and open
the cylinder. Does the latch move
smoothly? Does the cylinder move
without binding or catching? Check
by opening the cylinder at each of
its six (or ve, seven or eight) positions.
A dropped DA revolver can have a bent
center pin, and the bend will interfere
with opening at only one chamber. On
a DA revolver, opening and closing it
Hollywood-style, by icking the wrist,
is agrant handling abuse which will
get it snatched out of your hands by
many owners.
Does the cylinder unlatch smoothly and easily? Binding or requiring force to move is a bad sign, usually indicating a
bent crane or bent center pin.
To check single action engagement, cock the hammer
and push the hammer forward with one thumb. Again,
ten pounds is all you need.
Hammer clearance on a revolver in single action mode is
important. You can see here the hammer may bind on the
frame if the spur is bent.
26
|
Check carry-up, both in
single action and double
action modes. You may
have to ride your off-
hand thumb on the ham-
mer as you slowly do the double-
action check, to keep the hammer
(and the trigger) from jerking to the
end of the DA stroke and thus hiding
improper carry-up. If the revolver has
been dropped and the hammer spur
bent, this is when you'll nd out. A
bent spur can still work ne in dou-
ble action, but the hammer goes back
farther in cocking for single action.
A bent spur may bind against the
frame and not allow the revolver to
be cocked. With the hammer cocked,
put your thumb behind it and give
it a gentle push no more than ten
pounds worth. The hammer should
stay cocked.
Years ago I had a run-in with a
desk sergeant at a local police depart-
ment about proper testing for push-
off (my home state of Michigan re-
quires a safety inspection for the sale
of a handgun). He was pushing for
all he was worth, with both thumbs,
and rejecting every revolver my cus-
tomers came in with. I nally had to
bring in the S&W Armorers Manual,
and show him and his supervisor
what the factory-accepted test was.
If the revolver you are testing pushes
off at ten pounds or less, the single-
action notch is worn or has been
worked on. Depending on theremedy
required, it may be expensive to x;
sometimes requiring a new hammer.
Check cylinder tightness with the
trigger held back, as with the SA re-
volver, checking for play side-to-side
and front-to-back. As on the SA re-
volver, side-to-side play can be caused
by peened locking slots in the cylin-
der, which is expensive to repair. Or,
it can be caused by a worn cylinder
stop (less expensive), or a tired cylin-
der stop spring (cheap to x).
Endshake is a sign of use with heavy
or magnum loads.
Endshake is easy and inexpensive
to x by stretching the crane or in-
stalling shims, but both increase cyl-
inder gap at the rear of the barrel. If
removing endshake increases the gap
beyond tolerances, you'll have to have
the barrel set back, a moderately ex-
pensive x.
Open the action and look at the
front and rear of the cylinder. The
front of the cylinder should not show
rub marks from the rear of barrel. If it
does, it is a sign of excessive endshake,
which must be xed. The rear of the
chambers should have clean ninety-
degree edges. Some shooters bevel the
rear opening of the chambers to make
speedloading faster and easier. Prop-
erly done, beveling does speed reloads
but, improperly done, it can cause
improper ejection.
If you see beveling, look closely
at the ejector star. Has the star been
beveled, too? A proper job bevels the
cylinder but not the ejector. A beveled
ejector that improperly ejects (the
empties will not be fully ejected) is a
moderately expensive repair.
Inspect the forcing cone. Is it clean,
with sharp edges? A revolver that has
seen a lot of magnum loads, especial-
ly jacketed ones, will have an eroded
forcing cone. A worn forcing cone can
Close the cylinder, dry re and hold the trigger back. Check the cylinder for wobble: front-to-back and side-to-side.
Then release the trigger and try again. The cylinder shouldnt move at all when the trigger is held back, and only a
little when released.
A peened cylinder locking slot indicates heavy use, either
many rounds or magnum loads. Peened slots cant be
xed, and require a new cylinder, a major cost.
|
27
cause spitting and a loss of accuracy.
A worn forcing cone can be xed, but
only by setting the barrel back and
cutting a new cone in fresh steel. The
gunsmith will also have to shorten
the ejector rod and center pin, and
will have to remove endshake to do
the job properly and the cost will be
moderate to moderately high.
Look down the bore. Clean, shiny
and straight? Good. If it is pitted,
or ringed from a bullet having been
lodged in the bore, you'll need a new
barrel.
The last check concerns the crane.
The swing-out crane makes loading
and unloading easier, but it is rela-
tively fragile and can be bent by being
dropped, or being ipped open Hol-
lywood-style.
Gently close the cylinder, and see
how much thumb pressure it takes to
lock up. Does the cylinder swing into
place and click shut without force?
Great. Try it on all chambers, as a
bent crane can be offset by other tol-
erances, and may be hidden on one or
more chambers. If you nd you need
moderate thumb pressure to get the
cylinder to lock in place, the crane
may be bent.
A bent crane and its repair are
brand-dependent. Rugers are so
stoutly built that you need a ball-peen
hammer to bend the crane. You also
need one to straighten it. A S&W
crane is more fragile and more sensi-
tive to misalignment, but a simple job
to straighten. The Colt system is less
sensitive than the S&W, not as stout
as the Ruger, and a more involved job
to x.
Autoloading Pistols,
Single-Action
The icon of single-action autoload-
ing pistols is the 1911 pistol. Of all
handguns, this one is the most likely
to be assembled from parts, played
with, experimented upon and had
parts swapped in and out. Any used
pistol requires a close inspection to
ensure you don't end up with a pig in
a poke.
On your exterior visual inspection,
don't be put off by parts of different
colors. The government never cared
about matching the color of Parker-
ized parts on military-issue 45s, and
many shooters through the years have
come to favor deliberately two-toned
pistols. It is not at all unusual to nd
a 1911 with a blued slide and nickeled
or stainless frame, or blued or Parker-
ized parts on a hard-chromed gun.
Check the muzzle end of the slide
for dings and gouges indicating it has
been dropped. Look at the magazine
well. A dropped pistol can crack at the
magazine well if the well has been bev-
The crane on a DA revolver is easily bent from abuse, dropping or incorrect gunsmithing.
A dropped revolver can bend the center pin where it
protudes into the frame. It cannot be straightened and
must be replaced.
A revolver with a cylinder that wont fully carry up
into position behind the barrel is dangerous. If it res
unlocked, the bullet wont be centered in the bore, and
will split fragments out through the gap.
28
|
eled for fast magazine insertion.
You may see a crack on the frame
forward of the slide stop lever. Pay
it no mind. A cracked dustcover on
high-mileage auto-pistols is not rare.
If you see the crack and the owner
says it has never been shot, be suspi-
cious. Any crack in a slide is grounds
for immediate rejection. Cracked
slides cannot be repaired, cannot be
trusted, and must be replaced.
Give the pistol a brief visual check
for signs of dropping, or tool marks
from previous experimenting. Work
the slide. Does it move smoothly? It
should move its full travel without
catching, binding or hesitating. A
binding slide could be a bent slide,
dented frame rails, or a mis-t re-
placement barrel. All will be mod-
erately expensive to x. Or, it could
simply be a replacement slide that was
not fully lapped to t which is cheap
to x.
Flip the thumb safety up and down.
It should move smoothly and snap
from one setting to another. Check the
grip safety. It should move in and out
without binding, and its spring should
snap it back out when released. A grip
safety that doesn't move should set
off alarm bells in your
head. It was popular in
competition circles a decade
or more ago to pin down grip
safeties so they would not move. A
pistol with a pinned grip safety is
probably a high-mileage competition
gun that has seen tens of thousands of
rounds. Even if it has seen only light
use, you will have to have the grip
safety unpinned and properly tuned.
Now check the function of the safe-
ties. Happily, owners of the 1911 are
much less prone to the "don't dry re"
attitude. Check to make sure the pis-
tol isn't loaded, then cycle the slide
and dry re it. Hold the trigger back
and work the slide. It should move
smoothly. A pistol that is hard to cycle
with the trigger held back could have
disconnector problems or an im-
properly adjusted trigger binding the
disconnector. With the slide cycled
back and forth, does the hammer stay
cocked (It better, or you will be fac-
ing expensive repairs)? Next, push
the thumb safety ON. Pull the trigger
(using no more than ten pounds pres-
sure), release the trigger and push the
safety OFF. If the hammer falls, the
safety isn't blocking the sears move-
ment. I've seen pistols that would re
when the safety was ON and the trig-
ger was pulled. Not very safe and, po-
tentially, an expensive repair.
If the hammer stays back, you now
listen. Lift the pistol to your ear, and
gently thumb back the hammer. If
you hear nothing (assuming you have
properly worn hearing protection
during all those years of shooting)
then the thumb safety is ne. If you
hear a little metallic "tink" then the
safety needs adjustment. If the safety
blocks the sear but not entirely the
The grip safety on the left has been pinned down, and doesnt work. Dont buy a 1911 with a pinned grip safety
unless it can be unpinned and tested for function.
Does the thumb safety move smoothly, or do you need
to force it? Forcing is bad, and indicates a poorly tted
thumb safety.
Once the safety is on, pull the trigger with about 10 pounds
of force. Then push the safety off and listen to the sear.
|
29
sear can move minutely when you
pull the trigger. The "tink" is the sear
tip snapping back into the bottom of
the hammer hooks when the spring
pressure is released. If the thumb
safety passes the "listen" test, you're
on to the grip safety.
Cock the hammer and hold the pis-
tol so you don't grip the grip safety.
Pull the trigger. The test, and "listen,"
are the same as the thumb safety test,
looking for the same problems. Now
start looking for signs of abuse or ex-
perimentation.
Hold the slide partway back and
look at the feed ramp. It should be
clean and shiny. There should be a gap
between the ramp on the frame and
the ramp on the barrel. If someone has
polished them to be an uninterrupted
surface, they have decreased feeding
reliability. An improperly polished or
ground ramp is expensive to x.
Should you check barrel t? Check-
ing won't tell you much. The custom-
ary check is to press down on the
chamber area to see if it moves, and
having moved, if it springs back. The
problem is, it doesn't tell you much.
I've seen apparently loose pistols that
shot quite accurately, and tight pistols
that wouldn't shoot worth a darn.
There are some indications that
something is amiss. If you are look-
ing at a custom competition gun with
a name-brand barrel tted, and the t
is loose, be suspicious. The barrel may
have been simply dropped in (with no
attempt at properly tting it), or it
may have been shot tens of thousands
of rounds until it wore loose.
If you have a pistol with a plain bar-
rel, tightly tted, and the front sight
is very short, something is up. The
barrel may be tight simply because
the owner has tted a long link to the
barrel. In which case the link is prop-
ping the barrel up to be tight, and the
front sight had to be shortened to get
the sights to line up with the groups.
Lock the slide open and look down
the bore. More so than many other
pistols, the 1911 can be a high-mile-
age survivor. Is the bore clean, or
fouled with lead or copper? Is the
muzzle worn from cleaning? Is there
To check the disconnector: dry re, hold the trigger down
and slowly cycle the slide.
To check the grip safetys function you have to hold the
pistol so you dont depress the safety. Then pull the trigger.
30
|
A pistol should not smokestack, or trap the empties in
the ejection port, as shown in this simulated malfunction.
The cause can be ammo, the pistol or the shooter. Take
the pistol to an independent gunsmith for inspection before
returning to the seller, so you know the problems source.
heavy brass "marking" behind the
ejection port? Signs of high mileage
are not a reason to pass, but if the pis-
tol is offered as "new" or "like new"
and you see signs of bore wear, hold
on to your money.
On the subject of the cost of re-
pairs to a 1911, the same symptoms
can be cheap or expensive de-
pending whether the parts involved
merely need adjustment, or must
be replaced. Accept a dysfunctional
1911 into your home only after care-
ful consideration and acceptance of
potentially high repair costs.
Autoloading Pistols, Double-Action
Your visual inspection for the DAs
will be the same as with the 1911, ex-
cept that more of the DAs will have
alloy frames. You must take a closer
look, especially at a police trade-in,
to check for signs of dropping. If you
have a pistol with worn bluing, but
new grips, look closely. New grips
go on only when the old ones are
too far gone to be presentable. Po-
lice guns get dropped, whacked into
car doors and frames, door jambs,
light poles, vending machines and
seat belt buckles and that is just
when holstered!
Check the frame closely for cracks
and signs of dropping, and pass on
cracked frames. Glocks get an auto-
matic "passing grade" here, as you can't
do more than cosmetic damage, even
by throwing one into a cement mixer.
Do the dry re and slide cycle test just
as you would with the 1911. Hammer-
less guns, or DA-only guns, where the
hammer follows the slide down, ob-
viously wont show you a cocked
hammer to manually manipulate.
Dry re them, cycle the slide, and dry
re again.
The safety check is less involved
than with the 1911, and is dependent
on design. On Glocks, cycle the ac-
tion and attempt to press the trigger
back without depressing the cen-
trally-mounted trigger safety. On DA
guns, drop a pencil down the muzzle,
eraser end rst, and point up.
Push the safety lever to SAFE,
or use the de-cocking lever. The pen-
cil shouldn't move. Don't pay atten-
tion to vibrations. If the safety isn't
blocking the ring pin, the pencil
will get launched out and upwards.
Buying a used rearm can be
rewarding, fun and educational.
By taking a few precautions, and us-
ing the inspection procedures out-
lined, you can avoid buying a walnut
and blue steel lemon. Have fun and
stay safe! .
|
31
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brake, US made mil-spec black polymer
Warsaw Pact Length, standard mil-
spec. handguards with stainless steel
heat shield, US made double stage
trigger group, 1000 meter rear sight
leaf, scope rail, accessory lug. 10rd.
5.45X39 Russian magazine included.
Details
SKU SGL31-61
caliber: 5.45 x 39.5 mm
stock: Warsaw Pact Length
riing: 4 grooves
Attention! By Federal law, we can only ship rearms to an FFL licensed gun dealer Check all
local laws and regulations before purchasing. All ries and shotguns fall under our standard
at rate shipping! $821.99
|
33
Prices subject to change...check website
Much much more at
www.copesdistributing.net
COPES
DISTRIBUTING
640 Markwith Ave.
Greenville, OH 45331
SHIPPING is at rate
of $9.95
per order for 1 or
1000 items
Phone Orders: 866-523-2673 937-459-5247
Inquiries: 937-459-5208 Fax: 937-459-5434
All major credit cards accepted. Prices subject to change
Arsenal
SGL31-61 Saiga
(5.45x39)
[MS2-AB11 sr]
OVERVIEW
SGL31-61 (Saiga)
- Russian made
stamped receiver,
5.45x39.5 caliber,
hammer forged
chrome lined barrel,
front sight block with bayonet lug and 24x1.5 right-hand
threads, muzzle brake, US made mil-spec black polymer
Warsaw Pact Length, standard mil-spec. handguards with
stainless steel heat shield, US made double stage trigger
group, 1000 meter rear sight leaf, scope rail, accessory lug.
10rd. 5.45X39 Russian magazine included.
Details
SKU SGL31-61
caliber: 5.45 x 39.5 mm
stock: Warsaw Pact Length
riing: 4 grooves
Attention!
By Federal law, we can only ship rearms to an FFL licensed
gun dealer Check all local laws and regulations before
purchasing. All ries and shotguns fall under our standard
at rate shipping! $821.99
MD ARMS Saiga
Booster Piston
[U1R7-AE14]
The MD Arms Saiga
Booster Piston is the
rst of its kind. It is
the only Saiga piston
available that will greatly
increase the cycling
power of your 12, 20
or .410 gauge Saiga
shotgun when using cheap low power ammo. It is a great
piston for use during the break-in period of your gun as well
as off setting the added weight to the carrier from a galil
charging handle, enlarged bolt-on handle, or heavy duty
operating rod. Good for competition shooters that want to
ensure a stronger ejection from low power ammo as well.
The piston is coated in a very high temperature diamondized
coating for wear and corrosion resistance. It also features
a concave ring in the face to reduce gas loss around the
piston during pressurization which makes it slightly more
efcient than the factory part on top of the Booster Pistons
already signicant increase to cycling power. The Booster
piston is stamped MD Arms and counts as one US made
922 compliance part. $15.99
MD ARMS
Saiga V-Plug
[U1R7-AD13]
If you only make
one change or
addition to your
Saiga-12, the
MD Arms V-Plug
should be it!!!
Anyone that owns
a Saiga-12, from a
full length IZ-107
down to a 8 Short Barrel Shotgun, will benet from the MD
Arms V-plug no matter what ammo you use.
The V-Plug plug has many improvements over the factory
plug and other aftermarket plugs. Installs in minutes simply
by unscrewing the factory plug and screwing the V-Plug
back in.
The V-Plug has 5 settings compared to the factorys 2!
Why do you need to replace the factory gas plug with the
MD Arms V-Plug? To prevent damage and accelerated wear
to your gun and its parts. Because even at best, the factory
plug with its limited two settings, leaves your Saiga-12
over gassed with some makes of ammo. Also, depending
on your specic gun, the factory plug may allow low brass
to function on the high brass setting. If so, that means you
basically have a one setting Saiga-12, that is majorly over
gassed with everything but low brass... This is mostly to
blame on the random start of the threading on the factory
plug and in the gas block (please view comparison pics
below). Another source of the blame is that the factory plug
only has 2 settings. For example, the PKM and RPD have 3
gas settings and re rie ammunition that has A LOT less
variation in powder charge and projectile weight from one
type to the next when compared to the vast array of 12ga
ammunition types in 2 3/4, not even considering the array
of 3 types. The 2 setting factory Saiga-12 plug isnt even
close to sufcient for the variations of 12ga ammo.
When on the low brass setting the MD Arms V-Plug plug
better utilizes the gas from the low power ammo, slightly
increasing the cycling power of the gun.
And the biggest benet of the V-Plug is it has 4 different
medium to high brass settings. Unlike the factory plug,
the V-Plug allows you to adjust the gas system to prevent
the high power ammunition types from over gassing your
system. The MD Arms V-plug is second to none when
considering both factory and aftermarket plugs, in regards
to regulating the gas ow in your Saiga-12, PERIOD!
Other improvements of the MD Arms V-Plug...
We could start threading in the same place on every V-Plug
but because the factory threads in the gas block are random
it is impossible to make the plug stop at the same point in
every gun. With the factory and other aftermarket plugs you
can lose settings because the plug has to be backed out to
far to reach its settings. With other aftermarket plugs your
setting spectrum can be split in half not allowing them to be
used in a graduating scale, making your setting spectrum
confusing. The MD Arms V-Plug has 2 complete sets of its
5 settings spectrum opposite of each other. This ensures the
V-plugs settings can be used in a graduating scale in every
gun and also prevents the loss of settings from having to
back it out to far. The MD Arms V-Plug is the ONLY plug to
offer this consistency!
The V-Plug has a shallow pocket in its face. This allows for
much more plastic fouling to accumulate without it interfer-
ing with the piston or ports, unlike the factory or other after
market plugs. This pocket also helps plastic fouling better
burn up increasing its surface area to the hot gasses. And
reduces plastic fouling in the threads by better directing it
away from them.
It is nger adjustable, unlike the factory plug which
requires the locking pin to be depressed with a tool to
change settings. You can turn the V-Plug by hand without
manually depressing the locking pin. And if it does become
to hot or to tight from dirty threads to adjust by hand it
has over-sized tool slots that will easily except a variety of
different pry tools. The V-Plug also has a band in front of
the threading that is slightly thicker to better seal off fouling
from the threads.
The V-Plug is hands down the best Saiga-12 plug available
$24.99
MD ARMS Molot
Style AK Grip
[U1R7-AF15]
This grip is based off the
factory Molot style grip
used on the Molot Vepr
12 shotgun. It is basically
the same as the factory
Izhmash grip but with
added nger grooves. If
you like the feel of the
Izhmash Saiga-12 grip (which we feel has a superior feel
to most even without nger grooves) you will love this
grip! This grip is made in the USA using American made
materials. Even the injection molds are made in the USA,
in house, by MD Arms, Ltd.! We could have had the molds
made over seas (sadly like a lot of companies have to do
these days to stay competitive) for a fraction of the cost, but
to hell with that! We are keeping our money and jobs right
here and at the same time making higher quality molds and
molded parts!
FIT: Grip will t AK-47, AK-74, and RPK variants, Russian
Izhmash Saiga shotguns and ries that are pistol grip
converted, and the PK (PKM) machine guns.
WARRANTY MD ARMS is offering a lifetime warranty on
this grip. Our grip drastically out performed the factory
Izhmash grip during torture testing.
NOTE: Grip DOES NOT come with screw or nut. Grip uses
standard AK grip hardware
$11.99
61
DEALER SETUP: Fri. 3-8 p.m. Sat. 7-9 a.m.
Under 21 must be with parent.
PUBLIC HOURS: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-4pm
Ohio Gun Shows Inc.
P.O. BOX 491 VIENNA, OH 44473
PHONE: (330) 539-4247
AKRON AREA
December 17-18, 2011
January 28-29, 2012
Summit County Fairgrounds
Rt. 91 & Howe Rd., Tallmadge
OHIO GUN SHOWS
ADMISSION: $6.00
www.ohiogunshows.com
Cleveland-Berea
January 21-22, 2012
Cuyahoga Cty Fairgrounds
NILES-WARREN
December 3-4, 2011
February 4-5, 2012
Eastwood Expo Center, Eastwood Mall
Route 422
M1 CARBINE
PARTS
Call or write for a
FREE CATALOG!!
Carbine Barrels
Stock Pouches
Slings & Early Oilers
Stocks & Hand Guards
Type I Early Flip Sights
*Type I, II Dog Leg hammers
*Flat & Round Bolts: $95.00 & Up
*Front Bands Type I, II & III
*Front Sights
*Swivels (All Mfgs.): $18.00 & Up
*Mag. Rel. Type I, II & III: $32.00 & Up
*MIAI Recoil Plate Covers: $65.00
*MIAI Butt Plate Springs: $10.00
*MIAI Coil Springs (Pistol Grip): $10.00
*Type I Band Screws: $7.50
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L&S Supply, Inc.
8362 Tamarack Village, Suite 119-176
Woodbury, MN 55125
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Or call: 1-651-773-9972
15 Day 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
34
|
The 1905 Colt .45, developed by John
M. Browning, was a logical develop-
ment of the locked-breech 38-caliber
Colt/Browning pistol. The new .45 had a
ve-inch barrel, which gave it an overall
length of about eight inches. It weighed
about 33 ounces. Capacity of the maga-
zine was seven rounds. The cartridge, in
its original loading, pushed a 200-grain
bullet at about 900 feet per second. It
was a potent load for a semiautomatic
pistol of the time.
To todays shooters, the 1905 pis-
tol might seem strange. It had no grip
safety and no thumb safety. The shooter
just cocked the hammer when he was
ready to shoot. The hammer itself was
of a rounded burr shape. The recessed
magazine release was at the bottom of
the grip frame. The only visible control
was the slide stop on the left. It worked
well, and a contemporary writer called
it a good ghting pistol. It was the
only .45 automatic in commercial pro-
duction, a fact that gave it a decided ad-
vantage when the tests began.
It is worth commenting on the slide
of the early Colt automatics. We are
so used to semiautomatic pistols hav-
ing slides that it is difcult to realize
now what an innovation Browning had
introduced. The earliest high-power
auto pistols the Borchardt, the Berg-
mann, the Mauser, the Mannlicher and
the Luger had exposed barrels with
the locking mechanism completely be-
hind the barrel. Browning designed the
slide as a totally new concept, a moving
breechblock that extended forward over
the barrel. Not only did this make a
much more compact pistol for any bar-
rel length, but the slide and barrel could
have mating lugs to form the short-re-
coil locking mechanism.
The Colt .38 automatics had been
linked to the frame at both the front
and rear of the barrel. Lugs on the bar-
rel mated with recesses in the slide.
Thus, the barrel and slide were locked
together during ring. Then, as the
barrel moved down after ring, the
slide was free to move rearward, eject-
ing the empty case and feeding in a new
cartridge on its return cycle. This same
system was used with the 45-caliber
Model 1905.
The 1907-1911 Test Trials
The initial tests were scheduled for
1906, then rescheduled for early 1907.
When the board convened on Janu-
ary 15, 1907, eight applicants had sub-
mitted nine designs. Three were revolv-
ers, and six were automatic pistols. The
revolvers, Colt, Smith & Wesson and
Webley-Fosbery, were soon dropped
from consideration.
The autoloaders, at that early stage
of history, represented a variety of con-
cepts in competition for the rst time.
Having the 1905 already in production
made Colt the front-runner. However,
besides the Colt, the Army also tested
pistols from Bergmann, Knoble, White-
Merrill, Luger, and Savage. Three of the
entries the Bergmann, Knoble and
White-Merrill pistols were rejected
early in the tests as being unsuitable.
The Colt was considered the best and
the Savage worthy of additional testing.
The Board authorized the purchase of
200 each of the Colt and Savage pistols
for eld tests. Colt, of course, readily
accepted, but the edgling Savage com-
pany, then just 12 years old, was unwill-
In 1971, Colt brought out the Combat Commander, the
same size as the original lightweight Commander, but
with a steel frame.
The 1905 Colt was the rst successful 45-caliber
semiautomatic pistol. Having a gun already in produc-
tion gave the Colt company a headstart when the U. S.
military tests began in 1907.
|
35
ing to tool up for such a relatively small
production run, so the contract was
offered to the third-place Luger. The
German DWM company (Deutsche
Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken), the
maker of the Luger/Parabellum pistols,
accepted the contract but then backed
out. Apparently, the larger Luger .45
could not have been made on existing
production machinery, and the Ger-
man rm may have also been reluctant
to redesign production tooling for a
small contract. Also, DWM may have
wanted to put more resources into the
nal development of its 9mm pistol.
This pistol was indeed shortly thereaf-
ter adopted by the German Army as the
Pistole 08 (P08).
The failure of DWM to supply 45-cal-
iber Lugers for the eld tests gave Savage
a chance to reconsider. A semiautomatic
pistol would give the company a chance
to expand its product line, which then
consisted only of the hammerless lever-
action rie designed by Arthur Savage.
Savage accepted the contract.
The competition of the Savage was a
good thing. During the eld tests, which
ran from 1907 into 1911, the Savage was
good enough to show that the original
1905 Colt design could use substantial
improvement. Browning, 52 years old at
the beginning of the tests, worked with
Colt, making changes to the design as
the continuing testing indicated they
were needed. The result of the changes
was an increasingly superior Colt pis-
tol.
The nal test was a 6,000-round en-
durance test, held during March 1911.
Pistols would cool after every 100 shots,
and would be inspected, cleaned and
oiled every 1,000 shots. Both pistols
red over 1,000 rounds without prob-
lems, but as the shooting continued, the
Savage developed problems with mal-
functions, and parts defects appeared.
The rened Colt red shot after shot,
100 after 100, 1,000 after 1,000, until
the full 6,000 rounds were completed
without a stoppage or parts problem.
The tests were a milestone in the de-
velopment of the semiautomatic pistol.
The end result of four years of extensive
testing was the most reliable large-cali-
ber pistol in the world. The nal report
on the Colt stressed its marked superi-
orityto any other known pistol.
Adoption of The 1911
The Colt design was adopted, on
March 29, 1911, by the US Army as the
Model 1911 pistol. Colt would be the
supplier. The Navy and Marine Corps
also adopted the 1911 within a short
time.
As adopted, the 1911 pistol had a
5-inch barrel and weighed about 38
ounces. The unlocking was still accom-
plished by downward movement of the
barrel, but the barrel had only one link
at the rear, with the muzzle supported
by a barrel bushing. It had both thumb
and grip safeties. A pushbutton maga-
zine release had been added. For better
pointing characteristics, the grip-to-
bore angle had been changed from a
straight 84 degrees to a slantier 74 de-
grees.
Colt immediately discontinued the
1905, and as its replacement, put the
Model 1911 into commercial produc-
tion also. With what was then probably
the most thoroughly tested pistol in the
world, Colt not only offered the 1911 as
a commercial model, but additionally
looked for other markets beyond the
United States.
Foreign Variations
Norway was the second country to
adopt the 45-caliber Colt 1911. Because
guns based on Brownings patents
could not be handled in Europe by Colt
FN in Belgium made the arrangements.
In 1912, the Norwegians standardized
the Colt design to their liking and ad-
opted it. The modications apparently
consisted primarily of changing the
checkering pattern on the hammer and
applying Norwegian markings. Only
about 500 Model 1912 pistols were
made. Minor changes were suggested
in 1914, and in 1919, after World War I
had ended (Norway was neutral during
World War I), these were incorporated
into the Model 1914 Norwegian pistol.
The most noticeable change involved a
redesigned slide stop, with the thumb-
piece lower and slightly rearward. Hav-
ing a small army, Norway produced
about 22,000 1914 pistols, felt this to be
adequate, and stopped production.
While Norway sat out World War I as
a neutral nation, Great Britain had been
one of the principal participants. The
British were poorly prepared for war,
and had shortages of most small arms.
Revolvers had been made of stainless steel for some
years, but in 1977, AMT brought out the rst 1911-style
45 automatic made of stainless steel. The AMT Hard-
baller was essentially a stainless copy of the Colt Gold
Cup National Match.
36
|
In 1912, the British had adopted a large-
bore autoloading pistol, the Mark I We-
bley self-loader. The pistol was cham-
bered for the .455 Webley Self Loading
cartridge (also called .455 Eley). In-
dependently designed, the round was
similar in dimensions and power to the
.45 ACP cartridge.
The precisely-tted Webley auto-
loader proved unreliable in conditions
of sand or grit. The 1912 Webleys were
restricted to sea duty, and the British
looked for another type of .455 pistol.
The one they acquired was the 1911
Colt. The rst of the 455-caliber Colts
was reportedly shipped in mid-1915. It is
believed that about 13,500 were shipped
to Great Britain for military use.
The next country to adopt the Colt
1911 was Argentina, in 1916. The Colt
was adopted as the Pistola Automatica
Sistema Colt, Calibre 11,25mm Modelo
1916. Essentially, the Argentine 1916
was identical to the commercially-made
US Colt except for markings.
United States Use Through WWI
As they became available to the
American military, 1911 pistols were
sent to the Philippines, where ghting
with native tribes continued. The new
.45s were also used in the1916 Punitive
Expedition, led by General John J. Per-
shing, that went into Mexico after Pan-
cho Villa.
Colt made all the early 1911 pistols.
However, the U. S. Government, pre-
viously content to manufacture only
long guns (and to purchase handguns
from commercial manufacturers), re-
considered. The Ordnance Department
wanted an arrangement by which it
could manufacture the 1911 at Spring-
eld Armory if it so desired. After some
negotiation, Colt conferred the right to
manufacture the pistol to the govern-
ment for a royalty of $2.00 each. After
a contract for 50,000 Colt-made pistols,
the government could manufacture
pistols at the rate of one pistol for every
two ordered from Colt.
The Springeld pistols were essen-
tially identical to the Colt-made pis-
tols except for markings. Visually, they
could be recognized by the sharper
(less-gradual) termination of the scal-
lop at the front of the slide.
World War I had broken out in Eu-
rope in 1914. In hindsight, it was only a
matter of time until the United States
was drawn into the war. America en-
tered on the side of the Allies on April 6,
1917. At that time, apparently without
any actual analysis, Ordnance believed
that Colt would be able to take care
of the entire pistol program. Howev-
er, the new conditions of trench warfare
caused military planners to increase the
distribution of sidearms. At rst, 10%
were to be armed with the 1911, then,
up to 60%. Eventually, up to 72% of
front-line troops were authorized to
carry pistols as well as ries.
The United States was not prepared
to achieve this kind of pistol produc-
tion. Because of the need for more ri-
es, Springeld Armory stopped pistol
production during 1916 and 1917. (It
did resume Model 1911 production in
1918, after the use of the 1917 Eneld
had eased the need for 1903 Springeld
ries.)
In 1917, Colt delivered pistols at a
monthly rate of about 9000 guns. In
1918, production increased from about
11,000 to a monthly peak of over 45,000
by the end of the war. This was not
enough.
Even by the winter of 1917, it had
become obvious that Colt production
alone could not supply enough pistols.
A new source was found in Remington-
UMC. Remington had been manufac-
turing 3-line Mosin-Nagant ries for
Russia, but the contract ended when
Russia withdrew from the war in 1917.
By mid-1918, with full cooperation
from Colt, Remington-UMC began
production of the 1911. By September,
completed pistols were being shipped.
By the end of 1918, Remington-UMC
was up to 4500 pistols a month. The to-
tal made was 21,676. Except for mark-
ings, they were the same as the Colt
pistols.
Even with the Remington pistols (and
with .45 ACP-caliber 1917 Colt and
S&W revolvers), there were still just not
enough handguns. Orders were placed
with a number of other rms. However,
the end of the war came in November
1918 before any additional production
was established. One instance of actual
pistols being made took place in Cana-
da. The North American Arms Co. (in
the Ross rie plant) made some nished
1911 pistols, although probably fewer
than 100 were made.
The 1911 pistol proved itself in com-
The Randall 45 was introduced in 1983 as the only
stainless steel t for duty. Gaining great publicity for its
left-hand pistols, most of Randall production consisted of
traditional right-hand 1911s. The company had nancial
problems and went out of business in 1985.
|
37
bat during World War I. Many instanc-
es of excellent performance of the 45
were reported. The exploits of Corporal
Alvin York are probably the most mem-
orable use of both rie and pistol. York
almost single-handedly captured 132
German soldiers. His actions stopped a
German counterattack in Frances Ar-
gonne Forest. (And, yes, I know the
Gary Cooper movie depicted York as
using a captured German Luger. How-
ever, that was only because the movie-
makers could not get the 1911 to work
with blanks! York used a 1911.)
Between the Wars
After any war, military development
generally slows down. Pistol develop-
ment during the decades of the Roaring
Twenties and the Great Depression was
relatively minor.
Use in the World War had pointed
out a few minor complaints concern-
ing the 1911. Soldiers with small hands
had experienced some trouble gripping
the pistol and controlling the trigger
properly. The hammer spur sometimes
pinched the eshy web of a shooters
hand against the tang of the grip safety.
The ne sights were difcult to see un-
der conditions of low light. It tended to
point low during instinct shooting.
Accordingly, subtle changes were
made to the pistol to answer these situ-
ations. The trigger was shortened, and
the frame was recessed on the sides
near the trigger to provide better ac-
cess. The tang of the grip safety was
lengthened. The sights, although still
small by todays standards, were made
with a larger square notch at the rear
and a wider square front sight. The at
mainspring housing was replaced by an
arched housing. Subtle changes were
also made to the riing.
These changes were approved in 1923,
and by 1925, Colt had put them into
production. In June 1926, the nomen-
clature was changed to Model 1911A1.
With the adoption of the 1911A1,
much of the 1911 tooling at Springeld
became obsolete. No more 45-caliber
pistols were made at Springeld. Only
that tooling able to produce spare parts
common to 1911 and 1911A1 pistols was
retained.
Colt, of course, changed its com-
mercial offering as soon as the military
specications were implemented. The
military pistols were marked Model
1911A1, but the commercial pistols
were, for the rst time, marked Gov-
ernment Model.
Mexico had adopted the 1911 after
WWI and had purchased pistols di-
rectly from Colt. After about 1926, pis-
tols with the 1911A1 modications were
supplied.
Argentina, as noted previously, had
adopted the 1911 as their Modelo 1916.
After 1927, Colt supplied 1911A1 pis-
tols. Markings on the Argentine Colts
remained the same, except that the
modied pistol became known as the
Modelo 1927. In the early 1930s, Colt
agreed to license manufacture by the
Argentine government. The Argen-
tine-made Colts were made at Fabrica
Militar de Armas Portatiles (FMAP) in
Rosario, Argentina. Unlicensed modi-
ed pistols, the Ballester-Rigaud and
Ballester-Molina, were also made in
Argentina.
During the 1920s, the automobile
had become common, and had become
widely used by criminals. Law Enforce-
ment found that bullets from the tradi-
tional .38 Special revolver, and even the
big .45 automatic, would not reliably
penetrate car bodies. In 1929, Colt in-
troduced its Super 38 pistol. The Super
38 was a Government Model modied
to use a high-powered version of the old
.38 ACP cartridge introduced in 1900.
With a velocity of almost 1300 feet per
second (fps), the new Super 38s 130-
grain jacketed bullet earned a good
reputation for penetration.
A 22-caliber pistol based on the 1911
design would be a good training and
target pistol. In 1931, Colt introduced
a .22 Long Rie blowback pistol, the
Ace. Later, about 1937, Colt incorpo-
rated the oating chamber designed
by David Marshall Williams (Carbine
Williams), and the new pistol became
the Service Model Ace. The Ace was
discontinued in 1941, but the Service
Model Ace was used for training during
World War II.
Target shooting with handguns, pre-
viously a sport for single-shot pistols
and revolvers, saw the use of semiauto-
matic pistols becoming more common.
At the 1930 National Matches, Colt in-
troduced its National Match 45-caliber
pistol. Based on the Government Mod-
el, it had a match-grade barrel, honed
action, and could be supplied with
xed sights or with Stevens adjustable
sights. Barrels and slides were tted and
numbered to each other. The National
Match pistol was well-received, and
Colt put it into their catalog as a regular
production item in 1932. About 3000
were made before production stopped
in 1941. A similar pistol was subse-
quently available in .38 Super, as the
Super Match.
World War II
World War II began ofcially on
September 1, 1939, with the German
invasion of Poland. The success of the
German blitzkrieg surprised even the
Nazis. The Germans needed additional
arms to supply their occupation troops,
and began a program of producing and
utilizing the suitable rearms of cap-
tured countries
Norway had been neutral during
WWI, and reafrmed neutrality during
WWII. However, Nazi Germany viewed
Norway as a base of operations against
the Allied blockade, and as a possible
staging area for an attack on Great Brit-
ain. German forces attacked Norway
on April 9, 1940, and the country fell
within two months. When production
of the 1914 Norwegian Colt resumed,
it was under German, not Norwegian,
control. Apparently issued only in Nor-
way to occupation troops or subservi-
ent Norwegian troops, about 10,000 ad-
ditional Norwegian 45s were produced
before the German surrender in May of
1945.
When the United States was forced
into World War II by the Japanese at-
38
|
tack on Pearl Harbor on December 7,
1941, we were again poorly prepared for
war. However, many of the production
problems experienced during WWI
were avoided. It had been realized that
manufacturers other than those mak-
ing rearms could be utilized for pistol
production. About two million 1911A1
pistols were made during the war. Colt,
involved with other war production,
was not the largest producer of the
WWII .45. That honor went to Reming-
ton-Rand, the typewriter and business-
machine manufacturer.
About 1,032,000 pistols were made
by Remington-Rand. This amounted to
almost 55% of production. In the year
of 1944 alone, the company produced
over one-half million pistols. Historian
Donald Bady called this the largest an-
nual production by a single manufac-
turer in the history of rearms.
Colt produced about 480,000 pis-
tols, over 22% of the total production.
Ithaca Gun Company, a shotgun maker,
manufactured about 369,000, amount-
ing to almost 20%. Union Switch & Sig-
nal Co. made 55,000 guns. The Singer
(sewing machine) Manufacturing Co.
was given an educational order of 500
pistols.
Production was aided by the early
determination of a standard pistol to
be made by all companies. Essentially
all WWII 1911A1 pistols were Parker-
ized (a rust-resistant phosphate n-
ish), had brown plastic grip panels, and
had at-sided hammers. The trigger/
stirrup unit was made from stamped
components, and grooving replaced
checkering on some parts. Colt worked
with the other manufacturers, and this
cooperation assisted production.
In addition to production of new 45s,
a number of old Model 1911 pistols that
had been placed in storage were refur-
bished for WWII use. They were parker-
ized, and if parts were needed, 1911A1
parts were installed. Work was done at
Augusta Arsenal, and such pistols were
stamped with the letters AA.
Again, the Colt/Browning 45 pistol
proved itself as a reliable, powerful side-
arm. It stood apart from other hand-
guns used during the Second World
War.
Post-War, Through the 1950s
The basic 1911 handgun had gone
through its second world war with an
exemplary record. Essentially every
American serviceman held the pistol in
high regard. This feeling was well-rep-
resented in the 1959 novel, The Pistol,
by James Jones. The novel follows the
movement of a 45-caliber pistol among
U. S. servicemen after Pearl Harbor, in
which every man who has any contact
with the pistol wants it for his own per-
sonal protection.
Still, after 1946, for the rst time
in almost four decades, U. S. military
planners considered the possibility of
a lighter pistol, and also began to con-
sider a change to the 9mm Parabellum
(9mm Luger) ammunition used by both
wartime adversaries and allies.
Colt investigated the possibilities of
a lighter Government Model, and de-
veloped an association with ALCOA
Aluminum. A number of frames were
made of aluminum alloy, and test pis-
tols were made. To further reduce
weight, the barrel length was shortened
to 4-1/4 inches, and the slide shortened
accordingly. A rounded burr hammer
was used, which also allowed use of a
shorter-tang grip safety. The test pistols
were made in the by-then traditional
.45 ACP and .38 Super, and with an
eye to possible military tests also in
9mm Luger chambering.
Eventually the military reconsid-
ered, realizing that plenty of 45-caliber
1911A1 pistols were on hand. In June
1950, the United States became involved
in a police action in Korea (it was not
called the Korean War until later). The
45-caliber pistols, along with the rest of
Americas WWII armament, went back
into service. Consideration of a 9mm
pistol was dropped, at least for the time
being.
Colt had already made a decision to
market the shorter, lighter version of
the Government Model. In early 1950,
it was introduced as the Commander
Model. Calibers were .45, .38 Super
and 9mm. The Colt Commander was
a landmark pistol. At 26-1/2 ounces, it
was our rst big-bore aluminum frame
pistol. Often overlooked is the fact that
the Commander was the rst pistol ever
commercially produced in America in
the 9mm chambering.
By the end of the 1950s, the position
of the 1911 had evolved. Now, almost
half a century old, from being a splen-
did military pistol, it was becoming
everymans pistol.
After the end of WWII, all shooting
sports increased in popularity. A joke
of the time was that returning service-
men were only interested in two things
and the second one was shooting.
Bullseye pistol shooting beneted
from this renewed interest and became
very popular. The National Match
Course had sections for 22-caliber,
Centerre and 45-caliber pistols. Ev-
eryone wanted a .45.
The National Matches, closed dur-
ing WWII and Korea, resumed in 1953.
Military National Match pistols were
made from .45s on hand beginning in
1955. Most were made at Springeld Ar-
mory (thus getting the facility back into
providing pistols, if not actually man-
ufacturing them), and were stamped
NM. Originally tted with high xed
sights, they were made with adjustable
sights in 1961. Colt furnished parts for
such work.
However, the maker of the rst, the
original pre-war National Match pistol,
could hardly have been satised with-
out a match pistol of its own. Colt, in
1957, brought out an improved version
of its early National Match 45, called
the Gold Cup National Match. It was
a highly-developed pistol for competi-
tion shooting. It became the standard
by which .45 target pistols were judged.
Surprisingly, it was not the only new-
ly-made target-oriented .45 autoloader
available. The Spanish Llama pistols
(copies of the 1911, but not part-for-
part copies), were imported by A. F.
Stoeger since 1951. In 1957, the Llama
|
39
line also introduced a target version in
.45 caliber. Before that time, a number
of gunsmith shops had begun specializ-
ing in accurizing .45s for target com-
petition.
As the 1950s went on, then began
what has been called the Golden Age
of Surplus. As countries around the
world updated their military equip-
ment, they cleaned out their armories.
Military equipment, including re-
arms, was sold on the world market. A
large portion of the guns came to the
country with the greatest degree of
personal freedom the United States.
Some of the pistols that came in as
surplus were 1916 and 1927 Argentine
.45s. Many were accurized and used
for target shooting. Norwegian 1914
.45s also made their appearance. Also
coming in were a smaller number of the
British 455-caliber Colt 1911s. To make
the .455s more salable, they were adver-
tised, Will shoot .45 ACP. (Yes, they
would, but not very accurately.)
Traditional Bullseye shooting was not
the only pistol sport to gain popularity.
A new handgun sport was developing
in California. Popularized by the writ-
ing of Col. Jeff Cooper, the two-handed
action-style pistol shooting was called
practical shooting. Shooters found it
to be fun as well as practical, and the
new sport grew. These informal match-
es grew into the alphabet soup of IPSC,
USPSA, PPC and NRA Action shooting
of today. Based on the concepts of Ac-
curacy, Power and Speed, the pistol that
t Coopers ideas best? The 45-caliber
Government Model.
The 1960s
The 1960s started as a continuation
of the 1950s, but by the end of that de-
cade, things had changed dramatically
in the United States rearms scene.
In the early years of the 60s, the
popularity of the 1911 got a boost when
the Ordnance Department, through
the Director of Civilian Marksmanship
(DCM) made surplus 1911 and 1911A1
pistols available to members of the Na-
tional Rie Association (NRA). The Au-
gust 1960 issue of American Rieman
gave the details. Price was $17, includ-
ing packing and shipping. Pistols were
classed unserviceable, which meant
they may have had minor defects, but
were safe to re. (The Ithaca 1911A1 I
got had a cracked slide stop, which cost
me a dollar to replace.) The inux of in-
expensive .45s was a shot in the arm to
the pistol-shooting sports.
Spare parts for the 1911-type pistols
were also available. Enterprising small
manufacturers made new frames, and
gunsmiths assembled new 1911s from
the parts.
Those military-surplus 45-caliber
pistols sold during the 1960s were the
last pistols sold by the U. S. government
to civilians. Soon, national tragedy,
politics, and the growth of the anti-gun
movement would adversely affect the
rearms scene.
For those who wanted to buy a .45
and were willing to wade through the
onerous restrictions of the Gun Control
Act of 1968, Colt had something new.
The loose t of the average military
1911 had given rise to the idea that the
45 was not accurate. Colt investigat-
ed possibilities, and determined that a
new barrel bushing, a collet-type with
spring-steel ngers to position the
barrel, would increase accuracy. With-
out publicity, Colt began tting pistols
with this experimental new system in
1969. About 750 were reportedly made.
They can be identied by the letters,
BB, stamped near the correct serial
numbers.
The 1970s
The new accurizer barrel bushing
system worked well, and in 1970, Colt
brought it out as a standard item for
its 1911 line. New nomenclature then
became Colts Mk. IV / Series 70. The
collet-type bushings were used in the
Government Model and Gold Cup Na-
tional Match pistols. The Commander
continued to use its original shortened
solid bushing.
The next year, 1971, a Combat Com-
mander was added to the Colt line. The
same size as the original lightweight
Commander, the pistol had a steel
frame and weighed 33 ounces. 1971, the
Centennial of the National Rie Asso-
ciation, also saw a special Centennial
Gold Cup made to commemorate the
anniversary.
In 1973, things took a bad turn
for Colt. A strike lasting from April
through August took place. With Colt
production curtailed for almost half a
year, the lookalike Llama and Star
pistols from Spain (modied copies of
ABOVE: World War II Model 1911A1 pistols, like this
Ithaca-made specimen, were standardized with
parkerized nish, plastic grips and at hammers. (This
pistol, bought through the DCM, was the authors rst 45
automatic.) Ithaca, now located in Upper Sandusky, Ohio,
is once again making 1911s.
40
|
the 1911) got more attention. The Span-
ish pistols listed at ten to twenty dollars
less than a Colt Government Model,
which sold for $135.
The Colt Commander had provided
a more compact 45-caliber handgun,
but there was interest in a .45 in an even
smaller package.
In 1975, the Spanish rm producing
the big Star pistols brought out the Star
PD. The new small Star was a short-
ened and lightened .45 with an alumi-
num frame. With its 4-inch barrel and
weight of 25 ounces, the Star was, for a
short time, the smallest .45 available.
In 1976, the year of Americas Bicen-
tennial, the 1911 was miniaturized in
America by the new rm calling itself
Detonics. Originally using Colt parts
modied by them, and then manufac-
turing their own, Detonics brought out
a compact steel .45, weighing 31 ounces.
It was of innovative design, and had a
3-1/2-inch barrel. The Detonics pistol
introduced the cone-barrel positioning
system, orienting the short barrel in the
slide without a bushing.
Until the 1970s, Colt had been the
sole source of newly-made traditional
U. S. 1911-style pistols, but during that
decade, the market for similar .45s
made by other rms grew.
About 1977, the AMT (Arcadia Ma-
chine & Tool) Hardballer was intro-
duced. The pistol was essentially of
Gold Cup conguaration, a target-grade
pistol with adjustable sights. However,
the AMT Hardballer was manufactured
of stainless steel. It was apparently the
rst stainless-steel 1911 ever offered.
The AMT line grew, with xed sight
pistols and Commander-size pistols
soon offered. Within a short time, they
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41
were joined by the striking Long Slide
Hardballer, a similar adjustable-sighted
pistol, but with a 7-inch barrel and cor-
respondingly longer slide.
As the decade went on, Practical
shooting (sometimes called West
Coast Shooting) spread across the
country. Practical shooting was joined
by other pistol sports, such as Bowling
Pin shooting. Reliable quick-shooting
pistols using powerful cartridges were
in demand.
New companies sprang up across
the country. In the closing years of the
1970s, 1911s were made, often in now-
trendy stainless steel, by small compa-
nies such as Crown City (New York)
and Vega (California).
In 1978, M-S Safari Arms began
making striking 1911s with some of
their own features. Most noticeable
was a projection on the front strap of
the grip to position the nger below the
trigger guard. (M-S Safari was acquired,
in 1987, by Olympic Arms, which made
1911s under the Safari and Schuetzen
names, and still makes Olympic 1911-
style pistols.)
Custom pistolmakers began to thrive.
Wilson Combat had opened by 1978
and continues in business.
The 1980s
The growth of new interest in the
1911 that had begun in the 70s had a
tremendous increase in the 1980s. In
fact, there was a growth of interest in
handguns of all types. A category called
the wondernines gained popularity.
They were full-size double-action 9mm
pistols with magazine capacities up to
19 rounds,
In 1983, Colt added a ring-pin
safety to the 1911 design. This prevent-
ed the ring pin from moving until the
trigger was pressed. The new variant be-
came the Mark IV / Series 80. In 1985,
Colt also added stainless-steel versions
of the Series 80 pistols.
During the 1980s, it became very
clear that Colt was no longer the only
maker of 1911 pistols. By 1981, the ODI
(Omega Defensive Industries) Viking
pistol, a 1911 tted with the Seecamp
double-action trigger system, was in-
troduced. That same year, Auto-Ord-
nance, owned then by Numrich Arms,
brought out the GI-style Thompson
1911A1 pistol. A number of guns from
different companies appeared, based on
modied 1911 designs. Representatives
of this category were the Coonan, Ar-
minex and Grizzly pistols.
Randall, a company rst involved in
making replacement stainless maga-
zines for 1911s, in 1983 introduced a
line of stainless-steel 1911 pistols. Early
stainless autoloaders had developed
problems with galling, developed as the
stainless slide rubbed across the stain-
less frame. Randall believed they had
solved those problems, and advertised
the Randall as the only stainless steel
t for duty. The most striking Ran-
dalls were the left-hand versions, which
were completely left-handedeven the
riing turned the opposite way! About
7% of Randalls pistols were left-hand-
ed. The Randall Curtis E. LeMay pistol,
honoring Air Force General LeMay, was
a 4-1/4-inch barrel and a 6-shot nger-
rest magazine. After making about
10,000 guns, Randall became overex-
tended and the company failed in 1985.
Faring better was Springeld Armory,
a new commercial company that had ac-
quired the name of the former govern-
ment facility. Springeld began in 1985
with pistols that were essentially recre-
ations of the WWII 1911A1. It contin-
ues as one of the major 1911 manufac-
turers. A few other 1911 pistols, such as
the MP Express from Meister Products,
were made for a short time and then
went out of production. Interarms, the
large importer, built over a thousand
45-caliber 1911 pistols on new frames
using surplus GI parts. With a sly refer-
ence to Colts Gold Cup, the new pistols
were marked and sold as the Interarms
Silver Cup.
In 1985, a stir was created by the U.
S. military selection of a 9mm service
pistol. A version of the Beretta 92, with
a 16-round magazine, was chosen. Even
in the period of the wondernines, some
old-timers were less than enthusiastic
about the choice of cartridge. Thinking
of the performance of the .45 during
WWII, one remarked, Now we have
the pistol cartridge used by the coun-
tries defeated during the war.
1986 arrived, Colts 150th anniver-
sary. However, the sesquicentennial
was not a good period for the company.
In 1986, a bitter strike against Colt be-
gan and dragged on for four years. The
company economized during its time of
limited production. Although it was not
ofcially dropped until 1988, no men-
tion of the collet-type accurizer bush-
ing apparently was made after 1986.
Although 1986 meant hard times for
Colt, other things happened.
The futility of gun-control laws
was becoming obvious. In 1986, the
Firearms Owners Protection Act was
passed. One of the provisions was to
allow importation of surplus rearms
again, thus reversing one of GCA 68s
many restrictions.
In 1986, the Falcon Portsider was in-
troduced, a left-handed pistol made to
enter the niche abandoned when Ran-
dall went out of business. Falcon made
only a small number of pistols, and was
gone by 1990.
About 1988, Para-Ordnance, a Cana-
dian company making non-gun dye-
marking guns, introduced a sideline of
large-capacity frames and magazines
for the 1911. Standard 1911 parts could
be tted to the frames to create the rst
large-capacity 1911-type 45s. Soon,
in 1990, the company began making
complete pistols. Para-Ordnance, today
simply called Para, grew to become a
major supplier of 1911 pistols.
Other companies made 1911s before
the decade ended. Federal Ordnance
made the Ranger, a basic GI-style
1911A1. Michigan Armament (distrib-
uted from, of all places, California)
made somewhat fancier variants. Cus-
tom maker Ed Brown started business
in 1988.
In spite of its labor problems, Colt
was still active during this time. The
45-caliber Ofcers ACP was intro-
42
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duced in 1985. The new Colt compact
pistol had a 3-1/2-inch barrel, weighed
34 ounces, and had a 6-shot magazine
in a shortened frame. The 10mm Delta
Elite variant of the full-size Govern-
ment Model came out in 1987. By the
end of the decade, the double-action
stainless-steel Colt Double Eagle had
become a production item, at least for
a few years.
In 1988, Florida enacted a shall is-
sue license-to-carry law that became a
model for similar laws in other states.
The growth of legal concealed carry
across the country increased the de-
mand for handguns of various types.
The 1911 became even more popular
among ordinary citizens for personal
protection.
The 1990s
If interest in the 1911 had increased
in the 1980s, it can be said to have ex-
ploded in the 1990s.
At the beginning of the decade, Colt
carried out a plan to get back into the ba-
sic 1911 market. Its enhanced offerings
had become fancier, and the market for
basic wartime pistols had grown. By
1991, the Colt 1991 A1 was introduced,
actually continuing the serial number
range of the companys 1911 A1 pistols
of World War II. With a matte nish
and simple features, the new Colt was
competitive in its niche. Commander
(4-1/2-inch) and Compact (3-1/2-inch)
variants were offered in 1993.
By 1998, Colt introduced an even
smaller pistol with a 3-inch barrel, the
Defender. The 23-ounce .45 used a
cone-barrel system to orient the barrel
in the slide.
Early in the decade, in 1991, a new
name, Norinco, was added to the list
of 1911 companies. The Chinese en-
tity made a surprisingly good copy of
a 1911. The Norinco got good reviews
until president William J. Clinton pro-
hibited importation of rearms from
China in 1995.
The popularity of the 1911 design
grew. Other names were added to the
list of companies offering 1911 pistols:
McMillan (1992), STI (1993), Rocky
Mountain Arms (1993 trying a third
time for the left-hand market), and
Mitchell (1994). Because Para-Ord-
nance high-capacity pistols were gain-
ing popularity, Mitchells new 45s were
offered in double-column congura-
tion 13+1 as well as the tradition-
al single-column style. Springeld and
Llama also offered large-capacity 13+1
pistols that same year.
1994 was a poor time to offer large-
capacity pistols. In that year, the so-
called Assault Weapons Ban was
passed into law.
Among other absurd restrictions, the
ban limited magazine capacity of all
detachable magazines to 10 rounds or
less. High-capacity staggered-column
.45 magazines could no longer be made.
Obviously, no other pistols of other cal-
ibers could have magazines of greater
than 10 rounds, either. The high-capac-
ity wondernine magazines, holding
up to 19 rounds, were no longer legal to
make. Compared to a 10-round 9mm,
a traditional 1911 .45 holding seven or
eight rounds began to look a much bet-
ter choice. 45-caliber pistols became
more popular. As rearms authority
J. B. Wood wryly noted, If you cant
make as many holes, make bigger ones.
Interest in the .45, and in particular, the
1911, boomed.
From the midpoint of the 1990s, the
demand for, and production of, 1911
pistols grew. In 1995, Ithaca brought
out a 50th Anniversary edition of its
WWII .45. Even more new names ap-
peared: Brolin (1995), Kimber (1995),
BUL and GAL (both imported from
Israel in 1996), Armscor (imported
from the Philippines by KBI in 1996),
Griffon (1997, South Africa), Entre-
prise Arms (1997), Rock Rivers rst
1911 (1998), Valtro (1998, from Italy),
and Shooters Arms Manufacturers,
S.A.M (1999, from the Philippines).
The Charles Daly name, formerly as-
sociated with shotguns, was intro-
duced on a pistol for the rst time in
1998, when KBI used the name on its
45-caliber 1911.
In 1999, Auto-Ordnance was ac-
quired by Kahr Arms. Kahr rejuve-
nated the Auto-Ordnance/Thompson
1911 pistol line. Galena industries ac-
quired the right to produce the AMT
1911 line and some other AMT pistols
(but sadly went out of production by
2002).
Military National Match pistols used at Camp Perry had
the trigger weighed and a tape placed on the trigger
guard to show it met specications. This gun was red
at Camp Perry in 1967 by the author, and still has the
1967 tape on the trigger guard.
A
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43
For decades, gunsmiths had been
making custom-built pistols based on
the 1911. Such guns started as one-of-
a-kind handguns. With time, it was
realized that many customers wanted
similar features. A relatively small
number of different customized pistols
would satisfy the majority of custom-
ers. By the end of the 1990s, this mak-
ing of production custom 1911s was a
booming business. Companies such as
(alphabetically) Briley, Ed Brown, Les
Baer, Nowlin, STI, Strayer-Voigt, Wil-
son and others had offered such special
1911s.
The New Century
With the urry of interest in the
1911 that had exploded in the closing
decades at the end of the 20th century,
the production of 1911-style pistols had
been spread among a large and growing
number of different companies Colt was
no longer the primary producer. Three
relatively new companies Kimber,
Springeld and Para-Ordnance vied
for that position. Kimber advertised
their company as rst in the number
of 1911 pistols made and sold. Not to
be outdone, Springeld claimed the
greatest selection of 1911 pistols. Para-
Ordnance introduced features that set
its offerings apart.
As the new century began, Colt again
fell on hard times. In the year 2000,
the company discontinued most of its
handgun line. Only the Single Action
Army and the 1911 were left. The 1911
was offered in 45 caliber only. Within
a few years, however, Colts fortunes
improved.
Not everyone had liked the Series
80 ring pin safety. Colt decided to go
back to its roots with new 1911 offer-
ings. The Series 80 continued in the
line, but by 2002, Colt had reintro-
duced its Series 70 pistol, without the
ring pin safety. Actually, it could have
been considered a pre 70 Govern-
ment Model, as it also did not have the
ngered barrel bushing. The new Se-
ries 70 has modern higher sights, and
improved barrel ramping.
Reception was good, and in 2003,
the original WWI-era Model 1911 was
reintroduced. The pistol was a faithful
recreation of the .45 as made around
the year 1918.
Colt remained a 1911 manufacturer
in an increasingly large group of 1911
manufacturers.
New names continued to enter the
world of the 1911. New companies ap-
peared to offer their versions of the
1911. In the rst few years of the 21st
century, one could see new 1911 pistols
bearing the names of Dan Wesson (a
revolver company making its rst au-
toloaders), High Standard (the resur-
rected company expanding its product
line), Peters Stahl, Rock River, Century,
Firestorm, Casull, Pacic Armament,
DPMS (prototype only), Bond Arms,
Lone Star, Ed Brown, Guncrafter, Usel-
ton and Detonics USA (the latest incar-
nation of the original Detonics).
In 2003, the familiar old name of
Smith & Wesson was also added. Ap-
parently guring if you cant beat
them, join them, S&W introduced the
SW1911, and plunged into an extensive
line of 1911-design pistols within a few
years. A year later, in 2004, SIGARMS
(now SIG-Sauer) also decided to get
into the 1911 business. SIG brought
out its GSR (Granite State Revolution)
line of 1911 pistols, which soon became
known by Revolution.
In 2004, a bright spot appeared for
rearms owners: the absurd Assault
Weapons Ban was allowed to sunset.
High-capacity pistols and magazines
in all calibers could again be made. Of
course, smaller calibers could be made
with larger magazine capacities. New
high-capacity 9mm pistols were of-
fered. However, the popularity of the
1911 had grown to the point that it was
not threatened by new designs.
After the AWB sunset, in the last
half of the new centurys rst decade,
rearms developments continued. The
pace of 1911 development was breath-
taking.
The largest additional entry into the
1911 eld was Taurus, in 2005. Billing
itself as the Worlds Foremost Pistol
Maker, Taurus quickly marketed a full
line of 1911 pistols. The Brazilian mak-
er joined Smith & Wesson and SIG, all
of which had just joined frontrunners
Kimber, Springeld and Para as new
major players in the 1911 world.
In 2006, the U. S. military called for
tests of 45-caliber pistols due to ques-
tions of the 9mms efcacy during the
Desert Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Exactly 100 years after calling for tests
to consider a .45 in 1906, the military
wanted to again consider a .45 in 2006.
The traditional 1911 was not invited,
however; .45s to be considered would
be double-action, polymer-frame pis-
tols. As before, the tests were postponed
and at the time of this writing have not
been resumed. The companies that had
been preparing pistols instead offered
them to the commercial market, in
competition with the 1911.
The 1911 seemed not to notice the
new competition. The 2005 introduc-
tion of the Taurus 1911 showed that
major companies still saw potential in
the design.
The Taurus was not the only new en-
try of this recent period. Just within the
last few years, new 1911 pistols with new
names were introduced by Double Star,
Iver Johnson, Rock Island (RIA), U. S.
Fire Arms (1911s with the wide grips of
the 1905), Nighthawk, American Clas-
sic, Tisas (the rst Turkish 1911), EMF
(the Cowboy arms company, branch-
ing into 1911s), and Legacy Sports (of-
fering their Citadel 1911). Dan Wesson
was acquired by CZ-USA, giving the
Czech company access to 1911 sales.
Colt remains a major player in the
1911 eld, offering new variants as well
as traditional models. In 2007, Colt in-
troduced the Concealed Carry model,
followed by the New Agent in 2008.
Colt decided to cash in on the trend of
accessory rails on the front of a 1911
frame, and came out with a gun for
that niche in 2009. What to call it? Colt
kept it simple: the Colt Rail Gun.
Colt, the original manufacturer, has
44
|
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made the 1911 continuously since its
introduction in 1911. The amazing
growing interest in the century-old
pistol now has, quite literally, dozens
of other companies simultaneously
making their versions of the same de-
sign. These guns are being made in the
United States and in a growing num-
ber of foreign countries. This situation
is unprecedented in the world of re-
arms.
Conclusion
A complete description of every 1911
made by every maker would be a huge
volume of information, beyond the
scope of this presentation. What is here
presented is the basic history of the de-
velopment of the 1911 design, and the
amazing growth in the popularity of
the design with the passing of time.
Now, one hundred years from its be-
ginning, we have no idea where we re-
ally are in the story of the 1911. Has the
1911 reached its peak, and will it start
a decline? Or, is it about to begin a new
phase of popularity?
What words can summarize th
amazing story of the 1911 at the even
of its centennial, its 100th year? We ca
try a few:
The Colt/Browning 1911 design ha
completed its rst century. It has stoo
the test of time. It has proved itse
in military combat, law-enforcemen
use, target competition of many type
personal protection and recreationa
shooting.
It has been scaled down, both in siz
(3-inch barrels) and in caliber (22
caliber). It has been scaled up, both i
size (7-inch barrels) and in caliber (50
caliber). Millions upon millions hav
been made, many of them close to th
original specications, others gussie
up with a number of modication
and accessories.
In its early days, the 1911 was so goo
that it discouraged competition. It wa
then considered the best pistol ever de
signed. One hundred years later, ther
are many who say that it still is.
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On the plus side, the rie sports
quality machining, t, nish, and a
handsome composite stock. To 98k
purists, this dumbed-down plowhorse
is downright crude. Aesthetics aside,
its performance is quite another story.
One gray, snowy winter afternoon,
suffering from acute cabin fever, I
packed my humble 98k and a cigar box
full of mixed, weatherworn military
8X57 mm and drove 60 miles to my
favorite shooting ground. Wind gusts
whistled across the deserted ring line.
The lone range ofcer, ensconced in a
toasty clubhouse, eyeballed me quickly,
decided I wasnt a threat to anything,
collected the fee, and returned to his
perch by the replace, Sunday newspa-
per in one hand, mug of steaming cof-
fee in the other, Green Bay Packer game
on the radio.
Bundled up against the cold, I
trudged through knee-deep snow, sta-
pled up my target, and settled onto the
bench for some introspective research.
Blowing ice crystals lled the ries bolt
raceway, my eyes watered, and ngers
went numb. The oversize trigger guard
came in handy that day. Fifty rounds
later, I marveled with delight not only at
the targets ragged, apple-size hole, but
also at the ries awless feeding and
ejection. What it lacked in pedigree,
my lowly warrior made up for in harsh
weather performance. Moral of story:
Never judge a Mauser 98 by its cover.
Czech VZ 24/Yugoslav 24/47
My next venture into military bolt
guns brought me a pedestrian, stan-
dard-length, 8X57mm Czech VZ 24
Mauser, refurbished by the Yugoslav
military following World War ll, and
christened the Model 24/47. A print
ad claimed that the rie was among a
cache captured from the Wehrmacht
by Yugoslav partisans. Right. Sure it
was. Habitually cynical of advertis-
ing spiel, I nevertheless plunked down
a money order for two C-notes and
began the process of collecting my
prize.
Doubts about the 24/47s alleged heri-
tage softened while stripping its thick,
very old Cosmoline coating. Across its
receiver and barrel were Czech, Ger-
man, and Yugoslav proof marks. Un-
deniably, this three-lives long arm had
some interesting history.
On the bench, with affordable Bel-
gium-manufacture machine gun fodder,
my multinational distinguished itself in
smooth functioning, accuracy, dramatic
muzzle ash, and apocalyptic muzzle
blast. To some, its horizontal bolt handle
is unseemly, but it worked ne for me.
With practice, one can ick the bolt
and re with remarkable speed, much
more so than with bent-down geometry.
This could come in handy when armed
hordes are advancing. Respectful of
range etiquette, I refrained from rapid-
re exhibitions.
The Yugoslav arsenal that refurbished
my rie did an admirable job. A dark
ring of ne pitting on the bolt face indi-
cated heavy use with corrosive-primed
ammunition. The refurbished 24/47
featured a pristine replacement barrel,
a butter-smooth, predictable two-stage
trigger, and the Yugoslavian Commu-
nist Party crest thoughtfully stamped
on the receiver ring. The stock, most
The author and his father longed for a 1903 Springeld.
Their choices, purchased from the U.S. Department of
Civilian Marksmanship, were (top to bottom) a 1943-
vintage Remington 03-A3 and late-1930s 03 Springeld
arsenal rework, along with a 1,000 round crate of U.S.
30-06 military surplus ball ammo. In the authors view,
the 03-A3s superior aperture sight makes it a better
choice of the two. The authors father favors the 03s
milled construction. Both old veterans function reliably,
very smoothly, and are more accurate than most folks
can see or hold out yonder with GI-issue sights.
|
47
likely a surrogate, is of Spartan-grade
walnut, with an unsightly but practical
varnish nish. However, the combina-
tion of Cosmoline, varnish, and ware-
house aging culminated in a sticky,
oily wood surface. What the heck, its
military surplus, right?
Model 1908 Brazilian
By now, I was fully infected with Maus-
er fever. My next acquisition was a well-
preserved DWM Model 1908 7X57mm
Brazilian-contract Long Rie. It set me
back $125 plus shipping. With the excep-
tion of its caliber and lack of the afore-
mentioned hinged-magazine oor plate
and lever, it is virtually identical to the
Model 1909 Argentine. Accordingly, it
too is high on the list of actions used in
custom ries.
By this time, I owned a ne Rem-
ington 700 Classic deer rie in 7X57
and was reloading the caliber. A good
thing, too. The only surplus 7X57
ammo available to me at the time was
corrosive-primed, 1937 Kynoch full-
metal jacket. Despite a gritty trigger,
the Brazilian grouped well and func-
tioned with traditional Mauser reli-
ability and smoothness.
1941 Oberndorf
Portuguese-Contract 98k
Despite a chronic shortage of infan-
try ries during World War ll, Germany
for some reason exported a small quan-
tity of 8X57 98ks from Mausers famed
Oberndorf plant to Portugal. The qual-
ity of this lot was exceptional. By luck,
I latched onto one for $350, courtesy
of a one-time trade-press listing. The
rie is adorned with Portuguese coat
of arms stampings on the receiver ring
and stock, and a multitude of proof
marks, illustrating Germanic attention
to detail.
From its commercial-grade bluing to
handsome walnut stock, my 41 Ober-
ndorfer is prime. Its bright bore and
absence of dings and gouges reect a
pampered existence. The only signs of
use are a pleasing patina to the metal
surfaces and a severely dented butt plate.
It appears the ries military tour was
spent on a parade ground, not the bat-
tleeld. Neutrality served Portugal and
my Mauser rie well. Like all 98s Ive en-
countered, performance was top shelf.
From the pages of Gun Digest, com-
peting publications [as though there
were such a thing. DMS], and pil-
grimages to shops and shows, I learned
The Swedish Model 1938 short rie is known for ne
workmanship and equally ne accuracy. The authors
example didnt disappoint. With a long-eye-relief scope,
secured on the ries rear-sight mounting platform, and
Swedish 6.5X55mm military surplus ammo, it posted
impressive groups off a sandbag rest at 100 yards. With
a prime-condition rie and good ammunition, eyesight
and trigger control are the limiting factors in shot
placement, author believes. He prefers to leave his battle
ries stock and master the as-issued iron sights.
48
|
a military bolt-action world exists out-
side the Mauser universe. Although
this piece may sound like MauserMania
Smackdown 2011, other nations pro-
duced very good military bolt ries,
too. The more I learned, the more I
yearned to explore them.
Lee-Eneld Ries
While Germans unquestionably
were the leaders in producing mili-
tary and commercial bolt-action
ries, their English cousins were wor-
thy competitors. Over their history,
the Lee-Eneld family of combat long
arms, consisting of 24 ries and two
carbines, stood toe-to-toe against
their Teutonic counterparts across
many a bloody battleeld and, some
might argue, even surpassed them.
Sporterized versions served sports-
men in game elds worldwide.
Lee-Eneld .303 caliber ries are
durable, reliable, accurate, smooth
cycling, and capable of extremely rap-
id re. Signicantly, these Brits hold
10 rounds, their German counter-
parts but ve. Like the Mauser, Lee-
Enelds enjoyed production longev-
ity, from 1895 to at least 1954. They
served the Crown with distinction in
conicts far and wide, ranging from
trenches of France, the boulevards
of Singapore, dusty plains of El Ala-
main, to the beaches of Normandy
and points beyond. Theyre still ght-
ing today, in obscure parts of Africa
and the Middle East, in remote out-
backs where shooting distances are
long and the ubiquitous Kalashnikov
comes up short.
Of the extended Lee-Eneld fam-
ily, two models are the most distin-
guished. The No. 1 Mark lll, also
known as the SMLE (Short Magazine
Lee-Eneld) was introduced in 1903,
with production in England and later
Australia and India. Known for its
ruggedness, reliability, and legendary
speed of re, the SMLE served admi-
rably in World War l.
One world war later, the SMLE was
supplanted In 1939 by the Lee-Eneld
No. 4 Mk series, an upgraded, easier-
to-manufacture design that sported
a heavier barrel and receiver, better
sights, and simplied barrel bed-
ding. To meet the Commonwealths
wartime demands, No. 4s were built
in England, Canada, and by Savage
Arms in the U.S. After the war, they
were military issue not only in Great
Britain but also Italy, Greece, and
some Arab countries. No. 4s later
served with distinction in the Korean
War (interestingly, Mauser 98s were
employed by the other side in that
action) and in regional donnybrooks
across the former British Empire.
For brevity, Ill merely say that my
1915 No. 1 Mk lll Australian (Lithgow
arsenal) and 1954 English No. 4 Mk
ll (Fazakerly) are indeed very fast to
re and easy cycling, and they place
.303 British bullets with lethal consis-
tency. I acquired the pair separately at
gun shows for about $150 and $350
respectively. The No. 4 was fresh from
The author thinks this 1915-vintage Australian Lee-Eneld No. 1 Mark lll (top) and No. 4 Mk ll produced in England
during 1954 are the worlds greatest bolt-action battle ries due to their well-proven durability, reliability, accuracy,
rapid rate of re, and 10-round magazine capacity. The Lee-Eneld family has a remarkable worldwide service record
that stretches over 115 years. Theyre still ghting today, in obscure parts of Africa and the Middle East where shoot-
ing distances are long and the ubiquitous Kalashnikov comes up short.
|
49
armory storage, unissued, swathed in
cosmoline, and wrapped in waxed pa-
per. The Enelds rimmed cartridge
feeds reliably and yes, 10 rounds are
superior to ve when the lead is y-
ing in your direction. Due to these at-
tributes, the Lee-Eneld gets my vote
as the best bolt-action combat battle
rie.
Swedish Model 1938
Short Rie
Borrowing design elements from
the 1893 Spanish Mauser, Sweden in
1894 developed the rst in its family
of three bolt-action military ries, the
Models 1894, 1896, and 1938 respec-
tively. Their cartridge, the 6.5X55mm
Swedish Mauser was, as its name im-
plies, formulated jointly by Mauser
and Swedish ballisticians. The Swed-
ish clan is of very high quality and was
snapped up eagerly by the American
arms-buying public. Military surplus
Swedish Mauser ammunition proved
equally high in quality and plentiful,
to the delight of rie owners.
I acquired my Swedish Model 38
(manufactured by Husqvarna in
1941) Short Rie at a Milwaukee gun
show for $350. Perhaps I overpaid a
bit, but print advertisements for the
turned-down-bolt version had ceased
and I wanted one badly. My initial
range session with the M38 didnt
disappoint. With stock iron sights at
100 yards, it would group well under
2 inches with Swedish military ball.
One day, my father installed a long-
eye relief scope that mounted on the
rear sight platform, without having to
alter the original equipment. To my
surprise, the Swede started dropping
slugs into one-inch clusters.
At that point, Dad stepped in and
decided that the M38 was going to be
his go-to military rie. I couldnt re-
fuse. Besides, by then my hands were
full with seven other vets. Father re-
mains devoted to that Swede today.
Japanese Type 99 Arisaka
Americans have often been accused
of a dangerous naivet regarding for-
eign affairs. Time and again history
proved this out, costing us dearly in
blood, treasure, and prestige. At the
outbreak of World War ll, many in
this country held the Japanese and
their weaponry in low esteem. Fight-
ing them would teach us many pain-
ful lessons.
One example of this ignorance is
the Type 99 Arisaka rie. To this day,
the uneducated view the Arisaka as
crude, cheap, and ineffective. Those
of us who shoot them know better.
I became acquainted with these ri-
es through references in the rearms
press and by an article in Gun Digest
many moons ago by the estimable
John Malloy. In that piece, Mr. Mal-
loy shared his experiences using an
Arisaka in a target shoot. While the
author didnt win a prize for marks-
manship, he placed respectfully and
doled out a compliment or two to his
Nipponese partner.
Like most of my other military bolt-
action ries, the Type 99 descends
from a family dating back to 1897,
based on a modied Mauser design.
Renements in design and caliber
were incorporated over time. Intro-
duced in 1939 in long- and short-rie
versions, the 99 is remarkably ad-
vanced for its day, initially featuring
a chrome-plated bore and bolt face,
stock drain holes (both very useful in
jungle ghting), and an effective but
noisy dust cover. While not quite as
smooth cycling as other bolt guns, its
well suited for warfare. The rie also
elded a monopod for steady hold and
a special rear sight with fold-down
wings to obtain proper lead when
potting low-ying aircraft. These fea-
tures illustrate the creative thinking
of Japanese arms designers. Evident-
ly, some of that creativity wasnt ap-
preciated by the Emperors boots on
the ground. Japanese soldiers quickly
50
|
discarded the rattle-prone dust cover
that compromised stealthy approach
and the cumbersome, brush-collect-
ing bipod, and Arisakas retaining
these features fetch a premium.
Like Germanys, the quality of
Japans small arms declined precipi-
tously with the fortunes of war. The
chromed bore and bolt face van-
ished, as did the anti-aircraft sights,
milled parts, and other discretionary
upgrades adopted over the previous
40-plus years. Last ditch Type 99s
are rough, unsafe, barely recogniz-
able shells of a very sound weapon.
It seems many armchair experts base
their opinions of Arisakas on late-
war specimens, which is as ignorant
as it is inaccurate.
With typical addict compulsion, I
scored my Type 99 7.7mm Short Rie
at a gun show for $250. At the time,
I didnt know what model it was, but
the rie was quite exotic with its eye-
catching tropical wood stock and
intact royal chrysanthemum (the
Emperors symbol; most Arisaka
had their mums ground off after the
war at the direction of Gen. Douglas
MacArthur) adorning the receiver
ring. Not entirely of unsound mind,
I also picked up a copy of Duncan
McCollums Japanese Ries of World
War ll that taught me everything I
needed to know and a lot more about
this gem.
Its distinctive markings indicate
that my 99 was manufactured at the
Toyo Kogyo factory around 1939,
the zenith of Japans military rie-
making prowess. Other than minor
stock dents, its in excellent condi-
tion. While it lacks a dust cover and
monopod, I could have picked up
replica replacements at modest cost.
No need to repeat the mistakes of the
past, I reasoned, so I restrained my-
self.
My rst surprise came in stripping
down the Arisaka. From the start,
the high quality of early war Japanese
manufacturing and attention to de-
tail became apparent. Fit and nish
of the components is comparable to
that of their German allys and mili-
tary ries produced elsewhere. With
a bit of oil, the bolt slid effortlessly
down its rails and locked solidly into
place.
The second surprise was painful.
There was (and is) no military sur-
plus 7.7 Japanese Arisaka ammuni-
tion to be had. The only alternative
was commercial Norma loads at
nearly two bucks every pull of the
trigger, not including tax. Ouch.
With fanatical devotion, I chased
down every ejected empty. My nal
surprise was very pleasant. Shooting
offhand, the rie balances the best of
my entire military entourage and is
accurate to boot.
Model 1903 Springelds
My military bolt-action rie addic-
tion eventually ran its course, but not
before a grand nale that was long in
the making. Twenty years previous,
Dad and I said it would be nice to own
a 1903 Springeld rie. Gun mongers
were charging outrageous prices for
03s back then, so we held off. After a
little research, we each bought a rie
from the U.S. Department of Civilian
Marksmanship: Dads a late 1930s 03
Springeld arsenal rework and mine
Beauty and the beast. Inspired by an article in Gun Di-
gest, the author began his 20-year military surplus bolt
action rie adventure with two very different Mausers:
(top) a ne 1909 DWM Argentine-contract long rie
and a Czech late-war mongrel 98k with a stamped,
oversize triggerguard (handy for a gloved nger) and
other manufacturing shortcuts. Beauty is as beauty
does. Despite its mixed lineage and lack of renements,
the humble warrior proved itself to the author in harsh
winter performance. Moral of story: Never judge a Mauser
98 by its cover.
|
51
an original 1943 vintage 03-A3 Rem-
ington, for $500 apiece. We added a
1,000-round case of 1954 Rock Island
30-06 military ball for good mea-
sure.
Dad and I are more than satised
with our Springelds. While his 03
displays beautiful milled parts, my
03-A3s ungainly-looking-but-vastly-
superior aperture sight is a fair trade-
off for its wartime stamped trigger
guard/magazine assembly and barrel
bands.
Both ries, while clearly used, are
in very good condition, function
smoothly, and are far more accurate
than we can see or hold out yonder
with GI-issue sights.
Military Surplus Ries
Where to Find Em
The 1960s-era golden age of mili-
tary surplus rearms is water long
gone under the bridge, but theres no
need for despair. Plenty of ne vin-
tage military bolt guns can still to
be found at reasonable prices with a
little effort. Start with the Web Di-
rectory section of Gun Digest (under
the Firearms Manufacturers and Im-
porters listing), then Shotgun News
and Gun Digest Magazine. If youre a
dedicated surfer, some of my favorite
surplus rie sites are Samco Global
Arms, Inc, J&G Sales, Century In-
ternational Arms Inc., and InterOrd-
nance of America, LP. Google mili-
tary surplus ries and youll nd
plenty more.
Gun shows, gun shops, small-town
sporting goods stores, and rural ga-
rage sales are all potential sources of
military surplus ries. It takes time
and gasoline, but one never knows
what surprises and bargains await
you on the road. Surplus rearms can
also be had from online dealers like
AuctionArms.com, Gunbroker.com,
and GunsAmerica.com. Also check
out Firearms Auction Sites in the Web
Directory section of this book.
To purchase most surplus rearms
direct from importers or dealers by
mail, youll need a Federal Firearms
License, a Curio & Relics (C&R) li-
cense, or someone who does to con-
duct your transaction (for a fee), in
accordance with federal, state, and
any local rearms laws.
A cautionary note,:when buying a
military surplus rie: pay the extra
tab for higher quality. There are plen-
ty of worn-out, corroded, and dam-
aged ries on the market today and
scoundrels trying to peddle them.
Steer clear of rusty or excessively pit-
ted bores and actions that dont lock
up solidly. Avoid scrap iron if you val-
ue your hide and pocket book. While
replacement parts are often available,
they may require professional instal-
lation (particularly barrels) at further
cost.
For peace of mind, whenever pur-
chasing a surplus rearm, know and
fully understand the conditions of
sale, particularly the sellers return
policy and costs thereof.
FORT SANDFLAT PRODUCTS, 8414 C.R. 3907, Athens, TX 75752 1-800-256-4820 Fax: 1-903-677-2820
- Simple to Use -
No cords/No batteries
No lling/No switches
No buttons/No emptying
- Just open package and use -
Good for up to 10 years
USE IN
Gun Cabinets
Gun Safes
Gun Displays
Gun Rooms
WWW.GUNSTANDS.COM
PROTECT YOUR GUNS FROM MOISTURE
January 21 22, 2012 (Saturday-Sunday)
May 26 - 27, 2012 (Saturday Sunday)
October 27 28, 2012 (Saturday Sunday)
Dealer set up on Friday 9 am to 6 pm and Saturday 8 am to 9 am;
donuts and coffee for dealers on Sunday 8 am to 9 am;
show hours Sat 9 am to 6 pm and Sun 9 am to 5 pm.
1300 8ft tables, $75.00 call 713-981-6463;
HGCA P. O. Box 741429, Houston, TX 77274 website: www.hgca.org
Admission: 18 and over $8.00; 12 to 17 $4.00 children under 12 free.
Acceptable Merchandise:
Firearms Knives Loaded Ammunition Military
Indian Artifacts Western Reloading components
Archery Art Tools Hunting Collectables
52
|
Youve Snagged Your Prize.
What Now?
Savor that moment when you have
your newly purchased rie in the se-
curity of the hearth. After all, you
paid for it. The rst thing to do is
obtain literature detailing your ries
history, its operation, and take-down
instructions. I found most of my
books and booklets through brows-
ing at gun shows. I also know several
rearms book dealers and either visit
their website or contact them by e-
mail when in need.
The Gun Digest Book of Firearms
Assembly/Disassembly (separate vol-
umes for various types) by J.B. Wood
(www.gundigeststore.com) is a price-
less resource. So is the NRA Guide to
Firearms Assembly (separate volumes
for ries, shotguns, and handguns).
Armed with support literature,
youre ready to disassemble your rie
for inspection and cleaning. By the
nature of their design simplicity, most
bolt-action ries are easy to disman-
tle and reassemble, stripping the bolt
perhaps a bit less so. Watch for dam-
aged, badly worn, or corroded com-
ponents. Warehouses of replacement
parts abound. My favorites are Num-
rich Gun Parts Corp., Springeld
Sporters, Inc., and Sarco, Inc., listed
in the Web Directory section at the
back of this book under Gun Parts,
Barrels, Aftermarket Accessories.
A special surprise awaits many
Markings on the receiver of the authors Type 99 Arisaka
indicate (left to right) Series 31, the ries serial num-
ber within that series, and that it was manufactured
at Toyo Kogyo (Oriental Manufacturing Company) in
Honshu, Japans main island. Using the arsenal mark,
series number, serial number, and the ries features,
the author determined that his Type 99 was produced
early in the types 1939-1945 manufacturing run.
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PRICES REFLECT
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Beretta
390, 20ga., 24C/T, VR, mint................................ $245.00
Benelli
Benelli SBE, 12ga. Ried, Sights, Camo, mint ...... $450.00
Browning
A-5, 20ga., 3, 28Full, plain, mint ....................... $275.00
A-5, SWT-16ga., 26Cylinder, plain, good ............ $275.00
A-5, 12ga., 2 3/4, 26Cyl., plain, exc. ................. $250.00
A-5, MAG-12ga., Fully Ried, Hastings, mint ....... $325.00
A-5, MAG-12ga., Hastings, 24C/T, VR, NIB ........ $370.00
A-5, MAG-12ga., Hastings, 34 C/T, VR, NIB ....... $380.00
A-500 R(recoil) 12ga. 24 Inv., Sights, NIB ......... $225.00
A-500 G (gas) 12ga., 28Inv., VR, NIB ................. $250.00
B-80, 20ga., 2 3/4, 28F, VR, new....................... $165.00
B-2000, 12ga., 2 3/4, 28F, pl., exc. ..................... $95.00
B-2000, 12ga., TRAP, 30F, High Rib, exc. ........... $195.00
B-2000, 12ga., 3, 30Full, VR, exc. ..................... $195.00
BPS, 20ga., 28Mod., VR, mint ............................ $145.00
BPS, 20ga., 28Full, VR, mint .............................. $145.00
BPS, DEER 12ga., 3.5, 24,SB, RS ..................... $185.00
BPS, 12g, 3.5, 26Inv+, VR ................................ $225.00
BPS, 12ga., 3.5, 30Inv+, matte ......................... $225.00
GOLD 10ga., 3 1/2, 30Inv., VR, new ................. $295.00
Fox, A.H.
Sterlingworth, 12ga., 28M/F, exc. ....................... $450.00
Ithaca M-37
12ga. 24, 28, 30, 34,C/Ts, VR, new ...........$250.00 ea.
Ithaca M-51
20ga., 28Full, VR, mint ....................................... $150.00
Mossberg
M-500, 12ga., 20SB, RS, exc. ............................ $115.00
M-500, 20g., 24SB, RS, exc. .............................. $115.00
M-500, 20g. Ried, Cantilivered ........................... $145.00
M-500, 20ga., 24C/T, VR, mint ........................... $125.00
M-500, 12ga., 28C-Lect, VR, exc. ......................... $95.00
M-500, 12ga., 28Accu-chokes, VR, exc. ............. $135.00
M-500 12g. .50 Cal. Muzzleloader ........................ $150.00
M-835, 12ga., 24C/T, VR, ported, camo ............. $150.00
M-835, 12ga., 24Ried, ported, camo ................ $150.00
M-835, 12ga., 28C/T, VR, camo.......................... $150.00
Remington
M-11-48, 12ga., 26Skeet, VR, exc. ..................... $375.00
M-11-48, 12ga., 28Mod., plain, exc. .................. $185.00
M-742 30/06 rie barrel, exc ................................ $145.00
M-870, LW-20ga., 26IC, VR, exc. ....................... $125.00
M-870, LW-20ga., 28Mod., plain, exc................... $75.00
M-870, LW-20ga., 28Mod., VR, exc. .................. $125.00
M-870 EXPRESS, 12g., 28R/C, VR, exc. ........... $150.00
M-870 EXP SUPER-MAG, 12g, 3 1/2, 26R/C ...... $160.00
M-870 12ga., 26Full, VR, matte, NIB ................. $175.00
M-870 12ga. Hastings, 24FR, scope blocks, exc. $175.00
M-870 WMSTR, 12ga., 26IC., pl., exc. ............... $150.00
M-870 WMSTR, 12ga., 28Mod., pl., exc. ........... $135.00
M-870 WMSTR, 12ga., 30F, pl., exc. .................. $150.00
M-1100, 16ga., 26Cyl.(cut), plain, exc., ............. $150.00
M-1100, 16ga., 28Mod., plain, exc ..................... $165.00
M-1100, 12ga, 22Polychoke, plain, exc. ............. $135.00
M-1100, 12ga., 26R/C, VR, exc. ......................... $195.00
M-1100, 12ga., 26Cutts, Simmons VR ............... $245.00
M-1100, 12ga., 28Mod., plain, exc. .................... $125.00
M-1100, 12ga., 28Full, plain;, exc. ..................... $125.00
M-1100, 12ga., 28Mod., VR, exc. ....................... $175.00
M-1100, 12ga., 28Full, VR, exc. ......................... $175.00
M-1100, 12ga., 30Full, plain, exc. ...................... $145.00
M-1100, 12ga, 3, 24 Hastings, VR,NIB ............. $250.00
M-1100, 12ga., 3 30Chokes, pl., exc. ............... $145.00
M-11-87 Premier, 12ga., 26RC, VR .................... $185.00
M-11-87 SP, 12ga., 26R/C, VR, exc. ................... $175.00
Rossi
20ga., 22Mod., single shot, mint .......................... $50.00
Savage
30-E, 12ga., 22SB RS, mint .................................. $95.00
Sears
200, 20ga., 19, plain, exc. .................................... $95.00
SKB-ITHACA
300 or 900 12ga. Recoil; 26IC, plain, exc. .......... $125.00
300 or 900 12ga. Recoil; 30F, plain, exc. ............ $125.00
S&W
M-916-T, 12g., 30F, VR, exc. .............................. $125.00
M-1000, 20ga., 2 3/4, 26Skeet, VR, new .......... $175.00
M-1000, 20ga., 3, 28F, VR, exc. ........................ $145.00
M-3000, 12ga., 22 smoothbore slug, new .......... $145.00
T/C
Encore, .280, 24 Stainless, Leupold B&R, mint .. $275.00
Encore, Pro Hunter, 12ga., Ried, Stainless, mint $295.00
Winchester
M-50, 12ga., 30Full, VR, exc. ............................. $275.00
M-59, 12ga., 26Win-lite choke, exc. ................... $225.00
M-59, 12ga., 28Mod., exc. ................................. $185.00
M-70 PRE-64, .270WCF, 24, 1940s, good ......... $150.00
M-70 PRE-64, 30-06, 24, 1950s, exc. ............... $150.00
M-1200, 16ga., 26W/C, VR, mint ....................... $150.00
M-1300, 12ga., 28W/C, VR, exc. ........................ $175.00
M-1400, 16ga., 26IC, plain, exc. ......................... $135.00
M-1400, 12ga., 26IC, plain, exc. ......................... $150.00
M-1400, 12ga., 28W/C, VR, exc. ........................ $195.00
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53
owners of military surplus ries dur-
ing strip down. Examine the ries
components carefully and note their
markings. These tell a story, for those
who make the effort to decipher them.
Most of the worlds arms makers cod-
ed their hardware to indicate country,
production site, year of manufacture,
proof testing, and arsenal refurbish-
ing, among other vital factoids. Some
countries intentionally coded their
weapons to conceal production infor-
mation. Even a ries serial number
can have special signicance.
On most military ries, the re-
ceiver ring is the starting point in
determining its heritage. It helps to
have authoritative literature detailing
the meanings of these marks. Ludwig
Olsons comprehensive book Mauser
Bolt Action Ries details markings
on Mauser 98s. Gerhard Wirnsberg-
ers The Standard Directory of Proof
Marks is helpful for many European
and Scandinavian arms. There is a
seemingly endless supply of informa-
tion on military weapons. The specif-
ics you seek are out there somewhere,
but sometimes you have to dig for
them. The internet is a good starting
point, but cross-check for accuracy
through authoritative literature.
Why bother, you ask? In a nut-
shell, many military bolt action ri-
es played a decisive role in shaping
todays world. By learning where and
when your rie was manufactured
and gleaning other information pro-
vided by its markings, you develop a
fuller knowledge and appreciation of
that hunk of steel and wood resting
in your hands, along with its role in
world affairs. Youre holding a piece
of history, you know. Either you un-
derstand its signicance or you dont.
Knowledge is always better than ig-
norance.
Once your rie is cleaned, inspect-
ed, and reassembled, its time to score
some ammo. First and foremost, al-
ways make sure the ammunition you
purchase is correct for your rearm.
Mistakes can occur, particularly with
Mauser metric-denominated car-
tridges.
Sadly, the days of cheap, non-corro-
sive, military-surplus ammo for many
20th-century military bolt-action
ries are over. Happily, not so for our
beloved .30-06, .308 Winchester (for
rechambered Mausers and No. 1 Mk
lll Lee Enelds), Swedish 6.5X55, and
7.62X54R Russian for you Mosin Na-
gant fans out there. Corrosive-primed
.303 British, 8X57, and 7X57 can still
be had. If you choose this route (make
no mistake, semi-corrosive is corro-
sive), be prepared to thoroughly clean
and dry your ries bore, bolt, and
surrounding metalwork promptly af-
ter shooting. Either hot detergent wa-
ter or U.S. GI bore cleaner Mil Spec
C372 will do the trick. A thorough in-
spection of surrounding metal work
the following day is advised.
Military surplus and competitively
priced foreign commercial ammuni-
tion is available from arms importers
and dealers. New shipments arrive
periodically so it pays to watch the
trade press and web sites every so of-
ten. For starters, check out the Am-
munition and Components section
Markings on surplus military bolt action ries often tell
a story, if you make the effort to decipher them. The
receiver ring is a starting point. The authors examples
include (left to right, top) DWM Mauser 1909 with the
Argentine crest; 1941 German Oberndorf contract 98k
Mauser with the Portuguese crest; Czech mongrel
98k with dou code, indicating manufacture at the
Waffenwerke Bruenn, A.-G., Werk Bystrica, in what is
now the Slovak Republic, model designation, and 1945
production; (left to right, bottom) Japanese Arisaka fea-
turing the royal chrysanthemum, symbol of the Japanese
Emperor, and characters indicating 99 Type; Remington
03-A3 Springeld (prick punch at the bottom indicates
the rie passed proof testing); and Swedish Model 1938
short rie displaying its production site (Husqvarna) and
date. Proper literature aids in clarifying these markings.
54
|
of this books Web Directory. If you
want more, Google military surplus
ammunition.
After ring those rst shots, in-
spect your ries empties for signs of
trouble, i.e. cartridge splitting, sepa-
ration, or punctured/blown/attened
primers.
If you plan more than occasional
shooting, over the long run reload-
ing will strengthen your nances and
resolve problems. Yes, there is a dark
side to some military bolt-action ri-
es: chamber dimension. Understand
that military rearms are designed to
go bang with every pull of the trig-
ger, not produce reloadable brass. To
function when stuffed with battle-
eld debris and fed corroded ammu-
nition, many surplus ries came from
the factory with generous chamber
dimensions. This is good for combat
soldiers for whom reliability means
survival, but bad for reloaders seeking
to extend the life of their empties.
Split or separated cases are the warn-
ing signs of either an oversize chamber
(from your resizing dies perspective,
not the ries) or excessive headspace
(common with improperly installed
replacement barrels). Ive never had a
case split or separate from rst-time-
red military surplus or commercial
ammunition. Ive had some with re-
loaded ammunition, however.
Reloading for a rie with an over-
size chamber can usually be solved by
ordering a custom resizing die manu-
factured to its chambers dimensions.
I provided RCBS with one factory
loaded round and three red cases
from my Arisaka. Their die saved me
a bundle by extending the life of pre-
cious Norma 7.7 brass. Unless youre
a knowledgeable do-it-yourselfer with
the right tools, an improperly head-
spaced rie is best left to a profession-
al gunsmith.
Flattened/punctured/blown prim-
ers may be an indication of exces-
sive pressure. I wouldnt expect these
maladies with military surplus or
commercial ammo, but they occur
with handloads. While bolt-action
ries are very strong, dont tempt fate
by OD-ing on gunpowder. Follow
your reloading manual and back off
the charge if necessary. Some of these
ries are approaching 100 years old,
and theres no reason to run them at
red-line.
If you decide to reload military brass
(as I did for my 7.65mm Argentine for
signicant cost savings), stick with
boxer-primed, non-corrosive cases.
For reliability, some military primers
were crimped in place. This may cause
primer seating problems when reload-
ing. If you own a quantity of brass
with crimped primers, its economical
to invest in a primer-pocket-swaging
die. I did for the 7.65 and was very sat-
ised with the outcome. A lower-price
option is to purchase a hand primer-
pocket reamer but go very easy on
shaving brass. Too much and you have
enlarged primer pockets.
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55
There are a handful of military sur-
plus ries chambered for obscure cal-
ibers. Finding ammunition or brass
can be a problem. If this is the case,
contact The Old Western Scrounger at
(304) 262-9870 or on the web. OWSs
Dangerous Dave Cumberland should
be able to help you out.
To Sporterize or Not to Sporterize?
The allure of the sporterized rie,
built to your specications, is a pow-
erful narcotic, particularly when you
own the primary ingredient. In the
right hands, all the military ries list-
ed here would make excellent sport-
ers. Every single one of them.
The Czech/Yugoslav CZ24 24/47
is today a handy scout rie with sev-
eral whitetails to its credit. My father
commandeered the 1908 Brazilian
and, with a sweet 18-inch 7X57 re-
placement barrel acquired at a gun
show for $25, aftermarket sights, an
adjustable, single-stage, trigger, and
his handiwork (with a gunsmiths as-
sistance with rebarreling and bending
the bolt), crafted a silky 6 lb. sporter.
I surprised myself by purchasing an
equally sharp, No. 4 Mk ll Lee Eneld
sporter, fabricated with a Canadian
Long Branch action, great sights, ve-
shot magazine, and the best-tting
stock Ive ever shouldered, for $150.
With Sierra MatchKing slugs and a
4X scope, off the sandbags it will on
occasion group three shots into less
than half a minute of angle. Thats
outrageous, fantastic, and totally
superuous. Who hunts deer with
Match King bullets? I would really
like to shake hands with whoever put
that ne Eneld hunting rie togeth-
er.
If the bug bites and you have the
time and funds, go ahead and pay a
master gunmaker big bucks for one
of the greatest gifts a rieman can
dream up. Why not? Just dont expect
it to outperform your out-of-the-box
hunting rie. If I had the nancial
wherewithal and patience (I dont),
Id send my 1909 Argentine to Darcy
Echols tomorrow and order up the
best grade.375 H&H African safari
rie money can buy.
An economical alternative is to do
most or all of the sporterizing your-
self, using off-the-shelf or custom
components. All the pieces are out
there. There are books telling you
how to do it. Just know your limita-
tions and dont imagine that your
handiwork will out shoot or cost less
than name-brand commercial ries.
If it does, well, youve got another
reason to smile. But please, if you can
help it, dont cut up a pristine, scarce
example of military rearms history.
Why I Have No Regrets
Im through acquiring military sur-
plus 20th-century bolt-action ries. I
have almost everything I want and
enjoy them all as time permits. My
heart still skips a beat at the sight of
a military classic tucked away in an
obscure corner or display table, but
thats OK.
Not too long ago, in a small north-
ern Wisconsin gun shop/repair store,
I spied a stack of Czech Brazilian-
contract Model 1908/34 7X57 Short
Ries. My eyes roamed hungrily up
and down their ranks, seeking the
prime specimen. Uh uh, those arent
for sale, the owner cut in, before I
could get the words out. Im saving
them for customers who order a cus-
tom job. Right, I smiled, realizing
that, despite momentary weakness, I
had nally conquered my addiction.
Ill close out by putting my adven-
ture in perspective. I spent plenty
of time and a smart amount of hard-
earned cash on my hobby. I have no
regrets. I had a lot of fun and learned
a great deal along the way. When one
specializes in acquiring, shooting,
and researching period rearms, he
becomes a student of world history,
geopolitics, economics, industrial
science, and human behavior. Its a
comprehensive education that brings
fulllment to the hobby and to life.
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|
S
lowed somewhat by the Great Recession, the Amer-
ican consumer market continues to be driven by
consumption, abetted by an endless array of new
products, good-enough quality, planned ob-
solescence, and a throw-away mentality. This mindset
dees the lessons in thrift devised by our grandparents
during another global economic upheaval: the Great De-
pression.
People behaved very differently when my grandfather
was a boy. Back then, folks used a product until it broke or
wore out, then xed it and used it some more. They didnt
spend money until they earned it. And
the earning took time perhaps a year or
more of running a paper route or perform-
ing household chores to buy a .22 rie or
shotgun. Ammunition was costly too. You
bought it as your pocket money permitted,
sometimes a few rounds at a time.
I know these things because grandpa
told me. Guns were a part of his life as a
boy and as a man. He was hard-working,
church-going, and dedicated to his family. Bird hunting
and trap shooting were among his pleasures. So were
bourbon whiskey, risqu humor, and Green Bay Packers
football. I was fortunate enough to share some of these
with him during his later years. He died while I was in
college. Grandma distributed his possessions across our
family. Included in my inheritance were a couple doz-
en well-worn duck decoys, a hunting canoe, a vintage,
leather-cased Thermos bottle, and his three boyhood
rearms: a rie, pistol, and shotgun all single shot.
As I began to learn about these guns, I realized they
were a testament to grandpas times as much as his per-
sonal tastes. Each of the the trio, manufactured during
the early 20th century, is simple in design, rugged, eco-
nomical, and well suited for what it was intended to do.
Each has its own story.
The Rie
Grandpas rie is an American classic: the .22
caliber Stevens Favorite. Over a million of them
were manufactured from 1890 to 1939, in .22, .25,
and.32 rimre. Grandpas takedown Model 1915,
serial number X399, sports a 24-inch octagon
barrel and a patina earned after 90 or so years of existence.
Its overall length of 38 inches and 4-1/2 lb. weight are ideal
for a boys physique. Grandpa employed his Favorite to bag
rabbits and squirrels for the pot, terminate troublesome var-
mints, and perforate tin cans. The ries lever-action, falling-
block design is strong and reliable. Equipped with adjustable
square-notch-and-post sights, its more than capable of plac-
ing .22 long rie slugs where you want them to go.
Grandpas .22 is still with us today. Savage Arms offers the
Stevens Favorite in takedown and non-take-down models
for under $400.
The Shotgun
Like grandpas rie, his .410 Iver Johnson Champion shot-
gun, serial number 31785, is an American stalwart. Intro-
duced during 1909 in 12, 16, and 20 gauges, the single-barrel
CollectorsGuide
by Andy Ewert
One Good Gun: Grandpas Guns
THERE WAS A TIME LONG AGO WHEN ONE SHOT WAS ENOUGH.
When the authors grandfather
was a boy, money was tight and
sometimes one shot had to be
enough. His guns simple, sturdy,
single-shot designs were well
suited to a youngsters needs.
(Top to bottom): Iver Johnson
Champion .410 shotgun,
Stevens Favorite .22 rie, and
Hopkins & Allen .22 pistol.
|
57
Champion features a side-snap action, operated
by unlocking the breech with a lever on the top
of the receiver and tilting the barrel downward
for loading and unloading. When snapped shut, the action
locks. The hammer is then manually cocked to re. The Iver
Johnsons robust design, 42-inch overall length, 5-3/4-lb.
heft, light recoil, and moderate price tag made it a suitable
rst shotgun for young, budget-conscious nimrods.
Grandpa told me he used the 26-inch-barreled .410 dur-
ing the early 1920s to shoot ducks along Milwaukees Lake
Michigan shoreline and pheasants in the adjoining farm
elds. He recounted how, during one outing, a strong lake
breeze updraft rendered incoming waterfowl briey motion-
less overhead as they set their wings to land. He lled a sack
with mallards for the family table that day.
At some point, grandpa had the Champions 2-1/2-inch
chamber reamed out to accept 3-inch magnum shells. When
I was a youngster, he hunted waterfowl and upland game
with a 12-gauge Winchester Model 50 semi-automatic and
later a Beretta 20-gauge magnum over/under. The Champion
of his youth rested undisturbed in a display case for at least
three decades. During the mid 1970s, my young cousin cut
his teeth on it during family duck hunts. (In those pre-steel
shot days, you could occasionally nd a full-choked .410 in
duck blinds.)
While the Iver Johnson Company closed its doors in 1993,
Harrington & Richardson still offers a simi-
lar single-shot, break-open scattergun, the
Topper, in 12, 16, 20, and .410 chamberings,
priced in the $150 to $225 range.
The Handgun
Grandpas handgun, a single-shot Hopkins & Allen .22,
reected his enjoyment of informal target shooting. With its
10-inch barrel, adjustable rear sight, and smart nickel n-
ish, the H&A is a looker. Other than its brand name, site
of manufacture (Norwich, Connecticut), and serial number
840 stamped on the barrel, the pistol bears no indication of
model designation. Its break-top action is unlocked by de-
pressing two spring-loaded buttons at the top of the receiver,
one on each side, forward of and beneath the rear site. When
opened slowly, the extractor partially draws the red case
from the chamber for manual removal. Opening the action
briskly ejects the empty into space. After reloading, the ac-
tion is closed by hand and the hammer retracted to re.
Spots of nish wear on the barrel and frame indicate hol-
ster use. Grandpa told me he and my grandmother enjoyed
handgun plinking sessions on her family farm during their
courtship. My great-grandmother occasionally joined in on
the fun. Her marksmanship was noted.
Attempts over the years to learn more about grandpas old
one-shooter proved frustrating. H&A product literature and
Both the Stevens Favorite .22 rie
(top) and Iver Johnson Champion
.410 shotgun break down easily
and compactly for travel.
58
|
production records were nowhere to be
found. What information I did glean
was sparse and sometimes contradic-
tory. According to one report, the hand-
gun, designated New Model Target, was
introduced in 1913, four years before the
companys demise. The same account
stated that additional specimens were
assembled, presumably from leftover
parts, in 1922 by the Marlin Firearms
Corporation.
It appears nothing similar to the H&A
single-shot .22 is manufactured today,
at least as a mass-produced item. The
Thompson/Center Contender probably
comes the closest, though its no more
than similar in general concept.
A New Life for Some Old Iron
When I inherited my grandfathers
guns, I was the proud owner of a Marlin
39A lever action .22 rie, a Browning
Auto-5 20-gauge magnum and a Smith
& Wesson .357 magnum revolver. Other
than fond memories of grandpa and our
times together, I had little use for these
oldtimers. Out of respect, the three
were mounted on the basement wall of
my parents home and remained there
in obscurity for more than 10 years.
Naturally, the Browning was my go-
to gun for a fall grouse and squirrel
hunt in northern Wisconsin. Once, on
a lark, I also packed the Stevens and a
box each of German Dynamit Nobel
CB and BB caps. After a day aeld, my
hunting amigo and I relaxed outside
his uncles cabin before dinner, plink-
ing the empty cans with the powderless,
primer-powered spitzkugel (pointed
ball) and rundkugel (roundball) loads.
How that little .22 made the cans dance!
On returning home, I cleaned and oiled
the rie and parked it back on the wall,
where it languished for another decade
or so. Over the years, the price of those
Teutonic CB and BB caps rose steadily
until, not surprisingly, they disappeared
from dealers shelves.
The authors .22 Hopkins & Allen single shot excelled in
basement parlor shooting. German Dynamit Nobel BB
and CB caps, along with CCI .22 Mini Cap CB Rimre
ammunition, proved safe, sufciently quiet, and ac-
curate during indoor shooting sessions.
|
59
One day I read a review of CCI .22
Mini Cap CB Rimre ammunition, a
specialized low-power load, in Long
and Short versions, developed for use
when noise and velocity were concerns.
I bought a box of the Longs. Out of cu-
riosity, I pulled one cartridges 29-grain
slug from its case. To my surprise, out
spilled 8/10s of a grain of a very ne
powder. Listed velocity of the CCI long
was 675 fps.
Then the idea hit me: Why not try
out the new loading with the Stevens
in basement parlor shooting? Im not
certain it was legal in my suburb, but
I went through a dozen or so boxes of
Mini Caps with family and friends. The
report was similar to the pop of an air
rie. There was a little smoke but, with
the aid of a portable fan, the fumes were
tolerable. A thick hardwood board ab-
sorbed the slugs without ricochets. My
Favorite had a new lease on life as a cel-
lar Schuetzen rie.
Next was the Hopkins & Allens turn
to shine. Other than one brief range
trial, I never gave Old Longnose a fair
shake. The skinny barrel was hard to
steady and its hair trigger presented a
direct threat to human health. Besides,
by that time I acquired a 1933-vintage
Colt Woodsman .22 semi-auto that
could shoot out X rings almost on de-
mand. But in the basement, with prop-
er caution, eye protection, and a diet of
Mini Caps, grandpas pistola found its
niche. I burned off a couple hundred of
those squib loads, along with the last of
my CB and BB caps, through that single
shot.
Sad to say, I never gave the Iver John-
son its due. I still have some of grandpas
old paper 2-1/2-inch shells and more re-
cent 3-inch magnum .410 fodder, but to
what purpose? Every trip to the range
is spent on more important matters.
A single-shot .410 in the game eld? I
think not. Its a shame to consign the
Champion to the display wall but, as we
know, life isnt fair.
Its without regret I confess that
grandpas guns are now formally re-
tired. Father and I handle them occa-
sionally and reminisce about the days
when they fullled a boys dreams. The
world is a very different place today.
Perhaps Ill nd a youngster worthy of
owning them. Until then, they remain
family heirlooms, on the basement
wall, awaiting a new life.
The authors grandfather used this Iver Johnson
Champion .410 shotgun for potting ducks and
pheasants in Wisconsin around the 1920s.
Accompanying him in the eld were his Marble
Gladstone belt knife, Swiss Cymrex pocket
watch, and Du Mor of Paris binoculars.
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G
randpa never hunted turkeys, mostly because he lived
in southern Wisconsin in the early 1900s when there
were no turkeys to hunt. But he put food on the table
before and during the Great Depression with the help
of a 12-gauge side-by-side shotgun made by the American
Gun Co. of New York.
Grandpa gave me the gun around 1980. It has hung on
various walls the past 30 years.
Thinking about turkeys late one night, I glanced up at
the family heirloom. Suddenly, I was struck by the obvious:
Grandpas gun needed to go hunting.
The Big Question
Why it took me so long to make that decision, Ill never
know. But if Grandpa used it with smokeless powder shells,
so could I couldnt I?
My American Gun Co. shotgun is marked Armory Steel,
which sounds pretty darn tough to someone like me whos
relatively uneducated in barrel steel. But I dont have to be a
gun expert to see that the barrels are super-thick and fash-
ioned from one hunk of iron, as opposed to the wavy lines
that indicate Damascus-style manufacturing, which was the
standard before the turn of the century.
First Shot
Dropping a light trap load into the right barrel of Grand-
pas gun during a chilly April morning, I was still wondering
why Id never shot the gun before. Just a bit nervous about
ring the 110-year-old relic, I strapped it to a Caldwell Lead
Sled and then fastened a string to the trigger. I cocked the
hammer and backed up until I was around the corner of the
shooting house. A jerk of the string produced a bang that
sounded no different in 2010 than it did in 1900.
I shot a few more trap loads from each barrel and found
that the words choke bore stamped on the barrel might
have made a great selling point back in the day, but the gun
would probably be a 30-yard shooter at best with the right
barrel and maybe a 25-yard shooter with the left. Just as im-
portantly, or maybe remarkably, both barrels delivered the
shot to the same point.
Not wanting to push the pressure limits of the old gun, I
decided a Kent 1-ounce load of No. 5s in a 2-inch shell
(remember, there were no 3-inch magnums at the turn of
the century) would be about right. Patterns to 30 yards were
roughly equivalent to what youd get out of a modern im-
proved-cylinder barrel.
Off to Michigan
I hauled Grandpas gun along on a hunt in Michigans Up-
per Peninsula with Pat Mufer and Rick White from Hunters
Specialties. At the end of the third day,I was still turkey-less.
With one morning left before heading home I asked (OK, I
kind of begged) for White to take me to the roost area.
Mindful of the limits of my shotgun, we staked out a lone
hen at 20 yards and set up. As the rst streaks of light ap-
peared, the tom began hammering from the same roost tree
hed been in the previous time theyd tried him. It was barely
cracking light when he pitched down, popped into strut and
moved in on our decoy.
Cluck! went Whites mouth call, and right on cue, the
tom stretched his neck out.
The load of 5s rushed down the 30-inch barrel and the tur-
key didnt drop. He sort of stumbled for a second, and
rolled to the ground before opping violently in the wet
grass. He was down for good, but I knew Id delivered a few
too many pellets to the body and not enough where they
mattered.
It felt like an ugly win, or maybe I was just too used to
pounding gobblers with 2-plus ounces of 21st century metal
composites driven through ultra-tight chokes. Either way, Id
answered all the questions I needed to know about Grandpas
gun. Id made a long overdue connection with my familys
past, and now the old hammer gun has another story to tell.
Its back on the wall above me as I write this, and I think
thats where it will stay.
CollectorsGuide
by Jim Schlender
A Century-Old Hammer Gun
SUDDENLY, IT STRUCK ME: GRANDPAS MASSIVE TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY
SIDE-BY-SIDE HAMMER-GUN NEEDED TO GO TURKEY HUNTING.
62
|
I
n the Fall of 2008 I ran across a little single-shot .22 rim-
re rie I had never heard of. Offered in an online auc-
tion in Georgia, the rie was listed as a Canadian Tobin
.22 rimre single-shot rie. Because I specically collect
.22 rimre single-shot rearms made in the USA or Canada,
I felt that I had to own this strange little oddball. My bid was
the winner and within a week or so it arrived at my door. I
was surprised how closely it resembles the Winchester Model
1902 rie.
The old boy had obviously seen some rough times. It re-
minded me of our many Little Boys Ries which usually
have undergone decades of tender ministrations from an
army of boisterously active youngsters handling these new
toys. These boys and girls seemed to have never heard of oil
or proper tools. Or perhaps they just couldnt afford such
luxuries during the hard times prior to and during WWI.
Usually their only tools available for any needed repairs were
a screwdriver or two; a hammer; a pair of pliers; a handful
of nails, screws and bolts; plus a lot of energy and a creative
imagination.
This welcome addition to my collection had suffered the
usual neglect but its only big problem was that it suffered a
cracked wrist. Luckily, previous owners had not tried nailing
or taping it together. They had taken the time to glue it, and
considering the situation of the times, they did a pretty fair
job. Though its original bluing was now an even gray patina
overall, all its metal parts were mercifully free of rust, quite
unlike the condition of most old boys ries, many of which
spent their later days sitting in the corner of some leaky old
barn or corn crib as a quick cure for rodents.
The only identifying markings on the gun, appearing
on the top of the barrel, read TOBIN ARMS MFG, CO.
WOODSTOCK. ONT., CANAD. I have no idea why Can-
ada was truncated in this manner perhaps the result of a
faulty rollmark die. This is the only stamping on the rie,
except for a small numeral 1 on the bottom of the barrel,
under the forestock. Of the ve existing ries thus far ob-
served, three of them had the numeral 1 there. Its meaning
or use remains unknown.
Through a web search for Tobin Arms Mfg. Co., I learned
from Wikipedia, a usually reliable source, that a 33-year-
old Canadian immigrant to the U.S., named Frank Major
Tobin, started up a company in 1903 in Norwich, Connecti-
cut, with a group of businessmen for manufacturing high
grade double barrel shotguns. Just six years later in 1909 he
had obtained enough Canadian investors to buy out his U.S.
partners and move his gun company to Woodstock, Ontario,
where his group built Canadas very rst shotgun factory.
Some of Tobins very rst advertisements were placed in a
locally published outdoorsmans magazine, Rod And Gun in
Canada. This was the only such magazine in Canada at the
time and thats where Frank introduced his company with a
full-page ad in their December 1909 issue. Note that at this
time no mention was made of a .22 rimre rie.
CollectorsGuide
by Jack A. Myers
A Mysterious Stranger
From Canada
THE TOBIN $5.00 BOY SCOUT RIFLE
The extremely scarce .22 rimre single-shot Boy Scout Rie manufactured by Tobin
Arms Manufacturing Company in their new Ontario factory from 1912 to 1919. This
company won international acclaim for their high quality double shotguns while
they were operating both in the US and Canada.
|
63
Their next full-page ad, the one
which would make the rst and only
mention of their rie, was one that
appeared three years later in the July
1912 issue, where they named their
new product the Tobin Boy Scout
Rie. For some unknown reason,
this little rie does not appear in any
known later Tobin catalog observed
to this date.
Eventually, due to poor economic
times across the globe, by 1916 the
Tobin Arms Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
was coming to an end and other com-
panies had begun to take over parts of
Franks new factory. Tobins company
surrendered its charter in 1921. An-
other Canadian entrepreneur named
G.B. Crandall took up the manufac-
ture of Tobin shotguns about 1930
and its thought that he continued
making them until at least 1951. How-
ever, if for no other reason, Frank To-
bin will always be remembered as the
rst person to build a shotgun factory
in Canada.
Nowhere in any of Tobins known
company literature does the little
.22 rimre rie appear. Ive had an
opportunity to look at several of the
early Tobin catalogs and it is not even
mentioned. Through asking ques-
tions on a Canadian gun collector
website I learned that the monthly
This is the only stamping on the rie, except for a
small numeral 1 on the bottom of the barrel, under the
forestock. Of the ve existing ries thus far observed,
three of them had the numeral 1 there. Its meaning or
use remains unknown.
Earliest known advertisement to announce the opening of Canadas rst shotgun factory, where the Tobin Boy Scout
Rie was produced from inception until the company shut down (c. 1906 - 1916). This full-page ad appeared in the
December 1909 issue of Rod And Gun In Canada.
64
|
outdoor magazine Rod and Gun in
Canada had once offered a Tobin rie
to youngsters willing to sell ve an-
nual subscriptions to the magazine.
Its interesting to note that shortly
after the turn of the century, another
gun manufacturer, the Hamilton Ri-
e Company of Plymouth, Michigan,
was becoming well-known through-
out the rearms industry for their
small, inexpensive and unusually
made, single-shot ries which began
production in 1899. Its estimated
that approximately half a million
were sold or given away as premiums
to children who went door to door,
selling just about everything you can
think of. Cloverleaf Salve was one of
the best known major promoters of
these popular sales prizes. Corn seed
companies offered discount coupons
for a Hamilton rie in their bags of
seed. Hamilton ended manufacturing
in 1945 after producing more than
1,000,000 various little boys ries.
Even with todays increasing popu-
larity of collecting these little boys
ries, both here and abroad, it sur-
prised me to learn the little Tobin
$5.00 Boy Scout Rie is a very
similar rie to the ultra-popular
Hamiltons, but has remained virtu-
ally unknown for almost 100 years,
even though it was made and offered
throughout North America just after
the turn of the century.
Another info source dealing with
a huge amount of archived info on
early Canadian gun collecting led me
to an Ontario resident, a Mr. Blyth,
who was said to own a Tobin rie. In
a phone conversation he told me had
owned four of these ries over six
decades, but had never seen or even
heard of another in 60 years of col-
lecting until I contacted him. He
said he later lost interest in guns and
started selling off his collection. He
then told me that his last Tobin rie
was at an Ontario auction house and
would be sold that coming weekend.
I got the name of the auction house
and phoned the owner. He told me
they had the rie but they would not
even consider trying to export it to
me if I should win it. I contacted Mr.
Blyth, the consigning owner, after the
weekend sale and learned from him
that a collector had paid the equiva-
lent of $750 for his rie.
That rie had been offered in the On-
tario auction as being in 90+ percent
condition, and still had a tag attached
that indicated it had once been the
property of the Winchester Museum.
Mr. Blyth said he had bought it decades
earlier from the Flayderman company
here in the United States.The rie sold
with the Flayderman tag still on it.
This July 1912 full-page Rod And Gun in Canada advertisement is the rst
known mention of a rie being made by a company internationally known as a
scattergun maker. No price is mentioned and no description whatsoever is given!
Very unusual advertising technique.
Though badly fragmented, this page from the June 1913 issue of Rod And Gun
In Canada is our only documentation that the company actually rst offered
the little rie to the general public, and not just as a selling premium to the
magazines army of young salespeople.
|
65
We discussed the unusual ring pin
system I had discovered in my rie. Mr.
Blyth said all of his ries had round
ring pins rather than the thin block
of machined steel used in mine, which
is pinned on a slot through the block
so it may rebound once the primer is
struck. The little handle on the breech
block is screwed through the steel r-
ing pin block.
Like the Hamilton ries, the Tobin
has a quick takedown bolt in the bot-
tom of the gun which enabled its own-
er to break it down to a much handier
22-inch length for camping, shing or
hiking. Interesting to note is that un-
like most of our takedown-type guns,
the Tobins takedown bolt has no slot
in the head for a screwdriver. Howev-
er, the large, thick head is completely
knurled to aid in grasping it when your
hands might be wet. I guess the makers
felt nger tight was more than ad-
equate to hold the stock onto the bar-
reled action.
Another unusual feature of this rie
is the fact that it s rear sight has no slot
in it to accomodate a stepped elevator
as most of our similar ries have. One
would have to assume the elevation was
accomplished simply by bending the
sight to desired height.
Here are the stats on this little rie
that never was.
The Tobin Boys Rie
Manufacturer: Tobin Arms Mfg. Co.,
Ltd., Woodstock, Ontario, Canada
Overall length: 37 inches
Barrel length: 22 inches
muzzle to breech
Caliber: 22 rimre
(Short, Long, and Long Rie)
Weight: 3-3/4 lbs.
The ries years of production and
quantity manufactured remain un-
known. From these few vintage adver-
tisements Ive obtained we learn only
that they could not have been produced
until after Tobin had moved his busi-
ness to Woodstock in 1906 and gone
into production some time after that.
Its also known that even though he was
enjoying worldwide sales of his high
quality scatterguns, by 1916 he was in
the process of shutting down his fac-
tory and business. (Frank Tobin passed
away in 1939.) Therefore, we can state
with some condence that the little
Tobin rie was manufactured between
1906 and 1916. However, given the na-
ture of things, some Tobin ries may
have trickled out of the factory a bit
later than that.
Anyone with any information on
Frank Tobin or his boys rie may con-
tact me care of Gun Digest. Together,
we may yet piece together the entire
story of the elusive Tobin Boys Rie!
Note: My thanks to Mr. Don Blyth,
who furnished the copies of the old
advertisements. Mr. Blyth, along with
the well-known Tony Dunn, is a pub-
lished co-author on Canadian .22 rim-
re ammo boxes. He has also spent
decades asking Canadian gun shops for
info on the Tobin rie and reports only
one man even knew such a rie existed
but had never seen one!
Pictured is a type of ring pin Ive never
observed in any other rearm. Instead of be-
ing round, it is a shaped bar that is loosely
mounted so that it rebounds after ring. Mr.
Don Blyth of Ontario, a gentleman who has
previously owned four of these little ries,
has said that all of his ries had a normal,
round ring pin. He was not aware of this
variation.
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P
erhaps it is a stroke of providence that an author
may, without warning, be deluged with an entirely
unexpected crop of examples of a specic com-
modity that serve to make a work of nonction an
even better nished product. Such has been my experi-
ence during my research on my latest book, A Collectors
Guide to the Remington Rolling Block Military Rie
and its Variations (2009: Mowbray Publishing Company,
Woonsocket, RI).
This latest work is the most intriguing study of an antique
rearm that I have ever encountered, and it didnt reach its
climax until the nal nine months preceding publication.
Never before did so many of the rare, unknown, and unex-
pected variations of the Remington military rolling block
rie make a showing in so short a span of time. From the
practically unheard-of Remington Model 1902 in 7.62x54
mm caliber, to the Remington Cadet No. 206 in .45-70 cali-
ber, to one of six known remaining examples of the Spring-
eld-Remington Transformation ries tested by the St. Louis
Board, to solving the puzzle behind the Remington Greek
Contract Model, never has such a roller coaster of a book
ever confronted me!
In the following pages Ill share a few of the more inter-
esting portions of this work. The trio of of military rolling
block ries and carbines featured herein are perhaps the
rst or the very few seen by a majority of collectors, both
tyro and advanced alike. The very presence of these three
Remingtons which include a two-band .50-70 Govern-
ment caliber rie found in Cuba that smacks of the little
known Civil Guard Model with a hybrid No. 1-1/2 and No. 1
frame in a unique caliber; a .50 caliber rimre carbine with
Cambodian markings; and a nearly nonexistent Model 1902
7mm Mauser caliber rie of El Salvador contract make
for a rare gathering of the elusive and esoteric. Therefore let
us take a truly international journey amongst a few of the
many military rolling blocks that have taxed this authors
bank of knowledge to the utmost!
CollectorsGuide
by George J. Layman
A Trio of Unusual Remington
Military Rolling Block Rifes
A REMINGTON CIVIL GUARD MODE OR SINGLE
ROLLING BLOCK VARIATION UNTO ITSELF
These views of the full length Cuban rie from both left and right side indicate it is in
excellent condition overall. The ries barrel is covered with a ne pitting from the muzzle
to the breech. This is primarily noticeable on the left side of the rie. The right side of
the frame has a minimum of ne pitting; however, it is noticeable to a small extent.
Partial case colors are visible on the right frame as well as along with the butt plate that has
faded case colors which are very brilliant internally when the plate is removed. The right side
of the two barrel bands shows a clear, crisp, deeply-struck Spanish crown.
68
|
A majority of antique military rie collectors and students
of the rolling block family of rearms have seldom been able
to acquire one or more examples of a breech-loading single-
shot rie that was once catalogued by E. Remington & Sons
as the Civil Guard Model. Primarily associated with early
purchases of the rolling block by Spain, this elusive variant
listed in Remington factory literature between 1874 and 1884
was often described as a two-band, military rolling block ri-
e in .43 Spanish caliber, having a 30.5-inch barrel that was
coupled with a saber bayonet lug as standard equipment. In-
troduced during Spains rst contract of 1869, it was intended
to arm the Guardia Civil or Spanish Civil Guard, an organi-
zation which today remains an active para military-police
organization serving throughout the peninsula of Spain.
Exact delivery numbers to the Spanish government are
unclear at best, with a majority having been sent to Cuba to
arm the Ejercito Ultramar, which was Spains overseas colo-
nial armed forces. The most common number given by his-
torians has been estimated at 3,000 pieces received by Span-
ish quartermasters in colonial Cuba. A very small number of
these ries have been retained by the Remington Museum,
not to mention those few that had been sold during the late
1940s downsizing of the museums inventory.
The November 1, 1920, Remington Museum inventory list
compiled by Melbourne Chambers displays a disappointing
total of four, with two very unique examples that are now
stored in the museum archive room. One is in a very pecu-
liar .42 Berdan caliber, with another specimen in the proper
.43 Spanish caliber but made up with a New York State ac-
tion and a rubber butt plate. The author purchased one of
the other Civil Guard Models that were sold off in the 1940s,
which was a .58 Berdan-caliber example that had two bar-
rel bands and a Turkish crescent moon and star stamped on
the left hammer at. Identied by a brass tag with inventory
number 146, this particular Civil Guard Model has neither
the correct .43 Spanish chambering, nor the standard saber
The right breech block at has a small tri-leaf cartouche which was a
standard marking on Remington Spanish contract ries and carbines.
|
69
70
|
bayonet lug.
None of the past or present Civil
Guard Model ries in the Remington
museum is a catalog correct repre-
sentation. The Schuyler Hartley & Gra-
ham shipment records of 1868 to 1900
list a mere 1,130 of the .43 Spanish-cali-
ber Civil Guard Models as having been
shipped to Argentina. No others of this
variation are noted on this listing and
recorded as shipped to any other nation
in the Spanish-speaking Americas, nor
even to Spain itself.
In the past 45 years of military roll-
ing block research and collecting, the
author has examined a total of four
genuine catalog-correct Civil Guard
Model Remington rolling block ries,
and has owned one example which was
British proof-marked. It was discovered
in British Honduras in the mid-1990s.
All ries of this genre observed to date
have displayed evidence of having per-
formed hard but honest service and all
appeared to be in very good condition
as a whole.
During the course of completion of my
latest book, it was in early in 2009 that
a most inscrutable Remington-manu-
factured military rolling block rie was
obtained. This particular arm may be
described as a special order variation
of Remingtons Civil Guard Model, ap-
pearing to be in a singular category all
to itself. A genuine pre-1898 antique, it
was discovered in Cuba, of all places,
and purchased from a Russian acquain-
tance who is a collector and purveyor of
international military antiques. Since
Russian citizens may travel to Cuba and
export a variety of commodities, it is a
rare stroke of fortune to have friends
with such privileges!
What I had purchased was a two
band, Remington-made military roll-
ing block in .50-70 Govt. caliber, with
two Spanish crown-marked barrel
bands that was manufactured with the
smaller, No. 1-1/2 action such as found
on the Lightweight Baby Carbine,
albeit cosmetically similar to a scaled-
down, Civil Guard Model minus the
saber bayonet lug. Stamped on the right
breech block at is a tri-leaf cartouche,
which is often present on the early, rst
contract Spanish Model rolling block
ries in .43 caliber which were often is-
sued to the colonial garrisons in Cuba,
Puerto Rico, and perhaps the Philip-
pines as well. This remarkably well-
maintained rie, together with an un-
known number of others of its ilk, was
evidently supplied to a specic unit(s)
in the colonial Spanish period. It could
also perhaps have been a straw purchase
by insurgents in that island nation prior
to or during the War of 1898.
Though not a Civil Guard Model in
the classical catalog-specied sense of
the word, this two-band rie using the
full house .50-70 center re cartridge
Without question, this is one military rolling block with a
set of markings that few collectors would have thought
ever existed one stamped with crisp, prominent Sanskrit
letters identifying it as the former Cambodian military or
police property. The appearance of this Remington carbine
is another indicator that French inuence was still very
prevalent throughout Southeast Asia in the nineteenth
century. Such an early Remington military carbine with a
Type 2 action in any rimre chambering is considered a
rare nd. Note the concave axis of the rimre breech bloc,
and the six oclock position of the ring pin. Externally,
the barrel sides of the chamber are completely round,
something reminiscent of the Whitney rolling block, but
the barrel displays no markings. The closeup of the seven-
bladed Chakra stamped over the receiver ring shows it to
be deep and everlasting:a number 3 next to two similar
consonants with a T-like pronunciation. The square-like
cartouche at the end, which appears to be an Arabic L or
a C, may also be an obliterated royal inspectors stamp
or yet another Sanskrit mark. The sling swivel channel on
the lower butt stock behind these markings has the texture
of hard rubber or an ebony-like ller. (Authors collection.)
|
71
has the E. Remington & Sons address
on the tang with the last patent date
of March 1874 and is equipped with a
rotary extractor. Upon removal of the
forearm, a cartouche of A.F.G. can be
seen on the rear at. A genuine anom-
aly among rolling block ries in .50-70
Govt. caliber, it would almost ll the
bill as the elusive but scantily advertised
Cadet Model 301 once sold by Charles
Godfrey in New York City; however, it is
physically quite different. The presence
of tang markings indicating production
prior to the 1886 receivership of the
Remington company is one of the phys-
ical traits which give this rie a full-size
look, in addition to its very uncommon
smaller frame. Further research sug-
gests that the A.F.G. cartouche has an
afliation with the pre-1898 Spanish
Customs and Tariff Service located near
present day Guantanamo, Cuba. In the
nineeenth century, this region was one
of the main ports where Spain received
all incoming military goods shipped to
Cuba. It was also one of the main ofces
of the Spanish Aduanero, which is the
customs branch. Thus it appears that
the customs ofcers were armed with
ries and revolvers different in caliber
and sometimes type from those issued
to the army.
Unlike the tri-at upper receiver
design of the Cadet Model 206 in .45-
70 (which, by the way, was the only
Remington military rolling block sold
commercially in this chambering) this
unique .50-70 has a rounded upper re-
ceiver, a la the Light Baby Carbine. In
addition, the rear sling swivel is located
on the buttstock and not on the front
of the trigger guard, a common feature
unique to the various cadet models
including a small number of full-size
United States martial rolling block ri-
es and carbines. The mere presence of
this esoteric military rolling block rie
provides a degree of certainty that Cuba
may still retain a substantial inventory
of military rolling block ries.
Returning to the Civil Guard Model
in its basic conguration, the one point
that puts it out of place with main-
stream Spanish military rolling block
ries is the presence of the saber bayo-
net lug. Many collectors are aware that
among the rolling block ries sold to
Spain from Remington, including those
domestically produced by the Span-
ish under license, all ofcial military
versions were manufactured to accept
only the angular bayonet. That is to say,
except for the small numbers of Span-
ish-made musketoons and the so called
Royal Bodyguard Models the latter
having a lug made to accept a 27-inch
saber bayonet makes all of this an
exception and not the rule. It may well
be assumed that the standard, catalog-
specied Civil Guard Model many col-
lectors are quite familiar with may have
been a failure from a marketing stand-
point and ended up being sold off to
72
|
customers enthralled by its catchy no-
menclature. Thus this rst-to-be-seen,
and obviously rare, No.1-1/2 size Civil
Guard style rie, chambered in .50-70
Government and adapted to an angular
bayonet, may indeed be an indepen-
dent, unknown variation that acciden-
tally slipped through the cracks.
The possibility may also exist that
documentation of this model could
have disappeared among the many nat-
ural calamities that over the years have
robbed historians of much vital data
pertinent to Remington history and
its products. Should Cuba ever become
opened for free trade in the future and
permit American citizens the opportu-
nity of unrestricted travel, the research
of military rolling block history will be
an area we simply must look into.
The presence of the Remington roll-
ing block in Asia has normally been
conned to China and Japan as far as
general knowledge is concerned. Since
the publication of the authors most re-
cent work on the military rolling block,
this region has proven that those coun-
tries using this particular single shot-
military rie was more widespread than
previously thought.
One Asian country that had never
been thought of as a user of the Rem-
ington rolling block system is the one-
time French Protectorate of Cambodia,
which is bordered by Siam (the name of
Thailand prior to 1939), Viet Nam, and
Laos. Just two years after the end of the
Viet Nam war in 1975, this .50 caliber
rimre Remington saddle-ring carbine
was found in Thailand in an area not far
from the Laotian capital of Vientiane.
One of the great surprises of this
carbine was that after its forearm was
removed, it revealed a WWII vintage
ten peso, Japanese occupation note
from the Philippine Islands! How this
ended up hidden under the forearm
in between the barrel is truly puzzling
especially since Cambodia is a good
distance over water from the Philip-
pines. It may well be that this carbine
was taken as a souvenir by a Japanese
soldier in Cambodia or Thailand dur-
ing the war who had been previously
stationed in the Philippines and took an
occupation note as a souvenir and hid it
in the rie. Other than this, it could be
anyones guess!
This carbine was brought back by an
Army ofcer to the United States as an
antique war trophy in 1977, which is
probably the rst time this rolling block
had returned stateside in over a century!
The carbine is identied by its Cambo-
dian Sanskrit markings, as well as the
presence of a twelve-bladed Chakra,
(Top left) A perfect example of one of the Remington Model 1902 El Salvador contract ries shipped without the roll
stamped national crest on the receiver ring. This specimen was found by the author in a wooden crate of 10 identical
ries. Discovered in 1995 in an abandoned warehouse near Quantico, Virginia, once leased by Hunters Lodge (Ye Olde
Hunter) a few miles to the north in Alexandria during the 1960s, the site yielded some interesting leftovers of the past.
With the help of an acquaintance, the author obtained the entire case of 7mm Remington rolling block ries. Each rie
was equipped with a Remington marked knife bayonet and metal scabbard and leather frog, all having a Ye Olde
Hunter shipping label and tag banded to the buttstock. Handwritten on each tag was, Salvadoran Remington Roll-
ing Block Rie w/ Bayo and Scabbard, VG Condition, $19.95. All tags were dated 8-17-68, a time somewhat past
the golden era of the 50s and 60s milsurp years.
As seen here, the condition of the ries rates about very good: nice bores, and all stocks have the abundance of the
usual dings of the past. Each bayonet appears to be in far worse condition than the ries, with all blades showing
deep pits that smoothed out quite well after cleaning. The absence of the Salvadoran national crest is very obvious;
however accompanying paperwork in the case specied all were imported directly from that Central American country,
with customs clearance from the port of Norfolk, Virginia. Entry into the United States was granted in May of 1968.
Following the acquisition of this case of ries, the author has since assumed that El Salvador may well have been one
of the last countries south of the border to clean out their armories and unload the nal shipments of 7mm Remington
rolling block ordnance. Rumors still persist that Nicaragua has about 3,000 remaining in the Managua arsenal, and at
least a half a dozen have trickled in through Canada since 1988. The question is: how many still remain?
As to why this misplaced case of ten ries were never returned to Hunters Lodge main warehouse, no one has any
idea. All this author knows is that the developer of the property where they were stored in 1995 told my friend to clean
the place out and take what you wish, otherwise it will all end up in a landll! There truly is nothing better than good
friend! (Authors collection. Photos by Tony Matias.)
|
73
an ancient pin-wheel like symbol rep-
resenting blades of re. Most unique is
that its chamber dimensions equate to
an all-but-unknown .50 caliber rimre
cartridge with a case measuring 1.5" in
length and a bullet diameter of .577";
aside from its length, it has a distinct re-
semblance to the .56-50 Spencer rimre.
The action on this carbine is, in its
entirety, a factory-correct Remington
product, right down to placement of the
saddle ring and staple. One feature that
appears somewhat peculiar when com-
pared to other Remington rolling block
carbines is the presence of a ramrod
stop at the front of the trigger guard.
With this being an early Remington
New Model action with rimre breech
block, it may originally have been de-
signed as a two band, full stock, saddle
ring carbine, all of which were equipped
with a short cleaning rod. Regardless of
its original conguration, it is a genuine
rst in the military rolling block col-
lecting eld.
A strong French colonial inuence
in this region of the world may be the
reason why this carbine found its way
to Southeast Asia. For many years, Siam
and Vietnam treated Cambodia as a buf-
fer state, but with France gaining more
and more favoritism and becoming op-
portunistic with the Cambodian king,
they began encroaching deeper into Sia-
mese and Vietnamese territories. A tug
of war between Siam and France ensued
and slowly weakened Cambodia, even-
tually throwing the country into civil
strife. It was at this time that France
supplied Cambodia with arms and ord-
nance to help authorities protect the
country from the scores of bandit and
rebel groups that resulted from all the
civil strife. Most, if not all, military and
police small arms supplied to Cambo-
dia, Laos, and Vietnam from 1884 on
originated from France. Furthermore,
most Remington rolling block ries and
carbines supplied to Cambodias gen-
darmes and military organizations were
taken from the left-over, obsolescent
Franco-Prussian War surplus.
As earlier noted, the caliber of this
carbine has a unique identity crisis. The
fully round, unmarked, 20-inch barrel
is similar to either a Whitney or an 1865
Spencer carbine barrel, having what ap-
pears to be Burnside style three-groove
riing. However, the chamber has am-
ple free bore in order to accommodate a
nearly 1-3/4- inch cartridge. The lower
butt stock has a plugged sling swivel in-
let, carbine butt plate, and Cambodian
Sanskrit markings on the lower butt
stock that appear to be the number 3
at the far right led by what appears as
the number seven and a compound
word using a T-sounding consonant.
Next is what seems to resemble an oblit-
erated cartouche or royal insignia of
sorts, struck in a square, block-print
conguration.
The most signicant of all mark-
ings, however, is the Chakra over the
receiver ring, which genuinely identi-
es this carbine as having been issued
within this region of the world more
importantly, by the French Protectorate
of Cambodia. As previously mentioned,
this pinwheel-like design is a symbol
representing a number of meanings
from several other countries in this
surrounding part of Asia. It is also the
royal marking of the house of Thailand,
something that stems from a time well
before the countrys name was changed
to Thailand. Furthermore, the Chakra
represents the ancient bladed weapon of
the Khmer gods.
The tang markings on this well-used
example are the earliest found on the
New Model Rie Remington rolling
block action, ending with the date April
17 1866. The left side of the frame dis-
plays a cryptic B stamping adjacent
to the extractor screw. This carbine is
equipped with the standard 100- to 500-
yard carbine rear sight. Its nearly black,
oil-soaked stocks, with assorted gouges
and dings, are evidence of hard use. Me-
chanically sturdy, the action is tight, ap-
pearing well-maintained, but the bore
rates only fair.
In conversing with several military
rolling block specialists and collectors,
I found that none has observed a mili-
tary rolling block having Cambodian or
Sanskrit markings or even knew they ex-
isted. Removal of the butt stock reveals
two matching sets of the alphanumerics
D8 2162, stamped on the upper and low-
er left ats of this carbine, which could
be coded serial or casting numbers. The
author is still not certain if this is one of
the 21,117 Remington rolling block car-
bines in various calibers purchased by
France in the period of 1870-71. The full
round barrel is common to the Trans-
formation Conversion Rie. Another
possibility exists that a .58 caliber rie
musket barrel could have been modied
and installed on the action.
The mere presence of this carbine,
coupled with such an exotic and enig-
matic set of markings, is ipso facto as-
surance that the collector of military
rolling block rearms can expect no
foreseeable end of variety in the near
future. This Cambodian example once
again proves that this now highly spe-
cialized eld of collecting is chock full
of ample, unlimited potential.
Mexico and El Salvador are so far
the only Latin American nations of the
smokeless powder era to have their na-
tional crests roll stamped over the re-
ceiver ring, including the only known
variant having the words MODELO
1902 marked at the bottom. They are
seldom encountered in any quantity due
to smaller production numbers.Those
that are found are often in very rough,
well-used condition.
The 1901 El Salvador contract, which
actually commenced delivery the fol-
lowing year, is undoubtedly responsible
for creation of the popular and widely
used term Model 1902. Essentially
a deja vu of Mexicos special order
of three years earlier, the Republic of
El Salvador was the rst quantity pur-
chaser of this new, improved Model
1897. Unlike Mexicos earlier contract
of 14,000-plus ries and carbines,
El Salvadors New Model Small Bore
Military Ries were equipped with the
Albert Day-patent, automatic rotary
extractor of October 22, 1901. In ad-
dition to the national crest, the Salva-
doran Model 1902 was equipped with
a very unique hand guard that has a
longitudinally grooved inlet extend-
74
|
ing from the front of the receiver ring
to the middle barrel band. Those who
may discover one of these in very good
or better condition, together with an
unblemished national crest, should
consider themselves very fortunate, as
the bulk of surviving examples display
excessive wear. This variation is also
an important addition to any collec-
tion of post-1900-era military rolling
block ries.
For the record, it is worth men-
tioning that the Remington Museum
archive room at Ilion, New York, has
fortunately retained a single sample of
the Model 1902 Salvadoran contract
in near new condition, the only one
known to the author in such condi-
tion. Though production numbers of
the El Salvador contract Model 1902
were less than half the total of the larg-
er quantities of the Mexican contract
of Model 1897 ries, the reason so few
have appeared on the surplus market
is due to many having been discarded
by the Salvadoran government some-
time after 1934. During this time, a
large, anti-government revolt was in
progress which saw some 10,000 to
30,000 peasants and revolutionaries
massacred in an event known as the
La Matanza. Many of the anti-govern-
ment factions used obsolete military
ries and machetes during their strug-
gle, and it was reported that thousands
of their weapons were dumped in the
Gulf of Fonseca following the govern-
ments victory. No doubt many rolling
block ries were among them.
The receiver ring on these ries
has an elaborate roll stamped crest
marked, Republica del Salvador-
Modelo 1902 with CAL. 7mm S.M.
(Spanish Mauser) marked ahead of
the upper hand guard. Butt stocks
may also be found with an assortment
of rack numbers as well.
All in all, this variation should be
classied as a special order affair in
its entirety. Surviving Salvadoran de-
fense records show that the rst deliv-
eries of the 5,550 rie contract (but no
carbines) began in the spring of 1902.
In reality, this may perhaps make El
Salvador the rst customers of the so-
called Model 1902 Remington rolling
block featuring the improved auto-
matic rotary extractor. The other half
of the story is that the very presence
of this marking may be the reason
why all of the new rolling block ries
with this feature were responsible for
the unofcial title of Model 1902. It
should also be noted that some Model
1902 Remington rolling block ries
displaying those special features of
the Salvadoran Model, such as the
grooved upper hand guard minus the
national crest, in many cases represent
an overrun variation totaling some-
where in the range of an estimated 800
to 1,000 pieces. Furthermore, an un-
known number were purchased by El
Salvador in 1903 without the crest and
were perhaps signicantly lower in
cost due to the absence of the marking.
Such unmarked ries do occasionally
appear and are of interest to the col-
lector. However, distinguishing an
overrun piece from a genuine second
order Salvadoran version is practi-
cally impossible. Surviving import re-
cords from the now defunct Hunters
Lodge (also known as Ye Olde Hunt-
er) of the 1950s and 60s do indicate
that several hundred Model 1902 Sal-
vadoran-type contract ries without
the national crest were imported into
the United States from both Hondu-
ran and Panamanian sources. These
too may be considered contract over-
runs; however, their early origins can-
not be determined.
Hard usage and the humid jungle
climate took their toll on all the old
military ries. Thus those few 7mm
Salvadoran rolling block ries that
made it to del Norte (The North)
as surplus are normally discovered
in rough, pitted condition. It is a for-
tunate collector who uncovers one of
these prizes in anything better than
good condition.
800-666-SAKO
(7 2 5 6)
Accuite Custom Ries
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|
75
once saw a beautiful French made side
by side 9mmx.22 hammerless Cape
Gun that had the typical box lock ac-
tion with lever on top of receiver. It was
fully engraved. The owner was not in-
terested in selling. Believe me, I tried.
One of the most interesting 9mm gar-
den guns guns I have seen was the Cara-
bine Buffalo. This was made at St. Eti-
enne, France, in the early 20th century.
It is a 9mm/.22 over/under. The barrel
is a solid piece with two bores drilled
through. The muzzle is oval shaped and
the gun has a unique bolt action design.
The front section of the bolt covers the
chamber end of the barrel and has lock-
ing lugs that match lugs on the barrel.
Garden Gun?
As previously noted, this European
term refers to rearms made for close
range control of small pests such as
cats, rats, moles, and birds. The effec-
tive range of the 9mm shotshell is about
25 feet. These low-powered guns can be
used around the yard or inside a barn.
The only ballistic information I was
able to nd on the 9mm rimre shot-
shell comes from the current produc-
tion brass-cased Fiocchi 1-3/4-inch
brass shell with a 1/4-oz. load of # 6, #7,
#8, or #9 shot. Fiocchi lists a muzzle ve-
locity of 600 fps and an impressive 87
foot pounds of energy. In comparison,
the Winchester Super-X .410 2-1/2-inch
load lists a half-ounce charge of shot
with a muzzle velocity of 1225 fps.
According to an Edwardian English
gun writer, the 9mm shotshell was cer-
tainly up to its intended purpose:
With a mini-gun like this it is nec-
essary to start thinking in feet rather
than yards. This is not unreasonable for
something that might be used around
buildings and on farm trackways and
lanes, which are only 12ft or so wide.
A starting point was 6ft from the
muzzle. At this distance most of the
shot was contained in a 3/4in hole. At
12ft the pattern was nice with a 3in
circle and at 18ft there was still a good
pattern.
At 24ft (eight yards) there was still
the potential for bowling a rodent over,
but by 30ft the small amount of shot
was very thinly spread.
A Rie?
Two of my guns have ried bores. The
engraved Warnant single shot has deeply
cut riing and one barrel of the under-
lever double has wide, shallow riing.
As for the 9mm ball loads, I could nd
no data on any of them. All I do know is
that I can see the ball leaving the barrel.
Even though many of these guns fea-
ture rie sights, there is little relation-
ship to where a single ball shot will hit.
No grouping at all. You really can shoot
The unique Carabine Buffalo bolt action over/under
9mm/.22 combination gun.
76
|
these in a basement or parlor. Just dont
fool yourself into believing that doing so
will improve your shooting this is one
case in which the gun really cant shoot
better than you can hold.
Still Available
There are still 9mm garden guns be-
ing made in Europe. Despite the very
small market it seems the old Flobert
9mm will leave a mark in three sepa-
rate centuries. One model found on-
line at an English shooting website is
the Falco, which is made in Italy. This
is a break-open single shot that uses a
pivoting trigger guard as the opening
lever. The gun can be folded almost in
half and there is a groove in the forearm
for the trigger guard to rest in when the
gun is fully folded. They are offered in
9mm and .410. This is similar to a Be-
retta-made single shot that was import-
ed to the U.S. in the 1970s. Some Falco
products are currently imported to the
U.S. but not the 9mm shotgun.
Another current production 9mm
shotgun is made in Italy by Vincenzo
Bernardelli. They call it a Giardino,
which is Italian for gardener. This is a
semiautomatic with a three-round box
magazine. It uses a simple blowback ac-
tion, just like .22 LR ries. This model
appears in the 2010 Standard Catalog
of Firearms with a value range of $100-
$600, depending on condition. [Editors
Note: A ne book! Were personally ac-
quainted with its author. DMS] It is in
the U.S. catalogs of a few importers and
has a MSRP of close to $800, the weak
US dollar being mostly responsible for
the seemingly unreasonable high price.
How Much?
There are very few 9mm rimre re-
arms listed in the price guides, possi-
bly only the Winchester Model 36 and
the Bernardelli Giardino. I have found
no evidence that there has ever been a
commercial importation to the United
States of any bolt action 9mm shotguns.
Many here in the U.S. were brought
home as souvenirs from WW I and II.
Other used guns have been imported
recently from Sweden. Some U.S. entre-
preneurs bought up thousands of used
sporting guns there when citizens tired
of the ever-increasing regulation of
rearms and sold them rather than go
through more paperwork to keep them.
Lots of 9mm shotguns were included. I
have six guns that came from one im-
porter, including the Belgian Warnant
SxS.
9mm bolt actions typically sell in the
$150-$400 range with the name brands
like Anshutz bringing the most. The
Winchester Model 36 has a price range
of $225-$750 in the 2010 Standard Cat-
alog of Firearms.
Side by side, over/under, Flobert and
Warnant guns are valued mostly as cu-
riosities. Price will be determined by
condition, maker, and quality. Single
shots generally sell for $150-$300. Two-
barrel guns can be $300-2500. A nely
made hammerless double could bring a
lot more.
Two-barrel garden guns, top to bottom:
Warnant system 6mm/9mm over/under, no makers
mark; Warnant system 9mm side by side marked
Mariette Brevete, with Belgian-proofed 29-inch barrel,
no caliber markings; side by side 9mm underlever
break-open action, no makers mark, German proof,
23.9-inch barrel, has no caliber markings.
Extended Mag Releases
Ranch Products
P.O. Box 145, Malinta, OH 43535 PH: 419-966-2881
All items Post Paid.
MK-I & II (Blue).......................... $9.95
(Stainless) ..................$12.95
10-22 (Blue).........................$12.95
(Stainless) ..................$15.95
M77-22 (Black) .......................$12.95
(Silver) .......................$12.95
M77-22 AW ................................$12.95
MK-3 Hammer-Release Spacer .. $8.95
Wanted for my collection:
M-1873 1st model, M-1886, M-1895.
Also collecting Bullard Lever Action Ries.
Please call or write:
DON SCHOFIELD
No. 2 Bahama Circle
Tampa, FL 33606
813-253-2495
REATA
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|
77
Loading Up
9mm rimre shot shells are still made
by Fiocchi with limited importation to
the US. These function ne in the semi-
automatic Bernardelli, for which they
are made. These shells will t and re
safely in most of other guns but some
have a problem with extraction. The
full-length brass sticks in the cham-
ber, requiring extra effort to remove. A
cleaning rod from the front works best.
The old loads were paper-walled, often
with odd-looking oral or leaf designs
printed on them, looking something
like brass-capped Chinese recrackers.
There are not any paper 9mm shotshell
loads currently being imported to the
U.S., but some small manufacturers
might still produce them for the Euro-
pean or South American market. 9mm
rimre ball caps are currently made by
Fiocchi and RWS and are available from
specialty importers and retailers such as
Midway USA (midwayusa.com), where
theyre currently priced at $22.99 for a
box of 50.
That seems a reasonable price to pay
to keep one of these strange old shot-
guns shooting. If you have a 9mm gar-
den gun, especially an older one, the
best advice is to have it checked out by
a competent gunsmith before ring it.
Then the only thing youll have to wor-
ry about are the people who ask you,
What the heck is that?
German Warnant system
side by side. The left barrel
in smoothbore, the right
barrel is ried. Note the
folding leaf sight.
THE NINETY-NINE
REVISED THIRD EDITION
DOUG MURRAY, AUTHOR/PUBLISHER
20 POLO LANE, WESTBURY, NY 11590
Please Make Checks to Lynn Murray.
Completely Revised. Illustrated description
of all 32 versions. Serials, Barrel Stamps,
Sights, Engraving, Extra Order, Savage
Brand Ammo and Scopes.
165 pages, durable soft cover.
REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY:
GUNS AND AMMO; AMERICAN RIFLEMAN;
RIFLE; PENNA GAME NEWS; GUN DIGEST;
GUN WEEK
THE MODEL 99 COLLECTORS BIBLE
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78
|
I
hear it all the time at gun shows: Theyre just copies of
Lugers, arent they? Well, no, theyre actually nothing
like Lugers, but in a way the question is not surprising.
Japanese handguns are very little known, especially in
Canada, where I live, and several do have the same general
shape as the famous German pistol. Many people have never
even seen one Japanese handgun, let alone a collection. How-
ever, I have found them to be a fascinating and challenging
eld of study, and the attention my display gets at gun shows
suggests others agree.
The Type 26
When Japan began to modernize its military in the late
1800s, it rst chose a foreign handgun, the Smith & Wesson
Model 3 in .44 Russian, for its army and navy. Between the
late 1870s and mid-1890s it imported an estimated 16,000 of
these revolvers in several variations. Japanese industry pro-
gressed rapidly, though, and soon it had an indigenous de-
sign, the Type 26 revolver, so named because its design was
completed in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of the Meiji
Emperor, i.e. in 1893.
The Type 26, a break-top, double-action only revolver,
combined features of many of its contemporaries, most no-
ticeably a Smith & Wesson-style latch and a left side plate
that swings open like that of the French M1892 revolver.
Like its contemporaries, it is chambered for a rather un-
derpowered cartridge, which is similar to the .38 S&W but
with a much thinner rim. However, its main aw is that the
cylinder locks up only at the moment of ring. As a result,
if the cylinder brushes against something, an empty cham-
ber can easily rotate into the ring position. Modern buyers
unfamiliar with this peculiarity often mistake the free rota-
tion of the cylinder as a sign of breakage, but that is just how
these guns were made.
More than 59,000 Type 26 revolvers were produced. Al-
though they were obsolete by the 1920s, Japans chronic
shortage of small arms meant they were still in widespread
use in 1945, and hence almost all are either very battered or
were arsenal refurbished during the 1930s. Specimens with
the original nish have much deeper bluing than arsenal re-
works and are most easily distinguished by the heat tempered
bluing on the hammer, which has a purplish, iridescent ap-
pearance.
The Nambus
Shortly after the introduction of the Type 26, Captain
(later Lt. General) Kijiro Nambu joined the Tokyo Artillery
Arsenal and began work on small arms. Nambu had the same
broad inuence on small arms development in Japan that
John Browning had in the USA. His work touched everything
from handguns to ries and machine guns.
Nambus rst production handgun design was an eight-
shot, semi-automatic with a shoulder-stock/holster. Now
called the Grandpa Nambu, only about 2,400 were produced
between 1902 and 1906, for private purchase by ofcers.
However, this early model included two features that were
extremely inuential. First, it introduced the 8mm bottle-
necked cartridge that became the standard Japanese pistol
and submachine gun round. The 8mm Nambu is similar in
size to the 7.65mm Luger round, but with a lower velocity that
makes it ballistically more similar to the .380 ACP. Second,
it had a mechanism based on a downward-swinging lock-
ing block, variants of which were used in several subsequent
models. When the pistol is red, the barrel and bolt recoil
together about 3mm. Then the locking block swings down
into an aperture in the rear of the frame, freeing the bolt
to continue its rearward movement. Luger afcionados will
recognize this as totally different from the upward-break-
CollectorsGuide
by Teri Jane Bryant
An Introduction to the Military
Handguns of Imperial Japan
IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WWII-ERA JAPANESE HANDGUNS HAVE NEVER
RECEIVED THE ATTENTION THAT THEIR GERMAN COUNTERPARTS
HAVE. MAYBE THE AUTHOR CAN CHANGE THAT!
|
79
ing toggle action on the much more common
Parabellum pistol. In fact, if the mechanism had
any German inspiration, it was more likely the
Mauser Broomhandle, which also had a down-
ward-swinging locking block, and with which
Nambu would have been familiar.
A direct follow-on from the Grandpa was the
Papa Nambu, which dropped the shoulder-stock and incor-
porated some minor improvements such as a slightly larger
trigger guard and an aluminum (rather than wooden) maga-
zine base. Tokyo Arsenal and the private rm Tokyo Gas and
Electric (TGE) produced more than 10,000 of these pistols
between 1906 and the mid-1920s. The Japanese referred to it
as the Riku-shiki (Army-Type), which was ironic, since the
Army never adopted it ofcially, while the Navy did, in 1909.
Once again, a chronic shortage of weapons resulted in the
Papa continuing in service until 1945, by which time decades
of use in the Navys salt-spray environment had left most of
them in very rough condition. Like the Type 26 revolver, only
a handful of mint specimens are known.
Many Japanese ofcers found the full-size Nambu pistols
too bulky and purchased smaller European and American
semi-automatics, such as the 1910 and 1914 Mausers, 1903
Colt and 1910 Browning, for their personal use. To provide
a domestic alternative for this market, Nambu developed a
three-quarter-size version of his pistol. Known
as the Baby Nambu, this pocket-sized pis-
tol was mechanically identical to its full-size
counterparts but red a unique bottle-necked
7mm cartridge with muzzle energy similar to
that of the .32 ACP. Since they were almost
twice the price of a European pistol, they were
mostly purchased by senior ofcers and therefore led pam-
pered lives. Only 6,500 were produced, 90 percent by Tokyo
Arsenal and the rest by Tokyo Gas & Electric. Their rarity
and extremely high level of craftsmanship have made them
among the most sought-after of Japanese pistols.
The Type 14
The 1920s saw the development of Japans most common
sidearm, the Type 14. Adopted by the Army in 1925 (the
fourteenth year of the reign of the Taisho Emperor, Hirohi-
tos father) and by the Navy in 1927, approximately 280,000
were produced between late 1926 and August, 1945. While
broadly similar in design to its predecessors, it was much eas-
ier to produce and incorporated several improvements, such
as dual recoil springs. The rst 102,000 or so produced up
until September of 1939 had a small, rounded trigger guard.
Those produced thereafter had an extended trigger guard to
allow the use of a gloved nger in cold weather. The large
Early Tokyo Arsenal Showa 4.2
(February, 1929) Type 14 and
late Nagoya Arsenal-Toriimatsu
Showa 20.5 (May, 1945) Type
14 show differences in cocking
knobs and grips, as well as
addition of magazine retention
spring on front of grip. Shown
with service medals from the
Manchurian (left) and Chinese
(right) campaigns.
80
|
trigger guard version is sometimes re-
ferred to as the Manchurian Model,
Kiska Model, or Winter Trigger
Guard Model. However, these terms
have fallen into disfavour since all pis-
tols produced after September of 1939
had the large guard regardless of where
or in what season they were issued.
Type 14 pistols are easily dated since
the year and month of production were
recorded just below the serial number
on the right rear of the frame. They are
recorded using the Japanese emperor-
based system of dating, with the year of
the Emperors reign rst, followed by a
period or comma and then the month.
For example, a marking of 18.6 in-
dicates the sixth month (June) of the
eighteenth year of Emperor Hirohitos
reign. To convert these imperial dates
to Western style, simply add 1925 (e.g.,
Year 18 was 1925+18=1943). The
only exception was the rst 100-150 or
so pistols produced, which were made
during the last months of the reign of
Hirohitos father, i.e. in 1926. These do
not have a reign name character in front
of the date, which could range from
15.8 to 15.12, and bear low serial num-
bers of up to around 100 (note that guns
with the dates 1.8 to 15.1, a character in
front of the date, and serial numbers in
the 72000 to 87000 range were made
much later, during Hirohitos reign,
and are relatively common). If you nd
one of these ultra-rare pistols, known
as Taisho Type 14s after the name of
Hirohitos fathers reign, you have really
hit the jackpot!
The Type 14 was Japans primary side-
arm for 20 years. It had several strong
points, such as ease of disassembly, great
pointability, a very light trigger that
breaks at around 2.5 lbs., good inherent
accuracy and mild recoil, all of which
made it easy to shoot well. On the other
hand, it had three major defects. First, it
was prone to misres due to striker tip
breakage and inadequate power of the
striker spring. To combat this problem
Papa Nambu and Baby Nambu. The latter was
designed to compete with European pocket semi-
automatics for private purchases by ofcers.
|
81
a spare striker was issued with each pis-
tol, and the striker length was reduced
from 87mm to 73mm and then 65mm
to lighten it.
Second, the safety required two hands
to operate, since it was located too far
forward on the left side and had to be
rotated 180 degrees. Third, the bolt
locked back on the magazine follower
after the last shot, making reloading
slow and awkward unless one is fortu-
nate enough to have been blessed with
three hands. Since the Japanese had a
rather limited idea of the military use
of handguns, neither of the latter two
design shortcomings was considered
worthy of corrective action. Indeed, in
December of 1939 another highly vis-
ible change was introduced that made
reloading even slower: a magazine re-
tention spring was added. This spring
protrudes through the lower part of the
front grip strap and prevents magazine
loss by catching a released magazine af-
ter about 3mm of downward travel so
that it can be manually extracted. De-
spite these shortcomings, the Type 14
continued in service with the Japanese
coast guard until the 1960s!
There were ve producers of Type
14s, and numerous variations in cock-
ing knobs, grips, etc. One could make a
very interesting collection of just Type
14 variations and their holsters, which
themselves come in at least eleven ma-
jor varieties. Late war Type 14s, partic-
ularly those from 1944, the peak year
of production, are often available in
excellent condition at reasonable prices
and therefore make an excellent repre-
sentative Japanese pistol for the World
War II collector, or a starting point for
a more ambitious Japanese collection.
Their often rough nish should not be
confused with actual wear and tear, a
common mistake. While early Japanese
pistols such as the Baby Nambu had t
and nish equal to the best anywhere,
as World War II progressed, less and less
attention was paid to cosmetic issues
such as polishing and bluing. Eventu-
ally poorly trained schoolgirls made up
a large part of the labour force in arms
factories, resulting in poor quality and
an appalling rate of workplace injuries.
Oddly, very rough Type 14 pistols made
in the last month or two of production
(July and August, 1945) are prized by
many collectors specically because of
their crudity. These pistols, known as
last ditch, combine poorly made new
parts with those scavenged from earlier
rejects or damaged pistols sent in for
repair. They usually lack nal inspec-
tion stamps in the area near the date
and should denitely not be red. (Of
course, like any antique rearm, even
earlier, higher-quality Japanese pistols
should be inspected by a competent
gunsmith for safety before ring.)
Just before the Type 14 went into pro-
duction, Lt. General Nambu retired and
established the Nambu Rie Manufac-
turing Company. Initially it produced
only training ries, but by the late 1930s,
after merging with two other com-
panies and assuming the name Chuo
Kogyo (Central Industries), it became
the largest private producer of military
small arms in Japan. Besides pistols, it
made the famous knee mortar and
Type 100 submachine guns, among oth-
ers. A successor company operated in
post-war Japan until the 1970s, when it
was absorbed by Minebea, the Japanese
bearing maker. The companys pistol-
making heritage was preserved when it
was granted a contract to produce SIG
pistols under license for todays Japa-
nese Self-Defence Forces.
The Notorious Type 94
The last major design used by the Im-
perial Japanese military was the Type 94.
Its designation results from its adoption
by the Army in 1934, which was 2694
by the Japanese calendar (it was never
adopted by the Navy). Contrary to re-
ports in some early sources, this pistol
was never intended for civilian sale; it
was designed at the specic request of
the military.
This unusual pistol broke with previ-
ous Nambu designs in two important
respects. It had a hammer and ring
pin rather than a spring-driven striker,
and the locking block was a downward-
oating wedge. Considered by many to
be a good candidate for the title worlds
ugliest pistol or even worlds worst
military handgun, the Type 94 perhaps
deserves reappraisal. Its small grip and
compact overall size actually were ideal
for the smaller stature of Japanese sol-
diers, who averaged only 5'3" and 123
lbs. Its compactness was especially ap-
preciated by those working in conned
spaces, such as pilots and tankers. The
holster magnied the advantage, as its
Japanese cartridges. From left to right: 9mm revolver; early 8mm Nambu with cupro-nickel jacketed bullet; 8mm
Nambu with copper-jacketed bullet adopted in 1942; 7mm Nambu for the Baby; .44 Russian for the early imported
Smith & Wessons; .32 ACP for ofcers private purchase sidearms and a few small-volume domestic pistols.
82
|
tailored design contrasted sharply with
the bulky clamshell designs issued with
most prior Japanese sidearms. The safe-
ty was also better positioned and can be
operated with one hand.
On the down side, the design of the
Type 94s locking mechanism was weak
and prone to premature wear, the sights
are poor and the trigger is long and
creepy. However, by far its most noto-
rious feature was undoubtedly its ex-
posed sear bar on the left side. Press-
ing on its forward tip when the safety
is disengaged allows the pistol to be
red without depressing the trigger. Al-
though inherently an undesirable, un-
safe feature, in practice such discharges
require sufciently focused pressure on
a small area that they were never a se-
rious operational issue. About 71,000
Type 94s were made by Chuo Kogyo,
the only producer. Frequent changes in
machining and the placement of mark-
ings and the late-war use of slab wooden
grips instead of the earlier checkered
bakelite mean there are also numer-
ous variations for the serious collector
to pursue. Last ditch Type 94 pistols
often show even worse quality than the
late Type 14s and, although of great his-
torical interest, they should certainly
not be red.
Tips for the Beginning Collector
If youve been keeping score, you have
probably gured out by now that total
production of handguns by Imperial Ja-
pan during the entire period 1893-1945
was less than 450,000, even including a
small number of rare weapons produced
late in the war, such as the Hamada. (By
comparison, Germany made several mil-
lion Lugers during the same period, not
to mention the many other sidearms it
adopted.) Most Japanese handguns were
destroyed at the end of WWII; most of
those that survived were brought home
as war trophies by US troops. Many of
these pistols are still being dug out of at-
tics, garages and closets and put on the
market by the heirs of the servicemen
who brought them back. A good start to
a collection would be a Type 26 revolver,
two Type 14s (small and large trigger
guard versions) and a Type 94. These
examples would represent over 90% of
all the Japanese handguns made. From
there one can easily branch out into col-
lecting the many variations of either the
Type 14 or Type 94, or (if ones budget
Early models of Type 14 holster had a solid leather
closure strap (right). In 1939 a springloaded strap was
adopted (middle). In late 1942, rubberized canvas was
adopted as a leather substitute. It proved much more
resistant to rot in tropical climates. Also shown are an
early magazine (left, with nickel plating), a late magazine
(blued, with a notch in the lower front for the magazine
retention spring), and a cleaning rod.
The Type 94 had an exposed sear bar. When the
safety is off, pressing on the forward portion
(indicated by the pencil tip) will re the pistol.
|
83
allows) attempt to complete the Nam-
bu Family with the rarer types such
as the Papa, Grandpa and Baby. There
are now excellent sources of reference
information available to guide the be-
ginning collector or help the established
one reach new depths of understanding.
Two outstanding reference books have
been published recently. The most com-
prehensive is Japanese Military Car-
tridge Handguns 1893-1945 by Harry
Derby and James Brown. Mr. Browns
Collectors Guide to Imperial Japanese
Handguns 1893-1945 is also available at
a very modest price for those on a strict
budget (it even has some new informa-
tion that has turned up since the larger
volume came out, as well as advice on
valuation). Online resources are also
available, such as my website, www.
nambuworld.com. I strongly recom-
mend doing some research before you
plunge into a purchase, as few sellers
know what they really have due to the
specialized nature of Japanese weapon
collecting. Joining a group like Banzai,
the Japanese militaria collectors asso-
ciation, is also a good idea: I have found
the advanced collectors very forthcom-
ing with help and advice as they warmly
welcome newcomers to the eld.
Very few Japanese handguns made
their way to Canada, so many people
ask me why I chose such an obscure
eld to collect. My long-term interest in
Japan was one factor, but I also thought
it would be interesting to do something
no one else in my area was doing. In
addition, although they can be hard to
nd, especially in Canada, when they do
turn up, prices are still quite reasonable
compared to some of the more popu-
lar collectible handguns like Colts and
Lugers. You probably wont nd one at
your local gun shop even in the USA,
but if your curiosity has been piqued,
you can often nd them on the major
gun auction websites, Banzais newslet-
ter or one of the bulletin boards devoted
to Japanese weapons and militaria (see
my website for a list of them). Be care-
ful, though: once you get started you
may end up a Nambu nut like me!
NOTE: Teri Jane Bryants interest in
guns and militaria was sparked by visit-
ing gun shows with her father as a child.
Japan began to fascinate her when she
visited the country on an exchange dur-
ing her university years. Her two interests
came together when she saw a battered
Type 14 for sale cheap at a gun show. She
has since developed an extensive Japanese
collection and published numerous ar-
ticles on Japanese weapons and militaria.
She can be reached at [email protected].
Type 94 with holster, cleaning rod and spare magazine. The Showa 18.7 date translates to July, 1943.
Baby Nambu holsters, like those for the Type 26, Grand-
pa and Papa, had individual loops for spare cartridges
in their ammo pouches.
Rubberized canvas holster shows typical Type 14 fea-
tures: pouch for two, 15-round boxes of cartidges, slot for
spare striker to right of ammo pouch, and use of lanyard
to draw pistol. Like many Japanese holsters, this one has
a tag identifying the soldier to whom it was issued, in
this case Superior Private Toru Sayama.
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Wanted Colt 1860 Army Pistols
2nd Gen 44 Cal. Rebated Cylinder
7040 VT. RT. 113
P.O. Box 66
VERSHIRE, VT 05079
Tel. 802-685-0019
[email protected]
www.adamsandadamsengraving.com
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PACK AND POSTAL CENTER

210 Mill Street, Lancaster, MA 01523-2046
Tel. (978) 368-0910 Fax (978) 368-3326
3-Day Inspection Satisfaction Guaranteed.
$20.00 shipping for long guns and handguns
All rearms sold as used collector items only.
3% restock fee for items paid with charge cards
We do not test re or guarantee suitability for live ring.
PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS:

1-W. Bayard .32 ACP Model 1908 Pocket Auto Pistol 2 barrel of excellent bright
bore, 99% of a good quality refinish blue, all matching, very good logo checkered black hard
rubber grips with a tiny chip out at top of screw on right panel, Imperial Eagle proofs on slide and
frame are a little weak due to refinish, excellent function and very nice looking (C&R) .......... $235
2-W. Browning .380 ACP Model 1922 Queen Wilhelmina Dutch Contract Auto
Pistol 4 barrel with minty bright bore, 95% original blue with most loss on nose cap and
thinning front strap, all matching numbers, large W with crown on top of slide, excellent FN
logo checkered hard rubber grips, FN marked matching magazine has an extra hole drilled at the
rear of the body for unknown reason, lanyard staple on frame is missing, excellent function and
comes in a period German ink stamp marked flap holster, excellent function (C&R) .............. $645
3-W. Browning .32 ACP Model 1910 Pocket Auto Pistol 3 barrel with excellent
bright bore, 97% original bright blue with some mild silvering on sharp edges and a tiny area of
light peppery pitting on forward left edge of frame, near excellent FN logo checkered hard rubber
grips, excellent function, slide and frame are matching the barrel is not (C&R). .................... $285
4-W. Colt .22 Short Lord Cased Set of 4th Model Cased Derringer Pistols 2
barrels with unfired bores, 99% original gold plate on frames and 99% black chrome on barrels,
excellent smooth Walnut birdshead grips, consecutive serial numbered pair in their original
fliptop Walnut case with red velvet interior, box shows slight display wear but is overall very good
(26332). .................................................................................................................................. $425
5-W. Colt .22 LR Woodsman Match Target Auto Pistol 6 heavy barrel with good
bright but spotty pitted bore, 95% refinish blue, muzzle break installed, excellent Herrett checkered
thumbrest Walnut grips, push button release magazine, made in 1949 (2nd year of production)
excellent function but just an inexpensive shooter (C&R) ....................................................... $595
6-W. Colt .22 LR Woodsman Match Target Auto Pistol 6 heavy barrel with mint
bore, 99% original bright blue, Elliason target rear sight, grooved front and backstraps, bottom
release magazine, made in 1968, excellent function, collector quality, checkered Walnut thumbrest
grips are mint, (C&R)............................................................................................................ $1075
7-W. Colt .22 LR Woodsman Sport Auto Pistol 4 barrel with mint bore, 99% original
bright blue, fully adjustable target rear sight, bottom release magazine, minty checkered Walnut
thumbrest grips, excellent function, made in 1969 (C&R) . .................................................... $775
8-W. Colt .22 LR Challenger Autoloader Pistol 4 barrel with mint bore, 97%
original bright and matte blue, fixed sights, excellent checkered mottled reddish brown plastic
Colt logo grips, bottom release magazine, made in 1950 (first year production), Challengers were
only made for a few years with a total production of around 77,000 guns, excellent function (C&R)
................................................................................................................................................ $495
9-W. Colt .32 ACP Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Pistol 3 barrel with mint bore,
matching numbers, 80% thinning graying original blue from pocket carry, very good + original
logo checkered hard rubber grips, minty 2 tone magazine, excellent function, made in 1920
(C&R) ...................................................................................................................................... $365
10-W. Colt .25 ACP Model 1908 Vest Pocket Auto Pistol 2 barrel with fair lightly
pitted bore, 40% original blue worn to gray from pocket carry, nice quality replacement smooth
black hard rubber grips, excellent function, made in 1912 (C&R) . ........................................ $135
11-W. Colt 45 .ACP Model 1917 U. S. Army World War I Revolver 5 barrel with
excellent bright bore, 98% factory rebuild blue (probably by Colt), excellent smooth Walnut grips,
barrel has been number matched to frame during rebuild, underside of barrel marked United
States property and butt marked U. S. Army/Model 1917 plus Army serial number and lanyard
ring, looks near new overall except for a little fading on left side of barrel and could pass for origi-
nal if not for light markings, metal exhibits common swirl machine marks from hasty un-buffed
original finish (C&R) .............................................................................................................. $695
12-W. Colt 32/20 Army Special Revolver 4 barrel with very good strong but lightly
peppered bore, 90% original fading blue with straps going a gray/brown, excellent smooth func-
tion with tight lockup, very good escutcheon C checkered black hard rubber grips with a chip
out at locating pin on right panel at bottom so that the chip out is not visible from the side, made
in 1920 (C&R) ........................................................................................................................ $465
13-W. Colt .38 Special Army Special Double Action Revolver 5 custom fitted
barrel with mint bore, slip on band attached bead front sight, 50% faded original blue on frame
and cylinder with some light peppering on surfaces, very good original escutcheon C checkered
hard rubber grips, works fine and locks up tight, cheap backup shooter, made in 1912 (C&R)
................................................................................................................................................ $165
14-W. Colt 32/20 Police Positive Special Revolver 6 barrel with excellent bright
bore, 97% early high Polish original blue with fading on cylinder and some slight sharp edge
silvering, 95% + original fire blue on trigger hammer and screw heads, excellent but later
checkered Walnut silver Colt medallions grips, excellent function made in 1909 (2nd year of
production), collector quality (C&R) ....................................................................................... $675
15-W. Colt .45 Colt Single Action Army Second-Generation Revolver 7 barrel
with minty bright bore, 98% original blue, 95% original fading case color, mint black Eagle hard
rubber grips, excellent function, made in 1973 and comes in a custom Walnut flip top box with
green interior (C&R) ............................................................................................................. $1465
16-W. Colt/Hawes .45 Colt Texas Marshall Single Action Revolvers 6 barrels
with mint bores, 99% original bright nickel plate with some very fine scratches on cylinders, mint
imitation mother-of-pearl 2 piece grips, excellent smooth function, made by J. P. Sauer and son of
Germany in the late 1950s, quality that easily rivals a Colt original but safer in that the firing pin is
a frame mounted inertia type, very sharp looking, have a consecutive numbered pair both in about
the same condition .............................................................................................$1095 for the pair
17-W. Harrington & Richardson .32 ACP Selfloader Pocket Auto Pistol 3
barrel with very good bright bore, 60% original blue with the sides of the slide cleaned almost to
gray to eliminate some light pitting, excellent H&R logo checkered black hard rubber grips, nickel
plated correct magazine, excellent function, fixed sights, grip safety, 2nd variation, based on a
Webley design (C&R) ............................................................................................................. $235
18-W. Harrington & Richardson .32 Rimfire American Bulldog Solid Frame
Revolver 2 5/8 round barrel with very good bright bore, 98% original nickel, 90% dark case
colors, minty American eagle hard rubber grips, matching numbers excellent function (C&R)
................................................................................................................................................ $115
19-W. Harrington & Richardson .22 Short Young America Double Action
Revolver 2 octagon barrel with excellent bore, 85% original nickel, blue and case color with a
patch of moderate pitting on 7 shot cylinder and a previous owners name lightly engraved on the
left side of frame, very good factory hard rubber grips with a repaired chip out at locating pin of
right panel, excellent function both single and double action (C&R) ........................................ $85
20-W. Harrington & Richardson .38 S&W The American Double Action
Revolver 2 3/8 inch octagon barrel with very good bore, all original nickel stripped off and metal
surfaces show sanding or filing, excellent fancy hard rubber grips, spring for cylinder retaining
pin latch is missing as is the trigger returns spring, excellent for parts or the amateur gunsmith
(C&R) ........................................................................................................................................ $30
21-W. Harrington & Richardson .22 Short Young America Double Action
Revolver 2 octagon barrel with very good bore, 95% original nickel with most loss on forward
part of fluted cylinder, 95% original blue and case color, minty fancy checkered hard rubber grips,
all matching and comes in its original matching cardboard 2 piece box with receipt from 1924 and
advertising sheet for 3 in 1 oil, box is in very good condition, neat looking piece of Americana
(C&R) ...................................................................................................................................... $165
22-W. Harrington & Richardson .38 S&W Hammerless Top-Break Revolver 3
rib barrel with good strong bright but pitted bore, 95% original nickel, blue and case color, excellent
target logo checkered hard rubber grips, all matching numbers, excellent function (C&R) .........$95
23-W. Hi Standard .22 LR Model H - D Military Auto Pistol 4 heavy barrel with
mint bore, 99% original bright blue, target rear sight, minty full checkered Walnut grips, as new
in original box with top and bottom of box repaired using clear tape, box contains an original
instruction sheet, (2) small instruction notices on safety and rear sight adjustment and a spare 2
tone magazine, excellent function, made in 1946 (C&R) ........................................................ $795
24-W. Hi Standard .22 LR Supermatic Trophy 107 Series Target Auto Pistol
7 fluted barrel with mint bore and (4) factory drilled tapped and plugged holes for barrel
weights (not included), bridge type target rear sight, matching numbers, mint checkered Walnut
thumbrest grips, stippled front strap, gold plated trigger, safety and magazine release, magazine
has steel base and green follower, made in 1975 with first year use of ML prefix in Hamden,
Connecticut, about new overall with original hang tag, instruction sheet and black box with
Styrofoam insert, end label of box is serialized to pistol, collector quality ............................. $895
25-W. Hopkins & Allen.38 S&W XL Bulldog Folding Hammer Double Action
Solid Frame Revolver 3 octagon barrel with very good bore, 92% original nickel, all match-
ing numbers including mint diamond checkered square butt hard rubber grips, folding Hammer
looks like the Merwin and Hurlbert type, excellent function and tight lockup (C&R) .............. $115
26-W. Iver Johnson .38 S&W Hammer the Hammer Top-Break Revolver 4
ribbed barrel with mint bore, 85% + original blue with flaked blue on right side of frame, 90%
original case color, very good + fancy Walnut smooth Highhold grips, very nice looking and
excellent functioning (C&R) .................................................................................................... $185
27-W. Iver Johnson .38 S&W Hammer the Hammer Top-Break Revolver 3
ribbed barrel with worn pitted bore, 40% dulling original nickel, trigger return spring is broken
and only has left side original hard rubber grip, a sad looking parts gun (C&R) ...................... $15
28-W. Iver Johnson .22 LR Target Seal Eight Solid Frame Revolver 6 round bar-
rel with excellent bright bore, 98% original blue on frame, barrel shows 98% thinning/browning
blue, 98% original case color, factory checkered Walnut Highhold target grips, excellent function
(C&R) ...................................................................................................................................... $185
29-W. Jimenez / Jennings Arms .22 LR Model J. A. 22 Vest Pocket Auto Pistol 2
barrel with mint bore, 99% + matte nickel finish, mint serrated black plastic grips, fixed sights,
cocking indicator, excellent function ....................................................................................... $115
30-W. Kolb .22 Short Baby Hammerless Model 1910 Revolver 1 3/8 oval barrel
with very good lightly pitted bore, 95% + original bright nickel, excellent K logo checkered hard
rubber square butt grips, excellent function which is rare for one of these tiny revolvers (C&R)
................................................................................................................................................ $165
31-W. Luger .30 Luger Model 1929 Swiss Military Auto Pistol 4 barrel with mint
bore, 99% original blue, Swiss cross in a shield on toggle, all matching numbers in the Swiss
style, mint checkered plastic grips, plastic bottom magazine has a few chipouts around edges,
manufactured by Waffenfabrick Bern of Switzerland for military use, these were the last of the
military Lugers and this one is about 700 numbers away from the last production gun, made in
August of 1945 and was once part of the Fred Datig collection and is probably impossible to
upgrade (C&R) ...................................................................................................................... $2785
32-W. Luger 9 mm Para Model P-08 German Coastal Flying Service (KU) Auto
Pistol 4barrel with very good strong but pitted bore, 99% of a 42 code (Mauser) looking late
war bright blue finish that is probably a rebuild or restoration blue, matching numbers on most
parts except unnumbered/un- proofed barrel, KU in front of (4) digit serial number on upper,
small 42 code on takedown sideplate and safety bar, no proofs on right side of frame but has an
Eagle WaA20 proof on ejector, minty matching (renumbered) full checkered wood grips, mint
FX0 Waffen 37 P-08 marked magazine with black plastic bottom, there is lots of controversy
about whether these are Mauser or Kreighoff rebuilds meant to satisfy a contract sale to the
Kustenlieger-Stafflen (coastal flying service), this one looks new but is most likely the more
common rebuild, excellent function (C&R) ........................................................................... $2195
33-W. Luger 9 mm Para Model P -08 WW-I DWM Made English Proofed Auto
Pistol 4 barrel with worn lightly pitted bore, 85% original blue, 1917 chamber date, all matching
numbers except blued body magazine with brown plastic base marked Codil Ltd. Israel at lower
rear of body, matching full checkered wood grips are sound but well-worn and have one replace-
ment grip screw, English proofs on barrel, upper, frame and some small parts, also stamped not
English make on left upper rail, excellent function and not recent import marked (C&R) ..... $985
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34-W. Luger .30 Luger Model 1920 Commercial Auto Pistol 4 barrel with good
strong but pitted bore, 97% original blue, 50% faded straw color, matching numbers on metal in
the commercial style, excellent unnumbered full checkered Walnut grips, no chamber date crown
N proofs on major parts, marked Germany under serial number on frame, very good unnum-
bered wood bottom magazine, excellent function (C&R) ........................................................ $895
35-W. Luger 9 mm Para Model P-08 Finish Marked Kreighoff Toggle Auto
Pistol 4 barrel with near excellent bore, un-numbered or bore sized but with a nice Finnish mark
of a T inside a triangle inside a circle, mostly mismatched parts as most of these pistols were
capture/rebuilds, 95% original blue SA in a rectangle (Suomi Armi) on upper, Kreighoff marked
toggle, good plus full checkered Walnut grips, excellent blued body aluminum bottom magazine,
excellent function and recent import marked on bottom of barrel (C&R) .............................. $1625
36-W. Mauser .32 ACP Model HSc Nazi Commercial Auto Pistol 3 barrel with
excellent bright bore, 97% original high polish commercial style blue with some sharp edge
silvering and a small area of pinprick pitting on right side of slide, Nazi Eagle N proofed, very
good checkered Walnut grips, excellent function (C&R) ......................................................... $595
37-W. Mauser .25 ACP Model 1910 Pocket Auto Pistol 3 barrel with good strong
bright but lightly pitted bore, little or no original finish on metal with some moderate pitting on left
side of slide and sideplate, all matching numbers, dark oil stained one-piece checkered grips are
good and sound but missing both grip screws, still functions fine just looks terrible (C&R) ... $85
38-W. Ruger .357 Magnum Security Six Stainless Revolver 2 barrel with mint
bore, all stainless construction showing little or no wear, fully adjustable rear sight and orange
insert front sight, excellent Pachmayr wraparound rubber finger groove grips, excellent function,
made in 1984. ......................................................................................................................... $395
39-W. Russian Government 7.62 x 25 mm Model TT -33 Postwar Auto Pistol 4
barrel with very good bright bore, 98% arsenal rebuild blue, 1952 dated frame, mismatched
slide, very good original CCCP serrated hard rubber grips with 5 pointed star in middle, lanyard
staple at butt, lever safety, excellent function, import marked slide (C&R).............................. $325
40-W. Sig Sauer 9 mm Para Model P-239 Auto Pistol 3 barrel with mint bore, 98%
+ original black Nitron finish, combat style white dot rear sight and green fiber optic front sight,
8 shot single stack magazine, excellent function, as new in original box but no paper or acces-
sories ...................................................................................................................................... $495
41-W. Smith & Wesson .45 ACP Model 1937 Brazilian Contract Revolver 5
pinned barrel with near mint bore, 99% arsenal rebuild matte blue finish, 98% original case color,
all matching numbers on metal, excellent checkered Walnut silver medallion diamond Center grips
that are a few numbers away from the gun, missing lanyard at butt, excellent Brazilian crest on
sideplate, excellent function (C&R). ........................................................................................ $485
42-W. Smith & Wesson .45 ACP Model 1917 Double Action Revolver 5 pinned
barrel with very good bright bore showing some light pitting, 98% of a fair refinish blue over
some rough polishing, United States property and U.S. Army model 1917 markings have been
removed but GHS inspectors Mark is still on frame, smooth Walnut grips are just good, lanyard
at butt, early serrated sided hammer, barrel and cylinder have matching numbers, number at butt
is gone, excellent function (C&R) . ......................................................................................... $295
43-W. Smith & Wesson .45 ACP Model 1917 Factory Rebuild Revolver 5
pinned barrel that appears to be a newer commercial style but numbered to the frame and cylinder,
99% high polish commercial blue with 95% original faded case color, GHS inspector stamped,
U. S. Army 1917 marking on lanyard equipped butt, no U. S. Property markings on barrel, very
good + checkered English Walnut gold medallion diamond Center grips, marked 7-74 under left
grip panel frame, a super looking factory reconditioned 1917 (C&R) ..................................... $795
44-W. Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum Model 28 Highway Patrolman Revolver
6 pinned barrel with mint bore, 98% + original blue with a light drag ring on cylinder, target
sights, target hammer, plain trigger, very good + diamond checkered Walnut magna grips with
silver medallions and a mismatch numbered right panel, S prefix serial number, 4 screw frame,
made in 1959 and has excellent function (C&R). .................................................................... $535
45-W. Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum Model 686-5 Mountain Gun 7 Shot
Revolver 4 barrel with mint bore, all stainless construction showing little or no wear, white
outline rear target sight with Baughman style front sight in orange glow, standard hammer and
smooth target style trigger show 98% case color, mint S&W logo Hogue monogrip finger groove
wraparound pebble grain rubber grips, excellent function, made around 1998 ...................... $695
46-W. Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum Model 66 Stainless Revolver 4 pinned barrel
with mint bore, all stainless construction shows light field use, target rear and red ramp front sight,
recessed cylinder, mint Hogue was monogrip wraparound finger groove rubber grips, excellent
function made around 1976. ................................................................................................... $485
47-W. Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum Model of 1950 (Pre- 27) Revolver 6 pinned
barrel with mint bore, recessed cylinder, 90% + original bright blue with some holster wear at
muzzle, thinning on cylinder and some silvering on sharp edges, all matching numbers including
excellent diamond checkered magna style grips, 98% original case color, target sights, excellent
smooth function, made in 1953 (C&R) ................................................................................... $835
48-W. Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum Model 66-1 North Carolina State
Highway Patrol Revolver 4 pinned barrel with mint bore, recessed cylinder, all stainless
construction except blued white outline target style rear sight, red insert ramp front sight, standard
hammer and smooth wide trigger, excellent checkered Walnut silver medallions square butt
magna grips, excellent function showing just a bit of actual use, made in 1980 and has N. C. S.
H. P. Seal on sideplate ........................................................................................................... $565
49-W. Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum Model 29 - 3 Silhouette Revolver 10 5/8
barrel with mint bore, 99% original bright blue and case colors, wheel adjustable front sight, target
rear sight, target hammer, target trigger, speedloader cut target Goncalo Alves checkered grips with
silver medallions, excellent function, made in 1983 ............................................................... $895
50-W. Smith & Wesson .38 Special Model 14-3 Target Revolver 6 pinned barrel
with mint bore, 98% + original bright blue and vivid case colors, target sights, target hammer,
target trigger and old style non-speedloader cut target checkered Walnut grips, made in 1975 and
functions perfectly ................................................................................................................... $475
51-W. Smith & Wesson .38 Special Model 10-5 Revolver 4 pinned barrel with mint
bore, 98% original bright blue and case color, fixed sights, excellent checkered Walnut square butt
magna grips with silver medallions, excellent function, made in 1968 . .............................. $325
52-W. Smith & Wesson .38 Special Model 10 Revolver 4 pinned barrel with mint
bore, 4 screw frame, 92% original blue with fading on cylinder and some sharp edge silvering,
98% dark case color, very good Walnut square butt checkered magna style grips with silver
medallions and non matching number, made in 1961 (C&R) ................................................. $285
53-W. Smith & Wesson .32 S&W Safety Hammerless 3rd Model Top Break
Revolver 3 ribbed barrel with minty bright bore, 97% original bright nickel, blue and case color,
excellent function, all matching including S&W logo checkered hard rubber grips, super looker
and near the end of production in 1937 (C&R) ....................................................................... $325
54-W. Smith & Wesson .38 S&W Terrier Postwar War Hi Frame Revolver
2 inch pinned barrel with mint bore, 96% original blue with cylinder going a bit dull and gray,
fixed sights, 5 screw frame, 98% original case color, all matching numbers including excellent
diamond checkered Walnut round but grips with silver medallions, excellent function, made in
1948 (C&R)............................................................................................................................. $425
55-W. Smith & Wesson .22 LR Model 41 Target Auto Pistol 5 heavy barrel with
mint bore, 98% + original blue with a few minor hairline scratches, target sights, cocking indicator,
minty checkered Walnut target grips, looks new outside and in, made in 1978 ...................... $875
56-W. Stevens .410 Gauge Number 35 Auto Shot Single Shot Shotgun barrel is
missing 98% original bright blue and fire blue, solid steel flared blued pommel at butt, excellent
smooth Walnut grips, this was and NFA classified short barrel shotgun until someone disposed
of the barrel, all parts are present including the extractor just needs a barrel in a legal pistol caliber
or legal smoothbore size (C&R) .............................................................................................. $165
57-W. Stevens .22 WRF N0. 40 Pocket Rifle Single Shot Pistol 12 round to
octagon barrel with fair pitted bore, just traces of blue on grey barrel with little or no pitting, 95%
original nickel on frame and trigger guard, bead front and ladder style open sights, cut for a
shoulder stock but none present, matching numbers, very good smooth Walnut grips, opening
push button is a brass gunsmith made replacement, barrel to frame lockup is slightly loose
(C&R) ...................................................................................................................................... $235
58-W. Walther 9 mm Para Model P -38 Nazi Era AC/45 Code Dated Auto Pistol
5 barrel with excellent bright bore showing a little light pitting, 98% original blue over rough late
war machining, matching barrel is marked FNH and is WaA76 proofed, locking block is WaA
359 proofed as is the frame and slide, all matching numbers on metal, minty mottled brown
serrated composition grips, most small parts are WaA 59 proofed like an early Walther P-38
indicating that most of these parts were leftovers being utilized at the end of the war, B block
serial number, minty magazine marked P-38 and with (2) WaA 359 proofs, import stamped in
an odd place (on backstrap under hammer) so very difficult to see, excellent function and a fairly
desirable late P-38 (C&R) ....................................................................................................... $795
59-W. Walther 9 Mm Para Model P-38 Nazi Era AC/44 Code Dated Auto Pistol
5 barrel with very good strong but lightly pitted bore, 98% original blue over machining that is
just starting to deteriorate, all matching numbers and parts WaA 359 proofed, excellent serrated
black composition grips, P-38 and WaA 359 marked magazine, excellent function, inconspicu-
ously import marked (C&R) .................................................................................................... $675
60-W. Walther .22 LR Model PP German Made Auto Pistol 3 barrel with mint bore,
99 % original bright blue, Eagle N proofed, made in 1972, as new in original black plastic case
with (1) fingerest magazine and (1) plain base magazine, collector quality . .......................... $985
61-W. Walther .22 LR Model PPK German Made Auto Pistol 3 barrel with mint
bore, 99% original bright blue with just a hint of blue loss at muzzle of slide which has the
characteristic purple tinge, Eagle N proof, made in 1966, mint Walter banner checkered brown
plastic grips, comes in its original alligator skin 2 piece brown box with (1) mottled brown plastic
fingerest magazine (1) plain bottom magazine, instruction manual, tests target and brass cleaning
Rod, collector quality and still has original grease in action ................................................. $1175
62-W. Walther .32 ACP Model PPK German-Made Auto Pistol 3 barrel with mint
bore, 99 % original bright blue, action is still packed with original shipping grease, mint Walther
banner checkered brown plastic grips, comes in its original brown alligator skin 2 peace box with
(1) mottled brown plastic fingerest magazine (1) plain bottom magazine, instruction manual, test
target, brass cleaning Rod and brush, eagle N proofed in 1966, collector quality ............... $835
63-W. Walther .32 ACP Model PPK German-Made Auto Pistol 3 barrel with mint
bore, 99% original bright blue with a tiny spot of gray at muzzle from box storage, made in 1966
with Eagle N proofs and storage grease still in action, mint Walther banner checkered brown
plastic grips, comes in its original box with one black bottom fingerest magazine one plain bottom
magazine and cleaning brush, box is numbered to gun and is the two piece brown Alligator skin
type, collector quality .............................................................................................................. $785
64-W. Walther .380 ACP Model PP German-Made Auto Pistol 3 7/8 barrel with mint
bore, 99% original bright blue with packing grease still in action, Eagle N proofs from 1966, mint
Walther banner checkered black plastic grips, comes in original alligator skin brown 2 peace box
with owners manual, test target, brass cleaning Rod and brush, one black plastic bottom fingerest
magazine and one plain base magazine, collector quality ....................................................... $865
65-W. Mauser/Manurhin.380 ACP Model PPK/S Auto Pistol 3 barrel with mint
bore, 97% original blue with some sharp edge silvering, Manurhin logo checkered black plastic
grips with matching black plastic fingerest magazine, marked Manurhin international over
Alexandria Virginia on right side of slide, excellent function (C&R) .................................... $575
CENTERFRE RIFLES:
66-W. Enfield 30/06 Model 1917 Remington Made World War I Bolt Rifle 26
barrel with good strong but peppery pitted bore and marked R with flaming bomb and 5-18
date, 98% arsenal rebuild gray/green parkerizing on metal R marked bolt, good solid stock that
shows an arsenal refinish but no cartouches or other markings, all swivels and trap buttplate are
present, a nice all Remington example of a World War I Enfield (C&R) .................................. $515
67-W. F. N. .270 Winchester Commercial Mauser Sporter Deluxe Bolt Rifle 24
barrel with mint bore, 99% original bright blue, hooded ramp bead front sight, drilled, tapped
and plugged for a receiver sight but none present, receiver has nice FN crest and has a Redfield
one piece base with one inch rings installed using factory holes, excellent dark Walnut stock with
pistol grip, fine cut checkering with fancy borders, grip cap, cheekpiece, swivel eyes and FN
logo horn buttplate, bolt is polished bright with a flat bottom checkered knob, excellent function,
push button release floorplate, wood shows a few nicks and dings from a closet storage, excellent
smooth function, a classic bolt rifle ........................................................................................ $745
68-W. F. N./Sears/J. C. Higgins .270 Winchester Model 50 Bolt Rifle 22 sporter
barrel with mint bore, 97% original bright commercial blue with almost all loss on push button
release floorplate, ramp blade front sight and sporting open rear sight plus 2 piece Weaver bases
on receiver using factory holes, hollow knob on bolt handle, scope safety, nice plain Walnut pistol
grip stock with gripcap, logo plastic buttplate, swivel eyes and an old leather sling with Q. D.
Swivels, super quality FN made receiver.............................................................................. $395
PACK AND POSTAL CENTER Tel. (978) 368-0910 www.Packandpostal.com
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69-W. Mauser 8 mm Model 98K World War II Bolt 27/1939 Code Dated Bolt
Rifle 24 barrel with good but peppery pitted bore, 98% dark blue/black arsenal rebuild finish,
standard World War II military open sights, Erma made (code 27) and Nazi marked, mismatch on
bolt, nice matching laminate stock with cup style Nazi marked buttplate, missing its Bolt disas-
sembly disk and wiping Rod, could not find any import marks, excellent function (C&R) ........$345
70-W. Mauser 8mm Mauser Model GEW -98 World War I Bolt Rifle 29 Barrel
with Very Good bright bore, 50% arsenal rebuild blue with receiver mostly gray, barrel Is marked
with an S and receiver bridge has a small crescent mark along with Mauser Oberndorf and
1918 date, probably a Turkish contract rifle, mismatched bolt and small parts, good sound origi-
nal stock with a small chip out on right side edge below straight bolt handle, has original swivels
and wiping rod, Vizier style rear sight, excellent function and recent import marked (C&R) $195
71-W. Mauser 8mm Mauser Model K. 98 Nazi Era Sporterized Bolt Rifle 24 barrel
with excellent bright bore, 90% commercial style blue missing only where blue did not take under
rear sight and where someone removed blue in an attempt to mount a ramp front sight, receiver is
fitted with a Redfield one piece scope base and 1 inch rings, bolt modified for scope use, scope
safety added and bolt polished, BYF marked stamped sheet metal floorplate/trigger guard, stock
is a beautifully made Walnut pistol grip commercial style with cut checkering, roll over cheekpiece,
grip cap, ebony forend tip, Herters logo checkered plastic buttplate, Herters sling swivels and a 1
1/4 inch leather sling, really looks nice .................................................................................. $295
72-W. Mauser 8mm Mauser Model K. 98 CE/42 Code Dated Sporter Bolt Rifle
24 stepped barrel with very good bright bore, 98% of a commercial high Polish blue on metal,
no open sights but has a 2 piece base installed on receiver and 1 inch Lyman Tru-lock rings all
matching numbers on metal, good serviceable Walnut pistol grip stock with added vent recoil pad,
sling swivels and leather sling, excellent function, has turned down and modified bolt handle for
scope use and a Bueller scope safety ..................................................................................... $265
73-W. Mauser 8mm Mauser Model 90 8K 42/1940 Code Dated World War II
Sporterized Bolt Rifle 24 barrel with mint bore, 99% commercial style gloss blue, Geco
marked barrel, all matching numbers on metal, original open tangent rear sight, original front
sight base on stepped barrel but front sight is a white bead Lyman replacement, nice commercial
Walnut pistol grip stock with cut checkering at pistol grip, grip cap, low European style cheekpiece
and serrated plastic buttplate, excellent function ..................................................................... $265
74-W. Remington 30/06 Model 30 Express Bolt Rifle 22 barrel with mint bore, 95%
original blue with dulling blue on floorplate/trigger guard, slip on bead front sight, no rear sight in
barrel band but has correct Lyman receiver sight mounted with small Iris insert, receiver not drilled
or tapped for scope base, excellent refinished Walnut pistol grip stock with cut checkering, reverse
steel buttplate, shepherds hook eyes and a schnaple forend tip, a 1917 Enfield style action with
the characteristic dog leg bolt handle, excellent function (C&R).......................................... $485
75-W. Russian Government 7.62 x 54R Model 1891/30 Bolt Action Sniper Rifle
29 barrel with excellent bright bore, 90% original blue, 1943 dated barrel with hammer and
sickle in a wreath plus arrow in a triangle proofs, matching long handle turned down bolt, match-
ing scope base, excellent clear P.U. Scope in correct mount, import mark on left side of barrel
is partially obscured, very good original stock with wiping rod, leather sling keepers and original
green cloth sling, excellent function and very complete sniper (C&R) . ................................. $675
76-W. Springfield 30/06 Rock Island Made World War I Bolt Rifle 24 barrel with
mint bore and marked SA over flaming bomb with 12-13 date, 98% nice arsenal rebuild light
gray/green parkerizing, military open sights with 2700 yard rear and blade front sight, high number
Rock Island receiver, straight bolt with last 4 digits of serial number stamped on side, very nice
(2) bolt non-finger groove stock with straight grip, fine checkered trap buttplate with plastic
World War II style oiler, all milled trigger guard/floorplate and swivels, no cartouche on stock but
has a P firing proof, excellent function and nice looking World War II rebuild on a Rock Island
receiver (C&R) . ...................................................................................................................... $565
77-W. Springfield 30/06 Model 1903 Mark I Sporterized Bolt Rifle 20 barrel of
mint bore, 80% thinning commercial style blue on metal with milled floorplate mostly gray, ramp
bead front sight and Redfield receiver sight with the disc aperture, R marked sweptback bolt has a
headless cocking piece, standard safety and cutoff, commercial Walnut pistol grip Mannlicher style
full-length stock with cheekpiece, grip cap, Bishop marked plastic buttplate and swivel eyes, a
nice handy 3006 Mannlicher built on a high number receiver ................................................ $375
78-W. Winchester 30/06 Model 70 Pre-64 Bolt Rifle 24 barrel with mint bore, 97%
original blue with just a little fading on top of rear of barrel and edges of floorplate, ramp bead front
sight, slot blank in barrel dovetail and Williams foolproof peep receiver sight, excellent Walnut
pistol grip stock with cut checkering, sling swivels and expertly added Pachmayr vent recoil pad
giving an L. O. P. Of 13 , made in 1948, excellent smooth function (C&R) ........................ $865
79-W. Winchester .270 Winchester Model 70 Pre-64 Bolt Rifle 20 shortened
barrel with mint bore, 98% original blue, slip on ramp bead front sight, slot blank in rear dove-
tail and Lyman WJS receiver sight with screw in small Iris, receiver factory drilled, tapped and
plugged for scope base, excellent dark Walnut pistol grip stock with cut checkering, sling swivels,
and nicely added vent recoil pad giving an L. O. P. Of 13 inches, excellent smooth function, made
in 1949 (C&R) ........................................................................................................................ $735
80-W. Winchester .338 Winchester Magnum Model 70 (Post 64) Bolt Rifle 24
barrel with mint bore and a 2 inch long threaded section for a muzzle break which is covered so
well by a screw on section that it almost disappears, no open sights but has a Weaver 3-9 X 40
mm Micro-Trac scope in Redfield rings and one-piece base, 98% original blue, excellent Walnut
pistol grip stock with cut checkering, grip cap, black forend tip, Monte Carlo, cheekpiece, swivel
eyes and added kick-eez solid rubber butt pad giving an L. O. P. Of 13 , excellent function,
made in 1976 .......................................................................................................................... $675
81-W. Winchester/Sears/Ted Williams 30/30 Model 100 Lever Carbine 20 barrel
with mint bore, 99% original blue on barrel and magazine tube, 40% flaked off blue on receiver,
bead front and sporting open rear sights with elevation wedge missing, excellent dark Walnut
straight grip stock with Sears logo checkered plastic buttplate, excellent functioning Sears branded
model 94 Winchester ............................................................................................................. $285
RIMFIRE RIFLES:
82-W. Hi Standard/Sears .22 S, L & LR Model 25 Tube Feed Auto Rie 22 barrel with
mint bore, 98% + original blue, factory open sights and grooved receiver, minty Ash pistol grip
stock with logo plastic buttplate, excellent function looks near new . ..................................... $145
83-W. Marlin .22 S, L & LR Model 39 Lever Rifle 24 octagon barrel with fairly good
strong but pitted bore, 98% nice refinish blue on barrel and magazine tube, receiver is a mottled
dark silvery gray, bead front and sporting open rear sights plus a very high quality Tang mounted
Longstaff peep sight with a large disk Iris (looks like a Marlin midrange vernier sight), old style
lever and hammer have been nickel plated, excellent old style straight grip Walnut stock and forend
with Marlin logo checkered hard rubber buttplate, excellent function, S prefix serial number
indicates manufacture around 1930, very good looker, excellent function (C&R) ................... $465
84-W. Marlin .22 S, L & LR Model 39-A Lever Rifle 24 barrel with mint bore, 99%
original blue, hooded ramp bead front and folding open rear sight plus a Weaver V-22A 3-6 x
20 mm scope mounted using a Weaver rail and rings and factory mounting holes, excellent Walnut
pistol grip stock with logo plastic buttplate, grip cap and factory swivels, excellent function made
in 1980 . ................................................................................................................................. $635
85-W. Mossberg/Western Field .22 S, L & LR Model 14M a Tube Feed Target Bolt
Rifle 26 barrel with mint bore, 95% + original blue, multi-aperture ramp front sight is missing
its hood, factory wheel adjustable open rear sight plus factory drilled and tapped for a sidemount
scope and target receiver sight (plug screws are missing in both locations) very good Walnut pistol
grip target style stock with Mossberg style finger groove trigger guard, cheekpiece, serrated hard
rubber buttplate, factory sling swivels and leather sling, excellent function (C&R) ...................$135
86-W. Remington .22 LR Model 10 - C Cliploader Auto Rifle 19 barrel with mint
bore, 98% original bright blue, factory open sights plus grooved receiver, minty Mohawk brown
Zytel plastic stock, excellent function and all original . ........................................................ $265
87-W. Remington .22 S, L & LR Model 12 Pump Rifle 24 octagon barrel with excellent
bright bore, factory open sights, metal is a brown/gray mix with lots of light pitting, very good
bullet shaped pump handle, good Crescent butt pistol grip stock with loss of finish and lots of field
use nicks, dings and scrapes, not pretty but works fine and has an excellent bore, made in 1929
(C&R) ...................................................................................................................................... $235
88-W. Remington .22 S, L & LR Model 512 - P Tube Feed Bolt Rifle 25 barrel
of mint bore, 98% + original blue, 95% faded case colors on bolt, ramp blade front sight and
Remington factory peep sight (no barrel dovetail) excellent Walnut pistol grip stock with check-
ered logo plastic buttplate and nicely added swivel eyes, made in 1940 (first year production),
excellent function (C&R) ......................................................................................................... $285
89-W. Stevens .22 LR Model 413 Clip Feed Target Bolt Rifle 26 heavy X barrel
with mint bore, 95% + original blue, Stevens hooded replaceable insert front sight and Stevens
target peep sight with medium disc iris rear sight plus drilled tapped and plugged for target scope
blocks and a sidemount scope, very good marksmen style pistol grip stock with serrated blued
buttplate and factory sling swivels, adjustable front sling swivel bar and canvas no buckle sling,
10 shot magazine in excellent function (C&R). ....................................................................... $395
90-W. Stevens .22 LR Model 44 Single Shot Falling Block Rifle 26 full round heavy
barrel with excellent bright bore, 60% original faded blue going gray and showing a patch of light
pitting about midway on top of barrel, 40% original faded case color on receiver, Rocky Mountain
brass blade front sight and semi-Buckhorn open rear sight which is missing its elevator, excellent
standard forend, near excellent Walnut straight grip stock with Crescent buttplate and showing
(one) hairline age cracking about 1 long at top right rear of butt, excellent function, all original
Model 44 with matching numbers (C&R) ............................................................................... $695
91-W. Walther .22 lr Meisterbusche Single Shot Pre-War Target Rifle 25
heavy barrel with mint bore, 95% original thinning blue, ramp blade front sight and elaborate
open rear sight with wheel adjustments for windage, elevation and eye relief, long grooved top of
barrel and receiver, matching bolt has some filing done (probably to accommodate scope use),
very good Walnut pistol grip target stock with cut checkering, grip cap, logo hard rubber buttplate
with a small chipout at toe and factory sling swivels, excellent function (C&R) ..................... $395
92-W. Winchester .22S, L & LR Model 69-A Clip Feed Bolt Rifle 25 barrel with mint
bore, 98% original blue, replacement bead front dovetail sight, no rear sight (dovetail on receiver),
excellent refinished Walnut pistol grip stock with old style checkered logo buttplate, missing its
magazine but works fine and looks good, and has added swivel studs . ................................ $165
93-W. Winchester .22 LR Model 52 - B Limited Edition Japanese Made Clip
Feed Bolt Rifle 24 barrel with mint bore, no open sights but has Weaver style 2 piece bases
installed using factory drilled and tapped holes, excellent dark Walnut pistol grip stock with cut
checkering, grip cap, black forend tip widows peak style logo buttplate, inletted sling swivels, Q.
D. Swivels and good quality leather sling, near new overall, made in 1993. .......................... $745
94-W. Winchester .22 Short Model 1890 Pump Rifle 24 octagon barrel with good
strong but well pitted bore, 80% original barrel blue, magazine tube and receiver are a nice
smooth plum brown/gray with traces of blue mixed in, factory open sights, matching numbers,
buttstock is straight grip with some expertly done custom checkering, Crescent steel butt and a
nice professional refinish, small ringed pump handle is also refinished, excellent function, made
in 1917 (C&R) . ...................................................................................................................... $495
SHOTGUNS:
95-W. American Browning 20 Gauge Model A-5 Autoloader Shotgun 25 matted
top barrel with 2 chamber, mint bore and marked as modified (2 asterisks) but is equipped with
an early power pack style screw in compensator equipped choke device with a spreader tube
installed (probably for skeet shooting) 98% original blue with the distinctive matted top receiver
with Browning and a light scroll engraving on sides, minty American black Walnut round knob
pistol grip stock with cut checkering, Browning logo plastic buttplate and matching uncracked
forend, these were made for Browning after World War II by Remington until Browning could recover
from Nazi occupation, this one made around 1944 and shows little actual use (C&R) .............$525
96-W. Beretta 12 Gauge Model S56E over/under Shotgun 30 vent rib barrels with
mint bores, 2 chambers and fixed full and improved cylinder chokes, 98% + original bright
blue, coin silver engraved boxlock receiver is near new, single selective trigger, auto ejectors,
excellent French Walnut pistol grip stock with added vent rubber recoil pad giving an L. O. P. Of
14 inches, factory sling swivels are present indicating a European model, excellent function and
very nice looking . .................................................................................................................. $685
97-W. Browning 12Gauge Superposed Lightening Belgian Made Over / Under
Shotgun 26 vent rib barrels with minty bright bores, 2 chambers and fixed modified and
improved cylinder chokes, 98% original bright blue showing just a bit of silvering on sharp edges
of receiver which is very nicely scroll engraved, single selective gold trigger, auto ejectors, excel-
lent French Walnut, round knob pistol grip, long Tang, cut checkered stock with nice color and
figure and professionally added Pachmayr vent pad giving an L. O. P. Of 14 , excellent matching
forend, made in 1965 and still has opening lever right of center, excellent function, a nice hunting
superposed ........................................................................................................................... $1275
98-W. Browning 12 Gauge Model A-5 Auto Shotgun 29 vent rib barrel with excel-
lent bright bore, 2 chamber and fixed full choke, 98% + original bright blue, nicely engraved
receiver, really nice English Walnut pistol grip stock with fancy grain and nice color, cut checkering
and fancy FN logo horn buttplate, matching un-cracked forend with friction ring instruction sheet
still on inside (ring is set for heavy loads), gold trigger, wood shows some light nicks, dings and
scrapes most of which probably came from storage, made in 1970 in Belgium ..................... $695
CONTINUED
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99-W. Browning 12 Gauge Model A-5 Magnum Auto Shotgun 31 vent rib barrel
with mint bore, 3 inch chamber and fixed full choke, 99% original bright blue, nicely engraved
English Walnut pistol grip stock with nice color and grain, cut checkering, Browning logo vent pad
and matching un-cracked forend, made in Belgium in 1968 and shows little or no actual field use
but some light storage dings in wood . ................................................................................... $825
100-W. Browning 12 Gauge A -5 Belgian Made Auto Shotgun 29 solid rib barrel
with mint bore, 2 chamber and fixed full choke, 97% original bright blue with most loss on
belly of receiver from hand carry, excellent French Walnut round knob / long Tang pistol grip
stock with a tiny chip out at right side upper Tang, fancy FN logo horn buttplate and matching
un - cracked forend wood, made in 1952 and shows good care (C&R) .................................. $595
101-W. Browning 12 Gauge Model A-5 Auto Shotgun 27 1/2 inch plain barrel of
excellent bright bore, 2 3/4 chamber and fixed modified choke, 95% original blue with most loss
on nicely engraved receiver (thinning and graying from hand carry), very good Walnut pistol grip
round knob stock with cut checkering, fancy FN logo horn buttplate and a matching forend with
the usual short hairline crack at 6 oclock, shows mild field use and a sticky action from storage,
trigger does not always reset after cocking, made in 1961 (C&R) .......................................... $385
102-W. CZ 20 Gauge Grouse Model 200A Side by Side Shotgun 28 solid raised
rib barrels with mint bores, 3 inch chambers and (5) screw in choke tubes, 99 % original bright
blue, lightly engraved silver finish boxlock receiver with crossbolt and sideclips, single selective
trigger, extractors, mint Turkish Walnut pistol grip stock with round knob, cut checkering, rubber
insert plastic buttplate and matching lever release Beavertail forend, as new in original box with
manual, spare choke tubes and choke tube wrench, limited importation in 2008 and retailed for ..
$1000 nice quality .................................................................................................................. $675
103-W. Charles Daly 12 Gauge Field Model Gas Operated Autoloader
Shotgun 28 vent rib barrel with mint bore, 3 Inch chamber and H. S. Strut The Undertaker very
tight full choke tube, 99% matte blue finish, mint synthetic pistol grip stock with cast in grasping
grooves, factory vent rubber pad, swivel Eyes, Q. D. swivels and black nylon sling, front sight is
present along with a long green High Viz sight clamped on the rib, looks like a super outfit for
high flying birds ...................................................................................................................... $285
104-W. Dakin / Miroku 12 Gauge Model 09-1 Single Shot Trap Shotgun 32 vent
rib barrel with (2) ivory beads, mint mirror bright bore, 2 chamber and fixed trap full choke,
99% original bright blue, 95%+ color case hardened boxlock receiver, auto ejector, no safety (its
was built without one) and a super trigger pull, excellent Walnut pistol grip Monte Carlo stock
with fancy cut checkering and a No-Shock solid rubber pad with an L.O.P. of 14 , flared lever
releasetrap style forend, super quality and sharp looking ...................................................... $595
105-W. Franchi 12 Gauge Model 48 AL Auto Shotgun 26 plain barrel with mint chrome
lined bore, 2 chamber and fixed improved cylinder choke, 98% + original bright blue, gold
trigger, excellent French Walnut pistol grip stock with cut checkering, logo grip cap and buttplate
of a reddish brown plastic, excellent un-cracked forend, gun shows more storage wear them actual
use, excellent function and very light 12 gauge autoloader .................................................... $385
106-W. Gamba 12Gauge Edinburgh Match Single Shot Trap Shotgun 34 (2)
bead vent rib barrel with mint bore, 2 chamber and fixed trap full choke, 99% original bright
blue, coin silver receiver with border scroll engraving, auto ejectors, minty figured Walnut pistol
grip Monte Carlo stock with cut checkering, right-hand palm swell, Renato Gamba logo vent
rubber pad and matching lever release trap style forend which has a tiny unrepaired crack at upper
left rear edge, excellent function and super high quality, made for Steyr Mannlicher by Gamba . ..
................................................................................................................................................ $795
107-W. Hi Standard/Sears .410 Gauge Model 21 Pump Shotgun 26 plain barrel with
excellent bright bore, 3 chamber and fixed full choke, 95% original blue, very good Ash pistol
grip stock with logo plastic buttplate and a short hairline crack at top left of pistol grip, excellent
function ................................................................................................................................... $235
108-W. Ithaca/Western Arms 16 Gauge Long-Range Gun Side by Side Shotgun
28 barrels with 2 chambers, raised rib, minty bright bores and fixed modified and full chokes,
90% original barrel blue with a dark brown tinge, receiver is a mottled silvery gray with traces of
case color and an engraved pointer on each side, barrels have a slip on leather handguard marked
IGG, excellent Walnut pistol grip stock with cut checkering, checkered had rubber buttplate and
matching semi-Beavertail forend, nonselective single trigger, extractors, excellent function with a
very classic look and feel (C&R) . ........................................................................................... $395
109-W. Ithaca 20Gauge Model 37 Pump Shotgun 26 plain barrel with excellent bright
bore, 2 chamber and fixed modified choke, 96% original blue with a little fading on left side of
roll engraved game scene receiver, very good dark Walnut pistol grip stock with impress checker-
ing and serrated logo plastic buttplate, matching minty pump handle, excellent function, made in
1968. ....................................................................................................................................... $285
110-W. Mossberg/Western Field 12 Gauge Model M550 ABD Pump Shotgun 30
vent rib barrel with mint bore, 3 inch chamber and fixed full choke, 99% original bright blue, minty
hardwood pistol grip stock with factory vent rubber recoil pad and grooved pump handle, excellent
function looks near new .......................................................................................................... $160
111-W. Parker 16 Gauge GH Grade Side by Side Shotgun 28 barrels of Damascus
steel with raised concave rib, excellent bright bores, 2 chambers and choked modified and
improved cylinder, barrels have been re-browned and show a nice Damascus patterned their entire
length, O frame shows 99% re-case color with nice clear game scene vignettes of engraving,
trigger guard is also neatly engraved, double triggers, extractors, very good sound Walnut pistol
grip round knob stock with cut checkering added side cheek checkering, old added rubber vent
pad and excellent original splinter style forend with case colored lever release and forend tip,
excellent function and a nice candidate for 28 gauge sleeving, made in 1899 and needs work on
safety (C&R) ........................................................................................................................... $985
112-W. Remington 16 Gauge Sportsman 48 Auto Shotgun 28 plain barrel with
excellent bright bore, 2 chamber and fixed full choke, 65% thinning original blue showing lots
of outdoor field use, good solid Walnut pistol grip stock with cut checkering, grip cap and logo
plastic buttplate, forend is usable but has a long strip of wood missing on the left upper edge,
wood shows lots of field use and loss of varnish, excellent function, made in 1953 (C&R) ... $185
113-W. Remington 16 Gauge Model 11-48 Auto Loader Shotgun 26 plain barrel
with mint bore, 2 chamber and fixed improved cylinder choke, 95% original blue just thinning
on belly of receiver, very good original Walnut pistol grip stock with cut checkering, logo plastic
buttplate and matching forend, wood shows lots of field use with finish flaking off and some ding-
ing indenting, excellent function, made in 1952 (C&R) .......................................................... $265
114-W. Remington 20 Gauge Model 58 Autoloader Shotgun 28 plain barrel with mint
bore, 2 chamber and modified fixed choke, 95% + original blue with nicely engraved game scene
receiver, variable gas system autoloader, very good Walnut pistol grip stock with cut checkering,
logo plastic buttplate and matching forend, custom gripcap, buttstock has a thumb size chip out at
rear of receiver near push button safety, excellent function made in 1957 (C&R). .....................$295
115-W. Remington 12 Gauge Model 11 Auto Shotgun 30 plain barrel of excellent
bright bore, 2 chamber and fixed full choke, 90% dulling original blue with somewhat peppery
surface on barrel and some light dinging on receiver, good solid Walnut pistol grip stock with
logo plastic buttplate and cut checkering, forend has the usual unrepaired hairline crack at about
6 oclock, excellent function but shows lots of outdoor use with lots of finish loss on wood, made
in 1945 (C&R). ....................................................................................................................... $165
116-W. Remington 12 Gauge Sportsman Model A-5 Type Autoloader Shotgun
28 solid rib barrel with mint bore, 2 chamber and fixed modified choke, 99% original bright
blue, game scene engraved receiver and sportsman engraved on bolt, excellent dark American
black Walnut pistol grip stock with cut checkering, mottled reddish brown logo plastic buttplate
and matching forend showing a hairline crack at 6 oclock, wood shows storage nicks and dings
from standing in a closet the last 65 years, excellent function and sharp looking (C&R) ....... $395
117-W. Remington 12 Gauge Model 1900 KE Ejector Side by Side Shotgun 28
solid raised concave rib steel barrels with very good bright bores that appear to have been honed
but some light pitting still remains, 2 chambers with little or no choke in either barrel, 90%
thinning original blue, plain receiver is in un-pitted silvery gray, double triggers, auto ejectors,
excellent Walnut pistol grip stock with round knob, cut checkering, logo hard rubber serrated
buttplate and matching splinter style forend, excellent function, made in 1907 (C&R). .......... $465
118-W. Savage/Springfield 16 Gauge Model 5100 Side by Side Shotgun 28
barrels with raised rib, 2 chambers, excellent bright bores choked full and modified, 80% +
thinning original blue and 50% faded case color, excellent original Tenite (high-impact plastic)
pistol grip stock with impress checkering, double triggers, extractors, just a good solid utility
16gauge from the 50s (C&R). ................................................................................................. $285
119-W. Savage/Fox 20 Gauge Model BSE Deluxe Side by Side Shotgun 28 vent rib
(2) bead barrels with mint bores, 3 inch chambers and fixed modified and full chokes, 99% origi-
nal bright blue, single nonselective trigger, auto ejectors, excellent Walnut pistol grip stock with
impress fleur-de-lis checkering, grip cap, serrated plastic buttplate and matching full Beavertail
forend, excellent function and made around 1969. ................................................................. $735
120-W. Savage/Springfield 12 Gauge Model 5100 Side by Side Shotgun 30 bar-
rels with raised rib, 2 chambers, excellent bright bores choked full and modified, 95% original
blue with some light scattered pitting on sides of both barrels near muzzle, 90% + original case
colors, very good plain Walnut pistol grip stock with some spots of wrinkled varnish and a serrated
plastic buttplate, double triggers, extractors, fitted with a gunsmith made oversize trigger guard for
use with gloved hands, excellent function ............................................................................... $275
121-W. Smith & Wesson 12 Gauge Model 1000 Rifle Slug Special Auto
Shotgun 22 rifle sighted barrel with mint bore, 2 chamber and fixed cylinder choke, 98%
original bright blue, scroll engraved receiver shows gold fill, minty fancy grained dark Walnut
pistol grip stock with fine line cut checkering, S&W logo grip cap, logo serrated plastic buttplate
and swivel eyes in butt and take down knob, excellent function and shows very little use, a real
eye catcher .............................................................................................................................. $395
122-W. Weatherby 20 Gauge Orion Over/Under Shotgun 26 vent rib barrels with
mint bores, 3 inch chambers and 6) multi-choke tubes for every possible application, 99 %
original blue, blued Boxlock receiver with crossbolt, single selective gold trigger, auto ejectors,
mint nicely colored and grained Walnut pistol grip stock with Rosewood gripcap, logo vent rubber
pad and matching lever release forend, as new in a Weatherby green canvas hard case with leather
trim and buckle straps, green felt lined interior with Pachmayr snap caps, nickel plated oil bottle,
owners manual and extra choke tubes . .................................................................................. $985
123-W. Winchester 12Gauge Model 59 Auto Loader Shotgun 26Win-lite (steel and
fiberglass) barrel with mint bore, 2 chamber and original full Versalite compensator equipped
choke tube, 97% original blue, game scene roll engraved on alloy receiver, gold toned trigger
guard, very good + Walnut pistol grip stock with cut checkering, Winchester logo plastic buttplate
with a short unrepaired crack at toe and matching forend, gun shows only light field use and has
excellent function .................................................................................................................... $465
124-W. Winchester 12 Gauge Model 12 Trap Pump Shotgun 30 vent rib barrel
with mint bore, 2 chamber, 2 beads and fixed full choke, offset proofs on barrel and receiver,
receiver marked trap and matches barrel extension, 99 % high polish refinish blue of excellent
quality, fine Damascened bolt and lifter, fabulous fancy grain and color Walnut pistol grip stock
with fine cut checkering in a fleur-de-lis pattern similar to the Winchester 12 - B style, black solid
rubber Pachmayr pad giving an L. O. P. Of 14 , matching fancy checkered extension style pump
handle, pistol grip cap and a silver and initial circle with S intertwined with R. A., Excellent
function, originally made as a trap gun in 1924 and completely updated sometime back, smooth
tight action (C&R) ................................................................................................................... $795
125-W. Winchester 20Gauge Model 12 Pre-64 Pump Shotgun 28 barrel with
expertly added vent rib, 2 chamber and excellent bore with fixed full choke, 99% nicely done
refinish high gloss blue with a purplish tinge on barrel extension and magazine tube, super looking
crotch grained dark Walnut straight grip stock with cut checkering, Pachmayr solid black rubber
butt pad and matching early style small round pump handle with the same fancy cut checkering,
excellent smooth function, L. O. P. on wood is 13 , sharp looker, made in 1917 and updated
sometimes back (C&R). .......................................................................................................... $765
126-W. Winchester 12 Gauge Model 12 Pre-64 Pump Shotgun 28 solid rib barrel
with minty bright bore, 2 chamber and fixed full choke, 98% original bright blue, upgraded
crotch grained dark Walnut pistol grip stock with Winchester style deluxe checkering, pistol grip
cap, added Pachmayr vent pad giving an L. O. P. of 13 , matching deluxe style checkered exten-
sion pump handle, originally made in 1959 and upgraded later, super looker (C&R) ............ $895
127-W. Winchester 20 Gauge Model 12 Pre-64 Pump Shotgun 25 barrel with Simmons
Non-Factory Wide Slightly Concave (2) bead rib, 2 chamber and Winchoke tube system
added with a Skeet tube installed, tube installation has left a double step in the last 2 Inches of the
barrel but installation is very professional, 99% nice renish blue was probably one when rib was
installed, excellent wood is deluxe Winchester checkered Walnut pistol grip and extension pump
handle with a Winchester solid rubber pad giving an L. O. P. of 14 , wood is much newer than
gun, made in 1920 and still works ne (C&R) ........................................................................ $695
128-W. Winchester 12 Gauge Model 12 Pre-64 Pump Shotgun 28 plain barrel with
mint bore, 2 chamber and xed modied choke, 98% + original bright blue, excellent dark
American black Walnut pistol grip stock with checkered logo hard rubber buttplate, excellent
function, made in 1947 and looks like it never star a hunt (C&R)........................................... $575
129-W. Winchester .410 Gauge Model 42 Pump Shotgun 26 plain barrel with mint bore,
3 inch chamber and added cuts compensator with spreader choke tube installed and extra full
tube, 98% + original blue, excellent Walnut pistol grip stock with logo checkered hard rubber
buttplate, excellent smooth function, shows very little actual use, made in 1956 (C&R) ...... $1395
130-W. Winchester 12 Gauge Super - X Model I Gas Operated Auto Shotgun 30
plain barrel with mint bore, 2 chamber and xed full choke, 98% + original blue, excellent
Walnut pistol grip stock with cut checkering, grip cap, Winchester logo black vent rubber pad and
matching forend, wood shows some eld carry wear, excellent function, never saw one of these with
a plain non-ribbed barrel ........................................................................................................ $425
C
olt, Remington, Smith & Wesson and Merwin & Hul-
bert didnt manufacture them, but during the late
nineteenth century they were among the Old Wests
most well-known pocket revolvers. Though the sec-
ond denition of bulldog in Websters is a small, short-
barrel pistol of large caliber the genuine British Bulldog
may further be dened as any of the nineteenth century-
produced, double-action, stubby short-barreled revolvers
chambered for medium to large calibers.
At the end of the Civil War, many ex-soldiers, civilians, and
city folk took their chances on a new life in the yet unsettled
and lawless areas of the American West. Those who dared
the long trek prepared themselves with everything from gen-
eral supplies to reliable rearms for hunting and self-defense.
These future Westerners were a sophisticated lot when it came
to choosing their ries, pistols and shotguns, and did so ac-
cording to their nancial means. By the 1870s, many Western
townships forbade carrying rearms openly, thus many had
to conceal their arms to circumvent the restriction. By 1875,
both the Midwest and the California coast were beehives of
activity, chock-full of gold-seekers, gamblers, homestead-
ers, and other opportunists. The market was ripe for a small
size, large-caliber revolver that was concealable but powerful
enough for a serious gunght or other armed dispute. Most
of all, the revolver had to be affordable in price.
Though Remington brought out a number of pocket re-
volvers to include a double action by 1870, as well as Smith &
Wessons Baby Russian, a competitor from abroad surprised
U.S. manufacturers with the introduction of what was to be
a very well-received wheelgun. Just before 1874, a small dou-
ble-action, big-bore revolver with a short 2-1/2" barrel made
its abrupt debut in the West. It was a unique big-bore revolver
of excellent quality and was made by the English gun manu-
facturer P. Webley & Son. It was called the British Bulldog.
The Webley Inuence
Upon its introduction in the early 1870s, Webleys new Brit-
ish Bulldog had become an immediate sensation in Victorian
England since the carrying of rearms in Great Britain was
accomplished quite discreetly. Thus the pocketsize, highly
concealable Bulldog t right into the period of Sherlock
Holmes and Jack the Ripper. Webley rearms were
well known in the United States for their high de-
gree of workmanship. Even George Armstrong
Custer owned a pair of Webleys (the Royal Irish
Constabulary Model) prior to his death in June
of 1876 at the Little Big Horn. Soon after its inva-
sion of the United States arms market, the self-cocking We-
bley British Bulldog was being sold through American gun
dealers such as Nathaniel Curry of San Francisco and E.C.
Meacham of St. Louis. With population surges in areas west
of the Mississippi growing by the day, many were glad to see
a compact, inexpensive, double-action revolver with plenty
of wallop to boot. The new Webley catchphrase British
Bulldog would evolve into one of the most famous revolver
trademarks from the 1870s up to the turn of the century. The
CollectorsGuide
by George J. Layman
When Bulldogs Ruled
THINK THE COLT 1873 SINGLE ACTION ARMY WON THE WEST?
THINK AGAIN!
|
89
term would soon become a household word
among pistoleros of the day, and gain almost
equal footing with the Colt Peacemaker, the
Smith & Wesson Russian models and other fa-
mous handguns.
It is quite obvious that the British Bulldog became a legend
in its own time. By 1876, several European and American im-
itators jumped on the Bulldog bandwagon, marketing copies
of self-cockers marked British Bulldog over the topstrap.
Many of the European Webley copies came from Belgium
and their overall nish and quality was noticeably inferior
to the genuine British-made variations. Quite a number of
these both domestic and foreign were stamped with such
markings as Western Bull Dog, British Lion, Boston
Bulldog, etc., and, not surprisingly, many were indeed well
made. The 1880 Homer Fisher catalog listed several of these
for sale in .44 Webley (.44 Bulldog) at $7.50, each which was
far below the $18.00 price tag of a Colt or Smith & Wesson.
Both the Webley British Bull Dog and its imitations were also
being offered in .32 rimre or centerre as well as .41 rimre
and .38 and .44 centerre. Webley even listed a Holster Size
Frontier Model Bulldog in .38 and. 44 centerre with a 4"
barrel and a lanyard on the grip.
American Bulldogs
The E.C. Meacham company had at least four different
Bulldogs in their 1884 catalog, among which were an Ameri-
can Bulldog somewhat unique in design com-
pared to the British type since it had a saw han-
dle-style grip, plus a larger frame somewhere
between a medium- and full-size revolver. It
also had a 2-1/2" full round barrel as opposed to the oblong
type most common to the British-style versions. Not easy to
nd nowadays, these revolvers were manufactured by Iver
Johnson Co. of Worcester, Massachusetts, for the Meacham
company, to be sold under the American Bulldog trade name.
It should be mentioned that the Iver Johnson Co. indepen-
dently marketed their own series of Bulldog revolvers, some
of which were marked Boston Bulldog, British Bulldog, and
oddly enough, American Bulldog as well.
Though the Meacham American Bulldog is not marked
Iver Johnson, the giveaway is one of the companys trade-
marks an American eagle on the stocks. Removing the
grips however, does show a serial number on the frame in
two places. With its reddish gutta percha grips, these 44-cali-
ber ve-shooters are extremely well-made; much better than
most other Bulldogs. It is here where a degree of confusion
exists between the British and American Bulldog revolvers. It
appears the basic cosmetic difference is that the British-style
Bulldog retains the classic parrots beak or birds-head grip,
and the American Bulldogs were supplied with a saw han-
dle at-base grip. Some early ads made reference that their
American Bulldogs were made exclusively in .38 caliber, with
the British Bulldog with birds-head grips being made only in
This close-up of a Belgian-made
British Bulldog (maker unknown)
shows the quality of the simple
engraving pattern common to
these imported revolvers.
90
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.44 caliber. Additionally,
the Meacham catalog
also listed an Ameri-
can British Bulldog com-
plete with birds-head grips and
in both calibers, too.
Another very interesting British Bull-
dog is the illustration on the same page
beneath the aforementioned American
Bulldog in the 1884 catalog. This par-
ticular revolver is advertised as a new
design English British Bulldog and has
a remarkable resemblance to the later
Webley series of military break-
open revolvers. Together with
its at-base saw handle grips
(listed as a Smith & Wesson
handle), the text states that
when chambered for the .38 S&W, they
are marked American Bulldog. A foot-
note goes on to say that the revolver . .
.is made to compete with Colts and re-
sembles them in model and ne work-
manship. . . . Equipped with an octago-
nal 2-1/2" barrel, the arm is something
of a hybrid between a Webley of the
future and a Colt double-action Light-
ning with a at butt! At least a dozen or
more Belgian-made Bulldog copies with
birds-head grips have been seen by the
author in .38 caliber only, with Ameri-
can or British Bulldog markings.
Unquestionably, the U.S.-made copies
are generally better from a quality stand-
point than their Belgian counterparts.
The Meacham Arms American Bulldog
sold for $3.31 in 1881 and was quite the
bargain when compared to a full-size
Colt. It could also be had with extras
such as pearl or ivory stocks, and en-
graved frames. It is curiously amusing to
note that in the Meacham advertisement,
for 31 cents less, one could have the same
revolver marked British Bulldog!
The design of the American Bulldog
from Meacham Arms differed from the
majority of British Bulldogs in that it
uses a spring-charged vertical at latch
to retain the cylinder pin. The typical
British Bulldog used a pull-out, rotating
extractor pin which, when pulled up-
ward and turned right, allowed removal
of the hollow cylinder pin as well. A
short, oblong-shaped 2-1/2" barrel was
standard on most Bulldogs regardless
of origin. However, some are listed with
2-1/4" and 2-3/4" tubes in certain adver-
tisements. Depending on caliber, they
This Belgian British Bulldog has most of its nickel worn away, but the proofmark R and the Bulldog logo are partially
visible on the frame behind the barrel.
The quality of Belgian-made British Bulldogs was
often quite good, but a lower grade of metallurgy
often caused their internal parts to wear out
much more quickly than those of the Webley- or
U.S.-made British Bulldog.
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91
could be ve-, six-, or seven-shooters!
Noteworthy is that the Webley Bulldogs
had unuted cylinders, whereas most
U.S. and European copies had the uted
type. Unuted cylinders, however, have
been observed on several Liege-made
Belgian copies.
Colt didnt introduce a self-cocker
until 1877 (the Model 1877 Light-
ning and Thunderer models), and it
seemed the Bulldog owned the market
for the double-action class of big-bore
pocket revolvers. In truth, the Bulldogs
fast-ring characteristics had a hand in
spreading the popularity of the double-
action revolver as a whole. Mechanical-
ly, the British and American Bulldogs
were quite sturdy and simple; however,
the nish and smooth mechanics of
these Bulldogs were still not up to par
with those of a Smith & Wesson or a
Colt. A light strain on the wallet was
their obvious strongpoint. Though the
later Colt Lightning/Thunderer series
of double actions would be the stiffest
competition, the Colts lockwork proved
complicated and prone to breakage un-
der hard use. They nevertheless became
immensely popular.
The British Bulldog, however, was not
without its own mechanical problems.
Too-vigorous operation of the double-
action trigger would eventually cause
the lockwork to begin mis-indexing, as
the hand would skip a cylinder notch.
Many of the British Bulldogs encoun-
tered today seem to display this mal-
function, and nding one that func-
tions correctly in double action is not
easy. Most seem to work better as single
actions!
One of the minuses of some Bulldogs
was their freewheeling cylinder that
would spin if the hammer wasnt cocked
or the trigger pulled back. Costwise, the
most expensive Bulldog was the Webley
Frontier Model, which sold (in 1880) for
$17.50 when the cheapest Webley was
$9.50. In 1884, the E.C. Meacham cat-
alog still had the lowest price of $3.00
for a Bulldog, an unbeatable price, as
they noted. With the Colt double action
at $13 to $17.50 each, it was without
doubt the Bulldog which could easily t
the leanest budget of the average indi-
vidual.
Some ads for the Bulldog boasted it
could re seven shots in ve seconds.
Promoters of the well-made Forehand &
Wadsworth British Bulldog stated this
quite condently. Sold in .32, .38 and
.44 caliber, the .32 S&W version had a
seven-round cylinder. The Forehand
& Wadsworth Bulldog, introduced in
1880, began cutting into sales of the
Webley product. Nathaniel Curry noted
the Forehand & Wadsworth Bulldog
was . . .decidedly the best and cheapest
of the low-grade American self-cocking
revolvers. . . .
In the beginning, few consumers were
aware that the Bulldog had a competi-
tive edge on the products of the large
U.S. gunmakers. The British Bulldog
soon took a back seat, however, because
these bigger companies had been in
existence for many years and enjoyed
well-established reputations. Bulldogs
were in far more widespread use than
most will realize, but many may ask,
if so many were in circulation, why are
there so few pictures of them in the hol-
sters of Westerners? The answer is quite
likely that Bulldogs were out of sight,
hidden in the pockets of their users.
In due time, people began wondering
why no Bulldog-style revolvers were be-
ing made by any of the major American
manufacturers. A testimony to this was
a letter in 1876 written by a Californian
to Smith & Wesson, in which he asked,
Why dont you put something on the
market to compete with Webleys Bull-
dog? The pistols have an immense pop-
ularity on this coast and people dont
hesitate to pay $25 to $30.00 for them
either. . . .
A comparison of the hammer styles of both the authors
American Bulldog and the Forehand & Wadsworth British
type (right). The two U.S.-manufactured revolvers were
Americas best Bulldog and produced in the same city.
Note the atter, larger contours of the American version
compared to the rounded lines of the British style, which
has a shorter spur. Mechanically, the American version
has a smoother action; the Forehand & Wadsworth has a
rebounding hammer feature.
92
|
Sales techniques of the day kept the
Bulldog market steadily popular with
some advertisements stating, the pis-
tols are the most substantial of their
class, the price we quote them makes
them substantial bargains. In late 1895,
Montgomery Ward Company adver-
tised; big bargains, American Bulldog
[authors note: possibly unsold, smaller-
caliber versions of the earlier Meacham
product sold back to Iver Johnson, who
re-sold them to Montgomery Ward] re-
volver, sold in .32 and .38 caliber. . . .
The ad further stated these guns are
not toys, but good, big guns. Top pric-
es now were $1.89 each. Montgomery
Ward also advertised a Frontier Bull-
dog 6-shot, in 44 WCF for $3.85 but
judging from the illustration of this re-
volver, it appears to be an inferior-qual-
ity Belgian-made mass-produced copy
of a Webley Frontier Model.
The Bulldog Out West
Other notable gun dealers who regu-
larly offered Bulldogs of all types in-
cluded Liddle & Kaeding and Shreve
& Wolfman, both located in San Fran-
cisco. One of Liddle & Kaedings adver-
tisements in the publication Pacic Life
in 1876 listed numerous Colt, Smith &
Wesson and Wesson & Harrington re-
volvers, but most emphatically stressed
the Bulldogs merits, noting: . . .avail-
able also is the much celebrated double-
action self-cocking Bulldog pistol. The
heyday of the Bulldog continued.
In the historical arena, many no-
tables of the old West had their own
afnities for the Bulldog. One known
user of the Bulldog during its halcyon
days was John Henry Tunstall. Tunstall
employed William Bonney, aka Billy the
Kid, when he rst came to New Mexico.
Billy was close to Tunstall, who took
the teenager under his wing. Tunstalls
diary noted, I never went anywhere
without my Bulldog. After Tunstalls
A pair of unique British Bulldogs (manufacturers
unknown) is this duo seen in the 1884 Meacham
catalog. The upper American British Bulldog has
some interesting features as it is equipped with an
almost identical cylinder pin and takedown latch
as found on the Iver Johnson American Bulldog.
Sold as an American-style British Bulldog, it
is nevertheless supplied with a parrot beak grip.
Compounding the confusion is that it mentions it
has a Smith & Wesson handle! The lower catalog
cut displays a very scarce and unusual type of Brit-
ish Bulldog that resembles both a pre-WWI Webley
and a Colt double-action Lightning. The mention
of it also having a Smith & Wesson handle
seems suited to the illustration, and overall it is a
very advanced-looking British Bulldog apparently
introduced to compete with Colts double-action.
Identifying the actual manufacturer of the
Meacham Arms Co. American Bull Dog was easy
if one knew that the American eagle logo was
a trademark of the Iver Johnson Company! The
grips on this specimen are perfect, without cracks
or developing hairlines.
|
93
DISPLAY ADVERTISING INDEX
300 Below Inc ..................................... 65
A
Accuflite Sports ........................... 55, 74
Adorama Camera ................................. 8
American Gunsmithing Institute ........ 3
American Made Pen. LLC ........... 55, 74
B
Bay, Darrell ......................................... 55
Blue Ridge Knives ............................. 59
BSG Books ......................................... 65
Buckinghams Antique Winchester .... 9
Busse Combat Knife Co .......... 101-105
C
Cabelas ............................................... 40
CDNN Investments ....................... 19-21
Central Indiana Gun Shows.............. 59
Cimarron Firearms Co ...................... 71
Conrad and Dowdell .......................... 59
Copes Distributing ...................... 32, 33
D
Davids Collectibles ........................... 44
DICKSON, RON .................................. 23
Doublestar Corp .............................. 108
F
FFL123.com........................................ 16
Forks Of The Delaware ...................... 44
Franks Guns ...................................... 16
Ft Sandflat Gun Stand ...................... 51
G
G & G Relics ...................................... 90
Gauge-mate ........................................ 74
Gibbs Products .................................. 90
Guncrafter Industries ........................ 40
Guns4Pennies.com ........................... 31
H
Houston Gun Collect Association Inc.
........................................................... 51
J
James D Julia Inc. ............................... 2
John Adams & Son, Engravers ........ 83
K
Kulls Old Town Station ..................... 61
L
L & S Supply ...................................... 33
Lone Star Wholesale ......................... 44
M
Mech Tech Systems ........................... 55
Merz, Leroy ......................................... 90
Midwest Gun Exchange .................... 83
Midwestern Firearms Co ................... 77
Murray, D P ......................................... 77
N
National Rifle Association ................ 31
New England Custom Gun Service . 44
Niles Gun Show Inc ........................... 33
North American Arms, Inc. ................. 8
North Cove Outfitters ........................ 77
P
Pack And Postal Center ............... 84-87
Parker Gun Shop ............................... 59
Q
Quality Arms Inc .......................... 54, 77
R
Rachwal, David .................................. 65
Ranch Products ................................. 76
Reata Pass Auctions ......................... 76
S
Schofield, Don ................................... 76
Scout Scopes ..................................... 54
SnapSafe ............................................ 45
Springfield Armory .......................... 107
Superior Ammunition Inc ................. 45
T
Thedford, John ................................... 45
Trader Keiths ................................ 54, 77
Trapdoors Galore ............................... 76
Triple S................................................ 52
V
Vintage Sporting Arms & Accessories
........................................................... 52
W
Whitelaw Enterprises ........................ 76
The advertisers index is provided as a reader service. Occasional last-minute changes may result in ads appearing on pages other than those listed here.
The publisher assumes no liability for omissions or errors.
94
|
S
tudents of rearms are aware of the signicance of the
year 1911. In that year, a century ago, the Browning-
designed Colt Model 1911 was adopted as the side-
arm of the United States military forces. Perhaps
no single semiautomatic handgun is better known, or
has had more inuence on pistol design, than the 1911.
Now, 100 years later, the Colt/Browning 1911 design lives on,
little changed, and it remains amazingly popular.
Since its introduction, the 1911 has proven itself as the
United States military pistol in two World Wars and a
number of other conicts. Other countries produced the
Colt/Browning design, made under license. Still other
countries made unauthorized close copies of the pistol.
Civilian use of the big Colt pistol reinforced its
value. By the midpoint of the 1900s, the 1911 was
on its way to becoming one of the winningest tar-
get pistols in use. In the latter part of the century,
law enforcement agencies were won over to the
semiautomatic pistol, and many went with the time-tested
1911.
For almost half its history, the 1911 reigned supreme as
the premier semiautomatic pistol in America. During that
time, no other big-bore pistol was even produced in quan-
tity in this country. In the latter part of the 20th century,
other companies made competing semiautomatic pistols
of more modern design, but the 1911 retained its popular-
ity. With patent protection long gone, other rms began to
make nearly exact copiespart-for-part-interchangeable
1911-type pistolsunder their own names. New names,
some now almost forgotten, entered the rearms lexicon.
By the closing decade of the 1900s, other producers such
as Springeld, Para-Ordnance and Kimber achieved major
positions as 1911 manufacturers.
By the beginning of the 21st century, even companies that
were making pistols with more modern features decided to
get on the gravy train and began making their own 1911
pistols. Companies such as Smith &Wesson, SIG-Sauer and
Taurus introduced 1911s.
The 1911 design, now a
century old, seems to be at a
peak of popularity.
Historical Background
In the 1890s, the semiautomatic pistol was successfully
introduced to the rearms world in Europe. In 1893, the
Borchardt became the rst commercially-successful auto-
loader, followed by designs of Mauser, Bergmann, Mann-
licher and Luger. To these European developments was
added one with an American name Browning. John M.
Brownings 32-caliber pocket pistol was introduced in 1899
by Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Belgium. Early develop-
ments were relatively small in bore size, ranging from less
than 30-caliber to an upper limit of 9mm. Around the turn
of the 20th century, the concept of a larger-caliber semiau-
tomatic pistol had been experimented with in several coun-
tries, including Great Britain. However, it took a design of
CollectorsGuide
by John Malloy
The Colt 1911
THE FIRST CENTURY
New names keep coming up for companies of-
fering new 1911s. Legacy Sports now offers their
Citadel 45 in full-size and compact versions.
|
95
American inventor John M. Browning to bring
a truly successful big-bore pistol into being.
Browning, along with his handgun work
for FN, had provided designs to Colt. Colt
saw promise in military sales and introduced
a Browning-designed 38-caliber automatic in
1900. This caliber appeared to be a favorable
one, as the US military was by then using 38-
caliber revolvers.
However, the need for a larger-caliber handgun became
evident during the Spanish-American war of 1898 and the
subsequent Philippine Insurrection. When the United States
acquired the Philippine Islands from Spain as a result of the
war, it was an unpleasant surprise to nd that many Filipi-
nos did not like American control any more than they had
enjoyed Spanish rule.
The resulting insurrection was ofcially over in 1901, but
deadly conict, especially in the southern islands, continued
well into the next decade. These southern islands were in-
habited by erce Moro tribes that had been converted to a
form of Islam. The service sidearm of the time, the double-
action .38 Long Colt revolver (marginal even in civilized
warfare), proved to be inadequate to stop a charging Moro.
Old Single Action Army 45-caliber revolvers were withdrawn
from storage, had the barrels shortened to 5-1/2 inches, and
were sent back into service. A quantity of 1878 double-action
Colts, modied with a strange long trigger and
enlarged guard, were also issued.
The stopping power of the old big-bore .45s
proved to be far superior. However, they were
stopgap measures. An effective standard mod-
ern handgun was needed.
What was needed? The famous Thompson-
LaGarde tests, which involved shooting live
stockyard cattle and human cadavers, provided one part of
the answer: the new handgun would be a 45-caliber. Thus,
the search for a new sidearm began in the early 1900s. Al-
though semiautomatic pistols were coming into use, the cav-
alry still rmly favored the dependable revolver. The stage
was set that any automatic considered must have reliability
equal to that of the revolver and be a .45. A series of tests, to
begin in 1906, was contemplated by the Army.
Prior To The Test Trials
Two 45-caliber cartridges would be used: a rimmed
one for revolver use, and a rimless one for the automatic
pistols.
The rimless version was essentially similar to a commer-
cial round produced by Winchester for Colt since the spring
of 1905. The Winchester ammunition was made for Colts
new 45-caliber autoloading pistol, which had been intro-
duced in the fall of 1905.
In the early post-WWII decades,
the only 45-caliber semi-
automatic pistols available
to give the Colt Government
Model any competition were
the Spanish Llama (upper) and
Star (lower) pistols. Neither
design was a part-for-part copy
of the 1911, but the guns were
look-alikes of comparable size
and weight.
96
|
Y
ou collect 9mm what?
I get that a lot when the subject of collections
comes up. I have been collecting (accumulating,
really) 9mm rimre rearms for about twenty
years now. There are seventeen resting in my safe at this time.
Many American shooters have never heard of a 9mm rimre
shotgun. They were made as inexpensive garden guns and
will be found in a variety of action types and makers. While
Winchester is the only U.S company that ever made a 9mm
shotgun, the Model 36, many famous European gun makers
have offered them at one time or another. Most that we see
were brought to the U.S. by immigrants or by US servicemen
returning from the World Wars.
The name most commonly associated with
the 9mm RF guns is Flobert, and many
sellers describe these guns as such. But a
bolt-action or a break-open gun is not a
Flobert; a gun may re a Flobert car-
tridge and still not be properly termed
a Flobert. Flobert was credited with
patenting the rimre cartridge and
there is a specic action design that
bears his name.
Small Origins
The rimre or Flobert cartridge was in-
vented in 1846 by Frances Louis Nicholas Au-
guste Flobert (pronounced ow-BARE) and consisted
of a primed brass cup topped with a round ball, loaded with-
out powder. These little cartridges were made in several sizes:
4mm, 5mm, 6mm (.22), 7mm, 8mm and 9mm. The rimre
cartridge is Floberts biggest and most enduring contribu-
tion to the gun world. Using his case and priming design, the
6mm/.22 was developed further in the U.S. by Smith & Wes-
son and others by lengthening the case and adding gunpow-
der. The resulting cartridge, the .22 Short, quickly became
the most common and widely distributed cartridge in the
world. Floberts rimres were originally used in handguns
for indoor or parlor shooting and soon became extremely
popular. Shortly after use of the ball loading became com-
mon, ammunition manufacturers started loading Flobert-
style shotshells. These used the ball loadings brass cap as
a cartridge head but also incorporated a cardboard tube of
varying length loaded with shot. Other rimre cartridges in
the 6mm-12mm range were developed during the rst fty
years of xed ammunition but only the .22/6mm and 9mm
remain in widespread use.
The various 9mm rimre shotguns quickly became known
as garden guns because they were considered ideal for pot-
ting small varmints that raided the family garden. In Amer-
ica, they became popular with farmers, who used them to
dispatch barn pigeons without blowing hard-to-x holes in
the roof.
A Flobert Flobert
There is also a rearms design that car-
ries Floberts name. My parlor pistol, for
example, is a true Flobert in that it has
a Flobert action: a single shot with a
breechblock that rocks open when the
hammer is pulled back. The hammer
locks the breech closed at the mo-
ment of ring. This arrangement is
very similar to the Remington Rolling
block action. However, the Flobert de-
sign is not as strong and has been made
only for low-power cartridges.
Flobert rearms in .22 and .32 caliber rimre
are fairly common in the United States. They rarely
have any markings except the word Belgium stamped
somewhere on the barrel and perhaps the telltale crown over
ELG in an oval proofmark. Many were low-price imports
from Belgium that were sold through Sears-Roebuck and
other mail order catalogues in the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. Prices as low as $1.99 were advertised for these
types of guns, most of which were bought by poor farmers
who did not have the money to get an American-made gun.
When these Floberts survive into the modern era, they are
frequently in rough condition. They were, after all, bought
as tools and used as such. To make matters worse, this was in
the era of black powder cartridges with mercuric primers, a
combination that almost invariably led to bore erosion.
CollectorsGuide
by Phillip Peterson
The Mighty (?) 9mm Rimfre
|
97
Other Flobert guns were brought home by
American GIs from service in WWI or WWII.
Among these there were various 9mm shot-
guns and ries.
Its Not a Flobert
Yet another single shot design, sometimes
mistakenly referred to as a Flobert, is the
Warnant.
The Warnant system consists of a pivoting breech that
swings up and operates the extractor, similar to the U.S.
Trapdoor Springeld. Part of the hammer locks the breech
closed upon ring. There are single shot, side by side, and
over/under examples of the Warnant design that are occa-
sionally encountered.
Bolt Actions
The single shot bolt action is the most common type of 9mm
rimre rearm found. These are usually very simple guns.
Some have rie sights and some have a simple bead sight; some
cock on opening, others on closing. Some have a manual cock-
ing piece. Many do not have a safety. Most have a simple U
shaped extractor sliding in a slot underneath the bolt. (Note:
Make sure the extractor is present in any 9mm bolt action you
might be considering buying.. They can fall out if the bolt is
removed and are frequently lost or broken.)
Many well-known European arms makers have offered
9mm rimre guns in their product line. Germany seems to be
the most prolic nation of origin. Some noted manufacturers
from Germany include Alfa, Anschutz, Erma, Geco, Muchler
and Simson & Co. Other continental makers include Fabrique
Nationale and Bayard (Belgium), Webley & Scott
(England), St. Etienne (France), Bernardelli and
Beretta (Italy), and Husqvarna (Sweden).
While most 9mm shotguns seen in the Unit-
ed States were manufactured between 1900 and
1940, the design remained popular in Europe
after WWII and a few rms still produce them
today, the vast majority of which are single
shots. I have never seen or heard of a magazine-
fed 9mm bolt action garden gun.
Our American Cousin
The sole American-made rearm chambering the 9mm
rimre is a bolt action: the Winchester Model 36. Introduced
in 1920, there were about 20,000 units made by the time pro-
duction stopped in 1927. The Model 36 used basically the
same action as the popular Winchester Models 1900, 1902
and 1904 single shot boys ries in .22 caliber. The action was
originally designed by John Browning and has a small bolt
handle and short action. It sported an 18-inch barrel and a
gumwood stock. Winchester marketed this model as a Gar-
den Gun for use on small pests and birds at close ranges.
Unfortunately, the Model 36 did not have a denite niche
within the U.S. market. In most cases a single shot .22 would
have been a better choice for up-close use and a centerre
shotgun would have worked better in the open eld.
Other designs of 9mm shotguns include a variety of break-
open actions. Some feature a side lever; others use an under-
lever. One of my 9mm doubles has an underlever action. I
Top to bottom: Fabrique
Nationale, Herstal Belgique,
marked FL 9m/c with 17.5-
inch barrel; Simson Prazislans
Karbiner Simson & Co. Suhl
with spoon bolt, 24.75-inch
barrel marked Flobert; JG
Anschutz GmbH Waffenfabrik,
Ulm, Germany, 21.75-inch
barrel marked Kal 9mm Glatt;
Anschutz Model 1365, German
proof marked 1969, 25.4-inch
barrel marked Kal 9mm Glatt.
98
|
I
plead guilty to behavioral addiction to 20th-century
military bolt-action ries. The good news is today Im
clean. The bad news is that relapse is always a possibil-
ity.
My illness began innocently enough in 1991 with an
article in this very publication extolling the virtues of the
Mauser 1898 military rie. In that piece, one Jim Thompson
shared his wisdom regarding what arguably is the worlds
greatest military bolt-action rie. If memory serves me right,
Mr. Thompson earned the Gun Digest John T. Amber Liter-
ary Award for his handicraft. It was a great read and, for me,
the beginning of an extraordinary adventure.
Suitably enlightened, I promptly purchased not one but
two military Mausers: a ne German DWM Model 1909
Argentine-contract 7.65X53mm Long Rie and an 8mm
1945-vintage Czech mongrel 98k, both sight unseen, from
Samco Global Arms, Inc., for about $200 apiece. To feed my
acquisitions, I stocked up on economical military surplus
ball ammo, conveniently packed in ve-round stripper clips
for fast loading. I spent that summer learning the joys of
open-sight riery.
Fast-forward two decades. Today, I manage more than a
dozen well-traveled bolt-action Mausers, Enelds, Arisakas,
and Springelds. Most remain in their original military con-
guration. A select few found a new life as sporterized hunt-
ing ries. While my 20-year itch is over, at least from the
acquisition standpoint, many fond memories are rekindled
every time I shoulder one of these venerable old battle ries
and sight down its barrel. To me, theyre treasures of world
history, rearms design, and manufacturing excellence. Each
has its own story to tell.
The Brothers Mauser and My 98s
Whether or not the Mauser 98 is the greatest military bolt-
action rie is irrelevant to me. The fact is the 98 is the in-
novative design on which most bolt action ries military
and commercial are based. More so than other designs, the
98 transcended its military roots and, due to its renowned
strength, reliability, and quality, is the standard for custom
hunting-rie actions.
Introduced 113 years ago, the Mauser 98 served the Father-
land with distinction during its almost half century run that
ended, for the most part, in 1945 with Germanys defeat in
World War ll. Construction of military ries based on the 98
outside of Germany continued into the 1950s. To this day,
manufacturers craft expensive 98-based actions to meet the
unceasing demand.
A culmination of their earlier designs, Peter and Paul
Mausers Model 98 spawned an extensive family of long-
, medium-, and short-barreled military ries, produced at
factories in Germany for its military and export around the
globe. The worlds armies couldnt get enough of them. Un-
der license and technology-transfer agreements, 98s were
produced in Argentina, Austria, Belgium, China, the former
Czechoslovakia, Iran, Mexico, Poland, Spain, and Yugosla-
via, among others. Americas Springeld 1903 rie is an in-
exact 98 clone that earned the Mauser company royalty pay-
ments until our entry into World War I.
This prolic manufacturing base produced a lot of 98s, by
some estimates over 100 million. A good number of them
are still with us today, thanks to their longevity and persis-
tent importers who seek them out. Remarkably, Mausers are
still seeing combat in remote corners of Asia, Africa, Latin
America, and the Middle East, usually in the hands of under-
funded local insurgents.
Model 1909 Argentine
My 1909 Argentine is a superb example of German design
and craftsmanship. Many of the German-produced ries
(some were also built in Argentina) have been used as the
basis for ne sporting arms. Custom gun makers cherish
the 1909s exquisitely milled construction, particularly its
trigger guard/magazine assembly with a clever oor-plate-
release lever in the guard that alone, when fabricated today,
CollectorsGuide
by Andy Ewert
Addicted to Military Iron
A RECOVERED MILITARY BOLT-ACTION-RIFLE ADDICT TELLS ALL.
|
99
costs more than twice the $200 I paid
for the entire rie. The quality of the
09s dark-grained walnut stock is
better than many of those on todays
commercial ries.
With its ladder-style military sight,
rough trigger pull, 29-inch barrel, and
my bifocaled eyes, off the bench it will put ve rounds of
surplus Argentine non-corrosive ball ammo into about 2-3/4
minutes of angle at 100 yards. (On average, with issue iron
sights, all the surplus military bolt-action ries mentioned
here group about the same, some signicantly less so on a
good day. With a scope and match-grade handloads, how-
ever, accuracy can be astounding.)
Because of its value as an action of choice for custom rie
making, stock DWM 1909s are becoming scarce. This short-
age will only become acute over time. Hopefully, a few origi-
nals will be preserved for posterity and those incurably ob-
sessed collectors.
[Editors note: We agree that the Argentine is one of the more
attractive Mausers. However, the newbie should be aware that
7.65mm Argentine ammunition is occasionally difcult to ob-
tain. Reloading is one obvious solution. DMS]
Czech Mongrel 98k
Clearly 1945 was not a good year for German military
rie production. Hampered by Allied
aerial bombardment, a shortage of
skilled labor and raw materials, and
the need for faster output, manufac-
turing standards slipped. One way
Germany coped was by building 98k
ries at captured arms factories they
controlled in Czechoslovakia.
Markings on my Czech 98ks receiver ring indicate that its
receiver was produced in 1945 at the Waffenwerke Bruenn,
A.-G. Werk Bystrica, in what is now in the Slovak Repub-
lic. Markings elsewhere on the rie suggest it was assembled
at the CZ factory in Brno, in the Czech Republic. Whatever
this arrangement lacked in material-handling efciency, it
worked. Judging by its unmarred condition, my rie was
never issued.
Germany also dealt with production shortfalls by insti-
tuting certain manufacturing shortcuts. On my rie, these
included a curious-looking (though practical) oversized
stamped steel trigger guard assembly that accommodates a
gloved nger, and a stamped, non-detachable magazine oor
plate. Eliminated were the bolt guide and cleaning rod. Gone
too were milled barrel bands, replaced by stampings. The
Czech 98ks ring-mechanism-disassembly washer tube on
the stock was supplanted by a hole in the side of the stamped
butt plate.
With proper modication, all the military surplus bolt
action ries featured in this article would make excellent
hunting ries. The authors sporterized specimens
include (top to bottom) No. 4 Mk ll Lee Eneld, featuring
a Canadian Long Branch action, great sights, ve-
shot magazine, and the best-tting stock hes ever
shouldered, purchased ready-to-go for $150; a handy
Czech CZ24 Mauser scout rie, crafted specially for
harvesting deep-woods whitetails; and a silky 6 lb. DWM
1908 Brazilian Mauser, fashioned by the authors father
with a replacement barrel and aftermarket sights and
trigger. The original military stock was retained, though
shaped to a pleasing t.
100
|
murder by the Murphy-Dolan faction,
Billy became hostile to those elements
and played a violent role in the Lincoln
County War. At the time of his death,
it is rumored that Billy was in posses-
sion of a .41 Colt Thunderer with the
backstrap engraved Billy. This has
never been authenticated, but it was
known he had a self-cocker on his per-
son when he was shot at the Maxwell
ranch. There is a distinct possibility
that Billy could have had a double-ac-
tion Bulldog on his person perhaps
even Tunstalls own revolver, obtained
after his mentor had been killed. Noth-
ing substantiates this, however.
A place where the British Bulldog
was always reported in detail was in
Bodie, California. It seems the news-
papers of this town had an afnity for
reporting incidents involving Bulldog
revolvers. The paper carried various
accounts in the late 1870s and early
1880s, some of which included that a
mining employee on October 2, 1879,
put a Bulldog to his head and took his
own life. Another article mentioned
that a miner staying at Spanish Doras
brothel was robbed of $15.00 and his
British Bull Dog. One very interest-
ing Bodie news story was the January,
1881 vigilante lynching of an adulter-
ous man who used a Forehand & Wad-
sworth 38-caliber Bulldog to kill the
husband of a woman he was seeing!
One notable fan of the British Bulldog
was outlaw Bob Dalton. In 1892 when
the Dalton gang raided Coffeyville,
Kansas, during the botched bank jobs
in that town, nearly the entire band
was killed or seriously wounded. The
Condon Bank bookkeeper, Tom Babb,
found a 38-caliber British Bulldog in
the vest pocket of Bob Dalton after he
was mortally wounded, indicating that
Bulldogs were indeed popular pocket
guns with both outlaw and law-abid-
ing citizen alike. The revolver he car-
ried on that day is now in the Dalton
Museum in Coffeyville. Just how many
outlaws carried the out-of-sight Bull-
dog will never be known.
For example, if Bob Dalton
had not been shot and then
frisked, we would have never known if
he carried one at all!
Generally speaking, it should be not-
ed that the term bulldog supposedly
refers specically to a small pocket re-
volver of large caliber but the
general design was
so popular that
smaller calibers
of 32 and 38 were
also marketed as Bulldogs.
[Editors note: During this same
period, Connecticut Arms & Manfac-
turing Co. of Naubuc, Connecticut,
also manufactured a single-shot .44
derringer called the Hammond Bull-
dog. DMS] The British and Ameri-
can Bulldogs were
as popular in the
East as in the West,
but received more
attention in the
Wild West. Even Charles Strauss, the
mayor of Tucson, Arizona, carried a
beautifully engraved British Bulldog
with fancy stocks in the early 1880s.
This particular specimen is on display
at the Arizona Historical Society.
The Bulldog As a Collectible
Modern-day Old West fans have taken
a liking to the Bulldog. Some of todays
shooters have resurrected them and a
number of obsolete brass manufactur-
ers have recently informed the author
that there has been a noticeable demand
for .44 Webley/Bulldog cases in the last
ve years. At the present time, double
actions are not allowed in Single Action
Shooting Society competition, but may
make for an interesting novelty or
side match. It would be nice to see
the self-cockers allowed to have their
own category in the future. It is impor-
tant to mention here that the Bulldog
revolver made a comeback in the 1970s
when Charter Arms Company in Con-
necticut added a Bulldog revolver to
its line. Keeping with tradition, they
chambered it for a 44-caliber cartridge,
namely the powerful .44 Special. The
ve-shot wheelgun had a 3-1/2" barrel,
rounded butt, and was an improvement
on an old design. The Charter Arms
Bulldog, however, got bad press when
it was used in several murders by David
Berkowitz, later convicted in the Son of
Sam cases in New York City.
The British Bulldog is quickly be-
coming the new generation of classi-
cal ordnance of the Old West to nd
acceptance in collector circles. One of
the niceties of Bulldog collecting is that
they are, for the most, all of pre-1898
manufacture, which classies them as
true antiques. There are, however, some
that may have been built after 1898, but
these would probably be made as dou-
ble-actions in the suicide special cat-
egory that are easy to spot as many have
dated patent markings. Production of
the classical British Bulldogs began to
wane in the mid-1890s, but by that time
there were plenty in circulation.
It is the Webley-made British Bulldog
most collectors see as the genuine fore-
The Forehand & Wadsworth British Bulldog used in the lm
Tombstone is shown with a unique 44-caliber engraved
Belgian British Bulldog with a worn gold-brushed nish
that is disappearing with time.
106
|
runner of all Bulldogs. Costwise, We-
bley variations have lately risen as high
as $400, depending on condition and
grade. At gun shows or auctions, Bull-
dogs of all different varieties, makes,
and calibers still seem abundant, but
the Bulldog collector should be re-
minded that next to the Webley, the
American-made Bulldogs will nor-
mally command a higher price than
a Belgian-made product. The variet-
ies of the Belgian-made Bulldogs are,
however, endless and the guns vary
radically in overall quality.
For a comparison of value, a Fore-
hand & Wadsworth Bulldog is notice-
ably more expensive (aside from a
Webley) than any foreign copy, since
fewer than an estimated 90,000 were
produced. Though the authors speci-
men is in the 85,000 range, serial num-
bers of the F&W revolver serial num-
bers overlapped so radically that one
cannot reliably date them. The F&W
British Bulldog is yet not listed in Flay-
dermans Guide to Antique American
Firearms and their Values since so
few exist. It should be mentioned that
Forehand & Wadsworth also produced
another double action with birds-head
grips that was marked on the frame
American Bulldog. Its production
numbers are unknown and the author
has seen no early advertisements for it.
Some of the Belgian copies have medi-
um- to lower-grade engraving, which
can enhance value, and there are other
lower-quality specimens being found
with oblong bores!
Until the last 10 years, it appears
that Bulldogs in all categories were
often lumped into the scrap iron
category of antique rearms. Times
have indeed changed! In general, an
upsurge in value is starting to occur
to the Bulldog, much like that which
transpired in the 1950s and 60s when
Smith & Wessons and Merwin & Hul-
berts were inexpensive on the gun
show circuitbut have now become
premium antique rearms.
Currently, the Bulldog is still
quite affordable, and there should
be enough for everybody, at least
for the present. Prices have been on
the rise over the last decade, indicating
growing interest in the once-neglect-
ed area of Bulldog collecting. Having
been a student of these little stfuls of
power for well over 30 years, Ive found
that out of the 300-plus Bulldogs I
have owned or examined, there are
more than 30 variations from my own
examinations alone. With the huge
numbers of manufacturers, designs,
calibers, special features, etc., one can
create his own collecting theme on a
single specimen within this family of
rearms. Even the various styles of the
legendary logo, British Bulldog on
these ultra-compact belly guns, is an
area of study itself!
As a nal tribute, it should be re-
membered that the basic design of the
Webley British Bulldog inuenced the
future of the large-frame, break-top
Webley military revolver that served
admirably in three major wars. The
nostalgia of the Bulldog is not far
from my mind each time I travel to
Worcester, Massachusetts and pass by
the citys old mills and factories. Its
bittersweet to recall that this area of
New England was once the capital of
domestic Bulldog revolver manufac-
ture in the United States.
This full left hand view of the
Iver Johnson/Meacham Arms
American Bulldog shows its
design held several improvements
over the Webley British Bulldog.
The barrel on the American Bulldog
could be removed from the frame as a
separate piece, where the British models
had the barrel permanently attached to the
frame by sweating, brazing or some other method,
and then ground smooth at several points. Though sold in three calibers (.32, .38,
and .44), the last must have been the most popular as few examples of the American
Bulldog in the smaller calibers are encountered.
This Forehand & Wadsworth British
Bulldog is owned by Peter Sherayko of Caravan
West Productions and is perhaps the best-known
British Bulldog to be seen on the movie screen.
This particular revolver was used by actress Joanna
Paculas character Big Nose Kate in the epic
1993 Western Tombstone. Though used only in the
card table dispute in one scene in the beginning, it
shows that informed attention to detail ensures that
historically correct rearms, such as the
British Bulldog, get their due.

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