[00buck]

Does it hurt the value of the older rifles if they are refinished?

 

[00buck]

After reading some posts on the subject..I think the answer is leave it alone.

 

[1128]

Generally Speaking yes. If the condition is just patina, but otherwise, no marks, scars or tattoo's leave it be, just carefully clean surface rust and and old powder residue away. IF However, the refurbishing actually makes the gun worth more, because it's condition was dug out of a worn torn bomb zone, then thoughtfully weigh your options and LET ONLY an expert, perhaps someone like Doug Turnbull, or other creditable entity handle the job.

 

[00buck]

I would like to at least get the green speckles of paint off of the stock..if possible. I guess that is patina also :

 

[shum8]

Just to muddy the waters, I bought an 1893 a few years ago with the sole intention of restoration. I guess I have a touch of OCD when it comes to guns - I like to see 'em all prettied up. If it were inherited, and the use were from a family member, that's one thing. But I personally have no attachment to someone else's use / abuse.

The 1893 I picked up had no case colors showing, maybe 40% blue left, rust pits and dings on the bbl, and well used furniture. When I got done with it, it's absolutely gorgeous. I paid 850, put another 600 or so in it for a new chunck of walnut, and Turnbull to case and rust blue after I did the metal prep. So for a little under 1500 and a healthy dose of elbow grease, I have a Marlin in a condition that I could never afford to buy if original. Did I kill collector value? Yup. But at 850, it wasn't high on the collector list anyway. It was as standard as it could be - no special order features at all. I just gave it another hundred years lease on life.

It all boils down to what you want. If you like 'em in original condition, no matter how bad, then leave it alone. Nothing more fun than holding a 110 year old rifle in your hands while trying to imagine just how it got in the shape it. But if your like me, and like one with a little bling, and can't afford original bling, then fix 'er up.

 

[RGR]

That seems to be the conventional wisdom at this point. I know a Win guy though, that literally wont even run a bore brush, he in fact had a baggy on the muzzle of one some time back, guarding the original mud daubbers nest. I think that was for the sense of humor and to get a conversation started, but he seriously wont even run a rod in any of them.

I have an 94 in 25 20, came out of a real deal sheepherders family, has the typical replaced by the fire silver quarter front sight, totally brown, though not really any deep pits. I want to restore it and see no harm. A guy could of course invent some stories and impress folks about the gun as is, and perhaps find some decorator or some such to pay big money.

I mean its possible, that John C Fremonts nephew owned it or other some such NV history horse turd story. ;D

 

[marlinman93]

Green paint isn't patina, and taking it off carefully wont hurt the gun's value. I had a friend bring me a beauitiful 1873 Win. that was 99% condition, with white paint spreckles all over the metal and wood where someone carelessly painted in the room where it hung on a wall. Should he have left that paint on the gun? After carefully cleaning the metal and wood, it is one of the nicest 1873's I've ever seen.
Careful cleaning is not a problem, but aggressive cleaning is. My rule is if it looks cleaned up to someone else when you're done, then you went too far. If someone can't tell it was cleaned up, then it's perfect. Difference is a clean gun vs. an over cleaned gun.

 

[buckeyeshooter]

Just to muddy the waters, I bought an 1893 a few years ago with the sole intention of restoration. I guess I have a touch of OCD when it comes to guns - I like to see 'em all prettied up. If it were inherited, and the use were from a family member, that's one thing. But I personally have no attachment to someone else's use / abuse.

The 1893 I picked up had no case colors showing, maybe 40% blue left, rust pits and dings on the bbl, and well used furniture. When I got done with it, it's absolutely gorgeous. I paid 850, put another 600 or so in it for a new chunck of walnut, and Turnbull to case and rust blue after I did the metal prep. So for a little under 1500 and a healthy dose of elbow grease, I have a Marlin in a condition that I could never afford to buy if original. Did I kill collector value? Yup. But at 850, it wasn't high on the collector list anyway. It was as standard as it could be - no special order features at all. I just gave it another hundred years lease on life.

It all boils down to what you want. If you like 'em in original condition, no matter how bad, then leave it alone. Nothing more fun than holding a 110 year old rifle in your hands while trying to imagine just how it got in the shape it. But if your like me, and like one with a little bling, and can't afford original bling, then fix 'er up.

Actually, there are some of us who collect Turnbull Guns-- so while you killed the marlin collector value, the turnbull collector value is still there AND we pay big bucks for those guns because of the quality.

 

[Big Shrek]

It boils down to whether you want to use it as a shooter, or whether it's a Safe Queen.

I've placed my personal Safe Queen limit at $1500, if a rifle's worth more than that, it can stay in the safe.

So far I've yet to pay over $350 for ANY rifle and none are worth over $1k...so everything is a shooter

Can't afford Safe Queen's for the rest of my life anyway...not with twins due to be born in a few months...lol

 

[RGR]

Actually, there are some of us who collect Turnbull Guns-- so while you killed the marlin collector value, the turnbull collector value is still there AND we pay big bucks for those guns because of the quality.

You got any notion how many Turnbull collectors are out there? Far as I know, in this area at least, the jury is still out as too whether his "restored" guns are going to appreciate.

And understand, I am not dissing, simply asking other educated opinions and observations of the "gun game" we all enjoy.