Sometimes my job has its funny moments...

*Ring, ring*

Frazzled Employee: "Coal Creek Armory. This is Tamara."

Potential Customer: "Yeah, I need to talk to somebody in the gun department." (Like we have any other departments.)

FE: "Go ahead, sir." [long pause] "Go ahead, sir."

PC: "Oh, uh... Well, actually, I need to speak to someone who can tell me about how much a gun is worth."

FE: "Go ahead, sir."

PC: "Er, well, it's an old army-type gun. I need to talk to somebody who knows old army guns."

FE: "That'd be me. Go ahead, sir."

PC: "It's kind of a strange one..."

FE: "Well, let's try and figure it out. I think I might could help you."

PC: "Really? Uh, okay... Well, my grandpa brought it back from the war. He got it off a dead German. It's a German rifle. What's it worth?"

FE: [sigh] "What kind of rifle is it?"

PC: "Um, an old German one."

FE: "Yes, but what kind? Is it a bolt-action rifle?"

PC: "Uh, yeah."

FE: "Okay then, what's it chambered in?"

PC: "I think it's in 8mm."

FE: "Does it have a scope on it?"

PC: "Nope."

FE: "Good. What's it say on the receiver ring?"

PC: "The what?"

FE: "Just forward of where you stick the 'bullets' sir. That round metal piece. What's it say on it?"

PC: "It just says 'S-slash-42'."

FE: "Okay, it's an 8mm Mauser 98k, made at the Mauser factory in Oberndorf in Germany. Does the wood go out almost to the end of the barrel? Is there wood on top of the barrel?"

PC: "No..."

FE: "So it's sporterized. I'll be happy to give you a value on it, but you'll have to bring it in and let me see it. A lot depends on how and when the work was done."

PC: "Uh, okay. Thanks! You sure know a lot about this stuff!"

FE: "Thank you, sir. You have a nice day, now."

:)