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I’ve seen a few of these around–some are rather rare/high-end Winchesters, too. I heard that the initials stand for Harold A. McCallum–an old-time Winchester Collector. Rumor has it that he once had a large portion of his Winchesters stolen. As a result, he since stamped all of his guns with his initials on them. My question is why would any advanced collector purposely deface / devalue investment grade guns with their initials, etc. I understand being paranoid about theft of your prized collection, but I could never willingly deface any of my guns that way. I always cringe and walk away when I see someone’s engraved driver’s license or social security number on any firearm. Anyway, how much does the “H.A.M.” stamp harm the value of some of these fine Winchesters?
http://www.simpsonltd.com/product_info.php?products_id=38680
http://merzantiques.com/photo/w777-special-order-winchester-1892-deluxe
Don
Don,
Done with a professionally made stamp under the the gun like the one on Merz’s site would not affect the value. If its done with individual hand stamps then it would especially if it done on the sides or top.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
November 7, 2015
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tionesta1 said
That’s a nice looking model 1892 carbine on Merz site.
Agreed. Not much on set triggers but that’s one handsome and special ’92.
That is a great ’92 carbine. Close coupled double sets are very rare on any ’92, especially so on a carbine.
Very nice condition, especially for a carbine and appears correct at a glance of the photos?
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
1873man said
Don,Done with a professionally made stamp under the the gun like the one on Merz’s site would not affect the value. If its done with individual hand stamps then it would especially if it done on the sides or top.
Bob
I had not seen this stamping before and when I read Bob’s quote above, I was dubious. However when I looked at Merz’s M1892, I would agree that the stamping would not affect the value (at least for me). That ’92 is one heck of an interesting piece. Carbine front half and rifle rear half. I found the DST’s a very sweet addition. The are rare in general but on a carbine, that is something. I was not surprised to see he had a sale pending on it.
Given Harold’s personality, I’d not attempt to delve into his reasoning. Quite a character.
In my teens and early twenties, Harold helped me with muzzle-loading supplies and care. I used to drop coins in his non-admission charge can and then soak in the Winchester mystique. So many fine guns on that old shop’s walls.
I miss visiting with him.
Analytically… Does such marking make a difference? Two circumstances.
1. The practical fact as alluded, perhaps some to considered these guns flawed. Yet balancing… Uncommon, and when such an opportunity again? The conclusion, ‘RELATIVELY’u, chalked up as ‘no difference’.
2. Two such rifles, exactly equal except for… one without such marking. Would any reader here wish to pay, for example, a hundred dollars more for the ‘clean’ one? (Perhaps any lesser $ amount to be written off to knitpicky rather than making a difference.). Yet IF someone to choose the ‘clean’ gun, the result ‘a difference’. For me, on the considerably lesser. reasonably flawed gun, likely not a personal difference. The high quality one, a difference.
And just the personal postscript concerning either rifle seen here. A young teen son facing college in a half decade, academic joining ‘analytic’ for sure! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Just a HAMateur here, and…
Just my take.
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