Handguns

K-22 Masterpiece
Q I have an S&W K-22 Masterpiece made in 1947 (serial number K-82XX). It has only one stamp, "Made in USA," not the four additional lines stamped on all postwar models. Is it rare? It is in "like new" condition. What is its value? --K.B., Breckensville, OH

A Smith and Wesson revolvers manufactured from 1946-1958 do not have model numbers as do the later guns. Early postwar S&Ws are of the finest quality and feature five-screw frames. A mint K-22 in its original factory carton is highly desirable. Your specimen of this classic target revolver should be worth $650.

Howard Thunderbolt
Q Can you tell me the value of a Charles Howard .58-caliber lever-action shotgun that was made between 1862 and 1869? It's a breechloader with a steel barrel; you push down the lever/triggerguard combo to open the action. The shells shown in old catalogs were made by both Winchester and UMC and came with plain headstamps or were stamped by the companies (their value is between $0 and $100 apiece). --J.R.W., Renton, WA

A Whitney-Howard lever-action single-shot rifles, carbines and shotguns, also optimistically known as "Howard Thunderbolts," were produced from 1866 to 1870. They were manufactured by Whitney Arms in Connecticut under contract, using the patent of inventors Charles and Sebre Howard. The carbine version was tested by the state of New York and the U.S. Government during the carbine trials of 1870. It was rejected due to an unfortunate tendency of the weak lock mechanism to blow the action open upon firing the .50-70 service cartridge. The Whitney firm returned all existing parts to the Howard brothers in Detroit, Michigan, in 1882, and a few more guns were assembled and sold. The markings are "Manuf'd for Howard Brothers" with Howard's patent dates and "Whitney Arms Whitneyville, Connecticut." Yours is a .58 smoothbore, which makes it a 20 gauge. Barrel lengths are from 30 to 40 inches with 36 being the standard. Despite the very limited production (thought to be fewer than 200), Flayderman's Guide To Antique American Firearms pegs the value (in fine condition) at $450. This seems low; your gun may well be worth $700.

New Century Rifle
Q About 30 years ago I acquired an inexpensive .22 single-shot rifle. It weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and has a maple stock and an 18-inch barrel. There is no serial number. The markings include what appear to be Belgian proof marks; it has the title "Brevete" on the breech and the initials "S.G.D.G." in parentheses. The barrel is stamped "The New Century Rifle," and "Registered Trade Mark" is stamped on the left rear of the stock. The action is a simple straight-pull bolt that cams shut on the rear breech. It cocks on closing. The triggerguard is a stamped steel affair. I would appreciate any information on it. --L.G., Moscow, ID

A During the late 19th and early 20th century there were a vast number of smallbore, lightweight single-shot rifles made, both imported and domestic, for the youth market. Your New Century Rifle is one of these. "Brevete" is the French word for patent, and the Europeans used this term rather indiscriminately on nearly all firearms, whether their design was patented or not. Many Colt copies are marked "Colt Brevete," and the makers paid no royalties to Colt. The "S.G.D.G." is the marking of the Belgian manufacturer and will be found on any number of Flobert-style single-shot .22s. Values of these "boy's rifles" are modest, usually about $100.

Chicom SKS
Q As an infantryman, it was my fortune to survive Nixon's Cambodian operation in the spring of 1970. In the jungles along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, my unit fell onto a cache of new Chinese SKS rifles neatly stacked in wooden boxes. Since we found enough for everyone in our unit to have one, I returned home with mine. After 30 years it remains in the same unfired condition, packed in grease from Communist China. I even saved the original capture papers. What is my war trophy with an interesting history worth, if anything? I also have a Colt Model 1878 double-action revolver in the 38XXX serial range. It has a 5 1/2-inch barrel and hard black-rubber grips. I have not seen any like mine in .38 WCF. Is it rare? --R.B., Dillon, MT

A A mint, genuine Vietnam War Chinese SKS is a scarce item. With the capture papers, you have a prize. Most Vietnam-era arms are in very well-used condition, and few retain their proper papers, which guarantee provenance and authenticity. Interest in authentic Vietnam relics is high, and your SKS might bring $1,000. However, it will only increase in value over time, as it is unfired and documented.

The 1878 Colt DA was manufactured from 1878 to 1905. Yours was made in 1898 and thus is antique. All 1878s with a serial number under 1,000 are more desirable than post-1898 specimens. The .38 WCF is a standard caliber for this model. Excellent-condition 1878s are very desirable, and a 95 percent-original-blue specimen can be worth $5,000.

Calico Model 100
Q I have inherited a Calico Model 100 .22 carbine. The condition is very good. I believe they are no longer being produced. If so, I would like to know how many were made. Is it considered a collectible? --W.K., Burlingame, CA

A The Calico Model 100 .22 carbine was manufactured from 1986 to 1994 by Calico Light Weapons Systems of Bakersfield, California. The company later moved to Sparks, Nevada. Calico carbines featured a unique helical magazine and a 100-round magazine, making them the highest-capacity firearms available to the public. They have been used extensively by the television and motion picture industries. The Model 100 with flash suppressor/muzzlebrake is a collector's item selling for double its original $308 MSRP. Given the current political climate, it is highly unlikely such a weapon will ever be produced for civilian use, and this alone will make values rise in the future.

Springfield1903-A4 Sniper
Q I have an 03-A4 Springfield sniper rifle with a Weaver scope. The rifle's barrel is a four-groove, stamped "RA 5/43" with a flaming bomb. The receiver is stamped "Smith-Corona Model 03-A3." The serial number is 37078XX. The stock has the cartouche "ODEK" by the magazine cutoff and "S1" stamped under the cutoff on the stock as well. The Weaver scope has a 3/4-inch tube with no objective or ocular bell and is marked "29S Special Scope W.R. Weaver Co., El Paso, Texas." The only marking on the scope mount is "S-Spec," stamped on the bottom. Since the scope is not etched with the rifle's serial number, am I correct in assuming that this 03-A4 configuration was done by a battalion-level armor working with a standard 03-A3? Overall, the rifle and scope are in fair/good condition. Any idea what the approximate value of the rifle is? --G.R. Smith, Staats Mill, W. VA

A Original 03-A4 sniper rifles are very scarce. All arsenal-made examples have either M73B1 or M84 scopes and Redfield mounts as well as no front sights. Even the genuine specimens are almost invariably reworks with Parkerized small parts. Any "entirely as issued" one is almost impossible to find. Yours--like 99.9 percent of the 03-A4 "sniper" rifles-- is not an issue piece. The value of these armorer's sniper rifles ranges from $400 to $800, depending on condition, quality of alteration and originality of the rifle itself. A mint, entirely original specimen would easily be worth $3,000, assuming one exists outside an arsenal museum.

Mountie New Service
Q I am on a quest for information on a revolver I inherited. It's a Colt New Service in .45 Colt, serial number 1475XX. The backstrap is marked "RNWMP1975." It appears to be in 85 to 90 percent condition. Do you have any idea as to its value? --J.B., Wilmington, NC

A The markings on your Colt New Service stand for Northwest Mounted Police. These romantic revolvers are generally found in the serial-number range 115000 to 140000. An 85-90 percent-original-finish New Service is worth $1,000 to $1,200 in its own right, but the Mounted Police markings make it a prize. A Colt factory letter should be obtained on this piece by writing to Colt Historian, Dept. GA, P.O. Box 1868, Hartford, CT 06144. The charge will be $100 and worth every penny. A factory-lettered gun in the condition you describe could sell for as much as $2,000.