Altering Classic Guns

[andrewdl007]

I was wondering what you all think about the altering of a classic shotgun or for that matter classic firearms in general. I have a 20 ga. Browning Superposed from the 1950's that belonged to my uncle. I have thought about getting the stock cut down to fit my girlfriend who is too small for the gun. Youth sized fit her better than most regular sized shotguns. Anyway, this got me thinking about how the forum felt about such alterations to classic guns. Back in the day guns like this were fitted to their owners (my great-grandfather's Win 21 is short on me because he was a small man). I’m not talking about a camo pattern or anything like that. Is there a certain age at which guns should just be left in their existing configuration?

 

[returningfire]

I might do that to the shotgun for my wife or fiancee, but for a girlfriend?
Better make sure she is a keeper before you go to whittling on your Uncle's shotgun.
The shotgun you described is a very nice shotgun, but not really a rarity, yet.
If it were a more rarer classic I wouldn't alter it.

 

[andrewdl007]

That’s my feeling that the gun is not quite rare enough, and I’m not altering much of the aesthetics.

And she is definitely a keeper, only a month or so away from fiancé.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I would see if you can find a stock from Boyds, etc. to cut down before cutting the original.

Years ago I bought a cheap single shot H&R in 20 gauge for my wife and cut it to fit with a recoil pad. She hated shooting it. Earlier this year I found a used Beretta 20 gauge auto and now she is happy.

 

[Sam1911]

If it's in original condition, buy a replacement stock for it and cut that one down.

She may be a keeper (or may not), but she also may really like this gun -- or may decide after a wile shooting it that she doesn't care for it or finds something better. Then you can't put your heirloom gun back into original condition.

One of the basic tenets of preservation is that you don't alter or destroy original historic fabric -- wood, metal, plastic, whatever. And in this case, there is NO reason to do so. Spend a little and get a replacement stock and cut it just for her.

(Your great-grand-dad's 21 is a piece of your family history that shows something about who he was and what he did. You don't want to destroy that evidence, either.)

 

[rbernie]

Local shop coincidentally has a 12ga Superposed with a cut-down stock on it. It's been there for a while, and it's not going anywhere any time soon. Not much call for a youth-sized Superposed.

The problem with altering classic guns is that you render them un-saleable *unless* you take Sam's approach of altering a replacement part such that the gun can be returned to original condition in the future.

 

[desidog]

Well, I had the exact same problem, except a 12ga.

I bought a previously cut down stock on gunbroker for my girlfriend to get into clays. It was quite cheap since no one wants a shorty! I think it took me a few months to find; but it worked... and now we're married. Just think, if i'd left a full sized stock on it, she wouldn't have been making consistent hits, and gotten fed up with shooting...

 

[huntsman]

I was wondering what you all think about the altering of a classic shotgun or for that matter classic firearms in general

guns should be used and LOP on shotgun is critical so yeah altering is acceptable but it needs to be done correctly by a stock man and not bubba it up in the garage.

 

[AI&P Tactical]

In 2000 a friend showed me a .22 Gallery pump that his father left him. I looked it up in my Blue Book and it was worth around $700. I told him to leave it as is since it was a little better then 95%. Sure as could be about a year latter he let the son of some client who blues guns reblue it and even redo the stock. Destroyed the collectable value of that weapon.

I only bring this up because because you asked about Classic. So have more value in their original condition. Others may be old but have very little collectable value and are the kind you refinish and have a blast shooting. Knowing which is which is the Key.

 

[headoftheholler]

Value is not the most important thing to everybody. What enjoyment is there in having dozens of guns that just rot in the safe? Take a look at Turnbulls page.

 

[eastbank]

i think i would look for a new girl friend with longer arms,just kidding. i vote to get another stock and keep the orginal,original. eastbank.

 

[MinnesotaFats]

why not just get a single shot 20ga or a used pump for a smidge more coin than a new stock would cost? either way i personally would never modify a family hierloom for a girlfriend.

 

[Sam1911]

Value is not the most important thing to everybody.

It isn't so much a matter of monetary value as it is being the best steward you can be of historic resource. There are ways of enjoying things that don't erase or alter the historic fabric. The world has enough cut-down, refinished, mucked with antiques.

To paraphrase an all too common expression, "Oh that was great grandpa's beautiful Browning Superposed. Yeah...uncle Andrew cut it down for some girl back in 2013. "

 

[Carl N. Brown]

While I am not now in the market for a Browning, I would rather have the gun with original length stock plus an alternate stock for short stature (youth/women), than have the gun with original stock altered.

 

[BigG]

A Browning Superposed is a beautiful shotgun. It would be a shame to cut it down and any value it had would disappear. For a girlfriend? Surely you jest!

 

[Ash]

I once had the autographs of the Denver Broncos from 1989, including John Elway, that my sister got by accidental meeting in London of all places. She, another sister of mine, and a future brother-in-law got to hang out with them in London a few nights. One day, I gave the slip of paper on which the signatures were affixed to a girl I loved and was sure to marry. I haven't seen that paper or the girl for more than a decade.

A Browning Superposed is a very nice shotgun. While it does need to be used - firearms do need that - at what point do you willingly permanently alter a firearm for someone who may or may not even like shooting it after the fact? Or, someone who may not be a keeper? Mine was a keeper. Man, was she a keeper! And she kept my Denver Broncos (she WAS a fiance). I say not only no, but HECK no. Wait for the ring at the very least, and by that I mean wedding ring. A month away from fiance is still a girlfriend. Women folk are a fickle breed of creature on which few lasting predictions may be made.

Nah, forget that, don't do it at all. That shotgun deserves to be used, and if it gets cut down and never gets used at all, what was the point? If you can't use it, if she doesn't use it, it is now a waste of materials that cannot even bring a good price. Get that replacement stock and have it cut down (or perhaps see if a shorter LOP version can be found). You can even have it laser-etched with something personal for her. If she likes it, she'll cherish it. If she doesn't, well, put the original stock back on and it's yours.

The shotgun is yours, true, but it was also your uncle's. Preserve it as a family piece. I see folks sporterize military guns and claim that it is theirs and they can do to it what ever they want. While they are correct, I support private property rights, guns that get so treated rarely get used. The sad fact is that they end up collecting dust in pawn shops only to be bought for parts down the road. They are like a pretty girl going into cheap porn. Ten years down the road she is a worn-out hag doing meth.

That ain't no future for a Browning Superposed.