So, I have this thing for inexpensive single shots. This weekend I picked up an H&R Topper 12 gauge to add to the herd. I did this almost without thinking and without really looking at the gun. I bought a revolver from the big gorilla, and since he's an out of state FFL, I had a friend of mine do the transfer for us. As my buddy was on the phone with NICS, I saw the H&R on his table, asked the price, and quickly said, "Add it to the NICS check."

My buddy runs a gun shop in OKC that caters to police officers. Among his other services, he will give a PD credit for the guns in their evidence locker toward new PD guns. The H&R came out of an evidence locker. Complete with evidence tape on the stock....

When I get it home I at it closely for the first time. On one side of the stock, someone has tacked a metallic eagle, which I gently removed. Underneath there was a hole. So I said, "Huh" and started peeling evidence tape. When I found a hole in the other side under the tape, I said, "Huh" again. I removed the butt plate to see if I could remove the stock, and when I shined the light down there, I saw that there was something sticking out from the holes. The right side is obviously a .22 bullet. The left side is the color of lead, but if it was once bullet shaped, it's been badly mangled.

So now I'm trying to figure out what to do. I can remove the rest of the tape, sand the stock and forearm, and refinish. I can leave it as-is and stand it in the corner of the porch as a warning to potential evildoers. Or I can "customize" it. I saw several "reservation guns" at the show that had been decorated by the Indians who owned them. Kinda cool. So I could also use some leather and decorative tacks to cover the stock and make it my own. Maybe put some shell loops on the right side and have some fringe hanging from the bottom.

What should I do?

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Insert short witty words here

I've never understood the thought that restoration of a firearm is forbidden and lowers the value. Yes, it would be nicer if we all could find a 1928 S&W in grandpa's closet that was NIB, but that's rare. So, when we buy a fine piece that needs "paint", why not? How many Ford Model A's are found in like new condition? None. We go to car shows and Ooh and Aah over the fine restoration work which increases the car in both looks and value. Why not guns? Because we have our heads turned around about that subject. Heck, we humans even do it to ourselves. A man or woman turn 50 and head off to the plastic surgeon and (hopefully) restore them to looking 25 again. In my opinion, as long as the restoration of anything is done tastefully and competently, why not. If it didn't need to be restored, we wouldn't do it. Ask yourself...would you drive that Model A in the condition you found it or restore it?

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Term limits!

My question would be, why would you even want to do this to and inexpensive single shot H&R anyway?

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Dick

You're not going to hurt the value of a shot Topper stock by refinishing it. You could easily drill out the holes, plug them with dowel and apply some finish.

I'd be tempted to buy a synthetic stock set form Brownell's. $35 will turn it into a tactical Topper!

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"I also cook."

Without pic's it's hard to visualize the final effect, but when trying to cover flaws or holes, my first choice is an inset.

Use a forstner bit to create a recess for a state quarter & inlay your state quarter in one side, the head of a shell on the other. Wah-Lah! holes covered

2nd choice is to do as Red Green would do, DUCT TAPE !

"Value" doesn't come into the equation. Like new, you would be lucky to sell one for $125. You can trust me when I say that I don't have anything near that in it and that it's not likely to be sold by me. If my wife or daughter sells it for less than "like new" value because the stock and forearm have been refinished (blueing is fine), then that's their problem as I'm likely dead.

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Insert short witty words here

Get an eye-bolt with a hole large enough for the barrel to fit through & a lag-screw to go thru the hole in the stock, mount high & pointing at a position in front of your door. Run a string from the trigger to some point as to appear that it goes inside.

Put a note on your door "smile, you're on camera" with an arrow pointing to the gun.

The ideal "wall hanger".

lAs an owner of a Topper, I'd say keep it original. Bought mine as the first firearm I purchased back in the late 1960s. Still shoots and accounts for a regular amount of squirrels and doves. Love it!

Oldfed, What do you consider "old"? I am 58 and still have my Topper. First firearm I was able to purchase new when I was 14 yrs old. Still shoot it and so does my son who inherited it when he was 14, Now 26! Think we will keep it "brown" Good luck to Ya!

Just my opinion - you won't increase or decrease its value by playing with a "repair". It might be fun to see what you can accomplish. I'd have some fun, and not look back.

I refinished a stock on a 70 year old shotgun. It took some doing to get it off the gun but I was finally able to do it (very little paperwork available). I was concerned about any sanding since I didn't want to take the wood down below the metal surface. I used finish remover, wiped it down with mineral spirits and used 000 steel wool to take care of the rest. Exposed some beautiful black walnut. I used Birchwood Casey gun stock finish using a finger to apply multiple coats. Cleaning up the checkering wasn't easy, I more or less just cleaned it the best I could. I have to say that the gun turned out great. I've already had a couple people ask if I could do theirs but, I don't want to take the chance that theirs won't turn out as well.

As others have stated, there ain't no way to damage the value, so knock yerself out with ideas.

Brass tacks in the stock and forearm for an Indian gun? Cool! Ceracoat and a plastic stock? Tactical Topper! Gold plated and a goose carved in the stock? Barbecue shotgun! Sky's the limit here!

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Even older, even crankier....

I have a different view point than others. I will clean up a neglected gun that was left to rust and decompose. I will never reblue or refinish others simply because they have scars, as this removes all the history of a gun. An H&R will never have top collector value but you have a gun with a neat history than if it could talk could tell some interesting stories. Once you refinish, any evidence of usage is forever gone. The world is full of guns and knives with no history that have never been there or done anything. Yours has "seen the elephant". I am proud of all the scars my guns and knives have acquired as well as my own scars from a life well lived. As far as cars are concerned, I watched the Disney cartoon CARS 2 with my grandsons. Seems MADER the beat up tow truck was offended when his pals suggested he get his dents removed. He took pride in his battle scars. I feel the same with my mountain vehicles though I do pound the dents out with a hammer and rattle can paint the bare metal. However we each have our own different views of what turns our crank, Most replying like shiny and new, while I and others admire guns with character marks. I guess different opinions make the world go around.

Because most, and overwhelming majority of gun collectors want originality and are willing to pay for it, myself included.

It's because we're 80+years out and most have been found and either made into hotrods or restored. The remainder have been destroyed. I'll bet if a factory original is found in a barn it'd be worth some money.

Not the same with firearms.

It's easy to tell when a person has had plastic surgery, ESPECIALLY when they take their clothes off!

Ask yourself this: all things being equal, would pay the SAME price for a factory original NIB X or a restored version of the same?

I'll take an unrestored original over a restored version everyday and 3x on Sunday!

That sounds like a gun even a 'bubba' repair job wouldn't devalue. Have at it.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I think it would be incredibly cool to have a gun with a bullet hole in it, especially if some of the bullet was still in the hole. I'd leave it alone if it were mine.

"Life is too short to shoot an ugly gun." Dean's Gun Restoration

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- Change it back -

An interesting quote from someone who makes a living doing the very thing he advocates. My favorite saying is, If you have a gun you want to restore, sell it to someone who appreciates your gun, and buy a new one that will make you happy.

Sand out the slivers, stain to match, varnish / shellac / finish to suit. Leave the character in place, but make it safe to shoot. A big, ol' sliver tear across your cheek could be a mite painful.

Just don't get carried away and make it "MINTY" .

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S&WHF 366

Does not seem that you will be hurting the value any by restoring it and making it a useful tool again from near garbage. If my wife can save Schnauzers from euthanasia, I should be able to save Smith revolvers (or you an H&R) from the blast furnace even if none of us see a penny of profit.