GunDigest Collectors Guide 2011

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1911 PISTOLS / MILITARY GUNS / ODDBALLS / VINTAGE ARMS

GunDigest Collector s ’

INSPECTION GUIDE TO

USED GUNS

PROTECTING YOUR INVESTMENT VALUE ADDED:

FACTORS THAT INCREASE PRICES

WINTER 201 2011 1

Consignments Consig nments Wanted For Our Extraordinary March 2012 Firearms Auction Consignment Deadline January 20, 2012 Our October 2011 sale was another great success at over $9.1 Million. Te total low estimate o the items sold was $6,492,000 which generated generated over $9.1 Million in sales, approx. $2.5 $2.5 Million over low estimate! Our Spring 2012 auction will be a most superlative sale including incl uding the extraordinary Wes Wes Adams collection o rare Winchesters, one o the fnest W inchester collections ever to be oered at auction; Te Dr. Lucie collection o Sc agel knives, the largest and fnest oering o Scagel S cagel knives ever oered in history; a superb s uperb single owner collection o rare Civil Wa Warr and Con. items; the fnal collection o Mr. Robert Howard who originally amassed one o the greatest collections o frearms in the 20th century; and a great collection o Class III. We are most solicitous o quality sporting arms, high-end military, Rev. Rev. War, War, important important historical items and all types o desirable antique frearms and accessories.

We are the world’s leading We leading auctioneers o rare, rare, high-grade, quality frearms. We do not sell the greatest number o frearms in a year, year, we sell the greatest number o expensive expensive frearms in a year. year.

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Sampling o extraordinary Winchesters, Marlins and Colts rom the Adams Collection

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Contact Wes Wes Dillon or Judy Labbe Email: [email protected] [email protected] James D. Julia, Inc., 203 Skowhegan Rd., Fairfeld, ME 04937 Web: W eb: www.jamesdjulia.com www.jamesdjulia.com Tel: (207) 453-7125 453-7125 Fax: (207) (207) 453-2502 Auctioneer: James D. Julia Lic#: ME: AR83

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COLLECTORS GUIDE WINTER 2011

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6 | Protecting Your Investment by Jack Myers

96

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

88

56 | Grandpa’s 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

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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 Rimfire? by Phillip Peterson

98 | Addicted to Military Iron by Andy Ewert

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On the cover: This Kimber Ultra TLE is a modern classic built not just to sit on a collector’s 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.

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1911PISTOLS / MILITARYGUNS/ ODDBALLS/ VINTAGEARMS

GunDigest Collector s ’

INSPECTIONGUIDE TO

USED GUNS

PROTECTING YOUR INVESTMENT

WINTER2011

VALUEADDED:

FACTORS THAT INCREASE PRICES

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EDITOR’S SHOT

| Kevin Michalowski

Collector s GunDigest presents

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700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001 (715) 445-2214 www.gundigest.com

e-mail us: [email protected]

What Sparks Collecting? MY NAME IS KEVIN AND I OWN GUNS. Tere. It’s out there. I got that of my chest. It all started when I was very young. My ather was a actory worker and we never had much money, but Dad did have an a nity or rearms. Still, he was a practical man, and as such he didn’t really express a “need” or many guns. Oh I’m sure he wanted them, but as I was growing up, the gun collection was limited to a deer rie or two and a shotgun or two. In my late teens, Dad let his love or 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 or guns in order to better take care o his young amily. I don’t remember how the conversation started, but talk turned to the “need” or 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 o diferent brands when my dad said something that would stick with me orever. “Te gun I really liked was the old Herter’s over/under. Tat thing just elt 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 o his mind. I didn’t press the issue, because... well, I was about 16 at the time and didn’t know what to say, but also because he then stood up, told me to ollow him and we drove to the local sporting goods store and bought a nice little double. Just like that. SEVERAL

Fast orward about 15 years and I’m standing in a pawn shop in Aberdeen, South Dakota and there in the rack sat a dandy Herter’s 12-gauge double. Te price on the tag was $525. But I had a young wie and a baby on the way. Had I not, I would have bought that gun on the spot and delivered it to my dad without a word. You see, in that moment I knew how he elt and I knew what was most important to me and I made the right choice. But it also le a mark. And, like my dad so many years ago, I’m at the point in my lie where, i I’m careul, I can stand up and go buy the gun I want when I want it. In the intervening years I’ve made many impulse purchases in pawn shops, at gun shows and even retail stores. I’ve never come across another Herter’s 12-gauge, but even i I did, I don’t know that I’d buy it today. Tat magical moment has passed. Tese days I nd mysel 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 o those pretty soon. Good Shooting,

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Collector’sGuide 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 ONE’S COLLECTION. HERE IS A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO PROTECTING YOUR ESTATE AND YOUR FAMILY’S FINANCIAL SECURITY.

I

ncreasing numbers of older gun collectors are becoming aware of a huge problem their heirs will face in the f uture: the (usually) ever-rising value of their collectible firearms. And as we all know, there are many unscrupulous folks out there ready and willi ng to “assist” your family in disposing of t hese valuable items. So how can you protect your loved ones from falling victim to these predators? Using the following record-keeping method, you can make sure your heirs get f ull value from your collection after your demise.

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Collectible guns have become much more than just a relaxing hobby. They’re now considered by most collectors 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 Open loose-leaf binder with sheet protectors on right show the illustrated record of the firearm or item, and the backside of the previous record (at left) shows receipts, bills of sale, and other documentation stored behind each firearm or item in its sheet protector.

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find it quickly. Also, In case of loss due to burglary, fire or flood, this information can help you establish ownership and value of each item in your collection. With a reasonable amount of luck, you’ll never experience a loss of your collection through theft or mishap. However, it’s a sure bet that some day, hopefully well in the future, the gaunt hooded gentleman carrying the scyt he will come a-knocking at your door. In the unhappy event of your passing, your knowledge of each piece in your collection is suddenly lost. However, the procedure I’m 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 financial disaster tomorrow. I began documenting my collection in earnest about five years ago. After a lot of thought and experimentation I came up with a solution for my personal concerns. Yours may differ. If this method does not fit you completely, you can easily tailor it to accomplish the same g u n d i g e s t . c o m

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 specific item.

results. Use what is best for you and yours. Before you begin, it’s a good idea to keep handy the latest edition available of Standard Catalog of Firearms (www.gundigeststore.com) or other reputable firearms value guide to give you, and your heirs, an up-to-date, current evaluation of most firearms. I might also point out that the approach I describe below works not only for gun collections but for those of virtually any type: ammunition boxes, fishing lures, you name it. Essential Data

At a minimm, your records should consist of the following data: 1) Complete, detailed descriptions of each piece, including photographic proof of ownership and relevant information. This also greatly simplifies the chore of an heir having to identify each piece. NOTE: Should your collec-


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tion be placed into the hands of an auction house for disposal, it is a great help to them if you have already composed 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 particular piece may bring. Most auction houses appeciate it when a seller can f urnish 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 flaws which might aid in identifying a piece which may not have serial numbers stamped on it. Federal law did not mandate serial numbers until 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 collection due to its provenance – which only you know and can furnish. 3) EVERY receipt, invoice, bill of sale, ad, owner’s manual, or any other items connected to your acquisition 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 DWinchester N E G E L N A C I R E M A t u B e m a N A T O N r e t s e h c n i Winchester W

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 protectors. Each individual piece is filed 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 collection: 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 important items I wish to protect. Depending upon how often you add to your collection, you can add the new piece to your computer files and at-home three-ring binders, then do a new, updated Flash Drive and take it to the deposit box, regain your previously recorded flash drive, and erase it for use at a later time when updating your files. You must be sure to fully instruct your heirs as to where this valuable information 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.

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W i n 1866 1890 ch e 1894 s 1873 t 1895 er 1876 k N 1897 O 1885 1901 T 1886 1906 A N 501 Eaton Brazil Road, Trenton, TN 38382 1887 Mod. 67’s am O.G.C.A. Life T.G.C.A. LIFE #96 H.G.C.A. LIFE 1892 Mod. 37’s e N.R.A. LIFE MEMBER D.A.C.A LIFE MEMBER B u t Days 731-559-4169 Cell 731-431-7350 Nights 559-4357 FAX 731-559-4367 A M Winchester - Orig. and American. Made Repr. Parts 100% guarantee, stock made like orig. ones all needed is install and E R shoot. Lots of orig. barrels, sights, screws, new repro, barrel, made like ori ginal. Have some 300+ original barrels, special I C orders parts - SASE on all inquiries for Models listed ONLY. A N Parts List - 50 + pages (15 pages of technical schematics). $12.00 Foreign Country ......................................... ........... $17.00 L E Buck ingham’s - The First and Last Stop For Winchester Parts! k G E New Barrels Made - State Of The Ar t Hot Blue, Rust Blue or Hot Water Blue. Only Models Listed Above N D

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9

Collector’sGuide by Phillip Peterson

Better than Book FACTORS THAT ADD TO THE VALUE OF A FIREARM

W

e all know that non-factory alterations can reduce the value of a collectible firearm. Aftermarket chokes, cutdown stocks, recoil pads and other “improvements” may have looked good in their day, but for the most part they leave today’s 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 firearm. 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, almost 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 firearm. 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 field. The collector probably would not have wanted that particu lar firearm 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 potential buyer agreeing on a price. Here, the, are just a few of the factors that can add to the value of a firearm: Scopes & Sights

Many add-on accessories and customizations found on firearms 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 firearm. So, the holes that are dri lled in the receiver 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 hunter’s cash is just as spendable. Of course, i f a “gunsmith” 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 rifle or shotgun is offered with a scope already installed, the value of the scope should be included in the overall value of the gun. How much are used scopes worth? I figure cur10

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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 firearms 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 rifle with an old scope on it that is worth more than the gun. I suggest consulting the book Old R ifle Scopes by Nick Stroebel when attempting to price older optics. Always check t he 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. Getting a broken scope fixed is possible but expensive. Original replacement parts are hard to come by. In addition to scopes, metallic sights of several configurations 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 sporting rifles. 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 firearm. These were offered by companies like Mossberg, Redfield, Williams, and Lyman. When a firearm is offered that has an older metallic sight, I refer the reader to the book Old Gunsights, also by Nick Stroebel. This fine 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 modification usually reduces the price of a firearm. 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.

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All Scratched Up

Fine engraving on a firearm definitely adds to its value. The amount of coverage can range from a fine highlight on the edges all the way to fully engraved hunting scenes complete with gold inlay. If the work is done by a known engraver, pricing the firearm becomes more akin to pricing a piece of art than a useful tool. As with a fine 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 thi s subject. Sometimes the style of engraving may make a g un 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 significantly to its value. One of John Wayne’s 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 produced 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 automatically more valuable than one outside that range. It doesn’t matter if it can’t be proven that the gun in question was carried during the battle–although that would be nice. The mere fact that it might have been significantly adds to its va lue.

acceptable substitutes that cost less. In the 1950s, many of the less expensive firearms 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 rifle. When introduced in 1964, it sported a walnut stock. In the early 1980s a birch stock replaced the wal nut. So a 10-22 with a walnut stock can be worth as much as $75 more than a recent birch stocked rifle. 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 field 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 finest grade AAA walnut stock blanks can be priced at over $1000 just for an unshaped wood blank. Imagine how much that finished stock would add to the value of a pre 1964 Winchester Model 70. It could quickly make that $750 rifle in to a $4500 rifle. Any discussion of stock materials must also consider synthetics. Some synthetics can add significantly to the value of a gun. A Remington Nylon 66 .22 rifle 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 unfired and have their boxes and literature to be worth full book price. Even utility grade firearms sold as recently as five 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 other accessory that was purchased and installed by the owner. All of these cost money. I frequently buy guns, then t he 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 firearms, it pays to remember Got Wood? that not everyone wants a museum-quality collectible. Some Walnut was the primary type of wood used to make fac- want hunting guns, some want shooters. Some want guns tory gunstocks in America through the WW II era. The mas- from a specific period in history. Any factor that caters to any sive production of rifles for militar y use reduced the stands of of these interests can add to the value of a gun – sometimes a available walnut trees and set the industry on a quest to find little, sometimes a lot. g u n d i g e s t . c o m


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Collector’sGuide 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.

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hat is firearms restoration – making old g uns look new? That definition is close, but not completely accurate. Restoration of anything (cars, boats, paintings, furniture – even airplanes) is the careful 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 restorer. The factor that surprises most people is the cost of a full, high-quality restoration project. High-quality restoration 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.

tween the two. Refinishing is just what the name implies, applying a new finish to an existing piece with little or no concern for the underlying surface or internal condition. Think of refinishing as what you do when you repaint a room; you are basically putting a new finish over the old. Restoration is refinishing taken to the highest level. When restoring firearms, 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 fixed at a reasonable cost, this a good time to decide whether to proceed with the restoration. 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 preparation of either the wood or the metal – or both. One of the Refinishing vs. Restoration The terms refinishing and restoration are sometimes used most overlooked details of modern firearms manufacturing interchangeably, although there is considerable difference be- is the fit and finish of the final product. The degree to which most early firearms were finished is one of the reasons they are so desirable. In a restoration project, however, the aspects that generally receive the most attention are the preparation of both the wood and metal surfaces. Value of Restored Firearms

For whatever reason, firearms restoration has long been looked upon as an undesirable practice. The commonlyheld 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 find an original gun in “as-new condition.” In most cases restoration of a firearm will improve the 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 fitted 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.

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.

condition and value of the firearm – providing the restora- hours of polish time to prepare the tion is done correctly. surface for final finishing. Metal polishing, if done correctly, will never be noticed; if done incorrectly, Reasons for Restoration Restoration offers the shooter the opportunity to own a however, the deficiency will stick out firearm (often historical) that is as close to factory original as like a sore thumb. possible. Firearms have played an important role in shaping True metal polishing is a lost art. Most people and protecting this country and certain models are impor- think of polishing as machine-buffing the part until you can tant pieces of history that should be preserved. see your reflection. Polishing is not just about making the In some instances, the costs involved in restoration greatly metal shiny. The order, direction and degree of the polish are exceed the value of the finished gun. Remember, the value of just as important as (in most cases, more important than) the gun is what you would expect to pay for the same gun–if getting the metal bright and shiny. One of the most critical and when you could find it. In some cases the gun may have areas in the polishing sequence is the restoration of the edgbelonged to a family member––or hold some other sentimen- es. The transition between flat and round surfaces should be tal value. A sentimental restoration can return a piece of fam- sharp and crisp, with the correct direction and degree of polily history to the current generation or fulfill a desire to own a ish. The early gunmakers were masters at keeping the edges sharp, crisp and straight. firearm with particular significance. Another area where the early gunmakers excelled was the Metal Polishing polishing of large flat areas leaving few, if any, flaws in the The degree and direction of polish on metal parts in a res- surface. Remember, the surface has to be completely flat, toration is one of the things that differentiate a restored gun with no ripples or flaws; it’s not as easy as it may sound. The from a refinished gun. Remember, a restoration is trying to skill and talent required to correctly polish these areas canreturn that firearm to as close to original condition as pos- not be understated. sible. A refinished gun may receive only a minimal amount CONTINUED ON PAGE 17 of metal polishing before the final finishes are applied. In contrast, some restorations may require as many as 40 or 50 g u n d i g e s t . c o m


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Collector’sGuide by Patrick Sweeney

Inspection Guide To Used Guns HERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF A USED FIREARM.

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hile the satisfaction of buying a new firearm, 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-thebox Winchester pre-64s still exist? Sometimes the only way to acquire the firearm model, or the firearm with the features 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 a ll their used firearms 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 expected performance and durability of that model firearm, and that he presented it correctly as to its features and performance. If you buy a plain old used 30-30 and find 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 asnew benchrest rifle better do well under an inch with its provided 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 14

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want it inspected for safety, durability, function and headspace. 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 firearm in question a quick visual inspection. 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 firearm to determine the percentage of finish 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 barrel 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 typical condition of the gun you are looking at. Does it match the description of the one the seller is trying to sell you? A firearm 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 rifle the seller describes as "the best he's seen" doesn't mean he's fibbing. If you are holding a Remington 700 in 308 Winchester – yes, he is. On the other hand, if you are holding a pre-'64 M-70 in 300 Savage – no, he isn't.

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A rifle fired with a poorly-fitted stock, or one dried out from decades of storage, will often crack light behind the tang. Look closely for cracks or repairs.

Rifles

Open the action. With a light or reflector – 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 rifles will shoot accurately with a slightly pitted bore, some won't – and all will require more frequent cleaning. Work the action and see if there are any binding spots or if the action is rough. Ask if you can dry fire it to check the safety. Some people do not like to have any gun in their possession dry-fired; 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-fire it. How much is the trigger 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-fire 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 rifle fires 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 handling 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 t he g u n d i g e s t . c o m

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 don’t pay collectors’ prices for a working tool that has been modified.


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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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trigger pull is a pound, someone has been stoning the hammer or sear. On the first 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 bedding 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 rifle over and look at the action screws. Are the slots clean, or are they chewed up? Mangled slots indicates a rifle that has been taken apart many times – and at least a few of those times with a poorly-fitting CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

This Winchester 1873 features a color case-hardened receiver, one of the most beautiful of the old-time firearm finishes. Due to the varying composition of steel, no two guns ever have the same pattern.

Stock Work

Metal Finishing

The marriage of wood to metal is one of the most complex and sometimes frustrating aspects of gunmaking. A restoration may involve only the refinishing of the wood to return it to the correct color. It may also involve 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 firearm. If the original wood can be saved it can significantly 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 final dimensions can begin. Once the stock has been shaped, sanded and finished, 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 patterns 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 comes in many different variations. We are all familiar with the bluing on a gun. But did you know that bluing comes in many different varieties and color shades and is specific to certain parts of the gun? For example, Winchester rifles used three different types of bluing on rifle and shotgun barrels throughout the years. The original gunmakers, to harden steel, used color case-hardening. Today we use its vivid colors and unique patterns on the frames of shotguns, rifles and handguns. Without going into the specifics of each process, the biggest mistake do-it-yourself gun restorers make is using the wrong finish for a particular firearm. 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 bluing was not used until the mid-1940s. One of the most common mistakes we see as professional gun restorers is the incorrect use of finishes on vintage firearms. That said, some guns were reblued before they became so highly collectible.


Do-It-Yourself vs. Professional Restoration

Most firearm owners do some form of gunsmithing at some point. One of the most important things to remem-

ber about working on your own firearm is to know your limitations and to be careful. The last thing you want to do is something detrimental to you or the firearm. If you decide to restore your own firearm, pay attention to such details as wood-to-metal fit, direction and degree of the metal polish, barrel and frame markings (these may need to be re-cut or re-applied) and, of course, the correct final finishes. The restoration of a firearm can be a very satisfying and rewarding undertaking, whether you chose to do the work yourself or have it done by a professional. The reasons for restoring firearms vary greatly. Maybe you want to restore your father’s old gun, or you just like the look and feel of a classic firearm. Whatever the reason, firearms restoration is a great way to preserve these important pieces of history for future generations. . Author Peter Koppmann is the shop manager at Turnbull Restorations, which specializes in the refurbishment of American firearms made from 1870 to 1940; to include Colt, Winchester, Marlin, Parker, Fox, L.C. Smith and Ithaca. Specializing in historically-correct metal finishes, including bone color case-hardening, charcoal bluing, rust bluing, nitre bluing and hot bluing, Turnbull Restoration also offers complete metal polishing services and has a complete wood department for restocking and repairs – all under one roof.


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screwdriver. Remove the bolt if you can. If not, use a reflector 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 deposits? Many an "inaccurate" rifle can be made accurate again simply by cleaning the jacket fouling out of the bore. While looking down the bore, hold the barrel so a vertical or horizontal bar in a window reflects down the bore. If the reflection 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 barrel can still be accurate, but will walk Are screw-in chokes easy to remove? Or do you have to wrestle with them? A bulged choke may mean a ruined barrel. its shots when it heats up. A severely Always unscrew the chokes to make sure they work as intended. bent barrel must be replaced. SHOTGUNS Pump-Action & Autoloading Shotguns

Pumps and autoloaders require the same safety check as rifles do, with a few additions. Safety on, pull the trigger, let go, safety off. Dry fire and see if the weight of the trigger pull changes. 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.

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.

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 repaired will have a different appearance 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 Double-Barrel Shotguns the action wears, the lever moves furDoubles require a different inspec- ther and further, taking up the wear.

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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 forearm and then check barrel tightness. Does the barrel assembly move or wobble when closed? Can you see the joint at the action changing size CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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when you try to move the barrel? A loose barrel is an expensive repair, so be sure to check. Pull or twist the barrel 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 forward. The action should be as tight as a bank vault. Next, the triggers. You'll need snap caps and the owner’s permission. Insert the snap caps and close the action. 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 selector 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 action, snap one of the barrels, and t hen slap the butt of the shotgun with your hand. If the shotgun has a non-inertial trigger – like the Ruger Red Label – you can forego the slapping. Does the second barrel now fire when you pull the trigger? If so, the inertial trigger is working. If not, you may have 22

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The wood on this shotgun can be repaired, but what caused it? If a previous owner used magnum shells in a nonmagnum-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.

to slap it harder, or the inertia weight sure they are straight, and the grips needs adjusting. to make sure they are without cracks or dents. Also look at the exterior HANDGUNS edge of the muzzle, and the corners Handguns come in two types: re- of the frame, for signs of dropping. volvers and autoloading pistols, and Bent sights and cracked grips indicate each has sub-types with their own pe- a dropped handgun. Dropping can culiarities. The four types we'll cover bend the barrel, warp the frame or are the single-action revolver and throw off the timing. double-action revolver, single-action Hold the revolver up to the light, autoloading pistol and double-action sideways, and look at the cylinder autoloading pistol. gap. There should be daylight, but not too much of it. The SA comes in the Single-Action Revolvers Colt pattern, old Ruger, and the new The single-action revolver is known Ruger. by many as the cowboy revolver. Your In Colts and old Rugers, open the quick visual inspection of the exterior CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 should start with the sights, to make gundigest.com

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You must remove the forearm before checking a double for tightness. If you don’t, the forearm’s 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 refitted.

24

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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 Rugers, opening the loading gate frees the cylinder to rotate. To close up both action "systems," close the loading gate, cock the hammer and, with your thumb on the hammer spur, pull the trigger and ease the hammer forward while holding the trigger back. Check the cylinder for play. For those who may not know, spinning the cylinder at high speed, or fanning 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 easily fixed, 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 fitted, 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 expensive, 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 unusual 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 trigger pull. If the owner is leery of letting you dr y fire, 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 indicate 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 trigger pull has been "messed with," what was done? You can't tell without getting out a screwdriver set and disassembling the revolver there and then. You will have to either take the risk, or insist on a return/refund option if your gunsmith finds something too expensive to fix. gundigest.com

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 continue inspecting the Single Action, open the loading gate, release 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 evenly worn white? (A difficult inTo check single action engagement, cock the hammer and push the hammer forward with one thumb. Again, spection on a stainless or nickel ten pounds is all you need. 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 cylinder 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 filing the rear face for some reason? Is the Hammer clearance on a revolver in single action mode is important. You can see here the hammer may bind on the forcing cone clean and smooth? A revolver that has been fired with frame if the spur is bent. 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 g u n d i g e s t . c o m

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 fired, 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 five, 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 flicking the wrist, is flagrant handling abuse which will get it snatched out of your hands by many owners. COLLECTORS GUIDE WINTER 2011

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Check carry-up, both in single action and double action modes. You may have to ride your offhand thumb on the hammer as you slowly do the doubleaction 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 find out. A bent spur can still work fine in double 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 department about proper testing for pushoff (my home state of Michigan requires 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 customers came in with. I finally 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 singleaction notch is worn – or has been worked on. Depending on theremedy required, it may be expensive to fix; sometimes requiring a new hammer. Check cylinder tightness with the trigger held back, as with the SA revolver, checking for play side-to-side and front-to-back. As on the SA revolver, side-to-side play can be caused by peened locking slots in the cylinder, which is expensive to repair. Or, it can be caused by a worn cylinder stop (less expensive), or a tired cylinder stop spring (cheap to fix). Endshake is a sign of use with heavy or magnum loads. Endshake is easy and inexpensive 26

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Close the cylinder, dry fire 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 shouldn’t move at all when the trigger is held back, and only a little when released.

to fix by stretching the crane or installing shims, but both increase cylinder 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 expensive fix. 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 fixed. The rear of the chambers should have clean ninetydegree edges. Some shooters bevel the rear opening of the chambers to make speedloading faster and easier. Properly done, beveling does speed reloads A peened cylinder locking slot indicates heavy use, either many rounds or magnum loads. Peened slots can’t be but, improperly done, it can cause fixed, and require a new cylinder, a major cost. 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, especially jacketed ones, will have an eroded forcing cone. A worn forcing cone can gundigest.com

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 won’t fully “carry up” into position behind the barrel is dangerous. If it fires unlocked, the bullet won’t be centered in the bore, and will split fragments out through the gap.


cause spitting and a loss of accuracy. A worn forcing cone can be fixed, 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 relatively fragile fragi le and can be bent by being being dropped, or being flipped open Hollywood-style. Gently close the cylinder, and see how much much thumb pressure it takes to lock up. Does the cylinder swing swi ng into place and click shut without force? Great. Try it on all chambers, as a bent crane can be offset by other tolerances, and may be hidden on one or more chambers. If you find 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 bal l-peen hammer to bend the crane. You also

need one to straighten it. A S&W crane is more fragile and more sensitive to misalignment, misa lignment, 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 fix. Autoloading Pistols, Single-Action

The icon of single-action autoloading 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 Parkerized 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 find a 1911 with a blued slide and nickeled or stainless stain less frame, fra me, or blued blued or Parkerized 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-

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Once the safety is on, pull the trigger with about 10 pounds of force. Then push the safety off and listen to the sear. The grip safety on the left has been pinned down, and doesn’t work. Don’t buy a 1911 with a pinned grip safety unless it can be unpinned and tested for function.

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 suspicious. Any crack in a slide is grounds for immediate rejection. Cracked slides cannot be repaired, cannot be trusted, and a nd 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-fit replacement barrel. All will be moderately expensive to fix. Or, it could simply be a replacement replacement slide that was wa s not fully lapped to fit – which is cheap to fix. Flip the thumb safety up and down. It should move smoothly and snap from one setting to another. Check the grip safety. sa fety. It should move move in and a nd out without binding, and its spring should snap it back out when released. A grip safety that doesn't move should set 28

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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. move. A pistol with a pinned grip safety is probably 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 properly tuned. Now check check the function fu nction of the safeties. Happily, owners of the 1911 are much less prone to the "don't dry fire" attitude. Check to make sure the pistol isn't loaded, then cycle the slide and dry fire it. Hold the trigger back and work the slide. It should move smoothly. smoothly. A pistol that is hard ha rd to cycle with the trigger held back could have disconnector problems – or an improperly adjusted trigger binding the disconnector. With the slide cycled back and forth, does the hammer stay cocked (It better, or you will be facing expensive repairs)? Next, push the thumb safety ON. Pull the trigger (using no more than ten pounds pres-

Does the thumb safety move smoothly, or do you need to force it? Forcing is bad, and indicates a poorly fitted thumb safety.

sure), release the trigger and push the safety OFF. If the hammer falls, the safety isn't blocking the sear’s movement. I've seen pistols that would fire when the safety was ON and the trigger was pulled. Not very safe and, potentially, 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 hear nothing (assuming (assuming you have have properly worn hearing protection during all those years of shooting) then the thumb safety is fine. If you hear a little metallic "tink" then the safety needs adjustment. If the safety blocks the sear – but not entirely entirely – the gundigest.com

To check the disconnector: dry fire, hold the trigger down and slowly cycle the slide.

To check the grip safety’s function you have to hold the pistol so you don’t depress the safety. Then pull the trigger.


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 safet y. Cock the hammer and hold the pistol so you don't grip the grip safety. Pull the t he 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 experimentation. 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. ba rrel. If someone has polished them to be an uninterrupted surface, they have decreased feeding reliability. An impro i mproperly perly polished or ground ramp is expensive to fix. Should you check barrel fit? Checking won't tell you much. The customary 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 shoot worth a dar n. There are some indications that something is amiss. If you are looking at a custom competition competition gun with wit h a name-brand barrel fitted, and the t he fit is loose, be suspicious. The barrel may have been simply dropped in (with no attempt at properly fitting it), or it may have been shot tens of thousands of rounds until it wore loose. If you have a pistol with a plain barrel, tightly fitted, and the front sight is very short, something is up. The barrel may be tight simply because the owner has fitted a long link to the barrel. In which case the link li nk is propping the barrel up to be tight, and the front sight had to be shortened to get the sights to line up with wit h the groups. Lock the slide open and look down the bore. More so than many other pistols, the 1911 can be a high-mileage survivor. Is the bore clean, or fouled with lead or copper? Is the muzzle worn from cleaning? Is there

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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 problem’s source.

heavy brass "marking" behind the ejection port? Signs of high mileage are not a reason to pass, but if the pistol 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 repairs to a 1911, the same symptoms can be cheap – or expensive – depending whether the parts involved merely need adjustment, or must be replaced. Accept a dysfunctional 1911 into your home only after careful 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, except 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. Police guns get dropped, whacked into 30

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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 automatic "passing grade" here, as you can't do more than cosmetic damage, even by throwing one into a cement mixer. Do the dry fire and slide cycle test just as you would with the 1911. Hammerless guns, or DA-only guns, where the hammer follows the slide down, obviously won’t show you a cocked hammer to manually manipulate. Dry fire them, cycle the slide, and dry fire again. The safety check is less involved than with the 1911, and is dependent on design. On Glocks, cycle the action and attempt to press the trigger back without depressing the centrally-mounted trigger safety. On DA guns, drop a pencil down the muzzle, eraser end first, and point up. Push the safety lever to SAFE, or use the de-cocking lever. The pen-

cil shouldn't move. Don't pay attention to vibrations. If the safety isn't blocking the firing pin, the pencil will get launched out and upwards. Buying a used firearm can be rewarding, fun and educational. By taking a few precautions, and using the inspection procedures outlined, you can avoid buying a walnut and blue steel lemon. Have fun and stay safe! .

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31

640 Markwith Ave. Greenville, OH 45331

COPE’S DISTRIBUTING

SHIPPING is flat rate of $9.95 per order for 1 or 1000 items

Phone Orders: 866-523-2673 • 937-459-5247 • Inqu iries: 937-459-5208 • Fax: 937-459-5434 All ma jor cr edit cards accepted. Prices sub ject to change MD ARMS Izhmash Style Saiga-12 Flash Hider [D1R2-A7]

Arsenal SGL21-61 Saiga (7.62x39) [MS2-A6 SR] SGL21-61

This is the highest quality, most accurate copy of the Izhmash style Saiga-12 flash hider available. Made in the USA, in house by MD Arms. This does count as a 922 compliance part. High quality material and attention to detail, just like everything else MD Arms! This part screws on in place of the factory thread protector. $34.99

MD ARMS Izhmash Style Saiga-12 Shortened Flash Hider U2L3-AA10]

MD Arms shortened version of the Izhmash Saiga-12, 10-slot flash hider with an overall length around 2 3/16” This is the highest quality, most accurate shortened copy of the Izhmash style Saiga-12 flash hider available. Made in the USA, in house by MD Arms. This does count as a 922 compliance part. High quality material and attention to detail, just like everything else MD Arms! This part screws on in place of the factory thread protector. $34.99

MD ARMS Izhmash style trigger guard with built in selector stop. [D1R1-AK20]

Trigger guard allows the use of any AK style pistol grip and is one of the finest available anywhere. Made from heat treated steel giving it the strength of the mil itary grade AK trigger guards. Supplied with both rivets and screws for installation type of your choice. This installation does require two additional holes for mounting using supplied drill bit. Easy to follow instructions for installation are included. PLEASE NOTE: This trigger guard is designed for a Saiga-12 that has had the trigger group moved forward from the sporting location as imported to the standard AK location and with standard military style grip screw and square grip screw nut installed. $24.99

MD Arms Saiga 12ga 20rd drum [U72-A3-2 SR]

20 round drum for the Saiga 12. This is the best drum available for the Saiga 12. This is made by MDARMS. All drums come with the smoke colored window for viewing of round count. This is the finest drum you can buy for your Saiga 12 shotgun. Made 100% in the USA. IN STOCK $99.99

Nobel Sport LE Ammo 12ga 2-3/4” 1-1/8 oz Slug 250rd Case [U64-A5SR]

NobelSport Law Enforcement Shotshells provide a top quality product for both security and law enforcement professionals. Packaged in 10 round cardboard boxes, 25 BOXES PER CASE. Made in Italy. Technical Information •Gauge: 12 •Shell Length: 2-3/4” •Slug Type: Strike Lead Rifled Slug •Slug Weight: 1-1/8 oz Ballistics Information: •Muzzle Velocity: 1480 fps OUR FLAT RATE SHIPPING APPLIES $119.99

Black stockset, Warsaw Pact Length Buttstock Saiga rifle - Russian made stamped receiver, 7.62x39 caliber, 16” hammer forged chrome lined barrel, front sight block with bayonet lug and 24x1.5 right-hand threads, accessory lug, muzzle brake, standard mil-spec. handguards with stainless steel heat shield, polymer furniture with Warsaw Pact l ength buttstock, U.S. made double stage fire control group, 1000 meter rear sight leaf, scope rail, and comes with a 5-rd magazine. Details SKU SGL21 SERIES caliber: 7.62 x 39 mm total length: 861 mm (33 7/8 in.) barrel length: 415 mm (16.3 in.) rifling: 4 grooves twist rate: 1 in 240 mm (9.44 in.) weight w/o magazine: 3.24 kg (7.15 lbs.) muzzle velocity: 710 m/s (2,329 fps) effective range: 500 m (550 yds) maximum range: 1,350 m (1,480 yds) rear sight range: 1000 m (1,094 yds) Attention! By Federal law, we can only ship firearms to an FFL licensed gun dealer Check all local laws and regulations before purchasing. All rifles and shotguns fall under our standard flat rate shipping! $764.99

Arsenal SGL21-71 Saiga (7.62x39) [MS2-A7 SR] SGL21-71

Black stockset, NATO Length Buttstock Saiga rifle - Russian made stamped receiver, 7.62x39 caliber, 16” hammer forged chrome lined barrel, front sight block with bayonet lug and 24x1.5 right-hand threads, accessory lug, muzzle brake, standard mil-spec. handguards with stainless steel heat shield, polymer furniture with NATO length buttstock, U.S. made double stage fire control group, 1000 meter rear sight leaf, scope rail, and comes with a 5-rd magazine. Details SKU SGL21 SERIES caliber: 7.62 x 39 mm total length: 861 mm (33 7/8 in.) barrel length: 415 mm (16.3 in.) rifling: 4 grooves twist rate: 1 in 240 mm (9.44 in.) weight w/o magazine: 3.24 kg (7.15 lbs.) muzzle velocity: 710 m/s (2,329 fps) effective range: 500 m (550 yds) maximum range: 1,350 m (1,480 yds) rear sight range: 1000 m (1,094 yds) Attention! By Federal law, we can only ship firearms to an FFL licensed gun dealer Check all local laws and regulations before purchasing. All rifles and shotguns fall under our standard flat rate shipping! $769.99

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 milspec. 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 total length: 927 mm (36 1/2 in.) barrel length: 415 mm (16.3 in.) rifling: 4 grooves twist rate: 1 in 195 mm (7.68 in.) weight w/o magazine: 3.31 kg (7.30 lbs.) muzzle velocity: 900 m/s (2,953 fps) effective range: 500 m (550 yds) maximum range: 1,350 m (1,480 yds) rear sight range: 1000 m (1,094 yds) Attention! By Federal law, we can only ship firearms to an FFL licensed gun dealer Check all local laws and regulations before purchasing. All rifles and shotguns fall under our standard flat rate shipping! $821.99

Prices subject to change...check website

Much much more at www.copesdistributing.net 32

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gundigest.com

SHIPPING is flat rate of $9.95 per order for 1 or 1000 items

640 Markwith Ave. Greenville, OH 45331

COPE’S DISTRIBUTING

Phone Orders: 866-523-2673 • 937-459-5247 Inqu iries: 937-459-5208 • Fax: 937-459-5434 All ma jor cr edit cards accepted. Prices sub ject 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 total length: 927 mm (36 1/2 in.) barrel length: 415 mm (16.3 in.) rifling: 4 grooves twist rate: 1 in 195 mm (7.68 in.) weight w/o magazine: 3.31 kg (7.30 lbs.) muzzle velocity: 900 m/s (2,953 fps) effective range: 500 m (550 yds) maximum range: 1,350 m (1,480 yds) rear sight range: 1000 m (1,094 yds) Attention! By Federal law, we can only ship firearms to an FFL licensed gun dealer Check all local laws and regulations before purchasing. All rifles and shotguns fall under our standard flat rate shipping! $821.99

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MD ARMS Saiga Booster Piston [U1R7-AE14]

The MD Arms Saiga Booster Piston is the first of it’s 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 efficient than the factory part on top of the Booster Piston’s already significant 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 benefit 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 factory’s 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 it’s parts. Because even at best, the factory plug with it’s limited two settings, leaves your Saiga-12 over gassed with some makes of ammo. Also, depending on your specific 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 fire rifle 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 isn’t even close to sufficient 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 benefit 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, i n regards to regulating the gas flow 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 it’s 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 it’s 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 it’s face. This allows for much more plastic fouling to accumulate without it interfering with the piston or ports, unlike the factory or other after market plugs. This pocket also helps plastic fouling better burn up increasing it’s surface area to the hot gasses. And reduces plastic fouling in the threads by better directing it away from them. It is finger 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 finger grooves. If you like the feel of the Izhmash Saiga-12 grip (which we feel has a superior feel to most even without finger grooves) you will love this grip! This grip is made in t he 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 fit AK-47, AK-74, and RPK variants, Russian Izhmash Saiga shotguns and rifles 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

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The 1905 Colt was the first successful 45-caliber semiautomatic pistol. Having a gun already in production gave the Colt company a headstart when the U. S. military tests began in 1907.

In 1971, Colt brought out the Combat Commander, the same size as the original lightweight Commander, but with a steel frame.

The 1905 Colt .45, developed by John M. Browning, was a logical development of the locked-breech 38-caliber Colt/Browni ng pistol. The new .45 had a five-inch barrel, which gave it an overall length of about eight inches. It weighed about 33 ounces. Capacity of the magazine 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 today’s shooters, the 1905 pistol 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 fighting pistol.” It was the only .45 automatic in commercial production, a fact that gave it a decided advantage when the tests began. It is worth commenting on the slide of the early Colt automatics. We are 34

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so used to semiautomatic pistols having slides that it is difficult to realize now what an innovation Browning had introduced. The earliest high-power auto pistols — the Borchardt, the Bergmann, the Mauser, the Mannlicher and the Luger — had exposed barrels with the locking mechanism completely behind 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 barrel length, but the slide and barrel could have mating lugs to form the short-recoil locking mechanism. The Colt .38 automatics had been linked to the frame at both the front and rear of the barrel. Lugs on the barrel mated with recesses in the slide. Thus, the barrel and slide were locked together during firing. Then, as the barrel moved down after firing, the slide was free to move rearward, ejecting 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 January 15, 1907, eight applicants had submitted nine designs. Three were revolvers, 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 concepts in competition for the first time. Having the 1905 already in production made Colt the front-runner. However, besides the Colt, the Army also tested pistols from Bergmann, Knoble, WhiteMerrill, 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 field tests. Colt, of course, readily accepted, but the fledgling Savage company, then just 12 years old, was unwillgundigest.com

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 German firm may have also been reluctant to redesign production tooling for a small contract. Also, DWM may have wanted to put more resources into the final development of its 9mm pistol. This pistol was indeed shortly thereafter adopted by the German Army as the Pistole ’08 (P08). The failure of DWM to supply 45-caliber Lugers for the field 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 leveraction rifle designed by Art hur Savage. Savage accepted the contract. The competition of the Savage was a good thing. During the field 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 pistol. The final test was a 6,000-round endurance 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 fired over 1,000 rounds without problems, but as the shooting continued, the Savage developed problems with malfunctions, and parts defects appeared. The refined Colt fired 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 development of the semiautomatic pistol. g u n d i g e s t . c o m

The end result of four years of extensive testing was the most reliable large-caliber pistol in the world. The final report on the Colt stressed “its marked superiority…to any other known pistol.”

Revolvers had been made of stainless steel for some years, but in 1977, AMT brought out the first 1911-style 45 automatic made of stainless steel. The AMT Hardballer was essentially a stainless copy of the Colt Gold Cup National Match.

Adoption of The 1911

Foreign Variations

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 accomplished 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 magazine release had been added. For better pointing characteristics, the grip-tobore angle had been changed from a straight 84 degrees to a slantier 74 degrees. Colt immediately discontinued the 1905, and as its replacement, put the Model 1911 into commercial production 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.

Norway was the second country to adopt the 45-caliber Colt 1911. Because guns based on Browning’s 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 adopted it. The modifications 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 thumbpiece lower and slightly rearward. Having 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.


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In 1912, the British had adopted a largebore autoloading pistol, the Mark I Webley self-loader. The pistol was chambered for the .455 Webley Self Loading cartridge (also called .455 Eley). Independently designed, the round was similar in dimensions and power to the .45 ACP cartridge. The precisely-fitted Webley autoloader 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 first 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 fighting with native tribes continued. The new .45s were also used in the1916 Punitive Expedition, led by General John J. Pershing, that went into Mexico after Pancho Villa. Colt made all the early 1911 pistols. However, the U. S. Government, previously content to manufacture only long guns (and to purchase handguns from commercial manufacturers), reconsidered. The Ordnance Department wanted an arrangement by which it could manufacture the 1911 at Springfield Armory if it so desired. After some negotiation, Colt conferred the right to manufacture the pistol to the government 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 Springfield pistols were essentially identical to the Colt-made pis36

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tols except for markings. Visually, they could be recognized by the sharper (less-gradual) termination of the scallop at the front of the slide. World War I had broken out in Europe in 1914. In hindsight, it was only a matter of time until the United States was drawn into the war. America entered 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….” However, the new conditions of trench warfare caused military planners to increase the distribution of sidearms. At first, 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 ri fles. The United States was not prepared to achieve this kind of pistol production. Because of the need for more rifles, Springfield Armory stopped pistol production during 1916 and 1917. (It did resume Model 1911 production in 1918, after the use of the 1917 Enfield had eased the need for 1903 Springfield rifles.) 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

The Randall 45 was introduced in 1983 as “the only stainless steel fit for duty.” Gaining great publicity for its left-hand pistols, most of Randall production consisted of traditional right-hand 1911s. The company had financial problems and went out of business in 1985.

become obvious that Colt production alone could not supply enough pistols. A new source was found in RemingtonUMC. Remington had been manufacturing 3-line Mosin-Nagant rifles 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 total made was 21,676. Except for markings, 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 firms. 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 Canada. The North American Arms Co. (in the Ross rifle plant) made some finished 1911 pistols, although probably fewer than 100 were made. The 1911 pistol proved itself in comgundigest.com

bat during World War I. Many instances of excellent performance of the 45 were reported. The exploits of Corporal Alvin York are probably the most memorable use of both rifle and pistol. York almost single-handedly captured 132 German soldiers. His actions stopped a German counterattack in France’s Argonne Forest. (And, yes, I know — the Gary Cooper movie depicted York as using a captured German Luger. However, that was only because the moviemakers 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 development 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 concerning the 1911. Soldiers with small hands had experienced some trouble gripping the pistol and controlling the trigger properly. The hammer spur sometimes pinched the fleshy web of a shooter’s hand against the tang of the grip safety. The fine sights were difficult to see under conditions of low light. It tended to point low during instinct shooting. Accordingly, subtle changes were made to the pistol to answer these situations. The trigger was shortened, and the frame was recessed on the sides near the trigger to provide better access. The tang of the grip safety was lengthened. The sights, although still small by today’s standards, were made with a larger square notch at the rear and a wider square front sight. The flat mainspring housing was replaced by an arched housing. Subtle changes were also made to the rifling. These changes were approved in 1923, and by 1925, Colt had put them into production. In June 1926, the nomenclature was changed to Model 1911A1. With the adoption of the 1911A1, much of the 1911 tooling at Springfield became obsolete. No more 45-caliber pistols were made at Springfield. Only g u n d i g e s t . c o m

that tooling able to produce spare parts common to 1911 and 1911A1 pistols was retained. Colt, of course, changed its commercial offering as soon as the military specifications were implemented. The military pistols were marked Model 1911A1, but the commercial pistols were, for the first time, marked “Government Model.” Mexico had adopted the 1911 after WWI and had purchased pistols directly from Colt. After about 1926, pistols with the 1911A1 modifications were supplied. Argentina, as noted previously, had adopted the 1911 as their Modelo 1916. After 1927, Colt supplied 1911A1 pistols. Markings on the Argentine Colts remained the same, except that the modified pistol became known as the Modelo 1927. In the early 1930s, Colt agreed to license manufacture by the Argentine government. The Argentine-made Colts were made at Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles (FMAP) in Rosario, Argentina. Unlicensed modified 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 Enforcement found that bullets from the traditional .38 Special revolver, and even the big .45 automatic, would not reliably penetrate car bodies. In 1929, Colt introduced its Super 38 pistol. The Super 38 was a Government Model modified 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 38’s 130grain 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 Rifle blowback pistol, the Ace. Later, about 1937, Colt incorporated the floating 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 duri ng World War II. Target shooting with handguns, previously a sport for single-shot pistols and revolvers, saw the use of semiautomatic pistols becoming more common. At the 1930 National Matches, Colt introduced its National Match 45-caliber pistol. Based on the Government Model, it had a match-grade barrel, honed action, and could be supplied with fixed sights or with Stevens adjustable sights. Barrels and slides were fitted 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 subsequently available in .38 Super, as the Super Match. World War II

World War II began officially 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 firearms of captured countries Norway had been neutral during WWI, and reaffirmed 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 Britain. 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 Norway to occupation troops or subservient Norwegian troops, about 10,000 additional 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-


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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 making firearms could be uti lized 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 Remington-Rand, the typewriter and businessmachine 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 annual production by a single manufacturer in the history of firearms.” Colt produced about 480,000 pistols, over 22% of the total production. Ithaca Gun Company, a shotgun maker, manufactured about 369,000, amounting to almost 20%. Union Switch & Signal 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 “Parkerized” (a rust-resistant phosphate finish), had brown plastic grip panels, and had flat-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 refurbished for WWII use. They were parkerized, 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 side38

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arm. It stood apart from other hand- it was introduced as the Commander guns used during the Second World Model. Calibers were .45, .38 Super War. and 9mm. The Colt Commander was a landmark pistol. At 26-1/2 ounces, it Post-War, Through the 1950s was our first big-bore aluminum frame The basic 1911 handgun had gone pistol. Often overlooked is the fact that through its second world war with an the Commander was the first pistol ever exemplary record. Essentially every commercially produced in America in American serviceman held the pistol in the 9mm chambering. high regard. This feeling was well-repBy the end of the 1950s, the position resented in the 1959 novel, The Pistol, of the 1911 had evolved. Now, almost by James Jones. The novel follows the half a century old, from being a splenmovement of a 45-caliber pistol among did military pistol, it was becoming U. S. servicemen after Pearl Harbor, in everyman’s pistol. which every man who has any contact After the end of WWII, all shooting with the pistol wants it for his own per- sports increased in popularity. A joke sonal protection. of the time was that returning serviceStill, after 1946, for the first time men were only interested in two things in almost four decades, U. S. military — and the second one was shooting. planners considered the possibility of Bullseye pistol shooting benefited a lighter pistol, and also began to con- from this renewed interest and became sider a change to the 9mm Parabellum very popular. The National Match (9mm Luger) ammunition used by both Course had sections for 22-caliber, wartime adversaries and allies. Centerfire and 45-caliber pistols. EvColt investigated the possibilities of eryone wanted a .45. a lighter Government Model, and deThe National Matches, closed durveloped an association with ALCOA ing WWII and Korea, resumed in 1953. Aluminum. A number of frames were Military “National Match” pistols were made of aluminum alloy, and test pis- made from .45s on hand beginning in tols were made. To further reduce 1955. Most were made at Springfield Arweight, the barrel length was shortened mory (thus getting the facility back into to 4-1/4 inches, and the slide shortened providing pistols, if not actually manaccordingly. A rounded “burr” hammer ufacturing them), and were stamped was used, which also allowed use of a NM. Originally fitted with high fixed shorter-tang grip safety. The test pistols sights, they were made with adjustable were made in the by-then traditional sights in 1961. Colt furnished parts for .45 ACP and .38 Super, and — with an such work. eye to possible military tests — also in However, the maker of the first, the 9mm Luger chambering. original pre-war National Match pistol, Eventually the military reconsid- could hardly have been satisfied withered, realizing that plenty of 45-caliber out a match pistol of its own. Colt, in 1911A1 pistols were on hand. In June 1957, brought out an improved version 1950, the United States became involved of its early National Match 45, called in a “police action” in Korea (it was not the Gold Cup National Match. It was called the Korean War until later). The a highly-developed pistol for competi45-caliber pistols, along with the rest of tion shooting. It became the standard America’s WWII armament, went back by which .45 target pistols were judged. into service. Consideration of a 9mm Surprisingly, it was not the only newpistol was dropped, at least for the time ly-made target-oriented .45 autoloader being. available. The Spanish Llama pistols Colt had already made a decision to (copies of the 1911, but not part-formarket the shorter, lighter version of part copies), were imported by A. F. the Government Model. In early 1950, Stoeger since 1951. In 1957, the Llama gundigest.com

line also introduced a target version in .45 caliber. Before that time, a number of gunsmith shops had begun specializing in “accurizing” .45s for target competition. As the 1950s went on, then began what has been called “the Golden Age of Surplus.” As countries around the world updated their military equipment, they cleaned out their armories. Military equipment, including firearms, 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 advertised, “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 writing 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 matches grew into the alphabet soup of IPSC, USPSA, PPC and NRA Action shooting of today. Based on the concepts of Accuracy, Power and Speed, the pistol that fit Cooper’s ideas best? The 45-caliber Government Model. The 1960s

The 1960s started as a continuation of the 1950s, but by the end of that decade, things had changed dramatically in the United States firearms 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 National Rifle Association (NRA). The Au g u n d i g e s t . c o m

gust 1960 issue of American Rifleman gave the details. Price was $17, including packing and shipping. Pistols were classed “unserviceable,” which meant they may have had minor defects, but were safe to fire. (The Ithaca 1911A1 I got had a cracked slide stop, which cost me a dollar to replace.) The influx of inexpensive .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 firearms 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 fit of the average military 1911 had given rise to the idea that the 45 was “not accurate.” Colt investigated possibilities, and determined that a new barrel bushing, a collet-type with spring-steel “fingers” to position the barrel, would increase accuracy. Without publicity, Colt began fitting pistols with this experimental new system in 1969. About 750 were reportedly made.

ABOVE: World War II Model 1911A1 pistols, like this Ithaca-made specimen, were standardized with parkerized finish, plastic grips and flat hammers. (This pistol, bought through the DCM, was the author’s first 45 automatic.) Ithaca, now located in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, is once again making 1911s.

They can be identified 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 Colt’s Mk. IV / Series ’70. The collet-type bushings were used in the Government Model and Gold Cup National Match pistols. The Commander continued to use its original shortened solid bushing. The next year, 1971, a Combat Commander 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 Rifle Association, 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 (modified copies of


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the 1911) got more attention. The Spanish 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.

. c n I s ’ a l e b a C 0 1 0 2 ©

In 1975, the Spanish firm producing the big Star pistols brought out the Star PD. The new small Star was a shortened and lightened .45 with an aluminum frame. With its 4-inch barrel and weight of 25 ounces, the Star was, for a short time, the smallest .45 avai lable. In 1976, the year of America’s Bicen-

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tennial, the 1911 was miniaturized in America by the new firm calling itself Detonics. Originally using Colt parts modified by them, and then manufacturing 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 firms grew. About 1977, the AMT (Arcadia Machine & Tool) Hardballer was introduced. The pistol was essentially of Gold Cup configuaration, a target-grade pistol with adjustable sights. However, the AMT Hardballer was manufactured of stainless steel. It was apparently the first stainless-steel 1911 ever offered. The AMT line grew, with fixed sight pistols and Commander-size pistols soon offered. Within a short time, they

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were joined by the striking Long Slide Hardballer, a similar adjustable-sighted pistol, but with a 7-inch barrel and correspondingly 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 nowtrendy stainless steel, by small companies 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 finger 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 1911style 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 firing-pin safety to the 1911 design. This prevented the firing pin from moving until the trigger was pressed. The new variant became 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 g u n d i g e s t . c o m

pistol, a 1911 fitted with the Seecamp double-action trigger system, was introduced. That same year, Auto-Ordnance, owned then by Numrich Arms, brought out the GI-style Thompson 1911A1 pistol. A number of guns from different companies appeared, based on modified 1911 designs. Representatives of this category were the Coonan, Arminex and Grizzly pistols. Randall, a company first involved in making replacement stainless magazines for 1911s, in 1983 introduced a line of stainless-steel 1911 pistols. Early stainless autoloaders had developed problems with ga lling, developed as the stainless slide rubbed across the stainless frame. Randall believed they had solved those problems, and advertised the Randall as “the only stainless steel fit for duty.” The most striking Randalls were the left-hand versions, which were completely left-handed—even the rifling turned the opposite way! About 7% of Randall’s pistols were left-handed. The Randall Curtis E. LeMay pistol, honoring Air Force General LeMay, was a 4-1/4-inch barrel and a 6-shot fingerrest magazine. After making about 10,000 guns, Randall became overextended and the company failed in 1985. Faring better was Springfield Armory, a new commercial company that had acquired the name of the former government facility. Springfield began in 1985 with pistols that were essentially recreations of the WWII 1911A1. It continues as one of the major 1911 manufacturers. 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 reference to Colt’s 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. Think ing of the performance of the .45 during WWII, one remarked, “Now we have the pistol cartridge used by the countries defeated during the war.” 1986 arrived, Colt’s 150th anniversary. However, the sesquicentennial was not a good period for the company. In 1986, a bitter strike against Colt began and dragged on for four years. The company economized during its time of limited production. Although it was not officially dropped until 1988, no mention of the collet-type “accurizer” bushing 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 firearms again, thus reversing one of GCA ‘68’s many restrictions. In 1986, the Falcon Portsider was introduced, a left-handed pistol made to enter the niche abandoned when Randall went out of business. Falcon made only a small number of pistols, and was gone by 1990. About 1988, Para-Ordnance, a Canadian company making “non-gun” dyemarking guns, introduced a sideline of large-capacity frames and magazines for the 1911. Standard 1911 parts could be fitted to the frames to create the first 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 (distributed from, of all places, California) made somewhat fancier variants. Custom maker Ed Brown started business in 1988. In spite of its labor problems, Colt was still active during this time. The 45-caliber Officers ACP was intro-


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Military National Match pistols used at Camp Perry had the trigger weighed and a tape placed on the trigger guard to show it met specifications. This gun was fired at Camp Perry in 1967 by the author, and still has the 1967 tape on the trigger guard.

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 Government 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 issue” 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 demand 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 exploded in the 1990s. At the beginning of the decade, Colt carried out a plan to get back into the basic 1911 market. Its enhanced offerings 42

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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 company’s 1911 A1 pistols of World War II. With a matte finish 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 entity made a surprisingly good copy of a 1911. The Norinco got good reviews until president William J. Clinton prohibited importation of firearms 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-Ordnance high-capacity pistols were gaining popularity, Mitchell’s new 45s were offered in double-column configuration — 13+1 — as well as the tradition-

al single-column style. Springfield and Llama also offered large-capacity 13+1 pistols that same year. 1994 was a poor time to offer largecapacity pistols. In that year, the socalled “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 calibers could have magazines of greater than 10 rounds, either. The high-capacity “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 better choice. 45-caliber pistols became more popular. As firearms authority J. B. Wood wryly noted, “If you can’t 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 appeared: 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), Entreprise Arms (1997), Rock River’s first 1911 (1998), Valtro (1998, from Italy), and Shooters Arms Manufacturers, “S.A.M” (1999, from the Philippines). The Charles Daly name, formerly associated with shotguns, was introduced on a pistol for the first time in 1998, when KBI used the name on its 45-caliber 1911. In 1999, Auto-Ordnance was acquired by Kahr Arms. Kahr rejuvenated the Auto-Ordnance/Thompson 1911 pistol line. Galena industries acquired the right to produce the AMT 1911 line and some other AMT pistols (but sadly went out of production by 2002). gundigest.com

For decades, gunsmiths had been making custom-built pistols based on the 1911. Such guns started as one-ofa-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 customers. By the end of the 1990s, this making of “production custom” 1911s was a booming business. Companies such as (alphabetically) Briley, Ed Brown, Les Baer, Nowlin, STI, Strayer-Voigt, Wilson and others had offered such special 1911s. The New Century

With the flurry 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, Springfield and Para-Ordnance — vied for that position. Kimber advertised their company as “first in the number of 1911 pistols made and sold.” Not to be outdone, Springfield claimed “the greatest selection of 1911 pistols.” ParaOrdnance 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, Colt’s fortunes improved. Not everyone had liked the Series ’80 firing pin safety. Colt decided to go back to its roots with new 1911 offerings. The Series ’80 continued in the line, but by 2002, Colt had reintroduced its Series ’70 pistol, without the firing pin safety. Actually, it could have been considered a “pre ’70” Government Model, as it also did not have the fingered barrel bushing. The “new” Series ’70 has modern higher sights, and improved barrel ramping. g u n d i g e s t . c o m

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 appeared to offer their versions of the 1911. In the first few years of the 21st century, one could see new 1911 pistols bearing the names of Dan Wesson (a revolver company making its first autoloaders), High Standard (the resurrected company expanding its product line), Peters Stahl, Rock River, Century, Firestorm, Casull, Pacific Armament, DPMS (prototype only), Bond Arms, Lone Star, Ed Brown, Guncrafter, Uselton and Detonics USA (the latest incarnation of the original Detonics). In 2003, the familiar old name of Smith & Wesson was also added. Apparently figuring “if you can’t 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 firearms 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 offered. 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 century’s first decade, firearms developments continued. The pace of 1911 development was breathtaking. The largest additional entry into t he 1911 field was Taurus, in 2005. Billing

itself as the “World’s Foremost Pistol Maker,” Taurus quickly marketed a full line of 1911 pistols. The Brazilian maker joined Smith & Wesson and SIG, all of which had just joined frontrunners Kimber, Springfield 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 questions of the 9mm’s efficacy 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 pistols. 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 introduction of the Taurus 1911 showed that major companies still saw potential in the design. The Taurus was not the only new entry 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 Classic, Tisas (the first Turkish 1911), EMF (the Cowboy arms company, branching into 1911s), and Legacy Sports (offering 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 field, offering new variants as well as traditional models. In 2007, Colt introduced 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 CONTINUED ON PAGE 45 COLLECTORS GUIDE WINTER 2011

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What words can summarize t made the 1911 continuously since its amazing story of the 1911 at the eve introduction in 1911. The amazing of its centennial, its 100th year? We ca growing interest in the century-old try a few: pistol now has, quite literally, dozens The Colt/Browning 1911 design h of other companies simultaneously completed its first centur y. It has stoo making their versions of the same de- the test of time. It has proved itse sign. These guns are being made in the in military combat, law-enforceme United States and in a growing num- use, target competition of many type ber of foreign countries. This situation personal protection and recreation is unprecedented in the world of fire- shooting. arms. It has been scaled down, both in siz (3-inch barrels) and in caliber (2 Conclusion caliber). It has been scaled up, both i A complete description of every 1911 size (7-inch barrels) and in caliber (5 made by every maker would be a huge caliber). Millions upon millions ha volume of information, beyond the been made, many of them close to t scope of this presentation. What is here original specifications, others gussie presented is the basic history of the de- up with a number of modificatio velopment of the 1911 design, and the and accessories. amazing growth in the popularity of In its early days, the 1911 was so goo the design with the passing of time. that it discouraged competition. It w Now, one hundred years from its be- then considered the best pistol ever d ginning, we have no idea where we re- signed. One hundred years later, the ally are in the story of the 1911. Has the are many who say that it still is. 1911 reached its peak, and will it start a decline ? Or, is it about to begin a new phase of popularity?

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On the plus side, the rifle sports quality machining, fit, finish, 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 firing line. The lone range officer, ensconced in a toasty clubhouse, eyeballed me quickly, decided I wasn’t a threat to anything, collected the fee, and returned to his perch by the fireplace, Sunday newspaper in one hand, mug of steaming coffee in the other, Green Bay Packer game on the radio. Bundled up against the cold, I trudged through knee-deep snow, stapled up my target, and settled onto the bench for some introspective research. Blowing ice crystals filled the rifle’s bolt raceway, my eyes watered, and fingers went numb. The oversize trigger guard came in handy that day. Fifty rounds later, I marveled with delight not only at the target’s ragged, apple-size hole, but 46

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The author and his father longed for a 1903 Springfield. also at the rifle’s flawless feeding and Their choices, purchased from the U.S. Department of ejection. What it lacked in pedigree, Civilian Marksmanship, were (top to bottom) a 1943my lowly warrior made up for in harsh vintage Remington ’03-A3 and late-1930s ‘03 Springfield arsenal rework, along with a 1,000 round crate of U.S. weather performance. Moral of story: 30-06 military surplus ball ammo. In the author’s view, 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, standard-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 rifle was among a cache captured from the Wehrmacht by Yugoslav partisans. Right. Sure it was. Habitually cynical of advertising spiel, I nevertheless plunked down a money order for two C-notes and began the process of collecting my prize. Doubts about the 24/47’s alleged heritage softened while stripping its thick, very old Cosmoline coating. Across its receiver and barrel were Czech, German, and Yugoslav proof marks. Undeniably, this three-lives long arm had some interesting history. On the bench, with affordable Belgium-manufacture machine gun fodder, my multinational distinguished itself in smooth functioning, accuracy, dramatic

the 03-A3’s superior aperture sight makes it a better choice of the two. The author’s father favors the 03’s 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.

muzzle flash, and apocalyptic muzzle blast. To some, its horizontal bolt handle is unseemly, but it worked fine for me. With practice, one can “flick” the bolt and fire 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 rapidfire exhibitions. The Yugoslav arsenal that refurbished my rifle did an admirable job. A dark ring of fine pitting on the bolt face indicated 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 Communist Party crest thoughtfully stamped on the receiver ring. The stock, most gundigest.com

likely a surrogate, is of Spartan-grade walnut, with an unsightly but practical varnish finish. However, the combination of Cosmoline, varnish, and warehouse “aging” culminated in a sticky, oily wood surface. What the heck, it’s military surplus, right? Model 1908 Brazilian

By now, I was fully infected with Mauser fever. My next acquisition was a wellpreserved DWM Model 1908 7X57mm Brazilian-contract Long Rifle. It set me back $125 plus shipping. With the exception of its caliber and lack of the aforementioned hinged-magazine floor 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 rifles.

By this time, I owned a fine Remington 700 Classic deer rifle 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 fullmetal jacket. Despite a gritty trigger, the Brazilian grouped well and functioned with traditional Mauser reliability and smoothness.


The Swedish Model 1938 short rifle is known for fine workmanship and equally fine accuracy. The author’s example didn’t disappoint. With a long-eye-relief scope, Despite a chronic shortage of infan- secured on the rifle’s rear-sight mounting platform, and try rifles during World War ll, Germany Swedish 6.5X55mm military surplus ammo, it posted for some reason exported a small quan- impressive groups off a sandbag rest at 100 yards. With a prime-condition rifle and good ammunition, eyesight tity of 8X57 98ks from Mauser’s famed and trigger control are the limiting factors in shot Oberndorf plant to Portugal. The qual- placement, author believes. He prefers to leave his battle ity of this lot was exceptional. By luck, rifles stock and master the as-issued iron sights.

1941 Oberndorf Portuguese-Contract 98k

I latched onto one for $350, courtesy of a one-time trade-press listing. The rifle 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 Oberndorfer is prime. Its bright bore and absence of dings and gouges reflect 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 rifle’s military tour was spent on a parade ground, not the battlefield. Neutrality served Portugal and my Mauser rifle well. Like al l 98s I’ve encountered, performance was top shelf. From the pages of Gun Digest, competing publications [as though there were such a thing. –DMS], and pilgrimages to shops and shows, I learned


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The author thinks this 1915-vintage Australian Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mark lll (top) and No. 4 Mk ll produced in England during 1954 are the world‘s greatest bolt-action battle rifles due to their well-proven durability, reliability, accuracy, rapid rate of fire, and 10-round magazine capacity. The Lee-Enfield family has a remarkable worldwide service record that stretches over 115 years. They’re still fighting today, in obscure parts of Africa and the Middle East where shooting distances are long and the ubiquitous Kalashnikov comes up short.

a military bolt-action world exists outside the Mauser universe. Although this piece may sound li ke MauserMania Smackdown 2011, other nations produced very good military bolt rifles, too. The more I learned, the more I yearned to explore them. Lee-Enfield Rifles

While Germans unquestionably were the leaders in producing military and commercial bolt-action rifles, their English cousins were worthy competitors. Over their history, the Lee-Enfield family of combat long arms, consisting of 24 rifles and two carbines, stood toe-to-toe against their Teutonic counterparts across many a bloody battlefield and, some might argue, even surpassed them. Sporterized versions served sportsmen in game fields worldwide. Lee-Enfield .303 caliber rifles are durable, reliable, accurate, smooth cycling, and capable of extremely rapid fire. Significantly, these Brits hold 48

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10 rounds, their German counterparts but five. Like the Mauser, LeeEnfields enjoyed production longevity, from 1895 to at least 1954. They served the Crown with distinction in conflicts far and wide, ranging from trenches of France, the boulevards of Singapore, dusty plains of El Alamain, to the beaches of Normandy and points beyond. They’re still fighting today, in obscure parts of Africa and the Middle East, in remote outbacks where shooting distances are long and the ubiquitous Kalashnikov comes up short. Of the extended Lee-Enfield family, two models are the most distinguished. The No. 1 Mark lll, also known as the SMLE (Short Magazine Lee-Enfield) was introduced in 1903, with production in England and later Australia and India. Known for its ruggedness, reliability, and legendary speed of fire, the SMLE served admirably in World War l. One world war later, the SMLE was

supplanted In 1939 by the Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk series, an upgraded, easierto-manufacture design that sported a heavier barrel and receiver, better sights, and simplified barrel bedding. To meet the Commonwealth’s 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, I’ll 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 fire and easy cycling, and they place .303 British bullets with lethal consistency. I acquired the pair separately at gun shows for about $150 and $350 respectively. The No. 4 was fresh from gundigest.com

armory storage, unissued, swathed in cosmoline, and wrapped in waxed paper. The Enfields’ rimmed cartridge feeds reliably and yes, 10 rounds are superior to five when the lead is flying in your direction. Due to these attributes, the Lee-Enfield gets my vote as the best bolt-action combat battle rifle. Swedish Model 1938 Short Rifle

Borrowing design elements from the 1893 Spanish Mauser, Sweden in 1894 developed the first in its family of three bolt-action military rifles, the Models 1894, 1896, and 1938 respectively. Their cartridge, the 6.5X55mm Swedish Mauser was, as its name implies, formulated jointly by Mauser and Swedish ballisticians. The Swedish 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 rifle owners. I acquired my Swedish Model 38 (manufactured by Husqvarna in 1941) Short Rifle 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 g u n d i g e s t . c o m

range session with the M38 didn’t 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 longeye 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 rifle. I couldn’t refuse. Besides, by then my hands were full with seven other vets. Father remains devoted to that Swede today. Japanese Type 99 Arisaka

Americans have often been accused of a dangerous naiveté regarding foreign 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. Fighting them would teach us many painful lessons. One example of this ignorance is the Type 99 Arisaka rifle. 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-

fles through references in the firearms press and by an article in Gun Digest many moons ago by the estimable John Malloy. In that piece, Mr. Malloy shared his experiences using an Arisaka in a target shoot. While the author didn’t win a prize for marksmanship, he placed respectfully and doled out a compliment or two to his Nipponese partner. Like most of my other militar y boltaction rifles, the Type 99 descends from a family dating back to 1897, based on a modified Mauser design. Refinements in design and caliber were incorporated over time. Introduced in 1939 in long- and short-rifle versions, the 99 is remarkably advanced for its day, initially featuring a chrome-plated bore and bolt face, stock drain holes (both very useful in jungle fighting), and an effective but noisy dust cover. While not quite as smooth cycling as other bolt gu ns, it’s well suited for warfare. The rifle also fielded a monopod for steady hold and a special rear sight with fold-down “wings” to obtain proper lead when potting low-flying aircraft. These features illustrate the creative thinking of Japanese arms designers. Evidently, some of that creativity wasn’t appreciated by the Emperor’s boots on the ground. Japanese soldiers quickly


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discarded the rattle-prone dust cover that compromised stealthy approach and the cumbersome, brush-collecting bipod, and Arisakas retaining these features fetch a premium. Like Germany’s, the quality of Japan’s small arms declined precipitously with the fortunes of war. The chromed bore and bolt face vanished, 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 recognizable shells of a very sound weapon. It seems many armchair experts base their opinions of Arisakas on latewar specimens, which is as ignorant as it is inaccurate. With typical addict compulsion, I scored my Type 99 7.7mm Short R ifle at a gun show for $250. At the time, I didn’t know what model it was, but the rifle was quite exotic with its eyecatching tropical wood stock and intact royal chrysanthemum (the Emperor’s symbol; most Arisaka’ had their mums ground off after t he 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 50

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McCollum’s Japanese Rifles 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 Japan’s military riflemaking prowess. Other than minor stock dents, it’s in excellent condition. 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 myself. My first surprise came in str ipping down the Arisaka. From the start, the high quality of early war Japanese manufacturing and attention to detail became apparent. Fit and finish of the components is comparable to that of their German ally’s and military rifles 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 surplus 7.7 Japanese Arisaka ammunition to be had. The only alternative was commercial Norma loads at

Beauty and the beast. Inspired by an article in Gun Digest, the author began his 20-year military surplus bolt action rifle “adventure” with two very different Mausers: (top) a fine 1909 DWM Argentine-contract long rifle and a Czech late-war “mongrel” 98k with a stamped, oversize triggerguard (handy for a gloved finger) and other manufacturing shortcuts. Beauty is as beauty does. Despite its mixed lineage and lack of refinements, the humble warrior proved itself to the author in harsh winter performance. Moral of story: Never judge a Mauser 98 by its cover.

nearly two bucks every pull of the trigger, not including tax. Ouch. With fanatical devotion, I chased down every ejected empty. My final surprise was very pleasant. Shooting off hand, the rifle balances the best of my entire military entourage and is accurate to boot. Model 1903 Springfields

My military bolt-action rifle addiction eventually ran its course, but not before a grand finale that was long in the making. Twenty years previous, Dad and I said it would be nice to own a 1903 Springfield rifle. Gun mongers were charging outrageous prices for ‘03s back then, so we held off. After a little research, we each bought a rifle from the U.S. Department of Civilian Marksmanship: Dad’s a late 1930s ‘03 Springfield arsenal rework and mine gundigest.com

an original 1943 vintage ’03-A3 Remington, for $500 apiece. We added a 1,000-round case of 1954 Rock Island 30-06 military ball for good measure. Dad and I are more than satisfied with our Springfields. While his ‘03 displays beautiful milled parts, my 03-A3’s ungainly-looking-but-vastlysuperior aperture sight is a fair tradeoff for its wartime stamped trigger guard/magazine assembly and barrel bands. Both rifles, 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.

direct from importers or dealers by mail, you’ll need a Federal Firearms License, a Curio & Relics (C&R) license, or someone who does to conduct your transaction (for a fee), in accordance with federal, state, and any local firearms laws. A cautionary note,:when buying a military surplus rifle: pay the extra tab for higher quality. There are plenty of worn-out, corroded, and damaged rifles on the market today and scoundrels trying to peddle them.

Military Surplus Rifles – Where to Find ‘Em

The 1960s-era “golden age” of military surplus firearms is water long gone under the bridge, but there’s no need for despair. Plenty of fine vintage military bolt guns can still to be found at reasonable prices with a little effort. Start with the Web Directory section of Gun Digest (under the Firearms Manufacturers and Importers listing), then Shotgun News and Gun Digest Magazine. If you’re a dedicated surfer, some of my favorite surplus rifle sites are Samco Global Arms, Inc, J&G Sales, Century International Arms Inc., and InterOrdnance of America, LP. Google “military surplus rifles” and you’ll find plenty more. Gun shows, gun shops, small-town sporting goods stores, and rural garage sales are all potential sources of military surplus rifles. It takes time and gasoline, but one never knows what surprises – and bargains – await you on the road. Surplus firearms 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 firearms

Steer clear of rusty or excessively pitted bores and actions that don’t lock up solidly. Avoid scrap iron if you value your hide and pocket book. While replacement parts are often available, they may require professional installation (particularly barrels) at further cost. For peace of mind, whenever purchasing a surplus firearm, know and fully understand the conditions of sale, particularly the seller’s return policy and costs thereof.

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Markings on the receiver of the author’s Type 99 Arisaka indicate (left to right) Series 31, the rifle’s serial number within that series, and that it was manufactured at Toyo Kogyo (Oriental Manufacturing Company) in Honshu, Japan’s main island. Using the arsenal mark, series number, serial number, and the rifle’s features, the author determined that his Type 99 was produced early in the type’s 1939-1945 manufacturing run.

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Beretta 390, 20ga., 24”C/T, VR, mint................................ $245.00 Benelli Benelli SBE, 12ga. Rifled, Sights, Camo, mint......$450.00 Browning A-5, 20ga., 3”, 28”Full, plain, mint .......................$275.00 A-5, SWT-16ga., 26”Cylinder, plain, good ............$275.00 A-5, 12ga., 2 3/4”, 26”Cyl., plain, exc. ................. $250.00 A-5, MAG-12ga., Fully Rifled, Hastings, mint ....... $325.00 A-5, MAG-12ga., Hastings, 24”C/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., 28”Inv., VR, NIB ................. $250.00 B-80, 20ga., 2 3/4”, 28”F, VR, new.......................$165.00 B-2000, 12ga., 2 3/4”, 28”F, pl., exc. .................. ... $95.00 B-2000, 12ga., TRAP, 30”F, High Rib, e xc. ........... $195.00 B-2000, 12ga., 3”, 30”Full, VR, exc. ..................... $195.00 BPS, 20ga., 28”Mod., VR, mint ............................ $145.00 BPS, 20ga., 28”Full, VR, mint .............................. $145.00 BPS, DEER 12ga., 3.5”, 24”,SB, RS ..................... $185.00 BPS, 12g, 3.5”, 26”Inv+, VR ................................ $225.00 BPS, 12ga., 3.5”, 30”Inv+, matte ......................... $225.00 GOLD 10ga., 3 1/2”, 30”Inv., VR, new .................$295.00 Fox, A.H. Sterlingworth, 12ga., 28”M/F, exc. .......................$450.00 Ithaca M-37 12ga. 24”, 28”, 30”, 34”,C/Ts, VR, new...........$250.00 ea. Ithaca M-51 20ga., 28”Full, VR, mint ...................................... . $150.00 Mossberg M-500, 12ga., 20”SB, RS, exc. ............................ $115.00 M-500, 20g., 24”SB, RS, exc. .............................. $115.00 M-500, 20g. Rifled, Cantilivered ........................... $145.00 52

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M-500, 20ga., 24”C/T, VR, mint ........................... $125.00 M-500, 12ga., 28”C-Lect, VR, exc.......................... $95.00 M-500, 12ga., 28”Accu-chokes, VR, exc.............. $135.00 M-500 12g. .50 Cal. Muzzleloader........................ $150.00 M-835, 12ga., 24”C/T, VR, ported, camo ............. $150.00 M-835, 12ga., 24”Rifled, ported, camo ................$150.00 M-835, 12ga., 28”C/T, VR, camo..................... ..... $150.00 Remington M-11-48, 12ga., 26”Skeet, VR, exc. ..................... $375.00 M-11-48, 12ga., 28”Mod., plain, exc. .................. $185.00 M-742 30/06 rifle barrel, exc................................ $145.00 M-870, LW-20ga., 26”IC, VR, exc. .................. ..... $125.00 M-870, LW-20ga., 28”Mod., plain, exc................... $75.00 M-870, LW-20ga., 28”Mod., VR, exc. ............. ..... $125.00 M-870 EXPRESS, 12g., 28”R/C, VR, exc. ...........$150.00 M-870 EXP SUPER-MAG, 12g, 3 1/2”, 26R/C...... $160.00 M-870 12ga., 26”Full, VR, matte, NIB................. $175.00 M-870 12ga. Hastings, 24”FR, scope blocks, e xc. $175.00 M-870 WMSTR, 12ga., 26”IC., pl., exc. ...............$150.00 M-870 WMSTR, 12ga., 28”Mod., pl., exc. ........... $135.00 M-870 WMSTR, 12ga., 30”F, pl., exc. ............. ..... $150.00 M-1100, 16ga., 26”Cyl.(cut), plain, exc., ............. $150.00 M-1100, 16ga., 28”Mod., plain, exc ..................... $165.00 M-1100, 12ga, 22”Polychoke, plain, exc. .............$135.00 M-1100, 12ga., 26”R/C, VR, exc. ......................... $195.00 M-1100, 12ga., 26”Cutts, Simmons VR ............... $245.00 M-1100, 12ga., 28”Mod., plain, exc. .................... $125.00 M-1100, 12ga., 28”Full, plain;, exc. ..................... $125.00 M-1100, 12ga., 28”Mod., VR, exc. .......................$175.00 M-1100, 12ga., 28”Full, VR, exc. ......................... $175.00 M-1100, 12ga., 30”Full, plain, exc. ...................... $145.00 M-1100, 12ga, 3”, 24” Hastings, VR,NIB ............. $250.00 M-1100, 12ga., 3” 30”Chokes, pl., exc. ............... $145.00


M-11-87 Premier, 12ga., 26”RC, VR ....................$185.00 M-11-87 SP, 12ga., 26”R/C, VR, exc. ................... $175.00 Rossi 20ga., 22”Mod., single shot, mint.......................... $50.00 Savage 30-E, 12ga., 22”SB RS, mint .................................. $95.00 Sears 200, 20ga., 19”, plain, exc. .................................... $95.00 SKB-ITHACA 300 or 900 12ga. Recoil; 26”IC, plain, exc. ..........$125.00 300 or 900 12ga. Recoil; 30”F, plain, exc. ............ $125.00 S&W M-916-T, 12g., 30”F, VR, exc. ............................ .. $125.00 M-1000, 20ga., 2 3/4”, 26”Skeet, VR, new ..........$175.00 M-1000, 20ga., 3”, 28”F, 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., Rifled, Stainless, mint $295.00 Winchester M-50, 12ga., 30”Full, VR, exc. ............................. $275.00 M-59, 12ga., 26”Win-lite choke, exc. ...................$225.00 M-59, 12ga., 28”Mod., exc. ................................. $185.00 M-70 PRE-64, .270WCF, 24”, 1940’s, good .........$150.00 M-70 PRE-64, 30-06, 24”, 1950’s, exc. ............... $150.00 M-1200, 16ga., 26”W/C, VR, mint .......................$150.00 M-1300, 12ga., 28”W/C, VR, exc. ........................$175.00 M-1400, 16ga., 26”IC, plain, exc..........................$135.00 M-1400, 12ga., 26”IC, plain, exc..........................$150.00 M-1400, 12ga., 28”W/C, VR, exc. ........................$195.00

You’ve Snagged Your Prize. What Now?

Savor that moment when you have your newly purchased rifle in t he security of the hearth. After all, you paid for it. The first thing to do is obtain literature detailing your rifle’s history, its operation, and take-down instructions. I found most of my books and booklets through browsing at gun shows. I also know several firearms book dealers and either visit their website or contact them by email when in need. The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly (separate volumes for various t ypes) by J.B. Wood (www.gundigeststore.com) is a priceless resource. So is the NRA Guide to Firearms Assembly (separate volumes for rifles, shotguns, and handguns). Armed with support literature, you’re ready to disassemble your rifle for inspection and cleaning. By the nature of their design simplicity, most bolt-action rifles are easy to dismantle and reassemble, stripping the bolt perhaps a bit less so. Watch for damaged, badly worn, or corroded components. Warehouses of replacement parts abound. My favorites are Numrich Gun Parts Corp., Springfield 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 gundigest.com

owners of military surplus rifles during strip down. Examine the rifle’s components carefully and note their markings. These tell a story, for those who make the effort to decipher them. Most of the world’s arms makers coded their hardware to indicate country, production site, year of manufacture, proof testing, and arsenal refurbishing, among other vital factoids. Some countries intentionally coded their weapons to conceal production information. Even a rifle’s serial number can have special significance. On most military rifles, the receiver ring is the starting point in determining its heritage. It helps to have authoritative literature detailing the meanings of these marks. Ludwig Olson’s comprehensive book Mauser Bolt Action Rifles details markings on Mauser 98s. Gerhard Wirnsberger’s The Standard Directory of Proof Marks is helpful for many European and Scandinavian arms. There is a seemingly endless supply of information on military weapons. The specifics 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 g u n d i g e s t . c o m

shell, many military bolt action rifles played a decisive role in shaping today’s world. By learning where and when your rifle was manufactured and gleaning other information provided 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. You’re holding a piece of history, you know. Either you understand its significance or you don’t. Knowledge is always better than ignorance. Once your rifle is cleaned, inspected, and reassembled, it’s time to score some ammo. First and foremost, always make sure the ammunition you purchase is correct for your firearm. Mistakes can occur, particularly with Mauser metric-denominated cartridges. Sadly, the days of cheap, non-corrosive, military-surplus ammo for many 20th-century military bolt-action rifles are over. Happily, not so for our beloved .30-06, .308 Winchester (for rechambered Mausers and No. 1 Mk lll Lee Enfields), Swedish 6.5X55, and 7.62X54R Russian for you Mosin Nagant fans out there. Corrosive-primed .303 British, 8X57, and 7X57 can still be had. If you choose this route (make

Markings on surplus military bolt action rifles often tell a story, if you make the effort to decipher them. The receiver ring is a starting point. The author’s 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 featuring the royal chrysanthemum, symbol of the Japanese Emperor, and characters indicating 99 Type; Remington 03-A3 Springfield (prick punch at the bottom indicates the rifle passed proof testing); and Swedish Model 1938 short rifle displaying its production site (Husqvarna) and date. Proper literature aids in clarifying these markings.

no mistake, semi-corrosive is corrosive), be prepared to thoroughly clean and dry your rifle’s bore, bolt, and surrounding metalwork promptly after shooting. Either hot detergent water or U.S. GI bore cleaner Mil Spec C372 will do the trick. A thorough inspection of surrounding metal work the following day is advised. Military surplus and competitively priced foreign commercial ammunition is available from arms importers and dealers. New shipments arrive periodically so it pays to watch the trade press and web sites every so often. For starters, check out the Ammunition and Components section


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of this book’s Web Directory. If you want more, Google “military surplus ammunition. “ After firing those first shots, inspect your rifle’s empties for signs of trouble, i.e. cartridge splitting, separation, or punctured/blown/flattened primers. If you plan more than occasional shooting, over the long run reloading will strengthen your finances and

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resolve problems. Yes, there is a dark side to some military bolt-action rifles: chamber dimension. Understand that military firearms are designed to go bang with every pull of the trigger, not produce reloadable brass. To function when stuffed with battlefield debris and fed corroded ammunition, many surplus rifles 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 warning signs of either an oversize chamber (from your resizing die’s perspective, not the rifle’s) or excessive headspace (common with improperly installed replacement barrels). I’ve never had a case split or separate from first-timefired military surplus or commercial ammunition. I’ve had some with reloaded ammunition, however. Reloading for a rifle with an oversize chamber can usually be solved by ordering a custom resizing die manufactured to its chamber’s dimensions. I provided RCBS with one factory loaded round and three fired cases from my Arisaka. Their die saved me a bundle by extending the life of precious Norma 7.7 brass. Unless you’re

a knowledgeable do-it-yourselfer with the right tools, an improperly headspaced rifle is best left to a professional gunsmith. Flattened/punctured/blown primers may be an indication of excessive pressure. I wouldn’t expect these maladies with military surplus or commercial ammo, but they occur with handloads. While bolt-action rifles are very strong, don’t tempt fate by OD-ing on gunpowder. Follow your reloading manual and back off the charge if necessar y. Some of these rifles are approaching 100 years old, and there’s no reason to run them at red-line. If you decide to reload military brass (as I did for my 7.65mm Argentine for significant 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 reloading. If you own a quantity of brass with crimped primers, it‘s economical to invest in a primer-pocket-swaging die. I did for the 7.65 and was very satisfied with the outcome. A lower-price option is to purchase a hand primerpocket reamer but go very easy on shaving brass. Too much and you have enlarged primer pockets. gundigest.com

There are a handful of military surplus rifles chambered for obscure calibers. 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. OWS’s Dangerous Dave Cumberland should be able to help you out. To Sporterize or Not to Sporterize?

The allure of the sporterized rifle, built to your specifications, is a powerful narcotic, particularly when you own the primary ingredient. In the right hands, all the military rifles listed here would make excellent sporters. Every single one of them. The Czech/Yugoslav CZ24 24/47 is today a handy scout rifle with several whitetails to its credit. My father commandeered the 1908 Brazilian and, with a sweet 18-inch 7X57 replacement barrel acquired at a gun show for $25, aftermarket sights, an adjustable, single-stage, trigger, and his handiwork (with a gunsmith’s assistance 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 Enfield sporter, fabricated with a Canadian Long Branch action, great sights, fiveshot magazine, and the best-fitting stock I’ve 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. That’s outrageous, fantastic, and totally superfluous. Who hunts deer with Match King bullets? I would really like to shake hands with whoever put that fine Enfield hunting rifle together. 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 rifleman can dream up. Why not? Just don’t expect it to outperform your out-of-the-box hunting rifle. If I had the financial wherewithal and patience (I don’t), I’d send my 1909 Argentine to Darcy Echols tomorrow and order up the best grade.375 H&H African safari g u n d i g e s t . c o m

rifle money can buy. An economical alternative is to do most or all of the sporterizing yourself, 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 limitations and don’t imagine that your handiwork will out shoot or cost less than name-brand commercial rifles. If it does, well, you’ve got another reason to smile. But please, if you can help it, don’t cut up a pristine, scarce example of military firearms history.

a great deal along the way. When one specializes in acquiring, shooting, and researching period firearms, he becomes a student of world history, geopolitics, economics, industrial science, and human behavior. It’s a comprehensive education that brings fulfillment to the hobby and to life.

Why I Have No Regrets

I’m through acquiring militar y surplus 20th-century bolt-action rifles. 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 that’s OK. Not too long ago, in a small northern Wisconsin gun shop/repair store, I spied a stack of Czech Braziliancontract Model 1908/34 7X57 Short Rifles. My eyes roamed hungrily up and down their ranks, seeking the prime specimen. “Uh uh, those aren’t for sale,” the owner cut in, before I could get the words out. “I’m saving them for customers who order a custom job.” “Right,” I smiled, realizing that, despite momentary weakness, I had finally conquered my addiction. I’ll close out by putting my “adventure” in perspective. I spent plenty of time and a smart amount of hardearned cash on my hobby. I have no regrets. I had a lot of fun and learned

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Collector’sGuide by Andy Ewert

One Good Gun: Grandpa’s Guns THERE WAS A TIME LONG AGO WHEN ONE SHOT WAS ENOUGH.

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lowed somewhat by the Great Recession, the American consumer market continues to be driven by consumption, abetted by an endless array of new products, “good-enough” quality, planned obsolescence, and a throw-away mentality. This mindset defies the lessons in thrift devised by our grandparents during another global economic upheaval: the Great Depression. People behaved very differently when my grandfather was a boy. Back then, folks used a product until it broke or wore out, then fixed it and used it some more. They didn’t spend money until they earned it. And When the author’s grandfather the earning took time – perhaps a year or was a boy, money was tight and more of running a paper route or performsometimes one shot had to be ing household chores to buy a .22 rifle or enough. His guns’ simple, sturdy, The Rifle shotgun. Ammunition was costly too. You single-shot designs were well suited to a youngster’s needs. bought it as your pocket money permitted, Grandpa’s rifle is an American classic: the .22 (Top to bottom): Iver Johnson caliber Stevens Favorite. Over a million of them sometimes a few rounds at a time. Champion .410 shotgun, I know these things because grandpa were manufactured from 1890 to 1939, in .22, .25, Stevens Favorite .22 rifle, and Hopkins & Allen .22 pistol. told me. Guns were a part of his life as a and.32 rimfire. Grandpa’s takedown Model 1915, boy and as a man. He was hard-working, serial number X399, sports a 24-inch octagon church-going, and dedicated to his family. Bird hunting barrel and a patina earned after 90 or so years of existence. and trap shooting were among his pleasures. So were Its overall length of 38 inches and 4-1/2 lb. weight are ideal bourbon whiskey, risqué humor, and Green Bay Packers for a boy’s physique. Grandpa employed his Favorite to bag football. I was fortunate enough to share some of these rabbits and squirrels for the pot, terminate troublesome varwith him during his later years. He died while I was in mints, and perforate tin cans. The rifle’s lever-action, fallingcollege. Grandma distributed his possessions across our block design is strong and reliable. Equipped with adjustable family. Included in my inheritance were a couple doz- square-notch-and-post sights, it’s more than capable of placen well-worn duck decoys, a hunting canoe, a vintage, ing .22 long rifle slugs where you want them to go. leather-cased Thermos bottle, and his three boyhood Grandpa’s .22 is still with us today. Savage Arms offers the firearms: a rifle, pistol, and shotgun – all single shot. Stevens Favorite in takedown and non-take-down models As I began to learn about these guns, I realized they for under $400. were a testament to grandpa’s times as much as his personal tastes. Each of the the trio, manufactured during The Shotgun the early 20th century, is simple in design, rugged, ecoLike grandpa’s rifle, his .410 Iver Johnson Champion shotnomical, and well suited for what it was intended to do. gun, serial number 31785, is an American stalwart. IntroEach has its own story. duced during 1909 in 12, 16, and 20 gauges, the single-barrel 56

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Both the Stevens Favorite .22 rifle (top) and Iver Johnson Champion .410 shotgun break down easily and compactly for travel.

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 fire. The Iver Johnson’s robust design, 42-inch overall length, 5-3/4-lb. heft, light recoil, and moderate price tag made it a suitable first shotgun for young, budget-conscious nimrods. Grandpa told me he used the 26-inch-barreled .410 during the early 1920s to shoot ducks along Milwaukee’s Lake Michigan shoreline and pheasants in the adjoining farm fields. He recounted how, during one outing, a strong lake breeze updraft rendered incoming waterfowl briefly motionless overhead as they set their wings to land. He filled a sack with mallards for the family table that day. At some point, grandpa had the Champion’s 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 find a full-choked .410 in duck blinds.) While the Iver Johnson Company closed its doors in 1993, g u n d i g e s t . c o m

Harrington & Richardson still offers a similar single-shot, break-open scattergun, the Topper, in 12, 16, 20, and .410 chamberings, priced in the $150 to $225 range. The Handgun

Grandpa’s handgun, a single-shot Hopkins & Allen .22, reflected his enjoyment of informal target shooting. With its 10-inch barrel, adjustable rear sight, and smart nickel finish, 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 depressing 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 fired case from the chamber for manual removal. Opening the action briskly ejects the empty into space. After reloading, the action is closed by hand and the hammer retracted to fire. Spots of finish wear on the barrel and frame indicate holster 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 grandpa’s old one-shooter proved frustrating. H&A product literature and


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The author’s .22 Hopkins & Allen single shot excelled in basement “parlor” shooting. German Dynamit Nobel BB and CB caps, along with CCI .22 Mini Cap CB Rimfire ammunition, proved safe, sufficiently quiet, and accurate during indoor shooting sessions.

at least as a mass-produced item. The Thompson/Center Contender probably comes the closest, though it’s no more than similar in general concept.

production records were nowhere to be found. What information I did glean was sparse and sometimes contradictory. According to one report, the handgun, designated New Model Target, was introduced in 1913, four years before the company’s 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,

A New Life for Some Old Iron

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When I inherited my grandfather’s guns, I was the proud owner of a Marlin 39A lever action .22 rifle, 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 parent’s 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 afield, my hunting amigo and I relaxed outside his uncle’s cabin before dinner, plinking 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 rifle 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 dis appeared from dealers’ shelves. gundigest.com

The author’s grandfather used this Iver Johnson Champion .410 shotgun for potting ducks and pheasants in Wisconsin around the 1920s. Accompanying him in the field were his Marble Gladstone belt knife, Swiss Cymrex pocket watch, and Du Mor of Paris binoculars.

One day I read a review of CCI .22 Mini Cap CB Rimfire 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 curiosity, I pulled one cartridge’s 29-grain slug from its case. To my surprise, out spilled 8/10s of a grain of a very fine 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? I’m 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 rifle. There was a little smoke but, with the aid of a portable fan, the fumes were tolerable. A thick hardwood board absorbed the slugs without ricochets. My Favorite had a new lease on life as a cellar Schuetzen rifle. Next was the Hopkins & Allen’s 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 demand. But in the basement, with proper caution, eye protection, and a diet of Mini Caps, grandpa’s 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. g u n d i g e s t . c o m

Sad to say, I never gave t he Iver Johnson its due. I still have some of grandpa’s old paper 2-1/2-inch shells and more recent 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 field? I think not. It’s a shame to consign the Champion to the display wall but, as we know, life isn’t fair. It’s without regret I confess that grandpa’s guns are now formally retired. Father and I handle them occasionally and reminisce about the days when they fulfilled a boy’s dreams. The world is a very different place today. Perhaps I’ll find a youngster worthy of owning them. Until then, they remain family heirlooms, on the basement wall, awaiting a new life.

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Collector’sGuide by Jim Schlender

A Century-Old Hammer Gun SUDDENLY, IT STRUCK ME: GRANDPA’S MASSIVE TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY SIDE-BY-SIDE HAMMER-GUN NEEDED TO GO TURKEY HUNTING.

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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: Grandpa’s gun needed to go hunting. The Big Question

Why it took me so long to make that decision, I’ll never know. But if Grandpa used it with smokeless powder shells, so could I — couldn’t I? My American Gun Co. shotgun is marked “Armory Steel,” which sounds pretty darn tough to someone like me who’s relatively uneducated in barrel steel. But I don’t have to be a gun expert to see that the barrels are super-thick and fashioned 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 Grandpa’s gun during a chilly April morning, I was still wondering why I’d never shot the gun before. Just a bit nervous about firing 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 im60

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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 1¼-ounce load of No. 5s in a 2¾-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 you’d get out of a modern improved-cylinder barrel. Off to Michigan I hauled Grandpa’s gun along on a hunt in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with Pat Muffler and Rick White from Hunter’s 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 first streaks of light appeared, the tom began hammering from the same roost tree he’d been in the previous time they’d tried him. It was barely cracking light when he pitched down, popped into strut and moved in on our decoy. “Cluck!” went White’s mouth call, and right on cue, the tom stretched his neck out. The load of 5s rushed down the 30-inch barrel and the turkey … didn’t drop. He sort of stumbled for a second, and rolled to the ground before flopping violently in the wet grass. He was down for good, but I knew I’d 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 throug h ultra-tight chokes. Either way, I’d answered al l the questions I needed to know about Grandpa’s gun. I’d made a long overdue connection with my family’s past, and now the old hammer gun has another story to tell. It’s back on the wall above me as I write this, and I think that’s where it will stay.

gundigest.com

Collector’sGuide by Jack A. Myers

A Mysterious Stranger From Canada THE TOBIN $5.00 BOY SCOUT RIFLE

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n the Fall of 2008 I ran across a little single-shot .22 rimfire rifle I had never heard of. Offered in an online auction in Georgia, the rifle was listed as a Canadian Tobin .22 rimfire single-shot rifle. Because I specifically collect .22 rimfire single-shot firearms 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 rifle. The old boy had obviously seen some rough times. It reminded me of our many “Little Boys’ Rifles” 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 couldn’t 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’ rifles, 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 “Canada” was truncated in this manner – perhaps the result of a faulty rollmark die. This is the only stamping on the rifle, except for a small numeral 1 on the bottom of the barrel, under the forestock. Of the five existing rifles thus far observed, 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-yearold Canadian immigrant to the U.S., named Frank Major Tobin, started up a company in 1903 in Norwich, Connect icut, 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 Canada’s very first shotgun factory. Some of Tobin’s very first advertisements were placed in a locally published outdoorsman’s magazine, Rod And Gun in Canada. This was the only such magazine in Canada at the time and that’s 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 rimfire rifle.

The extremely scarce .22 rimfire single-shot Boy Scout Rifle 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.

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This is the only stamping on the rifle, except for a small numeral 1 on the bottom of the barrel, under the forestock. Of the five existing rifles 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 Canada’s first shotgun factory, where the Tobin Boy Scout Rifle 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 .


Their next full-page ad, the one which would make the first and only mention of their rifle, was one that appeared three years later in the July 1912 issue, where they named their new product the “Tobin Boy Scout Rifle.” For some unknown reason, this little rifle 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 companies had begun to take over parts of Frank’s new factory. Tobin’s company surrendered its charter in 1921. Another Canadian entrepreneur named G.B. Crandall took up the manufacture of Tobin shotguns about 1930 and it’s thought that he continued making them until at least 1951. However, if for no other reason, Frank Tobin will always be remembered as the first person to build a shotgun factory in Canada. Nowhere in any of Tobin’s known company literature does the little .22 rimfire rifle appear. I’ve had an opportunity to look at several of the early Tobin catalogs and it is not even mentioned. Through asking questions on a Canadian gun collector website I learned that the monthly


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This July 1912 full-page Rod And Gun in Canada advertisement is the first known mention of a rifle 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.

outdoor magazine Rod and Gun in Canada had once offered a Tobin rifle to youngsters willing to sell five annual subscriptions to the magazine. It’s interesting to note that shortly after the turn of the century, another gun manufacturer, the Hamilton Rifle Company of Plymouth, Michigan, was becoming well-known throughout the firearms industry for their small, inexpensive and unusually made, single-shot rifles which began production in 1899. It’s 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 rifle in their bags of seed. Hamilton ended manufacturing 64

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Though badly fragmented, this page from the June 1913 issue of Rod And Gun In Canada is our only documentation that the company actually first offered the little rifle to the general public, and not just as a selling premium to the magazine’s army of young salespeople.

in 1945 after producing more than 1,000,000 various “little boys’ rifles.” Even with today’s increasing popularity of collecting these “little boys’ rifles,” both here and abroad, it surprised me to learn the little Tobin “$5.00 Boy Scout Rifle” is a very similar rifle to the ultra-popular Hamiltons, but has remained virtually 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 rifle. In a phone conversation he told me had owned four of these rifles over six decades, but had never seen or even heard of another in 60 years of collecting – 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 rifle 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 rifle 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 equivalent of $750 for his rifle. That rifle had been offered in the Ontario 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 rifle sold with the Flayderman tag still on it. gundigest.com

We discussed the unusual firing pin system I had discovered in my rifle. Mr. Blyth said all of his rifles had round firing 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 “firing pin” block. Like the Hamilton rifles, the Tobin has a quick takedown bolt in the bottom of the gun which enabled its owner to break it down to a much handier 22-inch length for camping, fishing or hiking. Interesting to note is that unlike most of our takedown-type guns, the Tobin’s takedown bolt has no slot in the head for a screwdriver. However, the large, thick head is completely knurled to aid in grasping it when your hands might be wet. I guess the makers felt “finger tight” was more than adequate to hold the stock onto the barreled action. Another unusual feature of this rifle is the fact that it s rear sight has no slot in it to accomodate a stepped elevator as most of our similar rifles 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 rifle that never was.”

Pictured is a type of “firing pin” I’ve never observed in any other firearm. Instead of being round, it is a shaped bar that is loosely mounted so that it rebounds after firing. Mr. Don Blyth of Ontario, a gentleman who has previously owned four of these little rifles, has said that all of his rifles had a normal, round firing pin. He was not aware of this variation.

enjoying worldwide sales of his high quality scatterguns, by 1916 he was in the process of shutting down his factory and business. (Frank Tobin passed away in 1939.) Therefore, we can state with some confidence that the little Tobin rifle was manufactured between 1906 and 1916. However, given the nature of things, some Tobin rifles may have trickled out of the factory a bit later than that. Anyone with any information on Frank Tobin or his boys’ rifle may contact me care of Gun Digest. Together, ,QFUHDVHG$FFXUDF\ we may yet piece together the entire story of the elusive Tobin Boys’ Rifle! 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 pubUnconditionally Guaranteed Consistent Patterns lished co-author on Canadian .22 rimLonger Life fire ammo boxes. He has also spent Easier Cleaning - Less Fouling decades asking Canadian g un shops for 6HQG%DUUHO+RXUV info on the Tobin rifle and reports only The Tobin Boys’ Rifle IRU Manufacturer: Tobin Arms Mfg. Co., one man even knew such a rifle existed Call 1.800.550.2796 www.300below.com – but had never seen one! Ltd., Woodstock, Ontario, Canada Overall length: 37 inches Barrel length: 22 inches A Division of 300 Below, Inc. 2999 E. Parkway Dr., Decatur, IL 62526 muzzle to breech Caliber: 22 rimfire (Short, Long, and Long Rifle) P.O. Box 932 Weight: 3-3/4 lbs. The rifle’s years of production and Hilliard, Ohio 43026-0932 • U.S.A. quantity manufactured remain unPhone (614) 777-0785 • Fax (614) 777-0796 known. From these few vintage adverE-Mail [email protected] tisements I’ve obtained we learn only that they could not have been produced until after Tobin had moved his busiWWW OFTHE COM ness to Woodstock in 1906 and gone into production some time after that. CLASSIC - ANTIQUE - MILITARY - BUY - SELL - TRADE It’s also known that even though he was R

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Collector’sGuide by George J. Layman

A Trio o Unusual Remington Military Rolling Block Rifes A REMINGTON CIVIL GUARD MODE OR SINGLE ROLLING BLOCK VARIATION UNTO ITSELF

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 specific commodity that serve to make a work of nonfiction an even better finished product. Such has been my experience during my research on my latest book, A Collectors Guide to the Remington Rolling Block Military Rifle and its Variations (2009: Mowbray Publishing Company, Woonsocket, RI). This latest work is the most intriguing study of an antique firearm that I have ever encountered, and it didn’t reach its climax until the final nine months preceding publication. Never before did so many of the rare, unknown, and unexpected variations of the Remington military rolling block rifle make a showing in so short a span of time. From the practically unheard-of Remington Model 1902 in 7.62x54 These views of the full length Cuban rifle from both left and right side indicate it is in excellent condition overall. The rifle’s barrel is covered with a fine pitting from the muzzle to the breech. This is primarily noticeable on the left side of the rifle. The right side of the frame has a minimum of fine pitting; however, it is noticeable to a small extent.

mm caliber, to the Remington Cadet No. 206 in .45-70 caliber, to one of six known remaining examples of the Springfield-Remington Transformation rifles 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 I’ll share a few of the more interesting portions of this work. The trio of of military rolling block rifles and carbines featured herein are perhaps the first 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 Government caliber rifle 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 rimfire carbine with Cambodian markings; and a nearly nonexistent Model 1902 7mm Mauser caliber rifle 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 author’s bank of knowledge to the utmost!

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.

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A majority of antique military rifle collectors and students of the rolling block family of firearms have seldom been able to acquire one or more examples of a breech-loading singleshot rifle 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 rifle in .43 Spanish cal iber, having a 30.5-inch barrel that was coupled with a saber bayonet lug as standard equipment. Introduced during Spain’s first contract of 1869, it was intended to arm the Guardia Civil or Spanish Civil Guard, an organization 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 Spain’s overseas colonial armed forces. The most common number given by his-

torians has been estimated at 3,000 pieces received by Spanish quartermasters in colonial Cuba. A very small number of these rifles have been retained by the Remington Museum, not to mention those few that had been sold during the late 1940s downsizing of the museum’s 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 peculiar .42 Berdan caliber, with another specimen in the proper .43 Spanish caliber but made up with a New York State action 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 barrel bands and a Turkish crescent moon and star stamped on the left hammer flat. Identified 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 flat has a small tri-leaf cartouche which was a standard marking on Remington Spanish contract rifles and carbines.


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bayonet lug. None of the past or present Civil Guard Model rifles in the Remington museum is a “catalog correct” representation. The Schuyler Hartley & Graham shipment records of 1868 to 1900 list a mere 1,130 of the .43 Spanish-caliber Civil Guard Models as havi ng 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 rolling block research and collecting, the author has examined a total of four genuine catalog-correct Civil Guard Model Remington rolling block rifles, and has owned one example which was British proof-marked. It was discovered in British Honduras in the mid-1990s. All rifles of this genre observed to date have displayed evidence of having performed 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-manufactured military rolling block rifle was obtained. This particular arm may be described as a special order variation of Remington’s Civil Guard Model, appearing 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 acquaintance 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 rolling 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 scaleddown, Civil Guard Model minus the saber bayonet lug. Stamped on the right 70

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breech block flat is a tri-leaf cartouche, which is often present on the early, first contract Spanish Model rolling block rifles in .43 ca liber which were often issued to the colonial garrisons in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and perhaps the Philippines as well. This remarkably wellmaintained rifle, together with an unknown number of others of its ilk, was evidently supplied to a specific 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-specified sense of the word, this two-band rifle using the full house .50-70 center fire 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 influence was still very prevalent throughout Southeast Asia in the nineteenth century. Such an early Remington military carbine with a Type 2 action in any rimfire chambering is considered a rare find. Note the concave axis of the rimfire breech bloc, and the six o’clock position of the firing 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 sevenbladed 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 inspector’s 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 filler. (Author’s collection.)

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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 flat. A genuine anomaly among rolling block rifles in .50-70 Govt. caliber, it would almost fill 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 physical traits which give this rifle a full-size look, in addition to its very uncommon smaller frame. Further research suggests that the A.F.G. cartouche has an affiliation 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 offices of the Spanish “Aduanero,” which is the customs branch. Thus it appears that the customs officers were armed with rifles and revolvers different in caliber and sometimes type from those issued to the army. Unlike the tri-flat upper receiver design of the Cadet Model 206 in .4570 (which, by the way, was the only Remington military rolling block sold commercially in this chambering) this unique .50-70 has a rounded upper receiver, 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 rifles and carbines. The mere presence of this esoteric military rolling block rifle provides a degree of certainty that Cuba may still retain a substantial inventory of military rolling block rifles. Returning to the Civil Guard Model in its basic configuration, the one point that puts it out of place with main g u n d i g e s t . c o m

stream Spanish military rolling block rifles is the presence of the saber bayonet lug. Many collectors are aware that among the rolling block rifles sold to Spain from Remington, including those domestically produced by the Spanish under license, all official 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, catalogspecified Civil Guard Model many collectors are quite familiar with may have been a failure from a marketing standpoint and ended up being sold off to


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customers enthralled by its catchy nomenclature. Thus this first-to-be-seen, and obviously rare, No.1-1/2 size Civil Guard style rifle, chambered in .50-70 Government and adapted to an angular bayonet, may indeed be an independent, unknown variation that accidentally slipped through the cracks. The possibility may also exist that documentation of this model could have disappeared among the many natural ca lamities 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 opportunity of unrestricted travel, the research of military rolling block history will be an area we simply must look into. The presence of the Remington rolling block in Asia has normally been confined to China and Japan as far as general knowledge is concerned. Since the publication of the author’s most recent work on the military rolli ng block, this region has proven that those countries using this particular single shotmilitary rifle was more widespread than previously thought. One Asian country that had never been thought of as a user of the Remington rolling block system is the onetime French Protectorate of Cambodia, 72

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(Top left) A perfect example of one of the Remington Model 1902 El Salvador contract rifles 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 rifles. 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 rifles. Each rifle 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 Rolling Block Rifle 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 rifles 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 rifles, 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 specified 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 rifles, 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 final 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 rifles were never returned to Hunter’s 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 landfill!” There truly is nothing better than good friend! (Author’s collection. Photos by Tony Matias.)

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 rimfire Remington saddle-ring ca rbine was found in Thailand in an a rea 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 during the war who had been previously stationed in the Philippines and took an occupation note as a souvenir and hid it in the rifle. Other than this, it could be anyone’s guess! This carbine was brought back by an Army officer to the United States as an antique war trophy in 1977, which is probably the first time this rolling block had returned stateside in over a century! The carbine is identified by its Cambodian Sanskrit markings, as well as the presence of a twelve-bladed “Chakra,” gundigest.com

an ancient pin-wheel like symbol representing blades of fire. Most unique is that its chamber dimensions equate to an all-but-unknown .50 caliber rimfire cartridge with a case measuring 1.5" in length and a bullet diameter of .577"; aside from its length, it has a distinct resemblance to the .56-50 Spencer rimfire. 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 compared 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 rimfire breech block, it may originally have been designed as a two band, full stock, saddle ring carbine, all of which were equipped with a short cleaning rod. Regardless of its original configuration, it is a genuine first in the military rolling block collecting field. A strong French colonial influence 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 buffer state, but with France gaining more and more favoritism and becoming opportunistic with the Cambodian king, they began encroaching deeper i nto Siamese and Vietnamese territories. A tug of war between Siam and France ensued and slowly weakened Cambodia, eventually throwing the country into civil strife. It was at this time that France supplied Cambodia with arms and ordnance 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 a nd police small arms supplied to Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam from 1884 on originated from France. Furthermore, most Remington rolling block rifles and carbines supplied to Cambodia’s gendarmes 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 appears to be Burnside style three-groove rifling. However, the chamber has ample free bore in order to accommodate a nearly 1-3/4- inch cartridge. The lower butt stock has a plugged sling swivel inlet, 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 obliterated cartouche or royal insignia of sorts, struck in a square, block-print configuration. The most significant of all markings, however, is the Chakra over the receiver ring, which genuinely identifies 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 country’s 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 Rifle Remington rolling block action, ending with the date April 17 1866. The left side of the frame displays 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. Mechanically sturdy, the action is tight, appearing 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 military 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 lower left flats 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 carbines in various calibers purchased by France in the period of 1870-71. The full round barrel is common to the Transformation Conversion Rifle. Another possibility exists that a .58 caliber rifle musket barrel could have been modified and installed on the action. The mere presence of this carbine, coupled with such an exotic and enigmatic set of markings, is ipso facto assurance that the collector of military rolling block firearms can expect no foreseeable end of variety in the near future. This Cambodian example once again proves that this now highly specialized field 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 national crests roll stamped over the receiver 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 following year, is undoubtedly responsible for creation of the popular and widely used term “Model 1902.” Essentially a deja vu of Mexico’s “special order” of three years earlier, the Republic of El Salvador was the first quantity pur-

chaser of this new, “improved” Model 1897. Unlike Mexico’s earlier contract of 14,000-plus rifles and carbines, El Salvador’s New Model Small Bore Military Rifles were equipped with the Albert Day-patent, automatic rotary extractor of October 22, 1901. In addition to the national crest, the Salvadoran Model 1902 was equipped with a very unique hand guard that has a longitudinally grooved inlet extendCOLLECTORS GUIDE WINTER 2011

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ing from the front of the receiver ring to the middle barrel band. Those who may discover one of these in ver y 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 collection of post-1900-era military rolling block rifles. For the record, it is worth mentioning 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 condition. Though production numbers of the El Salvador contract Model 1902 were less than half the total of the larger quantities of the Mexican contract of Model 1897 rifles, the reason so few have appeared on the surplus market is due to many having been discarded by the Salvadoran government sometime 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-government factions used obsolete military rifles and machetes during their struggle, and it was reported that thousands of their weapons were dumped in the Gulf of Fonseca following the government’s victory. No doubt many rolling block rifles were among them. The receiver ring on these rifles has an elaborate roll stamped crest marked, “Republica del SalvadorModelo 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 classified as a special order affair in its entirety. Surviving Salvadoran defense records show that the first deliveries of the 5,550 rifle contract (but no carbines) began in the spring of 1902. In reality, this may perhaps make El

Salvador the first customers of the socalled Model 1902 Remington rolling block featuring the improved automatic 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 rifles with this feature were responsible for the unofficial title of Model 1902. It should also be noted that some Model 1902 Remington rolling block rifles 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 somewhere in the range of an estimated 800 to 1,000 pieces. Furthermore, an unknown number were purchased by El Salvador in 1903 without the crest and were perhaps significantly lower in cost due to the absence of the marking. Such unmarked rifles do occasionally appear and are of interest to the collector. However, distinguishing an overrun piece from a genuine second order Salvadoran version is practically impossible. Surviving import records from the now defunct “Hunters Lodge” (also known as “Ye Olde Hunter”) of the 1950s and ‘60s do indicate that several hundred Model 1902 Salvadoran-type contract rifles without the national crest were imported into the United States from both Honduran and Panamanian sources. These too may be considered contract overruns; however, their early origins cannot be determined. Hard usage and the humid jungle climate took their toll on all the old military rifles. Thus those few 7mm Salvadoran rolling block rifles that made it to del Norte (“The North”) as surplus are normally discovered in rough, pitted condition. It is a fortunate collector who uncovers one of these prizes in anything better than good condition.

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The unique Carabine Buffalo bolt action over/under 9mm/.22 combination gun.

once saw a beautiful French made side by side 9mmx.22 hammerless Cape Gun that had the typical box lock action with lever on top of receiver. It was fully engraved. The owner was not interested in selling. Believe me, I tried. One of the most interesting 9mm garden guns guns I have seen was the Carabine Buffalo. This was made at St. Etienne, 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 locking lugs that match lugs on the barrel. Garden Gun?

As previously noted, this European term refers to firearms made for close g u n d i g e s t . c o m

range control of small pests such as cats, rats, moles, and birds. The effective 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 find on the 9mm rimfire shotshell comes from the current production 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 velocity 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 certainly up to its intended purpose: “With a mini-gun like this it is necessary 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 Rifle?

Two of my guns have rifled bores. The engraved Warnant single shot has deeply cut rifling and one barrel of the underlever double has wide, shallow rifling. As for the 9mm ball loads, I could find no data on any of them. All I do k now is that I can see the ball leaving the barrel. Even though many of these guns feature rifle sights, there is little relationship to where a single ball shot will hit. No grouping at all. You really can shoot


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these in a basement or parlor. Just don’t fool yourself into believing that doing so will improve your shooting – this is one case in which the gun really can’t shoot better than you can hold.

Two-barrel garden guns, top to bottom: Warnant system 6mm/9mm over/under, no maker’s 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 maker’s mark, German proof, 23.9-inch barrel, has no caliber markings.

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How Much?

There are still 9mm garden guns being made in Europe. Despite the very small market it seems the old Flobert 9mm will leave a mark in three separate centuries. One model found online 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 Beretta-made single shot that was imported 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 action, just like .22 LR rifles. This model appears in the 2010 Standard Catalog of Firearms with a value range of $100$600, depending on condition. [Editor’s Note: A fine book! We’re personally acquainted 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.

There are very few 9mm rimfire firearms listed in the price guides, possibly 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. entrepreneurs bought up thousands of used sporting guns there when citizens tired of the ever-increasing regulation of firearms 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 importer, including the Belgian Warnant SxS. 9mm bolt actions typically sell in t he $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 Catalog of Firearms. Side by side, over/under, Flobert and Warnant guns are valued mostly as curiosities. Price will be determined by condition, maker, and quality. Single shots generally sell for $150-$300. Twobarrel guns can be $300-2500. A finely made hammerless double could bring a lot more.

E-mail:[email protected] 76

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DOUG MURR AY, AUTHOR/PUBLISHER 20 POLO LANE, WESTBURY, NY 11590 Please Make Checks to Lynn Murray.

DON’ T READ THIS A D!

German Warnant system side by side. The left barrel in smoothbore, the right barrel is rifled. Note the folding leaf sight.

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9mm rimfire shot shells are stil l made by Fiocchi with limited importation to the US. These function fine in the semiautomatic Bernardelli, for which they are made. These shells will fit and fire safely in most of other guns but some have a problem with extraction. The full-length brass sticks in the chamber, requiring extra effort to remove. A cleaning rod from the front works best. The old loads were paper-walled, often with odd-looking floral or leaf designs printed on them, looking something like brass-capped Chinese firecrackers. 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 European or South American market. 9mm rimfire ball caps are currently made by g u n d i g e s t . c o m

Fiocchi and RWS and are available from specialty importers and retailers such as Midway USA (midwayusa.com), where they’re currently priced at $22.99 for a box of 50. That seems a reasonable price to pay to keep one of these strange old shotguns shooting. If you have a 9mm garden gun, especially an older one, the best advice is to have it checked out by a competent gunsmith before firing it. Then the only thing you’ll have to worry about are the people who ask you, “What the heck is that?” Master Dealer Dealer pricing available. Also Cooper Arms Dealer.

Midwestern Firearms Company www.mwfco.com E-mail: [email protected]

829 E. Camp Street East Peoria, IL 61611 Toll Free 1-800-962-9934 COLLECTORS GUIDE WINTER 2011

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Collector’sGuide by Teri Jane Bryant

An Introduction to the Military Handguns o 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!

I

hear it all the time at gun shows: “They’re just copies of Lugers, aren’t they?” Well, no, they’re 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 collect ion. However, I have found them to be a fascinating and challenging field of study, and the attention my display get s at gun shows suggests others agree.

More than 59,000 Type 26 revolvers were produced. Although they were obsolete by the 1920s, Japan’s 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 finish have much deeper bluing than arsenal reworks and are most easily di stinguished by the heat tempered bluing on the hammer, which has a purplish, iridescent appearance. The Nambus

The Type 26

When Japan began to modernize its military in the late 1800s, it first 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 progressed rapidly, though, and soon it had an indigenous design, 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 noticeably 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 underpowered cartridge, which is similar to the .38 S&W but with a much thinner rim. However, its main flaw is that the cylinder locks up only at the moment of firing. As a result, if the cylinder brushes against something, an empty chamber can easily rotate into the firing position. Modern buyers unfamiliar with this peculiarity often mistake the free rotation of the cyli nder as a sign of breakage, but that is just how these guns were made. 78

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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 influence on small arms development in Japan that John Browning had in the USA. His work touched everything from handguns to rifles and machine guns. Nambu’s first production handgun design was an eightshot, 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 officers. However, this early model included two features that were extremely influential. First, it introduced the 8mm bottlenecked 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 t hat makes it ballistically more similar to the .380 ACP. Second, it had a mechanism based on a downward-swinging locking block, variants of which were used in several subsequent models. When the pistol is fired, 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 afficionados will recognize this as totally different from the upward-breakgundigest.com

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.

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 downward-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 incorporated some minor improvements such as a slightly larger trigger guard and an aluminum (rather than wooden) magazine base. Tokyo Arsenal and the private firm 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 officially, 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 Navy’s 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 officers 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 g u n d i g e s t . c o m

three-quarter-size version of his pistol. Known as the Baby Nambu, this pocket-sized pistol was mechanically identical to its full-size counterparts but fired 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 officers and therefore led pampered 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 Japan’s most common sidearm, the Type 14. Adopted by the Army in 1925 (the fourteenth year of the reign of the Taisho Emperor, Hirohito’s 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 easier to produce and incorporated several improvements, such as dual recoil springs. The first 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 finger in cold weather. The large


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Papa Nambu and Baby Nambu. The latter was designed to compete with European pocket semiautomatics for private purchases by officers.

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trigger guard version is sometimes referred to as the “Manchurian Model,” “Kiska Model,” or “Winter Trigger Guard Model.” However, these terms have fallen into disfavour since all pistols 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 emperorbased system of dating, with the year of the Emperor’s reign first, followed by a period or comma and then the month. For example, a marking of “18.6” indicates the sixth month (June) of the eighteenth year of Emperor Hirohito’s 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 first 100-150 or so pistols produced, which were made during the last months of the reign of

Hirohito’s father, i.e. in 1926. These do not have a reign name character in f ront of the date, which could range from 15.8 to 15.12, and bear low serial numbers 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 Hirohito’s reign, and are relatively common). If you find one of these ultra-rare pistols, known as “Taisho” Type 14s after the name of Hirohito’s father’s reign, you have real ly hit the jackpot! The Type 14 was Japan’s primary sidearm 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 misfires due to striker tip breakage and inadequate power of the striker spring. To combat this problem gundigest.com

a spare striker was issued with each pistol, 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 fortunate 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 visible change was introduced that made reloading even slower: a magazine retention spring was added. This spring protrudes through the lower part of the front grip strap and prevents magazine loss by catching a released magazine after about 3mm of downward travel so that it can be manually extracted. Despite these shortcomings, the Type 14 continued in service with the Japanese coast guard until the 1960s! There were five producers of Type 14s, and numerous variations in cocking 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, particularly those from 1944, the peak year of production, are often available in excellent condition at reasonable prices and therefore make an excellent representative Japanese pistol for the World War II collector, or a starting point for a more ambitious Japanese collection. Their often rough finish should not be confused with actual wear and tear, a common mistake. While early Japanese pistols such as the Baby Nambu had fit and finish equal to the best anywhere, as World War II progressed, less and less attention was paid to cosmetic issues such as polishing and bluing. Eventually poorly trained schoolgirls made up a large part of the labour force in arms g u n d i g e s t . c o m

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 specifically 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 final inspection stamps in the area near the date and should definitely not be fired. (Of course, like any antique firearm, even earlier, higher-quality Japanese pistols should be inspected by a competent gunsmith for safety before firing.) Just before the Type 14 went into production, Lt. General Nambu retired and established the Nambu Rifle Manufacturing Company. Initially it produced only training rifles, but by the late 1930s, after merging with two other companies 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 others. A successor company operated in post-war Japan until the 1970s, when it was absorbed by Minebea, the Japanese bearing maker. The company’s pistol-

making heritage was preserved when it was granted a contract to produce SIG pistols under license for today’s Japanese Self-Defence Forces. The Notorious Type 94

The last major design used by the Imperial 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 reports in some early sources, this pistol was never intended for civilian sale; it was designed at the specific request of the military. This unusual pistol broke with previous Nambu designs in two important respects. It had a hammer and firing pin rather than a spring-driven striker, and the locking block was a downwardfloating wedge. Considered by many to be a good candidate for the title “world’s ugliest pistol” or even “world’s 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 soldiers, who averaged only 5'3" and 123 lbs. Its compactness was especially appreciated by those working in confined spaces, such as pilots and tankers. The holster magnified 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 officer’s private purchase sidearms and a few small-volume domestic pistols.


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Early models of Type 14 holster had a solid leather closure strap (right). In 1939 a spring–loaded 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 fire the pistol.

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tailored design contrasted sharply with the bulky clamshell designs issued with most prior Japanese sidearms. The safety was also better positioned and can be operated with one hand. On the down side, the design of the Type 94’s 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 notorious feature was undoubtedly its exposed sear bar on the left side. Pressing on its forward tip when the safety is disengaged allows the pistol to be fired without depressing the trigger. Although inherently an undesirable, unsafe feature, in practice such discharges require sufficiently focused pressure on a small area that they were never a serious operational issue. About 71,000 Type 94s were made by Chuo Kogyo, the only producer. Frequent changes in machining and the placement of markings and the late-war use of slab wooden grips instead of the earlier checkered bakelite mean there are also numerous 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 fired. Tips for the Beginning Collector

If you’ve been keeping score, you have probably figured out by now that total production of handguns by Imperial Japan 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 million 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 attics, 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 collecting the many variations of either the Type 14 or Type 94, or (if one’s budget gundigest.com

Baby Nambu holsters, like those for the Type 26, Grandpa and Papa, had individual loops for spare cartridges in their ammo pouches.

Type 94 with holster, cleaning rod and spare magazine. The Showa 18.7 date translates to July, 1943.

Rubberized canvas holster shows typical Type 14 features: 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.

allows) attempt to complete the “Nambu Family” with the rarer types such as the Papa, Grandpa and Baby. There are now excellent sources of reference information available to guide the beginning collector or help the established one reach new depths of understanding. Two outstanding reference books have been published recently. The most comprehensive is Japanese Military Cartridge Handguns 1893-1945 by Harry Derby and James Brown. Mr. Brown’s Collector’s 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 information 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 recommend doing some research before you plunge into a purchase, as few sellers know what they really have due to the g u n d i g e s t . c o m

specialized nature of Japanese weapon collecting. Joining a group like Banzai, the Japanese militaria collectors’ association, is also a good idea: I have found the advanced collectors very forthcoming with help and advice as they warmly welcome newcomers to the field. Very few Japanese handguns made their way to Canada, so many people ask me why I chose such an obscure field 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 find, especially in Canada, when they do turn up, prices are still quite reasonable compared to some of the more popular collectible handguns like Colts and Lugers. You probably won’t find one at your local gun shop even in the USA, but if your curiosity has been piqued, you can often find them on the major gun auction websites, Banzai’s newsletter or one of the bulletin boards devoted to Japanese weapons and militaria (see my website for a list of them). Be careful, though: once you get started you may end up a “Nambu nut” like me! NOTE: Teri Jane Bryant’s interest in guns and militaria was sparked by visiting gun shows with her father as a child. Japan began to fascinate her when she visited the country on an exchange during 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 articles on Japanese weapons and militaria. She can be reached at [email protected].

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PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS: 1-W. Bayard .32 ACP Model 1908 Pocket Auto Pistol 2 ¼” 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 ½” 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 t he rear of the body for unknown reason, lanyard staple on frame is missing, excellent function and comes in a period German ink stamp marked f lap holster, excellent function (C&R).............. $645 3-W. Browning .32 ACP Model 1910 Pocket Auto Pistol 3 ¼” 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 ½” 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 ½” 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 ½” 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 ¾” 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 ½” 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 original 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” Revolve r 4” barrel with very good strong but lightly peppered bore, 90% original fading blue with straps going a gray/brown, excellent smooth function 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 ½” 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 cylinder’s, 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 ½” 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 84

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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 owner’s 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 Revolve r 3 ¼” 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 ½” 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 ¼” 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 matching 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 ¼” 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 barrel 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 ½” 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 ¾” 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 Luger’s 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 4”barrel 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 replacement 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

CONTINUED ➡ gundigest.com

PACK AND POSTAL CENTER Tel. (978) 368-0910 • www.Packandpostal.com

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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 unnumbered 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 ¼” 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 l ooks terrible (C&R) ... $85 38-W. Ruger .357 Magnum “Security Six” Stainless Revolver 2 ¾” 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 ½” 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 ½” 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 accessories ......................................................................................................................................$495 41-W. Smith & Wesson .45 ACP Model 1937 Brazilian Contract Revolver 5 ½” pinned barrel with near mint bore, 99% arsenal rebuild matte blue fi nish, 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 ½” 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 ½” 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 g u n d i g e s t . c o m

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 ½” heavy barrel with mint bore, 98% + original blue with a f ew 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, inconspicuously import marked (C&R) ....................................................................................................$675 60-W. Walther .22 LR Model PP German Made Auto Pistol 3 ¾”barrel with mint bore, 99 ½% 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 ¼” 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 ¼” barrel with mint bore, 99 ½% 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 ¼” 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 ¼” 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

CONTINUED ➡ COLLECTORS GUIDE WINTER 2011

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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 disassembly 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 ½” 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 original 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 ½” 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, matching 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 ½” 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 ¾”, 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 dovetail 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 r ings 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 ½”, 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 Rifle 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 86

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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 ½” 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 checkered 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 ½” 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 ½” 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 ¾” 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 ¾” 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 ½” vent rib barrels with minty bright bores, 2 ¾” 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 t rigger, auto ejectors, excellent 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 ½”, 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 ½” vent rib barrel with excellent bright bore, 2 ¾” 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 ➡ gundigest.com


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99-W. Browning 12 Gauge Model A-5 “Magnum” Auto Shotgun 31 ½” 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 ½” solid rib barrel with mint bore, 2 ¾” 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 o’clock, 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 ½% 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 ¾” 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 ¼”, 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 ¾” 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 ¾” 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 ¾” 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 ¾” 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 checkering 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 ¾”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 ¾” 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 ¾” 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 dinging 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 ¾” 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 g u n d i g e s t . c o m

115-W. Remington 12 Gauge Model 11 Auto Shotgun 30” plain barrel of excellent

bright bore, 2 ¾” 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 o’clock, 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 ¾” 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 o’clock, wood shows storage nicks and dings from standing in a closet the l ast 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 ¾” 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 ¾” 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% original 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” barrels with raised rib, 2 ¾”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 ¾” 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 ½% 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 26””Win-lite” (steel and fiberglass) barrel with mint bore, 2 ¾” 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 ¾” chamber, 2 beads and fixed full choke, offset proofs on barrel and receiver, receiver marked “trap” and matches barrel extension, 99 ½% 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 ¼”, 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 ¾” chamber and excellent bore with fixed full choke, 99% nicely done refinish high gloss blue with a purplish ti nge 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 ¾”, 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 ¾” 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 ¾”, matching deluxe style checkered extension 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 ¾” 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 refinish 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 ½”, wood is much newer than gun, made in 1920 and still works fine (C&R)................................... .................................... . $695 128-W. Winchester 12 Gauge Model 12 “Pre-64” Pump Shotgun 28” plain barrel with mint bore, 2 ¾” chamber and fixed modified 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 ¾” chamber and fixed 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 field carry wear, excellent function, never saw one of these with a plain non-ribbed barrel............................... .................................... .................................... . $425 COLLECTORS GUIDE WINTER 2011

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87

Collector’sGuide by George J. Layman

When Bulldogs Ruled THINK THE COLT 1873 SINGLE ACTION ARMY WON THE WEST? THINK AGAIN!

C

olt, Remington, Smith & Wesson and Merwin & Hulbert didn’t manufacture them, but during the late nineteenth century they were among the Old West’s most well-known pocket revolvers. Though the second definition of “bulldog” in Webster’s is “…a small, shortbarrel pistol of large caliber…” the genuine British Bulldog may further be defined as “any of the nineteenth centuryproduced, 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 general supplies to reliable firearms for hunting and self-defense. These future Westerners were a sophisticated lot when it came to choosing their rifles, pistols and shotguns, and did so according to their financial means. By the 1870s, many Western townships forbade carrying firearms 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, homesteaders, and other opportunists. The market was ripe for a small size, large-caliber revolver that was concealable but powerful enough for a serious gunfight or other armed dispute. Most of all, the revolver had to be affordable in price. Though Remington brought out a number of pocket revolvers to include a double action by 1870, as well as Smith & Wesson’s 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 double-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 manufacturer P. Webley & Son. It was called the British Bulldog. The Webley Influence

Upon its introduction in the early 1870s, Webley’s new British Bulldog had become an immediate sensation in Victorian England since the carrying of firearms in Great Britain was accomplished quite discreetly. Thus the pocketsize, highly concealable Bulldog fit right into the period of Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper. Webley firearms were well known in the United States for their high degree 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 invasion of the United States arms market, the self-cocking Webley 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

This close-up of a Belgian-made British Bulldog (maker unknown) shows the quality of the simple engraving pattern common to these imported revolvers.

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 famous handguns. It is quite obvious that the British Bulldog became a legend in its own time. By 1876, several European and American imitators 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 finish 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 rimfire or centerfire as well as .41 rimfire and .38 and .44 centerfire. Webley even listed a “Holster Size Frontier Model” Bulldog in .38 and. 44 centerfire with a 4" barrel and a lanyard on the grip.

can Bulldog” somewhat unique in design compared to the British type since it had a saw handle-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 find 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. independently 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 company’s trademarks – 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-caliber five-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 parrot’s beak or bird’s-head grip, and the American Bulldogs were supplied with a “saw hanAmerican Bulldogs dle” flat-base grip. Some early ads made reference that their The E.C. Meacham company had at least four different American Bulldogs were made exclusively in .38 caliber, with Bulldogs in their 1884 catalog, among which were an “Ameri- the British Bulldog with bird’s-head grips being made only in g u n d i g e s t . c o m


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89

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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.

.44 caliber. Additionally, the Meacham catalog also listed an “American” British Bulldog complete with bird’s-head grips and in both calibers, too. Another very interesting British Bulldog is the illustration on the same page beneath the aforementioned “American” Bulldog in the 1884 catalog. This particular revolver is advertised as a “new design” English British Bulldog and has a remarkable resemblance to the later Webley series of military breakThe quality of Belgian-made British Bulldogs was open revolvers. Together with often quite good, but a lower grade of metallurgy its flat-base saw handle grips often caused their internal parts to wear out (listed as a “Smith & Wesson much more quickly than those of the Webley- or U.S.-made British Bulldog. handle”), the text states that when chambered for the .38 S&W, they Colt. It could also be had with extras are marked “American Bulldog.” A foot- such as pearl or ivory stocks, and ennote goes on to say that the revolver “. . graved frames. It is curiously amusing to .is made to compete with Colt’s and re- note that in the Meacham advertisement, sembles them in model and fine work- for 31 cents less, one could have the same manship. . . .” Equipped with an octago- revolver marked “British Bulldog”! The design of the American Bulldog nal 2-1/2" barrel, the arm is something of a hybrid between a Webley of the from Meacham Arms differed from the future and a Colt double-action Light- majority of British Bulldogs in that it ning with a flat butt! At least a dozen or uses a spring-charged vertical flat latch more Belgian-made Bulldog copies w ith to retain the cylinder pin. The typical bird’s-head grips have been seen by the British Bulldog used a pull-out, rotating author in .38 caliber only, with Ameri- extractor pin which, when pulled upcan or British Bulldog markings. ward and turned right, allowed removal Unquestionably, the U.S.-made copies of the hollow cylinder pin as well. A are generally better from a quality stand- short, oblong-shaped 2-1/2" barrel was point than their Belgian counterparts. standard on most Bulldogs regardless The Meacham Arms American Bulldog of origin. However, some are listed with sold for $3.31 in 1881 and was quite the 2-1/4" and 2-3/4" tubes in certain adverbargain when compared to a full-size tisements. Depending on caliber, they gundigest.com

could be five-, six-, or seven-shooters! Noteworthy is that the Webley Bulldogs had unfluted cylinders, whereas most U.S. and European copies had the fluted type. Unfluted cylinders, however, have been observed on several Liege-made Belgian copies. Colt didn’t introduce a self-cocker until 1877 (the Model 1877 “Lightning” 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-firing characteristics had a hand in spreading the popularity of the doubleaction revolver as a whole. Mechanically, the British and American Bulldogs were quite sturdy and simple; however, the finish 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 Colt’s lockwork proved complicated and prone to breakage under hard use. They nevertheless became immensely popular. The British Bulldog, however, was not without its own mechanical problems. Too-vigorous operation of the doubleaction trigger would eventually cause the lockwork to begin mis-indexing, as g u n d i g e s t . c o m

A comparison of the hammer styles of both the author’s American Bulldog and the Forehand & Wadsworth British type (right). The two U.S.-manufactured revolvers were America’s best “Bulldog” and produced in the same city. Note the flatter, 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.

the hand would skip a cylinder notch. Many of the British Bulldogs encountered today seem to display this malfunction, and finding one that functions 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 wasn’t 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 catalog 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 fit the leanest budget of the average individual. Some ads for the Bulldog boasted it could fire seven shots in five seconds. Promoters of the well-made Forehand & Wadsworth British Bulldog stated this quite confidently. 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 competitive 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 holsters 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 being 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 don’t you put something on the market to compete with Webley’s Bulldog? The pistols have an immense popularity on this coast and people don’t hesitate to pay $25 to $30.00 for them either. . . .”


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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 British 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 Colt’s double-action.

Sales techniques of the day kept the Bulldog market steadily popular with some advertisements stating, “the pistols are the most substantial of their class, the price we quote them makes them substantial bargains.” In late 1895, Montgomery Ward Company advertised; “big bargains, American Bulldog [author’s note: possibly unsold, smallercaliber versions of the earlier Meacham

product sold back to Iver Johnson, who re-sold them to Montgomery Ward] revolver, sold in .32 and .38 caliber. . . .” The ad further stated “these guns are not toys, but good, big guns.” Top prices now were $1.89 each. Montgomery Ward also advertised a “Frontier Bulldog 6-shot, in 44 WCF for $3.85” but judging from the illustration of this revolver, it appears to be an inferior-quality Belgian-made mass-produced copy of a Webley Frontier Model. The Bulldog Out West Other notable gun dealers who regularly offered Bulldogs of all types included Liddle & Kaeding and Shreve & Wolfman, both located in San Francisco. One of Liddle & Kaeding’s advertisements in the publication Pacific Life in 1876 listed numerous Colt, Smith & Wesson and Wesson & Harrington revolvers, but most emphatically stressed the Bulldog’s merits, noting: “. . .available also is the much celebrated doubleaction self-cocking Bulldog pistol.” The heyday of the Bulldog continued. In the historical arena, many notables of the old West had their own affinities 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 first came to New Mexico. Billy was close to Tunstall, who took the teenager under his wing. Tunstall’s diary noted, “I never went anywhere without my Bulldog.” After Tunstall’s CONTINUED ON PAGE 100

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.

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gundigest.com

DISPLAY ADVERTISING INDEX 300 Below Inc..................................... 65

L

A

L & S Supply ...................................... 33 Lone Star Wholesale ......................... 44

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 Buckingham’s 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 Cope’s Distributing...................... 32, 33

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

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Q

David’s Collectibles ........................... 44 DICKSON, RON .................................. 23 Doublestar Corp .............................. 108

Quality Arms Inc .......................... 54, 77

F

FFL123.com........................................ 16 Forks Of The Delaware ...................... 44 Frank’s Guns ...................................... 16 Ft Sandflat Gun Stand ...................... 51 G

G & G Relics ...................................... 90 Gauge-mate........................................ 74 Gibbs Products.................................. 90 Guncrafter Industries ........................ 40 Guns4Pennies.com ........................... 31

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

Houston Gun Collect Association Inc. ........................................................... 51

Thedford, John................................... 45 Trader Keiths ................................ 54, 77 Trapdoors Galore............................... 76 Triple S................................................ 52

J

V

H

James D Julia Inc. ............................... 2 John Adams & Son, Engravers ........ 83

Vintage Sporting Arms & Accessories ........................................................... 52

K

W

Kull’s Old Town Station ..................... 61

Whitelaw Enterprises ........................ 76

The advertiser’s 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. g u n d i g e s t . c o m


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Collector’sGuide by John Malloy

The Colt 1911 THE FIRST CENTURY

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tudents of firearms are aware of the significance of the year 1911. In that year, a century ago, the Browningdesigned Colt Model 1911 was adopted as the sidearm of the United States military forces. Perhaps no single semiautomatic handgun is better known, or has had more influence 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 conflicts. Ot her countries produced the Colt/Browning design, made under license. Still other countries made unauthorized close copies of t he pistol. Civilian use of the big Colt pistol reinforced its value. By the midpoint of the 1900s, the 1911 was New names keep coming up for companies ofon its way to becoming one of the winni ngest tar- fering new 1911s. Legacy Sports now offers their get pistols in use. In the latter part of the century, Citadel 45 in full-size and compact versions. 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 quantity 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 popularity. With patent protection long gone, other firms began to make nearly exact copies—part-for-part-interchangeable 1911-type pistols—under their own names. New names, some now almost forgotten, entered the firearms lexicon. By the closing decade of the 1900s, other producers such as Springfield, 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 Smit h &Wesson, SIG-Sauer and Taurus introduced 1911s. 94

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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 firearms world in Europe. In 1893, the Borchardt became the first commercially-successful autoloader, followed by designs of Mauser, Bergmann, Mannlicher and Luger. To these European developments was added one with an American name — Browning. John M. Browning’s 32-caliber pocket pistol was introduced in 1899 by Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Belgium. Early developments were relatively small in bore size, ranging from less than 30-caliber to an upper limit of 9mm. Around the turn of the 20th centur y, the concept of a larger-caliber semiautomatic pistol had been experimented with in several countries, including Great Britain. However, it took a design of gundigest.com

In the early post-WWII decades, the only 45-caliber semiautomatic 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.

American i nventor 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 38caliber 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 find that many Filipinos did not like American control any more than they had enjoyed Spanish rule. The resulting insurrection was officially over in 1901, but deadly conflict, especially i n the southern islands, continued well into the next decade. These southern islands were inhabited by fierce Moro tribes that had been converted to a form of Islam. The service sidearm of the time, the doubleaction .38 Long Colt revolver (marginal even in “civilized” warfare), proved to be inadequate to stop a charging Moro. Old Single Action Army 45-ca liber 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 g u n d i g e s t . c o m

Colts, modified with a strange long trigger and enlarged guard, were also is sued. The stopping power of the old big-bore .45s proved to be far superior. However, they were stopgap measures. An effective standard modern handgun was needed. What was needed? The famous ThompsonLaGarde 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. Although semiautomatic pistols were coming into use, the cavalry still firmly 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 commercial round produced by Winchester for Colt since the spring of 1905. The Winchester ammunition was made for Colt’s new 45-caliber autoloading pistol, which had been introduced in the fall of 1905. CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 COLLECTORS GUIDE WINTER 2011

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95

Collector’sGuide by Phillip Peterson

The Mighty (?) 9mm Rimre

‘‘Y

ou collect 9mm what?” I get that a lot when the subject of collections comes up. I have been collecting (accumulating, really) 9mm rimfire firearms for about twenty years now. There are seventeen resting in my safe at this time. Many American shooters have never heard of a 9mm rimfire 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 fire a Flobert cartridge and still not be properly termed a Flobert. Flobert was credited with patenting the rimfire cartridge and there is a specific action design that bears his name. Small Origins

The rimfire or Flobert cartridge was invented in 1846 by France’s Louis Nicholas Auguste Flobert (pronounced flow-BARE) and consisted of a primed brass cup topped with a round ball, loaded without powder. These little car tridges were made in several sizes : 4mm, 5mm, 6mm (.22), 7mm, 8mm and 9mm. The rimfire cartridge is Flobert’s biggest and most enduring contribution to the gun world. Using his case and pri ming design, the 6mm/.22 was developed further in the U.S. by Smith & Wesson and others by lengthening the case and adding gunpowder. The resulting cartridge, the .22 Short, quickly became the most common and widely distributed cartridge in the world. Flobert’s rimfires were originally used in handguns for indoor or “parlor” shooting and soon became extremely popular. Shortly after use of the ball loading became common, ammunition manufacturers started loading Flobert96

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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 rimfire cartridges in the 6mm-12mm range were developed during the first fifty years of fixed ammunition but only the .22/6mm and 9mm remain in widespread use. The various 9mm rimfire shotguns quickly became known as “garden guns” because they were considered ideal for potting small varmints that raided the family garden. In America, they became popular with farmers, who used them to dispatch barn pigeons without blowing hard-to-fix holes in the roof. A Flobert Flobert

There is also a firearms design that carries 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 moment of firing. This arrangement is very similar to the Remington Rolling block action. However, the Flobert design is not as strong and has been made only for low-power cartridges. Flobert firearms in .22 and .32 caliber ri mfire are fairly common in the United States. They rarely have any markings except the word “Belgium” stamped somewhere on the barrel and perhaps t he 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. gundigest.com

Other Flobert guns were brought home by American GI’s from service in WWI or WWII. Among these there were various 9mm shotguns and rifles.

Top to bottom: Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgique, marked “FL 9m/c” with 17.5inch 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.”

Nationale and Bayard (Belgium), Webley & Scott (England), St. Etienne (France), Bernardelli and Beretta (Italy), and Husqvarna (Sweden). While most 9mm shotguns seen in the United States were manufactured between 1900 and It’s Not a Flobert 1940, the design remained popular in Europe Yet another single shot design, sometimes after WWII and a few firms still produce them mistakenly referred to as a “Flobert,” is the today, the vast majority of which are single Warnant. shots. I have never seen or heard of a magazineThe Warnant system consists of a pivoting breech that fed 9mm bolt action garden gun. swings up and operates the extractor, similar to the U.S. “Trapdoor” Springfield. Part of the hammer locks the breech Our American Cousin closed upon firing. There are single shot, side by side, and The sole American-made firearm chambering the 9mm over/under examples of the Warnant design that are occa- rimfire is a bolt action: the Winchester Model 36. Introduced sionally encountered. in 1920, there were about 20,000 units made by the time production stopped in 1927. The Model 36 used basically the same action as the popular Winchester Models 1900, 1902 Bolt Actions The single shot bolt action is the most common type of 9mm and 1904 single shot boys’ rifles in .22 caliber. The action was rimfire firearm found. These are usually very simple guns. originally designed by John Browning and has a small bolt Some have rifle sights a nd some have a simple bead sight; some handle and short action. It sported an 18-inch barrel and a cock on opening, others on closing. Some have a manual cock- gumwood stock. Winchester marketed this model as a “Garing piece. Many do not have a safety. Most have a simple U den Gun” for use on small pests and birds at close ranges. shaped extractor sliding in a slot underneath the bolt. (Note: Unfortunately, the Model 36 did not have a definite niche Make sure the extractor is present in any 9mm bolt action you within the U.S. market. In most cases a single shot .22 would might be considering buying.. They can fall out if the bolt is have been a better choice for up-close use and a centerfire removed and are frequently lost or broken.) shotgun would have worked better in the open field. Other designs of 9mm shotguns include a variety of breakMany well-known European arms makers have offered 9mm rimfire guns in their product line. Germany seems to be open actions. Some feature a side lever; others use an underthe most prolific nation of origin. Some noted manufacturers lever. One of my 9mm doubles has an underlever action. I from Germany include Alfa, Anschutz, Er ma, Geco, Muchler CONTINUED ON PAGE 75 and Simson & Co. Other continental makers include Fabrique g u n d i g e s t . c o m


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97

Collector’sGuide by Andy Ewert

Addicted to Military Iron A RECOVERED MILITARY BOLT-ACTION-RIFLE ADDICT TELLS ALL.

I

plead guilty to behavioral addiction to 20th-century military bolt-action rifles. The good news is today I’m clean. The bad news is that relapse is always a possibility. My “illness” began innocently enough in 1991 with an article in this very publication extolling the virtues of the Mauser 1898 military rifle. In that piece, one Jim Thompson shared his wisdom regarding what arguably is the world’s greatest military bolt-action rifle. If memory serves me r ight, Mr. Thompson earned the Gun Digest John T. Amber Literary 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 fine German DWM Model 1909 Argentine-contract 7.65X53mm Long Rifle 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 five-round stripper clips for fast loading. I spent that summer learning the joys of open-sight riflery. Fast-forward two decades. Today, I manage more than a dozen well-traveled bolt-action Mausers, Enfields, Arisakas, and Springfields. Most remain in their original mi litary configuration. A select few found a new life as sporterized hunting rifles. 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 rifles and sight down its barrel. To me, they’re treasures of world history, firearms 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 boltaction rifle is irrelevant to me. The fact is the 98 is the innovative design on which most bolt action rifles – military and commercial – are based. More so than other designs, the 98

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98 transcended its military roots and, due to its renowned strength, reliability, and quality, is the standard for custom hunting-rifle actions. Introduced 113 years ago, the Mauser 98 ser ved the Fatherland with distinction during its almost half century run that ended, for the most part, in 1945 with Germany’s defeat in World War ll. Construction of military rifles 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 Mauser’s Model 98 spawned an extensive family of long, medium-, and short-barreled military rifles, produced at factories in Germany for its military a nd export around the globe. The world’s armies couldn’t get enough of them. Under license and technology-transfer agreements, 98s were produced in Argentina, Austria, Belgium, China, the former Czechoslovakia, Iran, Mexico, Poland, Spain, and Yugoslavia, among others. America’s Springfield 1903 rifle is an inexact 98 clone that earned the Mauser company royalty payments until our entry into World War I. This prolific 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 persistent importers who seek them out. Remarkably, Mausers are still seeing combat in remote corners of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, usual ly in the hands of underfunded local insurgents. Model 1909 Argentine

My 1909 Argentine is a superb example of German design and craftsmanship. Many of the German-produced rifles (some were also built in Argentina) have been used as the basis for fine sporting arms. Custom gun makers cherish the 1909’s exquisitely milled construction, particularly its trigger guard/magazine assembly with a clever floor-platerelease lever in the guard that alone, when fabricated today, gundigest.com

With proper modification, all the military surplus bolt action rifles featured in this article would make excellent hunting rifles. The author’s sporterized specimens include (top to bottom) No. 4 Mk ll Lee Enfield, featuring a Canadian Long Branch action, great sights, fiveshot magazine, and the best-fitting stock he’s ever shouldered, purchased ready-to-go for $150; a handy Czech CZ24 Mauser scout rifle, crafted specially for harvesting deep-woods whitetails; and a silky 6 lb. DWM 1908 Brazilian Mauser, fashioned by the author’s father with a replacement barrel and aftermarket sights and trigger. The original military stock was retained, though shaped to a pleasing fit.

costs more than twice the $200 I paid for the entire rifle. The quality of the ‘09’s dark-grained walnut stock is better than many of those on today’s commercial rifles. With its ladder-style military sight, rough trigger pull, 29-inch barrel, and my bifocaled eyes, off the bench it will put five 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 rifles mentioned here group about the same, some significantly less so on a good day. With a scope and match-grade handloads, however, accuracy can be astounding.) Because of its value as an action of choice for custom rifle making, stock DWM 1909s are becoming scarce. Thi s shortage will only become acute over time. Hopefully, a few originals will be preserved for posterity and those incurably obsessed collectors. [Editor’s 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 difficult to obtain. Reloading is one obv ious solution. –DMS]

rifle production. Hampered by Allied aerial bombardment, a shortage of skilled labor and raw materials, and the need for faster output, manufacturing standards slipped. One way Germany coped was by building 98k rifles at captured arms factories they controlled in Czechoslovakia. Markings on my Czech 98k’s 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 Republic. Markings elsewhere on the rifle suggest it was assembled at the CZ factory in Brno, in the Czech Republic. Whatever this arrangement lacked in material-handling efficiency, it worked. Judging by its unmarred condition, my rifle was never issued. Germany also dealt with production shortfalls by instituting certain manufacturing shortcuts. On my rifle, these included a curious-looking (though practical) oversized stamped steel trigger guard assembly that accommodates a gloved finger, and a stamped, non-detachable magazi ne floor plate. Eliminated were the bolt guide and cleaning rod. Gone too were milled barrel bands, replaced by stampings. The Czech 98k’s firing-mechanism-disassembly washer tube on Czech Mongrel 98k the stock was supplanted by a hole in the side of the stamped Clearly 1945 was not a good year for German military butt plate. CONTINUED ON PAGE 46



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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 person when he was shot at the Maxwell ranch. There is a distinct possibility that Billy could have had a double-action Bulldog on his person – perhaps even Tunstall’s own revolver, obtained after his mentor had been killed. Nothing substantiates this, however. A place where the British Bulldog was always reported in detail was in Bodie, California. It seems the newspapers of this town had an affinity 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 stay ing at “Spanish Dora’s brothel” was robbed of $15.00 and his British Bull Dog. One very interesting Bodie news story was the January, 1881 vigilante lynching of an adulterous man who used a Forehand & Wadsworth 38-caliber Bulldog to kill the husband of a woman he was seeing! One notable fan of the British Bul ldog 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-abiding citizen alike. The revolver he carried on that day is now in the Dalton Museum in Coffeyville. Just how many outlaws carried the “out-of-sight Bull100

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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 noted that the term “bulldog” supposedly refers specifically to a small pocket revolver of large caliber – but the general design was so popular that smaller calibers of 32 and 38 were also marketed as Bulldogs. [Editor’s note: During this same period, Connecticut Arms & Manfacturing Co. of Naubuc, Connecticut, also manufactured a single-shot .44 derringer called the Hammond Bulldog. –DMS] The British and American Bulldogs were as popular in the The Forehand & Wadsworth British Bulldog used in the film is shown with a unique 44-caliber engraved East as in the West, Tombstone Belgian British Bulldog with a worn gold-brushed finish but received more that is disappearing with time. attention in the Wild West. Even Charles Strauss, the namely the powerful .44 Special. The mayor of Tucson, Arizona, carried a five-shot wheelgun had a 3-1/2" barrel, beautifully engraved British Bulldog rounded butt, and was an improvement with fancy stocks in the early 1880s. on an old design. The Charter Arms This particular specimen is on display Bulldog, however, got bad press when at the Arizona Historical Society. it was used in several murders by David Berkowitz, later convicted in the Son of The Bulldog As a Collectible Sam cases in New York City. Modern-day Old West fans have taken The British Bulldog is quickly bea liking to the Bulldog. Some of today’s coming the new generation of classishooters have resurrected them and a cal ordnance of the Old West to find number of obsolete brass manufactur- acceptance in collector circles. One of ers have recently informed the author the niceties of Bulldog collecting is that that there has been a noticeable demand they are, for the most, all of pre-1898 for .44 Webley/Bulldog cases in the last manufacture, which classifies them as five years. At the present time, double true antiques. There are, however, some actions are not allowed in Single Action that may have been built after 1898, but Shooting Society competition, but may these would probably be made as doumake for an interesting novelty – or ble-actions in the “suicide special” cat“side” –match. It would be nice to see egory that are easy to spot as many have the “self-cockers” allowed to have their dated patent markings. Production of own category in the future. It is impor- the classical British Bulldogs began to tant to mention here that the Bulldog wane in the mid-1890s, but by that time revolver made a comeback in the 1970s there were plenty in circulation. when Charter Arms Company in ConIt is the Webley-made British Bulldog necticut added a “Bulldog” revolver to most collectors see as the genuine foreits line. Keeping with tradition, they CONTINUED ON PAGE 106 chambered it for a 44-caliber cartridge, gundigest.com


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 Pacula’s 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 firearms, such as the British Bulldog, get their due.

runner of all Bulldogs. Costwise, Webley variations have lately risen as high as $400, depending on condition and grade. At gun shows or auctions, Bulldogs of all different varieties, makes, and calibers still seem abundant, but the Bulldog collector should be reminded that next to the Webley, the American-made Bulldogs will normally command a higher price than a Belgian-made product. The varieties of the Belgian-made Bulldogs are, however, endless and the guns vary radically in overall quality. For a comparison of value, a Forehand & Wadsworth Bulldog is noticeably more expensive (aside from a Webley) than any foreign copy, since 106

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fewer than an estimated 90,000 were produced. Though the author’s specimen is in the 85,000 range, serial numbers of the F&W revolver serial numbers overlapped so radically that one cannot reliably date them. The F&W British Bulldog is yet not listed in Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms and their Values since so few exist. It should be mentioned that Forehand & Wadsworth a lso produced another double action with bird’s-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 medium- 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 firearms. 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 & Hulberts were inexpensive on the gun show circuit–but have now become premium antique firearms. 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-neglected area of Bulldog collecting. Having been a student of these little fistfuls of power for well over 30 years, I’ve 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 firearms. Even the various styles of the legendary logo, “British Bulldog” on these ultra-compact belly guns, is an area of study itself! As a final tribute, it should be remembered that the basic design of the Webley British Bulldog influenced 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 city’s old mills and factories. It’s bittersweet to recall that this area of New England was once the capital of domestic Bulldog revolver manufacture in the United States.

gundigest.com

GunDigest Collectors Guide 2011

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