.22 semiauto rifle

Question
When I was (much) younger, I had a .22 semiautomatic rifle that fired long and short rounds.  It had an all-plastic stock.  It was purchased by my father for me in the mid-50s.  It was recently stolen out of his house after tornado damage opened it up for everyone.  Of course, I am looking for an approximate value for an insurance claim; but, unfortunately, I do not even remember the brand, much less the model number.  I don't think it was expensive, but can you give me some guess of the brand and some idea of what I should claim - or where I might find this information?
   Another gun was also stolen, but I know even less about it.  My father brought it back from Germany after the war.  He termed it a "practice rifle," gauge unknown.  It was bolt-action single-shot, and its most distinctive feature for me was the flip-cap that covered the muzzle.  Does this one sound familiar to you?
   Any help would be greatly appreciated.

- Jay

Answer
Hello Jay. I am taking your question only as a supposition. The .22 caliber semi-auto rifle with a plastic stock could be a Stevens or Savage. The Savage Company had several plastic stock rifle models in or around 1950's. They were not expensive, but they were of good quality. I own a Stevens Model 24 which is a .22 over .410 combination rifle/shotgun with a plastic stock. As far as I know, it is the only model from that time frame that is a collectors item. The rifle your father brought back from Germany was most likely a military issue since you say it had a 'flip-cap' or muzzle cap.This was to keep the barrel from becoming clogged with dirt or mud on the combat or practice field. However, it being a 'bolt-action single-shot practice rifle' would definitely remove it from actual battlefield use. It would be un-ethical for me to give you a price, on the information you have, to give your insurance company. I will say this. As far as a price I would pay for these rifles, in good working condition, without knowing what they are, would be $100.00 each.I hope this will help answer your questions and thank you for asking for me.Charles Gage