Videos tagged with Proof Marks

This guide details how to identify genuine factory nickel-plated Walther PP and PPK pistols, distinguishing them from aftermarket re-nickeled examples. Key indicators include 'Crown N' proof marks, crisp logos, sharp edges, visible safety dots, and the absence of pitting beneath the plating. Understanding these characteristics is crucial for collectors as re-nickeling significantly reduces a firearm's collector value. Military and police contracts never featured nickel finishes due to their reflective nature.

This review of a Walther PPK highlights the significance of missing proof marks. The absence of these markings on the slide, barrel, and frame suggests the firearm may have been a 'Lunchbox Special,' meaning it was likely smuggled out of the factory by an employee. This is a key identifier for collectors interested in historically significant or unique firearms.

This expert-level guide details how to identify and understand engraved Walther P.38 pistols. It corrects misconceptions about their production, highlighting post-war examples from the Ulm factory in West Germany, dated by proof marks like '70' for 1970. The guide covers characteristic oak leaf engraving, silver-coat finishes, aluminum frames, and plastic grips, emphasizing the rarity of these collectible firearms.

This video reviews Tom Whiteman's book, 'Third Reich Lugers,' a comprehensive collector's guide focusing on Krieghoff and Mauser Lugers produced between 1934 and 1945. The book details historical context, serial numbers, proof marks, and includes a valuable database for authenticating these WWII German pistols. It's noted as a practical and affordable resource for collectors, enhanced by QR codes linking to author-provided video explanations.

This video examines a rare commercial BSA Long Lee rifle prototype featuring a unique fixed charger bridge. Ian McCollum, an expert in historical firearms, details the rifle's unusual design elements, including patent markings ('P.PAT', 'PATENT 5945/04') and various proof marks. The prototype's exact place in the development of the Lee-Enfield charger bridge remains a historical enigma, likely predating the full adoption of the SMLE's design.

This video details how to differentiate between commercial and military Walther PP and PPK pistols manufactured before 1946. Key identifiers include specific Waffen proof marks (Eagle 359/WaA359) and serial number ranges, distinguishing them from commercial 'Eagle N' proofs. The content breaks down distinct military variations for both PPK and PP models, noting differences in finish, grips, and matching numbered magazines for Luftwaffe contracts.

This book review of 'Systeme Lefaucheux' by Chris C. Curtis delves into the history and significance of pinfire firearms. The book, recommended for its comprehensive coverage of military and civilian arms, collector resources like proof marks, and cartridge data, highlights pinfire as a crucial step between percussion and modern cartridges. It's noted for its value to those interested in 19th-century firearm development and Civil War history.

This entry details the differences between the Ethiopian ZH-29 and the Czech experimental Z-37 rifles, as presented by Ian McCollum. Key distinctions include safety location, bolt handle design, front sight, bayonet lug, and barrel profile. The video also highlights unique Ethiopian contract markings on the ZH-29 and compares its magazines to those of the ZB-26 light machine gun.

This video is a recording of a workshop presented at the 2014 AFTE conference focusing on proof marks and other identifying marks found on firearms manufactured between 1880 and 1945. The presenter offers to provide classes on this and related historical firearms topics to law enforcement and collector groups. Contact information for booking classes is provided.