Never fired or really clean?
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For over 12 years our newsletter has gone to more than 20,000 Firearms Collectors, Enthusiasts, Historians and Professionals Worldwide. We now reprint over 6000 Vintage Gun Catalogs, Books and Manuals from the 1840s to the 2000s
See all the New Additions (scroll down) this month!!
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Back issues: you can view the newsletter on our website. For a downloadable copy of our catalog of reprints or manuals this will take you there. Also, we have Interesting downloads at our website. Please forward this letter to your friends.
Most Internet Browsers – Firefox, Edge, Opera etc – have decided to truncate, or cut off, the bottoms of long emails. There is a tiny note at the bottom allowing you to retrieve the rest of the email. Rob and Abby
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Really Good Endoscope-Borescope
The good folks at Endosnake sent us a neat borescope last month that we want to tell you about. After that business a couple of months ago with the fellow scamming old revolvers I was a bit reluctant to make a new recommendation but these guys have been around a while and their product is reliable and good. The whole set runs around $50.
This is what came in the kit they sent us. There are different diameter cameras, each fitted with variable intensity LED lights- all three cameras are on the left of this picture. The camera on the lower left is about .36 cal and is shown with a removable, screw-on, 90 deg. mirror. The other two are smaller diameter, the smallest is 3.9mm, and there are a load of attachments to adapt the cameras to different situations, phones, computers etc.
Below I used the easiest setup (for me, anyway). The camera is attached to a WIFI transmitter. You set your smartphone to the WIFI channel and open the "Mo-View" app on your phone and this is what you get... couldn't be simpler. You can take movies or stills and save them on your camera and it all fits in your pocket, great for gun shows.
Argentinian Bersa .380 ACP imported by K-Max International, Glenview, IL:
Oh, yes, the image just above is a lime wedge that has been banging around inside our garbage disposal. You can use your Endosnake for all sorts of interesting things. 
The accident
A farmer named Clyde had a tractor accident. In court, the trucking company's fancy hot shot lawyer, was questioning Clyde. "Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine,'?" asked the lawyer.
Clyde responded, "Well, I'll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite cow, Bessie, into the..."
"I didn't ask for any details", the lawyer interrupted. "Just answer the question, ...please. Did you, or did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'?"
Clyde said, "Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer behind the tractor and I was driving down the road...."
The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Your Honor, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question."
By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Clyde's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favorite cow, Bessie".
Clyde thanked the Judge and proceeded. "Well, as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite cow, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my John Deer Tractor right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting, real bad and didn't want to move. However, I could hear old Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans.
Shortly after the accident a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning, so he went over to her. After he looked at her, and saw her fatal condition, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road, gun still in hand, looked at me, and said, "How are you feeling?"
"Now tell me, what the heck would you say?"
 These tough folks, heading west in 1880, were photographed in eastern Colorado shortly before facing this-
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I Read it in the Papers...
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- Alphabet (Google's parent company) became the fourth company to hit the $1 Trillion dollar value last month, Joining Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon (which hit the mark in 2018 but has since tumbled to a mere 12 digit value) Wall Street Journal
- More than 1.6 million secretarial and administrative assistant jobs have vanished in the last 20 years. Wall Street Journal
- A proposed housing development in San Francisco would include tiny underground "sleeping pods" that would rent for only $1350 a month. Developer Chris Elsey concedes "this living arrangement isn't for everyone".
- Polish Police determined a missing pig farmer was eaten by his pigs. "These pigs are gigantic," said a neighbor.
- After a cold snap in Florida, iguanas dropped from trees. Iguana meat, often called "chicken of the trees," immediately showed up on Facebook Marketplace
- An 82 year old female body builder in Rochester, N.Y. confronted a home invader and beat him into submission. When and intruder broke into Willie Murphy's home, she clobbered him with a table, poured shampoo in his face, and beat him with a broom. Cops arrived to find him cowering under her blows.
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All the contributors who, over the years, have lent us originals, scanned their originals for us and even sent us money for the project are the backbone of what makes us successful. This month we want to thank Geoff Nesbitt, Jim Hansen and Ed Cornett.
We now have quite a few sniper manuals in addition to the one above:
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I just received my Colt M1903 manual and I am disappointed that it is full size sheets of paper not the 1/3 smaller like the original. It is printed on heavier paper that the original and that is good but you should try to make your reprints as close as possible to the original size. Derek Shannon
Derek, There are two answers, or explanations, for your complaint. First, it is easier for us to standardize, to a certain extent, the publications we offer. With over 6000 titles it would drive us nuts to try to make everything a real "forgery". Also, making exact copies enrages ephemera collectors who fear we would somehow depreciate the entire worldwide market for old originals. The thought is flattering however!
Then there is something that really irks us. Everything we see, it seems, is printed in one or two point type requiring a microscope to read the print- think of medicine bottles! Well, to counter that trend we tend to print things just a little larger than the originals to make them easier to read. There, after over 15 years I revealed the secret we've been hiding. Rob
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I try to stay away from political discussion in this newsletter mainly because I am afraid of alienating those good people who pay the bills. I've learned each time I mention something even faintly political readers abandon the newsletter in droves usually with nasty parting shots at us... not good for business.
Today, though, I want to share the substance of an article in the Wall Street Journal that appeared recently mentioning some facts we should consider when selecting our leaders. I call this piece "It may not be quite that simple..."
In Europe the middle class pays the lion's share of tax to support the welfare state. The rich, the billionaires, pay too, of course, but note that in Germany a married household earning $124,000 a year pays a 42% tax compared to the U.S. where a comparable couple pays 22%. Sweden's top tax rate kicks in with individual earnings as low as $47,000, and in the U.K. taxpayers earning just $64,000 pay a 40 percentage rate. There are also hefty payroll taxes they call "social insurance contributions" far higher than our Social Security and Medicare deductions, and they impose a Value Added Tax of 21 percent on all consumer purchases, regardless of an buyer's income, something like our sales sax. As a result, Europe's tax system takes more than half of most people's wages. So, while the idea of free college, day care and health care paid for by billionaire's is a nifty thought, it might not be that simple. I'm not saying the welfare state is good or bad but if we decide to go that direction things may change for middle America.
Everett Dirksen never said "A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon, you're talking real money" but the thought lingers. Today we could say " Ten trillion here, ten trillion there...".
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OK, let's lighten the mood a little we don't want anyone's blood boiling...
- A thief walks up to a man in a suit and pulls out a gun. The thief says: “Give me your money.” The man in the suit turns around surprised. He raises his hands and says: “But, wait! You can’t do that, I am a Congressman!” The thief replies: “Oh, sorry. Give me MY money.”
- At one Army base, the annual trip to the rifle range had been canceled for the second year in a row, but the semi-annual physical fitness test was still on as planned. One soldier mused, "Does it bother anyone else that the Army doesn't seem to care how well we can shoot, but they are extremely interested in how fast we can run?"
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(Rob and Abby) ref: Charles Lancaster High-Class Guns & Rifles 1893 Catalog. I possess a similar rifle to that shown, but am in the UK and see you do not trade across the pond. Is there any possibility of sending? I am currently researching Lancaster rifles. Dr Gerald Legg (Ebay UK)
Hello Gerald, I am sorry we no longer ship overseas through our ebay account but you can order that title at our website. Cheers, Rob for cornellpubs
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(Rob and Abby) Do you have a manual for the Remington Model 121 SB (smoothbore - "Routledge" barrel)? Thanks Best regards, Warren (Ebay)
Hi Warren, I believe those were special order and the action was the same as the 121 so doubt they made a special manual for it. My opinion anyway. Rob @ cornellpubs
(Rob and Abby) OK, thanks. I was told that Remington had an insert (or something similar) to cover the care & maintenance of the Routledge barrel. I just received my copy of the 121 manual, from you. It is great. Thank you, again. Best regards, Warren Readers?
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(Rob and Abby) Ref: Ideal 1936 Hand Book No. 32, - Ammunition & Reloading - Please let me know if the has the reloading information for the 303 Remington Savage. Please let me know. teachmomtiger2012 (ebay)
Hi teach... Yes it does have the .303 Savage- no mention of Remington. Rob
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(Rob and Abby) Anschutz 1966 Long Catalog (in German & English)- Does this catalog have anything about the 54 super match with double set trigger? 1234bostons (ebay)
Hi 1234bostons - Has Small Bore Deluxe Repeater with Set Trigger and hunting rifles with set triggers. If you want a discussion about the operation of the set trigger get our "Anschutz Model 54 Match Instruction Manual c1963".
(Rob and Abby) Does this include instructions for the match double set triggers for a Anschutz model 54 super match? 1234bostons
Hi 1234bostons - No, what you are looking at is a sales catalog, not a manual. I think this is what you want: "Anschutz Model 54 Match Instruction Manual c1963" Rob @ Cornellpubs
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Sir/Mame, I am trying to locate any sources or information that would tell me when shotgun shells. started to be color coded. Specifically, for Winchester/Western. Especially the "Yellow coding on the 20ga shell." I know that during the depression and soon after shells were scarce, to the point that old packing boxes were used for the new shells. Many of the packing box's had production dates that were not correct but were used to save money. Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Bill Harrison
Hi Bill, I think that is a question for the gun forums. I suppose if I were to dig into our 6000 publication library and start reading the descriptions carefully I might find an answer for you but, honestly, I just don't have the time. Besides, I'm certain there are experts out there who can answer your question of the top of their heads. Ammo collectors and the Winchester Collectors Society might also be good sources. Sorry to not be more help. I'm sure you know that 16ga shells are generally yellow across manufacturers. Cheers, Rob
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(Rob and Abby) Ref: Colt 1995 Firearms Catalog- Hello, can you tell me if this catalog shows the Python listed? Thanks in advance adelling826 ebay
Yes, it is. You can always find the contents of one of our reprints by scrolling down to the contents section. Cheers, Rob @ cornellpubs
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(Rob and Abby) Ref: Speer 1959 Reloading Manual No. 3 for Commercial Cartridges- Hello, Does this manual include reloading data for the 25-20 Winchester and the 32-20 Winchester? If so, is the data listed in the rifle section or pistol section ... or both? Thank you, Jay Stanford ebay
Hi Jay, I'm not a reloader, but Looking at the older Speer catalogs we offer they don't list those cartridges. In the Speer line you would have to go to the Speer 12th ed which we reprint but don't have on Ebay. Sorry, I can't be of more help. Rob @ cornellpubs
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(Rob and Abby) Ref: Bannerman 1925 Francis & Sons Gun Catalog- Is there any chance that I could get a photo of a rectangular C.S.A. belt buckle and listing which is supposedly on page 262 in the upper right corner of this catagogue? Thanks for your consideration. Raleighjrt ebay
Hi raleighjrt, We sell over 6000 old catalogs and manuals but realistically we can't sell "just the page that...". If you buy the catalog I can try to help you with a separate image of your buckle. Rob @ cornellpubs
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(Rob and Abby) Ref: Bear 1975 Archery Catalog- Do you know if this catalog has the 76er, Minuteman, Bearcat Takedown recurves and Mini-Magnum compound in it? Thethriftytradeemporium ebay
Hi Thethriftytradeemporium- Abby did an index of contents that appears at the bottom of the ad. I wouldn't expect that the catalog has anything not listed there (we do all the Bear catalogs through 1983 and they all have indexes. I think we have them all on ebay). I looked and the mini mag didn't appear until 79 and the Bearcat takedown in 77- the other two ran 73-76. Rob
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Hey Abby: Got an unusual request, but as a long time fan I figure you or your crew can handle it. Unable to give us an authoritative answer, it puzzled the guys at the local armory. Living in South Carolina, my wife recently inherited two weapons, a U.S. Marine Corps (Calvary) Colt 45, and a 12 gauge shotgun. Her uncle, who finished his career as a Paris Island drill instructor reportedly used the Colt in WWII, and the shotgun for hunting in SC. When stateside, the weapons were always located in South Carolina. None of the gun related websites, nor the SC Code of laws, nor any of the books we have, including Shaw's 2019, offered any guidance. Which of your publications might lead us to a way to ensure (especially the Colt) her legal ownership? Best Regards John Smith
Hi John, I'm not certain what you are asking. If it is about the legality of possession, I have no idea, so I would suggest you contact an armorer at Paris Island and ask him or her as a first step. When you talk with the Marines have the weapons with you so you can discuss markings (by the way, try to identify the models). Next, assuming you don't want to hire an attorney, call the NRA in Washington and ask to speak to the legal department, yours is an interesting case and they just might take your call. My own opinion is that the guns are at least 75 years old so I doubt the military cares much about them and they are in your possession so, if they aren't stolen, they are yours. Oh, one other thing, you might call a couple of the big auction houses like Rock Island Auction, I'm sure they get questions like yours all the time.
If, on the other hand, you are asking to identify the weapons we offer scores of military publications including FM and TM manuals and other books, each of which is dated so look for the early 40s. I suggest you have a look under this category at our website and see if you can match up the weapons: https://www.cornellpubs.com/old-guns/government-and-military-catalogs/?select=3&menu_opt=6 Cheers, Abby
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(Rob and Abby) Shop manual for 1994 Harley Davidson FLHTC, ELECTRA GLIDE If you have one or known where to get one. Thank you Ken
Ken, You should contact Jeff Steidle at Regress Press, he specializes in automotive and motorcycle reprints. Cheers, Rob
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(Rob and Abby) I'm interested in buy a copy of your Tranter Cartridge Firearms, but have a couple of questions: 1/ How is the book bound? 2/ from what I understand, there is a 1st edition (2007) and a 2nd edition (2011). Which copy do you have for sale?
Many thanks, Colin
Hi Colin, Joel Black, one of the authors, read your question in our newsletter and sent me the note below. Sorry for the delay: Abby
Hello Abby, Please tell Colin, who is asked about the Tranter book that it was self published by me here in the US and by my co-author in Australia. I never saw one of the Australian versions, but mine were all soft back with what is termed "perfect binding". Both volumes were the same and the later version should properly have been "2nd printing". Thanks, Joel.
Thanks Abby for following up, that's great to know. I did in fact buy a copy from you through Gunbroker. Really nice copy.
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(Rob and Abby) Do you have a reprint of a manual entitled Basic Small Arms Instruction ABC’s of .22 caliber Rifle Instruction for Civilian Small arms Firing Schools by the NRA 1943?? thanks jeff
Jeff, No, I'm afraid not. Rob
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Rob and Abby, Always a pleasure dealing with you guys, I’ve got copies of publications I never thought I would have because you guys are there. Keep up the good work. John Sansbury
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Newsletter… Marvellous publication folks……thank you. JT
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(Rob and Abby) Ref: Breechloading Shotguns 1860-1940 Vol. I A-F- Hello, I’m interested specifically with Baker Co and Forging and am curious if it’s worth getting the book. Even more specifically their Batavia Special. I know some history, one Baker brother moved to Syracuse, I think from Ithaca or Utica, was there for a few years and possibly worked with LC Smith or Lefever, then went out to Batavia to work his doctor brother. So I was curious what other info you might have for Baker guns (US gun makers in NY in 1880’s - 1900’s). This would be in Vol. 1 Also what info is in Vol. 2 for Ithaca and Lefever? I think Lefever started in Canandaigua, then moved to Syracuse then possibly kicked out of his own company and moved to Ohio, then Ithaca took over Lefever, then ironically enough Ithaca was sold to someone in a Ohio. So although the histories are neat, I’m more curious about information with regards to their actual guns, such as any exploded views of guns, or tech manual pages, serial numbers corresponding to years manufactured, etc Thanks, Chris (Ebay)
Hi Chris, Unfortunately, ebay isn't the place to answer detailed questions because under the rules we cannot refer you to our website to see other sources of information and publications not listed at ebay. I can tell you a couple of things, though. The Breechloader volumes are not really suited to detailed research of the kind you are seeking. Also, "exploded views" of guns didn't come into regular use until after 1945. it is possible, however, that one of the BAKERpublications we offer has "cutaway" vies of internal parts. Cheers, Rob for cornellpubs
Hello, I just wanted to thank you and Rob for your help and recommendations for finding info regarding the Baker Gun Co. Batavia Special SxS Shotugn. So thanks to Rob for helping me to read between the lines and check your all's actual webpage of CornellPubs instead of just ebay and thank you Abby for helping to teach me how I might search on your webpage. If you or Rob have any other recommendations for cut away views and proper parts names and serial number corresponding to year manufactured with regards to the Baker Batavia Special SxS Shotgun 12ga 30" S/N 171023. I am looking at your: - H & D Folsom 1922 Arms Company Catalogue No. 20and - Baker Gunner 1909 CatalogI'm ok if there are other guns, manufacturers, etc in the catalog(s), book(s), etc. Again, thank you much for your time already spent helping me, Chris
Chris, Thanks for your note. The Batavia Special was, I believe, made from 1908 until before 1919 when all Baker guns were made by Crescent Fire Arms of Norwich, CT, again, I believe those are the dates. Naturally, no publication made at the time of manufacture (that's what we do- reprint old publications) had serial number information. I suggest you contact bakercollectors.org for detailed information. The Baker Gunner had a cutaway of sorts that might be useful to you. Cheers, Rob
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Re: Order#:21-04378-11249 On the cover page/page 2 there is a diagonal crease/fold running across the pages. On page 2 the crease/fold runs from the area of the word “Loading” down to the number “7”. The crease/fold runs across from page edge to page edge. The position of the crease/fold blurs whatever is printed in the area that it passes over. I have purchased other manuals from Cornell Publications and have not run in to this problem before. Please advise. Thank you for your time.
Thank you for your note. Unfortunately, without knowing what you bought, or where or when you bought it or your name, nor does your email match one we have on file, there isn't much I can do about your problem. The number you used doesn't come up with any of the sites we normally use so it may be a listing identification or some sales number they use from Gunbroker, Auction Arms, Paypal, or Ebay- US, UK, Aust. or Europe. So, if you can give me a bit more information I'll try to help. Cheers, Rob
Rob, I thought that the order number as shown on the order detail list and the email subject line would identify the item. Order date: 2020-01-07, ebay sales no. 44453, item number 290938391024, SKU 4016, Smith & Wesson 1940 Model Light Rifle Manual (for UK). Ship to: Craig xxxx Kenosha, WI. 53142 United States. That is all of the information that I have.
Hi Craig, Sorry, every website we deal with inserts its own numbers, often sufficiently complex enough to identify each and every grain of sand in every ocean- I still don’t know who gave the Order#:21-04378-11249 number you referred to in your initial note!. We use the old-fashioned way, we work with the item name and who buys it, I'll get another copy off to you in a day or so. Cheers, Rob
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(Rob and Abby) OK I have a few other manuals, can you setup manuals for these...RWS Diana 5GS - factory scope issue rare. H70 German vintage match pistol. Let me know what other information you need from me. Cheers, Mark mgra3054:ebay
Hi Mark, Thanks for your note. I'm not certain what you are asking. Are you offering to lend us those manuals to reprint or are you asking us to try to find them for you? If you want to lend them, yes, we would be happy to do them, thank you. Cheers, Rob
(Rob) I was hoping you had them in your stock. Cheers, Mark
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Hi Rob and Abby I received my catalogs and as usual, I am very pleased with them. Thank you for keeping them alive. Bill
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Cheers,
Rob and Abby
The End.
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