he Business Office or President.

Maybe This is How I Got Started in Gun Collecting?

By Wayne Anthony Ross

Carl Burbach was a friend of my father’s in Milwaukee in the late 1940's. Mr.
Burbach was a gun col-lector. We had an old sword in our basement and it had a
straight, unsharpened blade, a black handle, and a bear’s head on the pommel.
I’ve never seen another like it. One day the sword was gone. My dad said he gave
it to Mr. Burbach, “who collected that stuff.”

I must have been five or six when I saw Mr. Burbach’s gun collection. I don’t
remember much about it except that he had a bunch of pistols and revolvers on a
wall in a back room of his house. What I do remember, however, was that Mr.
Burbach gave me a cap pistol on that occasion. That was over 55 years ago, and I
still remember his kindness to a little kid.

That cap pistol may have gotten me started in gun collecting because, thereafter,
I was able to gather quite a few toy pistols. One had a long barrel and was made
of tin. It went clickity-clack when the trigger was pulled. Somewhere, I have a
picture of myself with that pistol. In the picture, I’ve got a cowboy hat (red with
white lacing) tilted over one eye, and a real neat pair of chaps with a big bandana
tied around my neck.

In those golden days of yesteryear, having the right cowboy clothes was just as
important as having the right gun. Once every year or two, a man would come
around the neighborhood with a pony and a camera. He’d ring the doorbell and
ask if any kids lived in the house. When he found a house that had kids, and most
of them did, he’d offer to take the kids’ pictures astride the pony. I always
wondered how that guy could make any money. He couldn’t have charged too
much, since I never heard of any kid in our neighborhood not getting his picture
taken because a parent thought it cost too much. And I don’t remember my folks
complaining about the cost, either. And certainly, whatever the man lost in the
way of potential profit by keeping the price low, he didn’t make up in volume
either. After our folks agreed that we could have our picture taken, the man
would have to wait patiently outside while we got into our cowboy outfits.

After all, no self-respecting kid would be seen atop a horse, or anywhere else for
that matter, without his or her trusty six shooter and Stetson. Five, 10, or even 15
minutes later, we’d be ready. There we’d sit, all decked out, high up on the pinto
pony, while the man took our picture. Many of the kids from my generation still
have those pictures and treasure them. I know I still have mine.
The kids in the neighborhood who weren’t home when the man came around
sometimes didn’t believe that a man with a pony had come into our
neighborhood. In such cases, sometimes we’d be lucky enough to be able to
show the doubting kid evidence on the front lawn that a pony had stood there.

I still remember the best set of guns I ever owned. I got them for Christmas. They
were called “49ers.” They were nickel plated with some sort of “engraving” all
over them. The grips were ivory-colored plastic and had a genuine red plastic
ruby in them along with a picture of an ox team pulling a covered wagon. The
cylinder rotated, and you slid the left grip aside to put in a roll of caps. I had a
carved leather belt and double holsters for the 49ers, as well as a matching set of
what we called “cuffs.” These “cuffs” snapped around your wrists like the tops of
gloves and also were made of carved leather, with real plastic diamonds and
rubies on them.

I came across a set of cuffs several years ago, and bought them, even though my
wrists have grown too big to wear them. Sometime later I found a 49er for sale. It
cost me $125, but I didn’t hesitate. I’d like to find another, as well as the holster
set they originally came in. Now that I live in the 49th state, the significance of
the 49er name is not lost on me.

Many of our guns, as kids, were cap guns. You can’t find caps any more. Caps
generally came in a box of 250 for a nickel. The good ones were made by
Kilgore and had 50 shots to a roll. You’d buy a box, and then break the rolls
apart, as you needed them. Kilgore caps made a sharp bang when they went off,
and there was plenty of smoke as well as the acrid smell of burnt gunpowder.
Nowadays there are many people who say kids shouldn’t have toy guns at all;
they claim that toy guns foster aggressive tendencies in kids. I never thought that
aggressive tendencies were bad. I’d rather have aggressive kids than passive kids.

Our kids all had toy guns when they were very young. Barb and I let them have
these guns, even though we had real guns in our home, because toy guns allowed
me to teach our children proper gun safety at an early age. The kids learned that
pointing a gun at a person - even if the gun was “only a toy one” - resulted in
harsh penalties, including “unilateral disarmament.” They quickly learned to
always - watch where the muzzle was pointed, and that training served them in
good stead when they started handling real guns later.

I’ve owned a lot of guns since my set of 49ers. Some of the guns I own are worth
many thousands of dollars. But when I go into my gunroom, I still like to pick up
the little nickel-plated, engraved, ivory handled, ruby-inlaid pistol with an ox
team pulling a covered wagon. And I think of Carl Burbach and his kindness to
me so long ago. Carl, wherever you are ... thanks for getting me started on a
fascinating hobby!

Col. Wayne Anthony Ross of Alaska is an NRA Director and Chairman of the
NRA Gun Collectors Committee. He is an Honorary Life member of OGCA, and
a member since 1980. We hope to see him in the very near future in Wilmington.

Collecting Winchester Pre-64 Model 70 Rifles - By Wayne R. Miller

Longtime dedicated member, Wayne Miller has been kind enough to present
several interesting and educational displays in recent years including the
Winchester Model .22 at the I-X Center, the Winchester Model .54 in Milan in
2003 and The Winchester Pre-64 Model 70 at our November meeting. Many
thanks to Mr. Miller! Anyone interested in doing a featured display should
contact the Business Office or any director.

The Winchester Model 70 rifle, of course, needs little introduction being the most
widely known bolt action sporting rifle in the world. Since the Winchester Model
70 made its appearance in the late 1930’s, it has been the standard by which all
other bolt action rifles are judged. Seldom will you find an article written on
another make and model bolt action rifle without reference to the Winchester
Model 70.

Winchester Model 54 rifles were the first successful bolt action sporting rifles
manufactured by Winchester and were available from 1925 up until the Model
70’s began appearing on dealers’ racks in 1937. The model 54 was really a form
of sporterized Mauser and lacked refinements being sought by the bolt action
minded sportsmen. The Model 70 offered stronger action, more checkering,
improved safety, and much improved trigger.

Collectors prefer the Model 70’s manufactured prior to World War II with their
fine finish and hand fitted parts even though they did not provide for
conventional scope mounting. Bolt design changes and drilling and tapping the
rear receiver bridge were performed on the rifles when production resumed
following the World War II. Some collectors prefer those early post-war rifles
because they retain pre-war quality but at the same time lend themselves to easy
mounting of telescope sights.

Model 70’s manufactured in the early 1960’s are the least pursued mainly
because of the poorly checkered stocks. Winchester was experiencing problems
at this time producing the quality of rifle that made the Model 70 famous.
Unfortunately, this led to the well known changes that took place in 1964. The
quality of these post-64 rifles was so poor that in a matter of only a couple years
the Model 70’s produced prior to that era fast became collector items.

One of the first well written articles on collecting the pre-64 Model 70’s was
penned by the hand of Jim Scott from Iowa, a man with great perception, who I
had the pleasure of meeting in 1971. Jim’s article appeared in the April 1968
issue of Shooting Times and is a collector item in itself for Model 70 aficionados.

The pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters were produced in 18 catalogued calibers as

follows: .22 Hornet, .220 Swift, .243 Winchester, .250 Savage, .257 Roberts, .
264 Winchester Magnum, .270 Winchester, 7X57MM, .300 Savage, .308
Winchester, .30-06, .300 Winchester Magnum, .35 Remington, .358
Winchester, .375 H&H Magnum, and .458 Winchester Magnum. Also, a very
few were produced in 7.65MM and 9X57 MM prior to World War II in an
attempt to lure foreign market.

Perhaps at this point I should point out the possibilities of after-market fakes in
these rare calibers. Let it be known that I personally have no proof and am
accusing no one but many accusations have been made. Rarity of calibers or rare
configurations, of course, command very high prices but the collector must be
well informed.

A few Model 70’s have been special ordered in other calibers than the twenty
previously mentioned. Unfortunately, we cannot obtain a letter of authenticity
from Winchester on bolt action rifles to verify one of these rare rifles.

Regardless of what make or model of firearm we seek as collectors, originality is

most important, followed by condition. There are people restoring firearms who
have become so proficient at matching the finish on both metal and wood that it
becomes difficult to separate these from a mint original piece. Any extra holes
drilled in the metal detract a considerable amount from the value. In many cases,
these extra holes have been welded and can be difficult to see except under
strong light. I have encountered holes in the barrel hidden by the long rear sight.
Beware of rifles wearing scope bases. Under the bases you may find an extra
hole or find the original 6-48 holes have been enlarged to accept 8-40 screws.

Over the years, many attempts have been made to duplicate the stock finish on
Winchester Model 70’s but usually can be detected more readily than a
professional reblue. If a model 70 stock showing considerable use is observed,
flaking off of the finish can be noted. Winchester applied the finish on the wood
not in the wood. You can observe only the stain penetrated the wood. Experience
allows your fingers to feel a difference in the texture of the finish.

Barrel and stock changing has, of course, been going on ever since model 70’s
became collector items. Unless the parts are from a different time period, this is
one change that may be impossible to detect. If it can’t be detected, perhaps it
does not matter. In the late 1960’s, I sent a Winchester Model 70 in .220 Swift
caliber back to Winchester for a new barrel and there was absolutely no way to
indicate the barrel switch.

Replacement of the solid red rubber pads Winchester utilized on the large
magnum calibers cannot really be detected because even the repro pads you can
buy today are made to the exact specifications. And again, does it really make
any difference?

Sometimes collectors create through their observations in their mind alterations

that really do not exist. For instance, the butt plates do not always fit exactly
because the wood may have changed somewhat over the years. I have seen
people pass up a Model 70 because the bluing on the butt plate was not as good
as the barreled action. They tend to forget those rifles were often placed on the
damp ground which caused the flaking of the blue. Arguments have ensued over
the checkering. Remember it was not computerized machine cut as is performed
today.

Recently, I displayed variations of the pre-64 Model 70 Winchester rifles at the

OGCA show in September 2005. These included standard grade, featherweight,
carbine, national match, target grade, super grade, varminter, gopher special,
super grade featherweight, bull gun, and special order models. Other variations
exist, some quite rare such as special shaped stocks and unusual barrel lengths.

Over the years, many articles have been written on the Winchester Model 70
appearing at some point in time in most of the well known hunting/shooting
magazines. Two books have been published on the Winchester Model 70. The
first book by Dean Whitaker, The Model 70 Winchester 1937-1964 in 1978 and
The Rifleman’s Rifle by Roger Rule in 1982. Roger Rules’ book has been
reprinted a couple times but I have never heard of a second issue of Dean
Whitaker’s book. Rule’s book is a must for any serious Model 70 collector.

Many collectors, myself included, not only cherish our Winchester Model 70’s as
collector items but we shoot and hunt with them as well. The advantages of the
three position safety, controlled feed, and coned breech become apparent to
anyone using one of these fine rifles. My first Model 70 was purchased in 1957
and remains in my collection.

The pre-64 Model 70 Winchester certainly must be included in the top ten
greatest firearms ever produced for sporting purposes anywhere in the world.

Bob Skabla and the Lucky Shot

Note: Many thanks to Bob and Patricia Skabla for putting on a featured display
at the November meeting. Members enjoyed hearing how this 35 year life
member tracked down the provenance of the .38 Cal Smith & Wesson that Bob
exhibited. In case you missed the meeting, following is a story that appeared in
the Aug. 29, 2005 Springfield News-Sun.

BY TOM STAFFORD Community News Editor. Reprinted through the courtesy

of the Springfield News-Sun.

In 1972, retired Springfield policeman Ray Sagraves was asking $92 for a new
revolver at his gun shop out on West Main Street.

So when he offered Bob Skabla an old .38-caliber Smith & Wesson Springfield
Police model for $7 less, Skabla, as avid a collector of bargains as he is of police
and military guns, agreed. "I bought it because it said ‘Springfield Police
Department’ on it,” Skabla said.

Eighty-five dollars later, he became the proud owner of a firearm he soon

discovered was involved in one of the most infamous shoot-outs in Clark County
history.

Now 76, Skabla remembers as an 8-year-old hearing his parents talk about the
gun battle that broke out Sept. 3, 1937, at Harry Dingeldine’s cottage in Crystal
Lake.

The exchange that took place 68 years ago this Saturday ultimately snuffed out
six lives. Chief Clark County Sheriff's Deputy Edward Furry died in the kitchen
of the cottage where he and Springfield police chased four men who had
abducted a man headed from Lagonda National Bank to a Springfield drug store
with nearly $1,300 to cash customer paychecks.
Springfield Policeman Martin Randolph, who, like Furry, was gut-shot, died in
the arms of carpenter Hugh Hemphill during a desperate drive to City Hospital
that was interrupted by a car crash at Lowry and Main streets.

Although robber Robert Cornette of Portsmouth made it to the hospital, he also

succumbed to his wounds that day - the same day the stolen money was
recovered.

Shot through the shoulder, Springfield police officer Martin Donnelly recovered
from his wounds at City Hospital, as did robber Harry Chapman of Chicago, who
had crawled into some nearby weeds after the gun battle.

Springfielder Harry Dingeldine, who escaped the scene, was apprehended at a

Marshall, Mich., hospital where he sought treatment for a bullet-shattered arm.

His father, Henry Dingeldine the owner of the cottage, got away unscathed and,
after leaving his son at the hospital, was apprehended in Royal Oak, Mich., after
a two-week manhunt.

Nineteen months later, Chapman and both Dingeldines died within a half hour of
one another in the electric chair at the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus -the only
time a father-and-son duo were executed for capital crimes on the same day.

A man and his gun

Irresistibly friendly, Skabla said he got his gift of gab from his father, Serbian
immigrant Nicholas Skabla, who plied his trade in a s