What Guns to Leave Original

[Grandpa Moose]

Turk Mausers are fine rifles/actions there were some that were rebarreled before ww2. There are many gunsmiths and hunters who will attest to there fine quality. They are large ring Mausers with small ring threading and are are often converted to "Tweeds" with a small ring Swedish barrel

 

[Doug3006]

There are remarkably few guns out there that have the rarity, or provenance, that would make them off limits to modification. Your Ruger #1 is a perfect candidate for the kind of modifications you’d like to make. I have several of them and all of them sport higher grade walnut stocks than they left the factory with. I kept the original wood in case I ever sell them and the buyer appreciates originality.

 

[WAB]

Vintage English guns are routinely worked over to keep them in good working order. Barrels are reblacked, bores polished, stocks refinished, springs and pins replaced as needed. If you have a vintage English gun, it is very unlikely that it is original in finish. You are not preserving value by failing to properly maintain them.

I have recently imported a vintage Westley Richards droplock. It is in impeccable condition in spite of being more than 120 years old. This is the result of impeccable maintenance and refurbishment as needed.

 

[Badjer]

Not really tinkering, but... I have a 38 revolver and a 30.06 that belonged to one Uncle and a 12 ga from another. The 2 of them along with my Dad got me into hunting and all three have passed on. I won't shoot these 3 guns because my Uncles were the last to shoot them. Call me sentimental, but in my eyes they are priceless.

 

[leslie hetrick]

If you want to restock the No. 1, do it. You can save the existing stock and change it back any time, if you want. Having a buffalo engraved on it won't hurt the value if it's properly done, will mean a lot to you, and will become a family treasure to your heirs. An 8mm Turkish Mauser has never had much value, but the action could be made into something wonderful. I would do both of those projects.

Now I have my grandfather's long barrel Model 94. It's a little over 100 years old. I will never modify that rifle due to its history in my family and its monetary value to my heirs if they should want to sell it. So sometimes you should make changes to make yourself happy and sometimes it isn't smart. The two examples you gave are two that I would do.

i have quite a few older rifles and they all show wear from honest use and no abuse. i hunt them too and reload for them all. i only require a good bore as i shoot cast bullets in them.

 

[Challer]

They’re plenty of historic guns in museums. To have “historical value” it must really be rare. Almost any old gun can be improved with a new stock, mounting a scope, etc. Re bluing done right is a beautiful thing if you can find anyone left to do it correctly. Rebarrelling a shot out pitted barrel restores usefulness. Think about it, if you didn’t get it at auction or find it in a very old relatives safe, the odds of a significant gun is very low.

 

[Accidental Villain]

I’ve got a couple rifles in this category. A vintage Rigby BG and a ‘67 BRNO ZKK 602.
Both sort of historic. The Rigby sees some use for obvious practical reasons while the ZKK is «retired». I would be utterly insanely retarded to «improve» on any of these two.

 

[MontanaGrant]

Modifying a gun that is not collectible and is “just a gun” to personalize it is great. It adds uniqueness and personality to them.

If it’s rare and/or near impossible to find original versions is where one needs to start thinking.

All original pre 1948 Winchester model 70 300 H&H? Maybe not rebarrel it to .300 ultra mag in that instance.

Gewehr 33/40 mountain rifle? Definately not in that instance.

Ruger factory 7x57? Definately can modify it as there’s hundreds out there.

 

[Flbt]

They’re plenty of historic guns in museums. To have “historical value” it must really be rare. Almost any old gun can be improved with a new stock, mounting a scope, etc. Re bluing done right is a beautiful thing if you can find anyone left to do it correctly. Rebarrelling a shot out pitted barrel restores usefulness. Think about it, if you didn’t get it at auction or find it in a very old relatives safe, the odds of a significant gun is very low.

I think that depends. There historical guns like a president.
There there local historical guns. It doesn’t matter any more the gun was destroyed in a house fire.
But I would not have messed with my grate uncles fox shotgun and it was not the real good fox it was a sterlingworth .
But he stopped a leaching with it and used it in a small riot when he was sheriff.

 

[mark-hunter]

What’s y’all’s opinions, and what guns do you have this dilemma with?

No dilemma. All the guns I have, I shoot.
I am not a collector, I am not a museum owner or custodian. I do not collect guns for investment.
I appreciate good firearms and those with history, but if I had them, I would shoot them.
For me, an easy choice.