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WHAT'S NEW SOAP BOX PAST PRESS
FOR SALE WANTED GUN NOTES
IN THE BUSH TESTIMONIALS LINKS

 

WANTED
Updated Friday, June 27, 2008


Dear Friends:

I am constantly seeking guns and parts for purposes of research for shop projects, magazine pieces and, perhaps, another book project or two. As a general rule, these guns and parts do not have to be serious collector's items with lots of original finish but rather decent, salvageable examples pieces suitable for building nice shooters or for study.

While I prefer to trade our services (at favorable rates) for these items, we do purchase them in many cases. Be sure to poke around at our 'For Sale' section as we'll be happy to contemplate trades for these pieces. Our e-mail address is bcacorp@nxs.net . When responding via e-mail, please also include a phone number as we occasionally encounter computer problems and may need to resort to a different communications medium.

Here's the current 'short list' of items we're looking hard to find:

*  Need a Colt New Service Target model (domestic version with the screw-adjustable rather than the drift adjustable/pinned sights of the export version). Bore condition, grips and bluing are immaterail though we would like one free of gross pits, dings and goobers. Front sight rear sight in particular must be original, unharmed and working. Any caliber ok.

* .32 H&R Mag. adjustable-sight Single-Sixes and any .32 H&R Mag. Bisleys

* Hi-quality rook rifles by good makers. Bore condition not important. Will consider fixer-uppers.

*Remington M25 .25-20 and .32-20 rifles and carbines. Need nice, clean shooters w/excellent bores.

*Winchester M61 hammerless rimfire pump rifles. Need nice , clean shooters w/excellent bores in both LR and WRM.

*Colt pre-war Woodsman .22s. Prefer 'Target' model (not Match Target) with front and rear adjustable sights. Finish/grip condition unimportant but must have perfect bores, sights and no major pits or goobers.

*M52 Winchester Sporter replica by Browning/Winchester. Also Lyman 48F rear sight for these guns.

*Martini .310 Cadet rifles and actions in any condition; small martinis by other makers; high-quality rook rifles, even with bad bores.

*USFA Lightning pump rifle

*Remington-Lee sporting rifles and magazines in all calibers.

*Need a tidy M1910 Mannlicher-Schoenauer take-down rifle; also looking for an M1903 full-stock carbine with the factory-style (Springer-type?) scope mount and scope (not claw-mounts). Front base will have two pinch levers while the rear has a leg that hooks to the receiver ring at a screw.

*Any Smith & Wesson.38/44 Heavy Duty models (especially 4 in.) and pre-war Outdoorsman models in both .22 and .38 Special, most any Triple Lock

*Savage pre-war M1899 rifles/carbines in rimmed cartridges (.22 High Power, .25-35, .30-30 and .38-55), especially take-down, pistol-grip and carbine models. WIll consder any.

*Alex Henry hammer single-shot best grade-rifle with right-side lock in .360
caliber. Also looking for double-barreled Henry rifles in all calibers; especially interested in hammerless under-lever guns.

*Papa Nambu: must have a decent, shootable bore.

*Best large-frame Daniel Fraser side-lever single-shot rifle. Prefer late-model take down but will consider any. Also look for orphaned Fraser (Davidson?) scopes.

*Browning M1895 .30-40 cal. rifle, plain grade. Will consider other calibers in guns of '80s vintage. Also want M1895 .405 Take-down rifles as sold/distributed by Davidson's.

*Ruger 'Old Model' single-action revolvers of all sorts, especially Flat Tops. Also interested in New Model Flat Tops in both .357 and .44 calibers.

DETAILED LIST

 

SCOTTISH RIFLES

I have an abiding personal interest in the single-shot and double rifles of the great Scottish makers of the late Victorian era, especially those by Alexander Henry, Daniel Fraser, J. D. Dougall and others such as Dixon, McNaughton, McCririck, etc. Similar guns from English makers are also of interest.

At this writing, I am especially interested in a .577 double and some .360s by Henry, one of his little doubles and one of the small-frame hammer single-shots.

Early magazine rifles, whether finished and retailed by Scottish or continental makers are also of interest. Two Mannlichers, in particular are of interest: an M1910 take-down rifle and an M1903 DT 17.7 in. carbine scoped w/Springer-type mount;also and un-scoped M1903.

Please click here for some photos of various rifles of interest. None of these are available for sale.

Click on image for larger view


Alexander Henry take-down single-shot rifle


Henry single shot dismounted


J. D. Douglall double rifle


Dougall dismounted


.450/400 Henry double rifle

Scoped Mannlicher-Schoenauer rifle

Mannlicher w/scope detached

Rook Rifles

Lee Speed Sporting Rifles

Lee Speed Rib and Sight Detail
   

 

HANDGUNS

1.) Classic American custom revolvers by various makers:

.22 rimfire revolvers and parts of any sort by Alonzo Krull of Wabash, IN. Also seeking any printed material about Mr. Krull and his guns in the form of old magazine article, books, letters, etc.

Take-out cylinder single-action revolvers by A. O. Sedgley and information on them.

Custom single-action revolvers by Houchins, Croft, O'Meara and related information.

Any high-quality classic custom revolvers by good makers.

2.) Early military autoloaders by: Astra, Bayard, Bergman, Mannlicher, Nambu (Baby and Papa), Roth-Styer, Styer-Hahn and Webley. Prefer guns free of heavy pitting and goobers with shootable bores but will consider any. Also seeking parts, stripper clips, magazines, ammo, etc.

3.) Webley-Fosbery automatic revolver: Looking for a nice, clean, tight, shootable example. Prefer the early small-frame guns (1901 models). Also seeking any Webley-pattern revolvers, preferable unaltered in .455 cal.

4.) Any big-bore Victorian-ear English handguns: Howdahs, 2 and 4 barrel Lancaster top-breaks. .577 revolvers of all types: percussion, cartridge, solid frame and top-break, especially Bland-Pryse pieces.

5.) Merwin and Hulbert revolvers of all types: Looking for sound shooters with very good+ bores.

6.) Smith & Wesson revolvers: Pre-war .22 and .38/44 Outdoorsman model and any .38/44 Heavy Duty models, especially 4 in. Virtually any Triple Lock is of interest, especially a .455 flat-top export-style Target model. M45, M48 and M53 (especially extra cylinders in .22 LR). Pre-war N-frame and New Model No. 3 parts.

7.) Lugers: Need a clean commercial 1920 DWM with excellent bore. Also seeking Navy toggles/sights and a DWM Artillery barrel/sight. Also like any parts, stocks stock hardware, etc.

8.) Colt New Service: looking for a .44 Russian or .44 Special Target model, preferably with checkered (fleu-de-lis pattern) wood grips. Will also consider any .455 Targets, with std. or Metford rifling. Always seeking parts for repairs and unaltered .455 cylinders.

9.) Colt SAA/Bisley: Good, restorable receivers with fitted/matching grip frames and gates. Must not be heavily pitted, refinished or have 'custom' touches such as dovetailed sights in the receiver, etc. Always seeking Bisley hammers and triggers in good or rebuildable condition.

LONG GUNS

1.) M97 Winchester shotguns with Damascus barrels. Also need extra Damascus barrels/barrel assemblies.

2.) Winchesters: M86 .33 Lt. Wt. takedown, M95 take-downs in rimmed calibers and an M94 SRC in .25-35. Also looking for M73/76/92/94 guns with clean, tidy actions. M61/62/63 rimfires in fine condition (for the kids, you know).

3.) Black powder cartridge single-shot rifles/action and double rifles: by Scottish makers such as Alex Henry, Fraser, Dougall, McNaughton, Turner, etc. Also similar pieces by English makers.

4.) Early military sporters by English/Scottish makers based on M95 Mannlicher, Lee Speed, Ross, Krag, Mannlicher-Schoenauer, etc.

5.) Models 1903, 1905, 1908, 1910 and 1925 Mannlicher-Schoenauer carbines/rifles, actions, bolt peep sights and parts.

6.) Krag rifle/carbines: military/sporterized, dead or alive, good or grotesque with unrefinished/undrilled actions, plus parts, bolts, etc.

7.) Colt Lightnings: looking for a clean .32-20 with excellent bore. Also parts, actions for both medium and lg. frame guns.

8.) Small-bore military/sporter percussion rifles: by Ingram, Alex Henry, Gray, Turner, etc. Complete beaters fine.

9.) Nice SMLE Mk 1, No. 3: must be original with perfect bore. Also like early Lees.

10.) 10.75X68 rifle: looking for commercial Mauser or Mannlicher(?). Also like .303 M98 with slant-box magazine by Rigby, Wesley Richards, etc.

11.) Cogswell and Harrison CERTUS bolt action rifles, especially big-bore nitro versions in .400 and .450 NE.

12.) Savage M1899 re-war rifles/carbines: looking for rimmed calibers such as the .22 High Power, .25-35, .30-30 and .38-55. Most interested in take down, carbine and pistol-grip guns but will consider any, especially featherweight models.

13.) Remington-Lee, Remington-Keene and Winchester-Hotchkiss rifles: Bore and wood condition unimportant but prefer whole guns. Need good, sound restorable actions. Especially interested in Remington-Lee sporting rifles in .30-30, .30-40, .303, .35 Win. and .405 Win. calibers.

Ammo and Reloading
 

1.) 10.75X68 dies/brass/bullets/ammo

2.) Dies/brass: for any of these calibers: 8X56MS, 9X56MS, 9.5X56 MS, .25-35 WCF, .22 Hi-Power, 7MM & 8MM Nambu

3.) Kynoch ammo of most any caliber still in original packets/boxes.

CLASS III

1.)Parts set/part for M1917 Browning especially US tripod. Need linkers, loaders, cooling system bits.

2.) MG-34: like a good runner. Dealer samples considered.

3.) BAR: Group Inds. or similar. Dealer samples considered.

PARTS

1.) Most any parts for guns above.

2.) Colt Single-Action revolvers: always looking for 2nd/3rd gen. .38 Spec./.357 Mag. Cylinders, Bisley hams./trigs., early hard rubber grips in salvagable condition. Clean .32-20 bbls./cyls.

3.) Ruger revolver parts: any .22, .30 Carbine, 9MM and .45 ACP, any 'Old Model' barrels, cylinders, hammers, triggers, Flat Top rear sights and XR3 grip frames/black grips.

4.) Winchester lever-gun parts: especially interested in take-dwon lugs and related parts, special-order parts such as pistol-grip lower tangs/levers, set-trigger tangs/parts/assemblies.

5.) M97 Win. Shotguns: any uncut Damascus barrels or barrel assemblies. We can trade good, strong, modern steel barrels for your Damascus parts.

6.) Rifle/gun locks: Brazier (or similar) locks with interrupting safety/sears from any rifle/gun, hammer/hammerless, bar/back action.

7.) Smith& Wesson parts: especially need .22 LR K-frame cylinders. M53 hammers/triggers/inserts/.22LR aux. cyls., Triple Lock parts of any description. Need N-frame target barrels any caliber, any length, especially 6, 6 ½and 8 3/8 inc, blue and stainless. Pre-war HD cylinders and any 4 in. HD barrels.

8.) Damascus barrels: any makers, any kind, any condition: blown up tubes, guns, cut tubes from sleeve jobs, orphaned barrel sets, scrap/ junker guns, etc.

MISCELLANEOUS

Books and paper:

Copy of Mannlicher Rifles and Pistols by W. H. B. Smith. Also his book on Mannlicher, Mauser and Walther guns.

Any book on the English gun trade, gunmakers and gunmaking.

Clean copy of Scrambles Amongst the Alps by Edward Whymper

The Unveiling of Timbuctoo by Galbraith Welch ( William Morrow & Co., 1939). Any edition. Also Travels Through Central Africa to Timbuctoo by Renee Caillie, 2 vol. English translation published by Henry Colburn and Richard Bently, London, 1830. Any books, articles, etc. on Caillie.

Hardback travel books by: Burnaby, Newby, Thesiger, Haliburton. Remove Peoples by Evelyn Waugh.

Natural history prints by Robert Thornton (flowers), Daniel Elliott (his birds of Paradise, the great cats), J. J. Audubon (quadrupeds). Any related editions, originals or high-quality facsimilies. Also books, papers treatises, info, etc. on or by Elliott.

Old maps of Tennesee, Kentucky, Mississippi, as states, territories, land grants, etc. Also State of Franklin.

Original Pilot's manuals for Republic P-47 and Grumman F8F.

Magazines, books, etc. covering pre-1950 custom revolvers.

R. L. Wilson's book L. D. Nimschke, Firearms Engraver


Transportation:

Wanted dead or alive: Land Rover SWB (88") pick-ups, station wagons, hard or soft tops, '64-'70. Also need period owner's manuals, repair/parts manuals. Any PTO winches, Fairey overdrives.

Driver wanted: a clean, straight, rust-free, running (or near running) Rover MK II 3 ltr. Sedan/coupe/salon '64-'70. Also period owner's/repair/parts manuals. More part cars can't hurt either.

Wanted dead but salvageable WWII/Korean War era Dodge/Chrysler command car and M37 ¾ ton cargo truck. Prefer winch equipped with correct related front bumper.

Looking for certain vintage dirt bikes: Want in any condition: 1974--1978 Husqvarna 125, 175, 250, 400 and 450 CR/WR/OR models. Especially looking for 1974 (1/2) Maico MC 250 and MC400 and also any other 250/400/450 Maicos of 1973--1975 vintage or 501 of any vintage. Parts for all the above. Trade for guns/custom gunwork or maybe even money. Please keep your eyes open for such critters and help restore the lost childhood of a middle-age cooter.


Toys:

Matchbox toys by Lesney: Boxed nice-to-mint martial vehicles, singles and sets circa late '50s/early '60s.


Livestock:

Know of orphaned, unloved, unwanted or otherwise distressed male Irish wolfhounds and Scottish deerhounds of good stock in want of rescue? Being a dog is a tough job. The hours are long and the pay is low. But, we can help with happy homes with doting owners, lots of running room, cats to chase, three squares a day and medical benefits.


I would be grateful for any assistance in locating any of this stuff. Please hang onto this list and give a holler if you see anything promising out there.

Cordially yours,

Hamilton S. Bowen
Bowen Classic Arms Crop.