feralmerril
Absent Comrade
I generaly am not into refinishing. How deep are those pits on both guns? If I thought a good refinish could be done I would refinnish both in a heartbeat.
TJ's Registered Magnum - What Should He Do? (NEW PHOTOS ADDED 11/29/2007)
- Thread starter RKmesa
- Start date
As much as I am against refinishing collectable guns, this one needs help. It is ugly enough the owner will never take it our and use it, so may as well refinish, UNLESS there is some historical connection.
This is, indeed, an interesting discussion.
One distinction to be made with a restored [sic] RM and the hypothetical painting reproduced on original canvas, is that in the painting's case the original canvas itself is of little worth and the application of paint by the artists is the sum total of the art. It's original purpose is to be hung on a wall and admired.
This is not the case with a revolver, and most especially not the case with an RM, given the meticulous handfitting by the best craftsmen, etc. It's original purpose... well, you get the idea.
I'd also stress the point that not all refinishes are the same. Most, I would agree, are mere refinishes, of varying quality, but some I believe worthy of being termed "restoration." It should of course be acknowledged that there is a great distinction between original and restored, with restored, in my view, being the results of an accomplished artisan doing his best to return an object to the condition that it was when it was first produced.
I like factory refinished guns with the star in the butt. To me these represent good deals. And while I would not pay the same amount for a gun restored by a master that I would for a high condition original, I'd pay for the restoration talent.
I'm very much in agreement with all of those comments of "your gun so do what you want!"
One distinction to be made with a restored [sic] RM and the hypothetical painting reproduced on original canvas, is that in the painting's case the original canvas itself is of little worth and the application of paint by the artists is the sum total of the art. It's original purpose is to be hung on a wall and admired.
This is not the case with a revolver, and most especially not the case with an RM, given the meticulous handfitting by the best craftsmen, etc. It's original purpose... well, you get the idea.
I'd also stress the point that not all refinishes are the same. Most, I would agree, are mere refinishes, of varying quality, but some I believe worthy of being termed "restoration." It should of course be acknowledged that there is a great distinction between original and restored, with restored, in my view, being the results of an accomplished artisan doing his best to return an object to the condition that it was when it was first produced.
I like factory refinished guns with the star in the butt. To me these represent good deals. And while I would not pay the same amount for a gun restored by a master that I would for a high condition original, I'd pay for the restoration talent.
I'm very much in agreement with all of those comments of "your gun so do what you want!"
glypnir
Member
It is not in good shape externally, is it? As an engineer, I'm always looking at hidden quality. What shape is the bore in? How about the action?
I like stealth myself. I'd like a pistol with that history that looked like that, but had the accuracy and sweet trigger that Registered Magnums are supposed to have.
One of my favorite vehicles was my old '78 Country Squire with the passenger side doors bashed in. Everything still worked just fine, the doors opened and closed and sealed, the power windows went up and down. And as an added bonus, those people who stick their noses out at intersections pulled them back when that old boat appeared over the horizon.
It would be a total hoot to take that little beauty to the range and fire some 158 grain 1475 fps Buffalo Bores out of it.
Better yet, find some competition where it is appropriate.
Fix the insides, just stabilize the outside. That's my contrarian advice.
I like stealth myself. I'd like a pistol with that history that looked like that, but had the accuracy and sweet trigger that Registered Magnums are supposed to have.
One of my favorite vehicles was my old '78 Country Squire with the passenger side doors bashed in. Everything still worked just fine, the doors opened and closed and sealed, the power windows went up and down. And as an added bonus, those people who stick their noses out at intersections pulled them back when that old boat appeared over the horizon.
It would be a total hoot to take that little beauty to the range and fire some 158 grain 1475 fps Buffalo Bores out of it.
Better yet, find some competition where it is appropriate.
Fix the insides, just stabilize the outside. That's my contrarian advice.
>
That Ruger is more than salvagable. Alot of engravers will pass at 'saving' a gun like that because they don't do their own prep work,,polishing. Knowing what and how to polish in preperation for your own engraving and what the engraving is going to have to do in a case like this can save one such as this Ruger. Not a knock against those that don't do their own prep work, just a fact. It takes alot of extra time, skill and patience not only to polish correctly but to learn how to in the first place. That's time most engravers would rather spend cutting.
Furthermore the R/M at the beginning of this thread is a perfect candidate for an engraving project. A careful polishing and engraving job could leave the gun with no signs of it's present condition IMHO. I've worked with alot worse.
Oh ho! Now there is a terrific idea!
Here's one more opinion...
And this opinion is coming from someone who has never had such a nice gun and does not collect "keepers" as a practice.
My dad used to collect old Winchester lever guns. Mom gave him a '73 in .22 rimfire....an unusual caliber...BUT...it had been re-blued and the wood had been re-finished.
To my mother, it was a "beautiful" gun. Dad never warmed to the gun. I have to admit, I didn't either. Like my father, I prefer guns that hold their original finish (or a % of the original finish).
The only guns I've had re-blued were:
1. Cheap and non-collectible. (like an old 38 HE that was good mechanically but had already been re-blued at least once when I came upon it)
2. Sentimental. My wife gave me a nickel plated M28-2 that began to flake. I chose to re-blue this gun because it was my wedding gift and I like to show people the gun. (note, this gun is also a non-collectible piece).
Just my .02
Bob
And this opinion is coming from someone who has never had such a nice gun and does not collect "keepers" as a practice.
My dad used to collect old Winchester lever guns. Mom gave him a '73 in .22 rimfire....an unusual caliber...BUT...it had been re-blued and the wood had been re-finished.
To my mother, it was a "beautiful" gun. Dad never warmed to the gun. I have to admit, I didn't either. Like my father, I prefer guns that hold their original finish (or a % of the original finish).
The only guns I've had re-blued were:
1. Cheap and non-collectible. (like an old 38 HE that was good mechanically but had already been re-blued at least once when I came upon it)
2. Sentimental. My wife gave me a nickel plated M28-2 that began to flake. I chose to re-blue this gun because it was my wedding gift and I like to show people the gun. (note, this gun is also a non-collectible piece).
Just my .02
Bob
There is an interesting theme, or consensus, that I see developing in this
thread, and that is that, quite apart from earlier beliefs about the pro's
and con's of refinishing, there is a belief that the ususal rules do not
apply, in this particular case. A lot of the respondee's feel that the
damage to this gun is not historical wear and tear, but something different,
like abnormal abuse. Furthermore, I would say that theere is a consensus
that something needs to be done, with this gun.
Of course, there are several die-hard responses, who can probably best
be sumarized by " Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead with doing nothing."
Personally I think they have closed their eyes to this situation - particularly
the comments about - "If it doesn't plese you - sell it and move on" .
I would bet money that if that happens, the next owner will get the gun to
a refinisher as quickly as possible - and not ask the opinion of any of us.
The gun is an important gun, and should be preserved. If it were restored,
and that word is not obsolete, it would be a very desireable gun for a
lot of the respondee's here. Those who do not prefer restored guns would
avoid it, but again I would bet money that a lot more would be very interested
in it.
I'm not a fan of restored guns, and I own a couple, but as long as they are
appropriately marked and identified, I don't go into a tizzy over them. Its like
Ray Brazille says: You don't have to be a horse-person, but there is a butt for
every saddle.
Later, Mike Priwer
thread, and that is that, quite apart from earlier beliefs about the pro's
and con's of refinishing, there is a belief that the ususal rules do not
apply, in this particular case. A lot of the respondee's feel that the
damage to this gun is not historical wear and tear, but something different,
like abnormal abuse. Furthermore, I would say that theere is a consensus
that something needs to be done, with this gun.
Of course, there are several die-hard responses, who can probably best
be sumarized by " Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead with doing nothing."
Personally I think they have closed their eyes to this situation - particularly
the comments about - "If it doesn't plese you - sell it and move on" .
I would bet money that if that happens, the next owner will get the gun to
a refinisher as quickly as possible - and not ask the opinion of any of us.
The gun is an important gun, and should be preserved. If it were restored,
and that word is not obsolete, it would be a very desireable gun for a
lot of the respondee's here. Those who do not prefer restored guns would
avoid it, but again I would bet money that a lot more would be very interested
in it.
I'm not a fan of restored guns, and I own a couple, but as long as they are
appropriately marked and identified, I don't go into a tizzy over them. Its like
Ray Brazille says: You don't have to be a horse-person, but there is a butt for
every saddle.
Later, Mike Priwer
handejector
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I did forget to mention that Mike is right about one point- SOMETHING needs to be done about the rust. Since there is no plastic front sight, it can be soaked in various things. I would pull the grips, put it in a sealable container (maybe metal), and soak it in either Hoppe's #9 or CorrosionX for a week or two. It might take bronze wool and copper brushes to remove it all. Once cleaned, slop RIG all over it, and wipe it down. What rust might remain can't continue without oxygen.
You can ALWAYS refinish it at any time, but you can't UNDO it, so take your time on deciding. You'll be spending money, time, and attention to get nowhere.
IF that rust is from blood from a suicide or a contact shooting, is THAT considered part of the history? Do you know how the rust occured? Can we see the other side?
You can ALWAYS refinish it at any time, but you can't UNDO it, so take your time on deciding. You'll be spending money, time, and attention to get nowhere.
IF that rust is from blood from a suicide or a contact shooting, is THAT considered part of the history? Do you know how the rust occured? Can we see the other side?
I think that Lee may have a good thought that the gun was either a suicide gun or a contact shooting gun that was discarded. If either of those were the case, it was apparently left untouched and exposed to the elements for a long time.
The only way that I could leave it in the present condition (after arresting the rust) would be if the traumatic history could be documented and then I would seal it up in a shadow box with the supporting information.
As it stands now, it MAKES MY TEETH ITCH!!
Of course, there is an old saying that "all cats look alike in the dark"...so perhaps if the electricity went off...
Bob
The only way that I could leave it in the present condition (after arresting the rust) would be if the traumatic history could be documented and then I would seal it up in a shadow box with the supporting information.
As it stands now, it MAKES MY TEETH ITCH!!
Of course, there is an old saying that "all cats look alike in the dark"...so perhaps if the electricity went off...
Bob
handejector
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Bob,
Never heard that one.
I have heard "they all get prettier at closing time"...
I wonder about the mechanical condition of the gun, especially the bore?
My first preference would be to have the gun restored - as opposed to just reblued - by somebody who really knew what they were doing. That is assuming that the pitting isn't so deep that restoration is impossible.
My first preference would be to have the gun restored - as opposed to just reblued - by somebody who really knew what they were doing. That is assuming that the pitting isn't so deep that restoration is impossible.
Perhaps I should add a little to my comment here. What I meant to imply was that if the gun could be tied to a significant event (and certainly a suicide or murder would be significant, at least to the victim), I would leave the gun as is. At that point, the event would become the center of focus amd the gun would become a piece of supportive documentation.
Bob
I do not like refinished guns.
I do not like them, every one.
I do not like them in a box.
(No more than I like internal locks).
I do not like them fixed & cured
With history on them quite obscured.
I do not like them brightly renickeled
Even if the finish looked quite pickeled.
I do not like the nice reblues.
I do not mind those buggered screws.
I do not like them all restored
The history's gone & I get bored.
I do not like them polished and buffed
Of "restoration" I've had enuff!
Dr. Soups.
I do not like them, every one.
I do not like them in a box.
(No more than I like internal locks).
I do not like them fixed & cured
With history on them quite obscured.
I do not like them brightly renickeled
Even if the finish looked quite pickeled.
I do not like the nice reblues.
I do not mind those buggered screws.
I do not like them all restored
The history's gone & I get bored.
I do not like them polished and buffed
Of "restoration" I've had enuff!
Dr. Soups.
digi-shots
Member
Jim, that was a great one!
Do you have that little diddy copyrighted??
Hope you don't mind if I use it some time.
Do you have that little diddy copyrighted??
Hope you don't mind if I use it some time.
cflier
Member
Wow Dr. Soups, that is a reply with style. Jim did you ever consider that you might make some "REAL" money writing kids books instead scholarly tombs about guns? Your style might really catch on.
Mark
Mark
The Virginian
Member
I would send it in to be restored to someone like RGS Restorations that can not only polish it properly, but keep the roll marks sharp, the edges and rounds without sacrificing the original dimensions, plus they can do the proper "carbonia blue" and re-case color the hammer and trigger. It will cost more than a repolish and rebluing, but the result is far more credible.
Not to stir the hornet's nest, but how about restoring the gun to proper mechanical condition and leaving the finish as is?
Where is the line drawn? For those that say do not refinish, are new springs, a replacement hand, and a replacement, but vintage, sideplate screw combined with some gunsmithing a "refinish?"
I would make it mechanically safe to shoot, if possible and use a good preservative grease on the inside and outside.
Mark
Where is the line drawn? For those that say do not refinish, are new springs, a replacement hand, and a replacement, but vintage, sideplate screw combined with some gunsmithing a "refinish?"
I would make it mechanically safe to shoot, if possible and use a good preservative grease on the inside and outside.
Mark
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