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Fishnerd
11-17-2020, 03:38
About 10yrs ago, I was in a rough place financially and was considering selling my '95/'96 carbine. Joe gracefully offered to loan me some cash and hold my carbine as collateral (I sold other toys instead). At the time, he was working on a book and doing tons of research. My serial number is #26930 and the info was passed on to Joe. He stated he was confident it left SA as a carbine, even without a direct SRS hit. I can't for the life of me find my communications with him.
In full transparency- I am looking to sell the gun locally, and the buyer wants documentation it is a true carbine. I can only provide "my" statements from what Joe said, as well as the late Col. Mook, who handled it at the Baltimore Antique show many years ago.
Can Anyone help?

Dick Hosmer
11-17-2020, 07:55
No one can give you "documentation" if it was not found by SRS during their record crawl. But, I will add my blessing to Joe's. In that range the odds are overwhelming that it is correct. If that isn't enough for Mr. belt-and-suspenders, ask him to step aside and get out of the way of the next buyer. The gun WILL sell.

lyman
11-17-2020, 09:03
No one can give you "documentation" if it was not found by SRS during their record crawl. But, I will add my blessing to Joe's. In that range the odds are overwhelming that it is correct. If that isn't enough for Mr. belt-and-suspenders, ask him to step aside and get out of the way of the next buyer. The gun WILL sell.

you have a way with words Mr Hosmer!!!:headbang:


does 5mad still have his own forum? anyone been in contact with him?

Dick Hosmer
11-18-2020, 09:26
I learned that phrase from the "manager" (a punk kid barely old enough to shave) of the "arms library" at the Cabela's in Reno NV, while inspecting a POS that was priced at double its' value. Have never forgotten it, and have never visited another Cabelas. Do NOT like that chain! When they decided to take the "big box" mass-marketing scheme to antique arms, a few good deals slipped out the door, because they didn't know squat about what they were selling. Management became aware of this and, instead of attempting to hire qualified salespersons, they just jacked their prices AND their attitude.

As to Joe, yes he does, but I've not been in contact with him for several years. Sad - FANTASTIC mind, but tough to get close to.

Fishnerd
11-18-2020, 09:41
Thank you Mr. Hosmer.
There was not a direct SRS hit on my carbine c.2008. Col. Mook fondling it, pointing out the flaws and confirming it was a real carbine was good enough for my satisfaction. That combined with Joe and you green lighting it around the same time made me sure it was what I thought.
Funny side story about The Baltimore Antique Show...
A guy had a display set up with what he claimed was an 1892 Krag Carbine. I scoffed and told him it wasn't real. He asked why I thought that and I replied "There are only two 1892 Carbines in existence; one is in the Springfield Armory Museum and the other is in the private collection of a man named Carl Weiss." He looked me in the eye, grabbed his exhibitor lanyard and showed me his name- Carl Weiss. I'm sure my jaw dropped in disbelief. He then said something along the lines of "You did your homework; want to hold it?"

Dick Hosmer
11-18-2020, 11:16
I thought Tom Pearce owned the loose one - must have sold it to Carl (or my memory is no good).

Couple of years ago, at Baltimore, a man found a super-rare M1888 "positive cam" trapdoor being sold as a common M1884. Bingo!!

Living in northern CA, have never made it to Baltimore - did get to the Allentown show in 1992, with Frank Mallory. What an experience!!

Fishnerd
11-18-2020, 11:39
I thought Tom Pearce owned the loose one - must have sold it to Carl (or my memory is no good).

Couple of years ago, at Baltimore, a man found a super-rare M1888 "positive cam" trapdoor being sold as a common M1884. Bingo!!

Living in northern CA, have never made it to Baltimore - did get to the Allentown show in 1992, with Frank Mallory. What an experience!!


The Baltimore show is a giant antique gun museum where most of the stuff is for sale. The parking lot has license plates from all over America and Canada. I actually saw a Japanese ?family? bring a translator to negotiate buying their relative's sword that ended up in The USA after WW2. Flying in from Japan and hiring a translator for one purchase means they were likely paying some serious cash.
It is certainly a show to see.

Dick Hosmer
11-18-2020, 12:43
In the same vein (Asians and cash) a friend and his wife were real-estate tire kicking one morning and wound up at an open house where an Asian couple were actually in the process of buying it. Amused by the chit-chat back and forth, my friends eavesdropped. The agent was blowing on and ON about forms, papers, laws, interest, and other typical BS. The Asian couple would listen politely but just said "Want to buy". The agent brushed this aside, more than once, and droned on. Finally, the man had had enough and said "I no pay interest, I buy now." The agent was completely dumbfounded as the guy peeled off his coat and counted out $400,000 from a money vest. With every Benjamin that hit the table, the agent's eyes got bigger and bigger. Different strokes for different folks!!!

sdkrag
11-19-2020, 09:39
Gotta love that 1892 carbine story. My Father-in-law gifted me an "1892" Carbine. What I had was an un-altered 1892 action. I took me 10 years, 3 rifles,and Bill Mook to make it right. Bill was really quite the guy!

Dick Hosmer
11-19-2020, 10:57
YES HE WAS - but you still don't have an 1892 Carbine, just a mock-up (or perhaps a Mook-up?).

Speaking of mocking, this comment was NOT intended as any sort of slam at you, far from it, just being clear.

If I live long enough I plan to do the same thing to create a look-alike M1882 rod-bayonet rifle with 28" barrel. I have one of the original 28 bayonets, the rest will be "assembled".

:1948:

sdkrag
11-19-2020, 11:39
You misunderstood Dick. I put it back together as a rifle. Un-altered 92 action in the 8000 serial range. Bought another 96 on a 92 stock/cleaning rod, then another 92 11000 serial range which I took the barrel and front sight off. 96 action was built into a sporter for one of my sons. Sold the 3rd action to Bill and he put it right. It got sold out of his estate as a complete 92 rifle. Bill switched out the barrels for me. I ended up with a very nice 92 rifle.

Dick Hosmer
11-19-2020, 01:20
Well, that makes a lot more sense!! I have NOT ever figured you to be a 'replica' sort of guy. But, when 92's are involved, sometimes some swapping is inevitable.:icon_lol:

sdkrag
11-20-2020, 11:16
I may make an O3-A4 clone someday but not Krags. I sold the on Bill helped me put together to take care of bills a few years ago. Was able to replace it a couple years ago on a semi-local(drove 70 miles) auction for $1250. Needed a bolt (had one) bolt sleeve and a cleaning rod. Not gonna sell this one.

garksu
11-20-2020, 11:58
48440

garksu
11-20-2020, 02:09
48442

Dick Hosmer
11-20-2020, 04:41
I'm confused. Just what sort of "opinion" are you looking for?

That appears to be an honest 1892 Carbine, in beautiful condition, presented in the style of Tom Pearce's many contributions to the photograph section of this website.

Was there anything else?

garksu
11-20-2020, 05:27
Very observant Dick.

Would love to see pictures of Carl Weiss's 92 Carb.




Tom

Dick Hosmer
11-20-2020, 06:42
"Garksu" is Tom Pearce in mufti, or another Tom?

Ned Butts
11-21-2020, 11:36
Very observant Dick.

Would love to see pictures of Carl Weiss's 92 Carb.




Tom

as would I

Kragrifle
11-24-2020, 09:38
There is data that the two 1892 carbines that were produced at Springfield were disassembled and put back together as rifles. The carbine Tom Pearce owned (and I the chance to buy) showed up at Tulsa years ago as a barreled received in a stock that had been cut for a receiver sight. It took Tom years and two different gunsmiths to get it back together with a recreated rear sight and front band (I think). The serial number was not one of the two reported in SRS. This carbine was sold to the same person who bought the Krag Cadet that Tom owned.
Would be interested in photos and serial number of the carbine owned by Mr. Weiss. Wayne Gagner of SRS states both the carbine and the Cadet rifle have no documentation and are made up guns. I believe the Cadet was one of the four made up later by Springfield (as was the one given back to the West Point museum by Frank Mallory.

Dick Hosmer
11-24-2020, 10:03
There is data that the two 1892 carbines that were produced at Springfield were disassembled and put back together as rifles. The carbine Tom Pearce owned (and I the chance to buy) showed up at Tulsa years ago as a barreled received in a stock that had been cut for a receiver sight. It took Tom years and two different gunsmiths to get it back together with a recreated rear sight and front band (I think). The serial number was not one of the two reported in SRS. This carbine was sold to the same person who bought the Krag Cadet that Tom owned.
Would be interested in photos and serial number of the carbine owned by Mr. Weiss. Wayne Gagner of SRS states both the carbine and the Cadet rifle have no documentation and are made up guns. I believe the Cadet was one of the four made up later by Springfield (as was the one given back to the West Point museum by Frank Mallory.

Interesting - then what about the one at Rock Island? Is that a re-recreation or a virgin? I did NOT know that Tom's wasn't kosher - I guess we all have some little secrets. I'll share one of mine (not Krag though): My 3-band 1st Allin was rebuilt from a 'pirate pistol' and an 1861 musket. You would never know unless you took it out of the stock; the inletting is nice and tidy but not quite up to SA standards. My 2-band is either a virgin or a period alteration (just cannot get any agreement on the validity of these). The 3-band will soon be for sale, with full disclosure of course.

Kragrifle
11-24-2020, 09:36
Tom showed me the carbine several times and always explained how it came to be. Don’t know about the carbine at Rock Island (?) or the one that Mr. Weiss owned. Would love to see it, but have not seen posts by him in years. Is he still with us? Spoke with Wayne Gagner today about the 1892 carbine (the one with the cleaning rod) and got the same story-two made and both were later changed to rifle configuration.

Dick Hosmer
11-25-2020, 01:37
Carl sells on gunbroker.com from time to time (though it's been awhile) but seems to have gotten out of collecting, or at least conversing with collectors. I have a faint recollection that there was - at time - some sort of bad blood between Carl and KCA, of which he was a fellow founding member. I'd assumed the RIA carbine on display in the museum was legit. Perhaps it isn't? Wonder if we can ever get to the bottom of this?