The one that got away twice!

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    -Back in the early 90s I was trolling the Frederick Silverado show with fellow collecting buddy Zeebill when we ran across an odd M91/30 on a table. It sported a "H" Mauser style upper barrel band. We were both new to the MN world and immediately thought "bubba's work". Later we found that we had passed on a rare Simonov Trials rifle! That story still dogs me to this day.
    -Fast forward to 3 weeks ago when I run across a Simonov Trials rifle in a large live/online auction up on Proxibid. At this point it's running under the radar as a simple M91/30. With all the acquisitions I've had lately I only have around $1K available in fun money. So I decide to go all in with what I have and cross my fingers that it's enough. Silly me! Sure enough, the morning of the auction I'm out bid by one increment and it hammers for that. In the end the successful bidder paid $1350 for it. Don't know if that's good or bad (h2u and airborne trooper should be able to tell me) as these come to market rarely. Doubt I'll see another in what's left of my collecting lifetime.
    -But there were two items on my short list in the same auction. A nice, honest Winchester 1903 in VG condition and an arsenal reworked Japanese Type 26 revolver. Had been searching extensively for both. So tossed a coin and the decision was made to make a run at the T26. In the end I got it for a very good price, roughly $300 under the current market average of $850. Am posting auction photos for now. Like all my Japanese handguns this one begs for a holster and so the search starts (gotta sharpen my eyes to be able to discern the difference between the French 1895 holster as it's almost identical to the Japanese Type 26).
     

    Attachments

    • 162-1.jpg
      162-1.jpg
      29.6 KB · Views: 770
    • 162-3.jpg
      162-3.jpg
      29.8 KB · Views: 754
    • 162-4.jpg
      162-4.jpg
      14.3 KB · Views: 778

    KH195

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 10, 2013
    1,550
    Virginia
    Really nice Type 26!! You don't see many in that condition, even the Arsenal reworked examples. Majority seem to show a lot more use/abuse. You're right some of those French holsters look nearly identical. If memory severs some features to look for on the Type 26 holster are the presence of cleaning rod slot (although I think the early T26 holsters may not have had one) and number of cartridge loops in the ammo pouch (T26 will have 8 loops on the top row, 6 loops below that, and an additional 4 loops on the inner front side of the pouch). Check the inside of the holster flap for kanji and Arsenal markings too as many were marked.
     

    metalman3006

    Gun Hoarder
    Sep 6, 2007
    2,305
    Church Hill, MD
    I picked one up on the cheep lately, not quite as nice as yours, it had varnish covering the whole gun and initials carved on the grip, but the price was right. Dont have good pics of it though.
     

    Attachments

    • type 26.jpg
      type 26.jpg
      51.4 KB · Views: 573
    • 20180901_200453.jpg
      20180901_200453.jpg
      49.8 KB · Views: 566
    • 20180901_200513.jpg
      20180901_200513.jpg
      28.3 KB · Views: 569
    • 20180901_200435.jpg
      20180901_200435.jpg
      32.1 KB · Views: 591

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville

    Attachments

    • 283-1.jpg
      283-1.jpg
      9.8 KB · Views: 500
    • 283-4.jpg
      283-4.jpg
      15 KB · Views: 505
    • 283-5.jpg
      283-5.jpg
      26 KB · Views: 540

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    I picked one up on the cheep lately, not quite as nice as yours, it had varnish covering the whole gun and initials carved on the grip, but the price was right. Dont have good pics of it though.

    Nice! Yours is nicer than most. I quickly found I could sort Type 26s into three groups...
    1.) Original charcoal blued finish in VG or better condition with fire blued triggers, hammers, etc. Hard to find and now floating well above $1k.
    2.) Arsenal refinished like yours and mine with no fire blued components. VG or better condition examples will sell in the $700-900 range.
    3.) Worn and pitted examples in rough condition. I've seen plenty with lots of holster wear. Figure on these selling up to around $650.

    Type 26's, like Type 94s, have jumped in value recently. The trick is to find the best condition example you can afford. I passed on a cheap T26 rig with a very nice holster but the revolver finish was weak and pitted near the muzzle. Hated to do it but felt I could do better spending a bit more.
     
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,711
    The arsenal-refinish T-26's often had the grooved grips (like the T-10 flare gun).
    Interested to see what the various internal numbers are, break out the Derby & Brown :)

    There's also the Limited Final Production which looks like an arsenal refinish (dull finish, grooved grips),
    but is rare (~300 made) and prices reflect that... if the seller knows what it is.

    Dan Larkin put together a nice overview:
    http://www.nambuworld.com/2008-8 Type 26 Major Variations.pdf
     
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,711
    Oh yeah, the biggest tell-tale between the T-26 and French holsters (other than Kanji stamped inside the lid) is the T-26 has individual loops for 12 or 18 (?) cartridges in the pouch, and the French has 3 larger loops for ... whatever.
    Most of the T-26 holsters have a pouch at the "leading edge" for the cleaning rod as well.

    An original cleaning rod is pretty rare, but repros are out there.
     

    Attachments

    • DSC_0880.jpg
      DSC_0880.jpg
      59.7 KB · Views: 218
    • DSC_0882.jpg
      DSC_0882.jpg
      66 KB · Views: 237

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    T26 arrived and I managed to scrounge a decent older vintage holster for dirt cheap up on Evil Pay. In my search for the holster I was surprised at how many unissued and near new examples are out there. Guess the Japanese built T26 replacement holsters for decades after they were taken out of production. Kinda like this worn example, has just the right amount of character.
     

    Attachments

    • IMGP8707.JPG
      IMGP8707.JPG
      61.5 KB · Views: 195
    • IMGP8709.JPG
      IMGP8709.JPG
      57.3 KB · Views: 205
    • IMGP8710.JPG
      IMGP8710.JPG
      41 KB · Views: 222
    • IMGP8711.JPG
      IMGP8711.JPG
      92.5 KB · Views: 219
    • IMGP8712.JPG
      IMGP8712.JPG
      96.3 KB · Views: 202
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,711
    Sweet! that actually looks pretty nice...
    I think there's a lot more of these holsters out there than the Japanese ever made :)
     

    Bolts Rock

    Living in Free America!
    Apr 8, 2012
    6,123
    Northern Alabama
    Here's the Simonov Trials rifle that I bid on. The few I've seen were all built at Tula, have a SN starting with "0" and were dated 1936. The ones imported to the US originally were sent to Spain for the SCW. This one is sporting the wire sling loops that are found on Spanish Mosins. This web article is a good read on what's a rare example of an attempt to improve the 91/30 and its use in the SCW.

    I wish I'd seen this thread a week ago instead of yesterday! Mosin like that was at the LGS, went back today and it's gone.
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,921
    Messages
    7,259,016
    Members
    33,349
    Latest member
    christian04

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom