What can you tell me about the Bannerman conversions of US made Mosins?  I just got a Westinghouse Bannerman conversion from my son and I am seriously considering getting rid of it.  Do these things have any collector value?  From what I have gleaned from the internet, they are not recommended shooters.  I have no use for this new acquisition, and I don't collect Mosins any more.  Just interested in the history/value of this rifle.  I can take pics later tonight or tomorrow if anybody needs to see pics.

Well, I don't know about the Bannerman conversions specifically, but I heard about one conversion (or set of conversions) done by a radical of some sort. I really can't remember if he was a fascist or a communist, but he bought and converted a bunch of M-Ns that didn't get delivered because of the October Revolution. He was trying to build up a private army that would be able to overthrow the government. Needless to say he failed miserably, but I really can't remember his name or any other real details. I read about it in an older Shooters Bible or something like that I found at the library. Anyway, if it happens to be one of those, I'd say it's worth quite a bit of money. If not, it's just a weird/dangerous conversion. Anyway, hope someone who has more concrete details comes along. Good luck.

Bannerman was a major dealer in arms around the 1920's.  I know that his conversions were legit, and not part of some radical plot.  I am more interested in a price check on this than anything.  I have already done a mess of research on the history of this conversion, there is a good site here.  I just can't find any real time examples of what kind of price these fetch.  I will most likely be selling this in the near future, and I don't want to take a beating on it, or on the other hand, I don't want to ask a ridiculous amount of money for it either.

Anybody got any idea of a fair value?  Like I said, I have searched the gun auction sites that I am familiar with and can't find any that have been sold.

Be very careful with this rifle.  From what I have read, they are not safe to shoot.

You might try one of the more c&r related sites like p212.ezboard.com/bparallaxscommunitytraderboards or www.russian-mosin-nagant-forums.com/smf/index.php.  I concur with the above statement and would not fire that rifle.  The only value the rifle would have is the value someone might place on it as a bannerman conversion.  I believe that bannerman in those days was kinda like what century is today.