How Much ReFinishing Should You Do?

[Blaine]

As to not ruin the value of an older shooter? And, what should you use?

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

As to not ruin the value of an older shooter? And, what should you use?

That will depend on the collector value of the particular gun. If it is highly collectable anything you do will most likely detract from the value.
There are some exceptions. A good example is a 1st gen colt that is mechanically sound but rough on the outside or poorly refinished. There are engravers that will use it as a canvas and these tend to bring a good return. They take a $1000 colt then turn it into a $4000 Colt.

On the other hand, if you have a gun that is not so collectable but is mechanically sound a re-do may adds some value.
As for what to use, that will depend on what needs to be redone.

[JOHNNY WACKO]

It is fun to do them,and if that makes you happy do it i say.If i do 1 over i don't try to make like stock.I like to change it up a bit and since it's yours you can make it personal.

[Blaine]

I once refinished the wood on an early 39 Mountie..... This was when I was a kid, and I was told I "ruined" it. I thought it was purdy. Since then, I've been loath to do much more than wipe it down really good, and gently go after rust spots.

[JOHNNY WACKO]

If i only did what i was told life would suck.Best to do what ever you want and have fun with it. i once sold a marlin 60 to a guy who would not clean it and every time it jammed he came back complaining . i would clean it and show him. so around the fourth time i gave him back his $100 while he was flapping his gums at me i took the wood stock off got the wood mall and drove the rest in the ground beside the wood pile and told him to shut the hell up.

[Griff]

Like my project: I came into a virgin mdl 94 Winchester receiver. Perfect in every respect. Circa 1963. Never assembled. As the fellar I got it from said, "...not another one like it. The last of its kind." So, do I assemble it, knowing I have to use used parts, (at least for the internals), or not? If so, do I do a standard mdl 94 carbine, or make it into what in '63 could only have come from the Custom shop?

I'm leaning heavily toward a 26" octagon w/exhibition grade lumber & CCH just about everywhere; and then "jewel" the locking lug, guides, carrier & trigger. Tang sight, spirit level globe front and if I can find the right guy, a factory taper & markings on a new barrel in .32-40! Just to use in Cowboy Lever-action Silhouette! All under the theory that if you can't shoot good, then look better'n everyone else doin' it! It'll certainly cost more to do than it'd be worth... And I'd really ask to take it with me when I go to the big range in the sky.

Otherwise, I agree w/Nate!

[plowboy 45]

I can tell you how much
Sanded on a model 94 receiver 2day till I turned blue in the face
Its still pitted a little and that ain't all I don't care anymore
Its just gonna look like an old Winchester when I'm done
My buddy said he's gonna keep sandin we'll see

[Sixgun]

Nate said it pretty well.

Good quality guns will only attract buyers with bucks and those guys usually know what they are looking at....so playing with nice guns is a no-no...besides, you will never have to worry about that.

As for less expensive guns.......like junk you most likely own, well......junk is junk and always will be junk...as said by Elmer Keith......so, as Mick Jagger said, " paint it black if you so wish".

Oh!, I almost forgot...I read in the paper that there is a store down the street from you that is having a huge sale on greasy chicken, ham hocks, and lard fried chitlins.....you may want to stock up as it will be 25 days before your "first of the month free check" comes in. Ha! Italian you say? Paybacks for porky! ------6

[Blaine]

.I read in the paper

You can't read, just the little arrows on that big old complicated forklift....

It's unfortunate that some keep junk around the house. Look how long your Wife has kept you around the house

[Sixgun]

It's unfortunate that some keep junk around the house. Look how long your Wife has kept you around the house

About the same length of time since your ex wife kicked you to the curb and gave you 18 years of child support for a kid that's not even yours. --------6

[JOHNNY WACKO]

I found when i was buying and selling ,i made more on junk guns. More people had a few hundred to buy then thousands. Plus you get to play with more guns that way.

pb45 a friend got a gallon of this rust remover at tractor supply and we put a junk froze up s/shot receiver in it and when we ;pulled it out and cocked it the pins started to fall out.It looked in the white.screw slots were like new that you could not see before. And the pitting looked 1/2 way better too. I have to get the name of it. BUT it will take off the blue because its a rust finish.

since i got hurt playing with these guns gives me a purpose in life.

[Blaine]

It's unfortunate that some keep junk around the house. Look how long your Wife has kept you around the house

About the same length of time since your ex wife kicked you to the curb and gave you 18 years of child support for a kid that's not even yours. --------6

You're getting better at this.....

[claybob86]

Like my project: I came into a virgin mdl 94 Winchester receiver. Perfect in every respect. Circa 1963. Never assembled. As the fellar I got it from said, "...not another one like it. The last of its kind." So, do I assemble it, knowing I have to use used parts, (at least for the internals), or not? If so, do I do a standard mdl 94 carbine, or make it into what in '63 could only have come from the Custom shop?

I'm leaning heavily toward a 26" octagon w/exhibition grade lumber & CCH just about everywhere; and then "jewel" the locking lug, guides, carrier & trigger. Tang sight, spirit level globe front and if I can find the right guy, a factory taper & markings on a new barrel in .32-40! Just to use in Cowboy Lever-action Silhouette! All under the theory that if you can't shoot good, then look better'n everyone else doin' it! It'll certainly cost more to do than it'd be worth... And I'd really ask to take it with me when I go to the big range in the sky.

Otherwise, I agree w/Nate!

Do it! I wanna see it!

[marlinman93]

How much finishing or work you do not only depends on the value of the gun, but even more the present condition. Regardless of the value, if it's a total wreck, there's not much you can do to it to improve it, that wont make it better.
If you have a gun worth thousands, then you need to look at it closer, and decide if it can be improved more by a facelift, vs. a total restoration. I almost always prefer to do as little as possible to a historic or valuable gun, but it really depends on the condition.
I built up a Rem. Hepburn from nothing but an action. Had to barrel it, build stocks, and then totally finish all the metal. Had it been complete, I'd have done less. I later bought another DST Hepburn that had the barrel chopped to 22". I had John Taylor lengthen the barrel, and reline it to the original .40-70 SS. Then just rust blued the barrel, and nothing else.
I just purchased a beautiful Nimschke engraved Ballard, that somehow got separated from it's wood. The action is nice, but barrel bluing was well worn. I decided it was best to strip and rust blue the barrel, and then build wood for it. I'm nearly done now, and just need to send the wood to the checkerer to get checkering done.

[92&94]

I've got a 26" 1894 with a replacement barrel, cracked stock, and no receiver finish left. I was going to refinish the whole thing and make a new stock for it, but now that I've shot it a number of times I'm afraid to touch anything. Straightest shooting levergun I've ever owned, well worth the $800 I paid.

[Grizz]

As to not ruin the value of an older shooter? And, what should you use?

Man, I thought you were talking about Fred

Grizz

[Sixgun]

I've got a 26" 1894 with a replacement barrel, cracked stock, and no receiver finish left. I was going to refinish the whole thing and make a new stock for it, but now that I've shot it a number of times I'm afraid to touch anything. Straightest shooting levergun I've ever owned, well worth the $800 I paid.

92/94,
You know what I found out over the many years I have been playing with the old Winchesters?..........

The guns that have no finish are the ones that shoot! Not all of the time, but more so than not. I've owned very pretty specimens that were 100 years old and more, and more times than not, they were nothing to brag about in the accuracy dept. I guess the previous owners knew that too and left them in the closet, taking "Old Betsy" to bring in the bacon.----6

[92&94]

I've got a 26" 1894 with a replacement barrel, cracked stock, and no receiver finish left. I was going to refinish the whole thing and make a new stock for it, but now that I've shot it a number of times I'm afraid to touch anything. Straightest shooting levergun I've ever owned, well worth the $800 I paid.

92/94,
You know what I found out over the many years I have been playing with the old Winchesters?..........

The guns that have no finish are the ones that shoot! Not all of the time, but more so than not. I've owned very pretty specimens that were 100 years old and more, and more times than not, they were nothing to brag about in the accuracy dept. I guess the previous owners knew that too and left them in the closet, taking "Old Betsy" to bring in the bacon.----6

Yep, that makes perfect sense.

[Rusty]

I believe it was in "Muzzle Blasts" the NMLRA magazine where they printed the story of a fellow that collected antique brass powder flasks. He was a traveling sales rep and his travels allowed him to search out quite a few rare old flasks.
One day after returning home on a business trip his wife met him at the door and said come here I have a surprise for you. She took him to the bedroom and said look. I took all those nasty looking powder flasks down to the jeweler and had him clean them up for you. There on the bed laid out in neat shining rows was his entire collection of flasks. Now reduced in value by about 75%.

The story said the man had a heart attack right there.