We have been babysitting my 3 grandsons for 5 days while their parents are on vacation and their neighbor came over and asked me for help with some guns he inherited from his father as he had been told I knew a thing or two about them.
He first pulled out a Winchester Model 54 with a Leupold scope. Beautiful rifle but I believe it had been drilled and tapped for the modern scope, the rear aperature sight was missing (factory holes and the stock was milled for it), stock had been shortened and a recoil pad installed at some time. I gave him the good and bad news as far as collectability goes. After research the rifle was built in 1926. It's a shame so many old rifles have been messed with.
Then on to a beautiful Colt 1911 Governent Model commercial. My research turned up it had been produced in 1914. Some thin blueing on the slide and minor pitting from being kept in a leather holster but otherwise all there. Taught him to field strip it and NOT store it in the holster. Fun fooling around with neat guns.
He pulled out a real gem though, a Remington 510P (for peep sight) with original peep sight intact, slight browning on the metal, beautiful unmarked original stock, slight chip in the bakelite buttplate. My research turned up 1940 as a DOM. Thankfully this one escaped mutilation.
An H&R model 922, 9 shot revolver in great shape. Taught him to take the cylinder out and clean it.
A nice Marlin bolt .22 rifle with a real ****** Tasco 3/4" scope on it.
Another .22 rifle with Leupold scope and my memory escapes me now.
All in all a fun time helping this young man with his new guns.