Recently my Grandmother gave me her fathers rifle. It is a Wards westernfield 22 lr pump. I am unsure about the value of this rifle but it means alot to me. Does anyone have a estimate on how much it would cost to have it reblued.
Rebluing rifle
- Thread starter gfpd707
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bobelk99
Member
Think long and hard before you have the gun reblued. It no longer with be the true 'family gun' it is now.
I don't know enough to give you a bluing estimate, but I know local prices for generic blue jobs run 125-250 for round barrel hunting rifles.
The sad part is your gun will likely be worth less after if is reblued.
I don't know enough to give you a bluing estimate, but I know local prices for generic blue jobs run 125-250 for round barrel hunting rifles.
The sad part is your gun will likely be worth less after if is reblued.
John Wayne
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If it is a family heirloom, you shouldn't sell it--in which case, there is nothing wrong with re-bluing it so that you can enjoy it for years to come.
35Rem
Member
Good advice in post 2, BAD advice in post 3.
The wear on that gun was put there through honest use by YOUR FAMILY. You take that away, it's just another gun. The scratches, nicks, and dings all have a story for how they got there.
Leave it like it is and add a few of your own Character Marks, then pass it along down the Family Tree.
The wear on that gun was put there through honest use by YOUR FAMILY. You take that away, it's just another gun. The scratches, nicks, and dings all have a story for how they got there.
Leave it like it is and add a few of your own Character Marks, then pass it along down the Family Tree.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
I have to agree.
Every time you look at one of those scratches or bluing wear, remember it was your grandfathers hands when it was put there.
Those reminders and memories of him would all be erased by the bluing guys buffing wheels.
Then you just have a fairly cheap old gun, with a fairly expensive new finish.
rc
Every time you look at one of those scratches or bluing wear, remember it was your grandfathers hands when it was put there.
Those reminders and memories of him would all be erased by the bluing guys buffing wheels.
Then you just have a fairly cheap old gun, with a fairly expensive new finish.
rc
I own and operate a firearms refinishing service. We have plenty of work but of course, I'm always looking for more because more work is more money in my pocket! Over the years, I have only turned down two refinishing jobs. In both cases, refinishing would have turned a high dollar collector's piece into a lower dollar shooter. However, over the years I have several times made an effort to talk the Customer out of having the firearm refinished. "It may not be worth a lot of money but it's worth a lot of memories". Sometimes, you can just hold the rifle and feel the memories!
Before refinishing it, ask yourself if it's worth it. It'll never be a tacticool rifle. It'll never be a deer hunter. It'll always be an old rifle that belonged to your Great Grampa. Unless it's a total rust pile, you might try doing a full detail disassembly, clean the metal parts with a soft brush and Mineral Spirits, clean the wood and polish it with a high grade polish, oil it all up and keep it that way.
I still have the gun that my Daddie gave me for my seventh birthday and that was quite a while ago. I still have his old shotgun and he passed away in 1967. Both of them are orginal and have all of the scars that we put on them. Sure, I could refinish them. But then, they would just be two old guns that look good. Keep yer powder dry, Mac.
Tuff-Gun Finishes. The name Says It All.
Mac's Shootin' Irons
http://www.shootiniron.com
Before refinishing it, ask yourself if it's worth it. It'll never be a tacticool rifle. It'll never be a deer hunter. It'll always be an old rifle that belonged to your Great Grampa. Unless it's a total rust pile, you might try doing a full detail disassembly, clean the metal parts with a soft brush and Mineral Spirits, clean the wood and polish it with a high grade polish, oil it all up and keep it that way.
I still have the gun that my Daddie gave me for my seventh birthday and that was quite a while ago. I still have his old shotgun and he passed away in 1967. Both of them are orginal and have all of the scars that we put on them. Sure, I could refinish them. But then, they would just be two old guns that look good. Keep yer powder dry, Mac.
Tuff-Gun Finishes. The name Says It All.
Mac's Shootin' Irons
http://www.shootiniron.com
jimmyraythomason
Member
My dad inherited an old single barrel 12 ga shotgun called The Hero (I THINK it was a copy of the Iver Johnson Champion takedown). It was bought by my gguncle around 1900 and had a pattent date of 1899 on it. The nickle plated receiver (factory) was badly worn and all bluing was gone. The stock was severely oil soaked. My brother and I took it and had the receiver renickled and blued everything else. We refinished the stock and installed a new bead sight( this was in the 1980s). We gave it to dad for his birthday present. The joy of seeing the look on dad's face to see the "Old Hero" returned to it's former glory was worth it all. Dad died in 2003. I am the eldest but have no sons(2 daughters) so I gave the gun to my brother who gave it to his eldest son and it is promised to my greatnephew when he is older. We have never regretted redoing the old gun.
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John Wayne
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Again, I disagree. An analogy:
If you inherited a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air that had flaking paint, a cracked windshield, bald tires, and holes in the upholstery, are you going to leave it like that because someone in your family wore it out? Take it to the local drive-in and show it off despite pitted chrome and rusted-out exhaust?
Or will you get more enjoyment out of it having it repainted in the originally factory color, replating the chrome, buying new tires, etc.?
By refinishing your family heirloom firearm, you are not committing an atrocity--you are taking good care of a valued tool and ensuring future generations will be able to enjoy it. This of course only applies if you intend to shoot it--if you're going to hang it on the wall somewhere, I would not have it refinished.
If you inherited a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air that had flaking paint, a cracked windshield, bald tires, and holes in the upholstery, are you going to leave it like that because someone in your family wore it out? Take it to the local drive-in and show it off despite pitted chrome and rusted-out exhaust?
Or will you get more enjoyment out of it having it repainted in the originally factory color, replating the chrome, buying new tires, etc.?
By refinishing your family heirloom firearm, you are not committing an atrocity--you are taking good care of a valued tool and ensuring future generations will be able to enjoy it. This of course only applies if you intend to shoot it--if you're going to hang it on the wall somewhere, I would not have it refinished.
Ohio Gun Guy
Member
Im for fixing it......well done, not an experiment, but I'll bet the Grandfather would agree......
Obviously my Opinion....
Obviously my Opinion....
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