Winchester knowledge, please

[skeezix]

I have a 1966 vintage "Winchester Centennial '66" commemorative rifle with brass receiver, fore-end cap and butt plate. The gun has never been fired or cleaned. The brass is dark (mellow yellow), and I would like to polish it with Brasso.

My question is: Is this just raw brass, or did Winchester apply some sort of "protective coating" to it to prevent corrosion?

Here's the gun:

 

[skeezix]

I have a 1966 vintage "Winchester Centennial '66" commemorative rifle with brass receiver, fore-end cap and butt plate. The gun has never been fired or cleaned. The brass is dark (mellow yellow), and I would like to polish it with Brasso.

My question is: Is this just raw brass, or did Winchester apply some sort of "protective coating" to it to prevent corrosion?

Here's the gun:

 

[Bruce51]

If that was unprotected brass it would have darken substantially and even possibly have developed some verdi gris.It looks real good for a 1966 vintage gun. I would nix the brasso and just apply some wax. Bruce

The Centennial 66 and the Buffalo Bill were the two best selling commemoratives offered. Over 100,000 of each were made.

 

[pownal55]

if it has collector value i would leave it as is.

 

[shovelwrench]

I thought that looked like gold plate....

Wax it at most, gold does not corrode, so not much protection is needed. HOWEVER, gold plate is VERY thin, and will wear through if handled much.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/win_centennial_66.htm

 

[Wickahoney]

The "66" really a 1894 was available as a rifle like you have and as a carbine. Yes, unfired etc. it has some collectors value. The minute you take the brasso to it, it'll be just another 1894 manufactiured in 1966.

Post 1964 Winchesters don't/didn't hold value as well as the older stuff of course.

Commerative 1894 are hard to keep track of for value especially since they went belly up.

The one thing that is absolutely certain is the an unaltered unpolished gun it worth more than one that has been "messed" with.

Sort of like the Antiques Road Show. Don't polish or strip the furniture. The same holds true for guns.

RWT

 

[skeezix]

OK, guys, thanks a ton for your replies.

According to the article that shovelwrench provided the link for, that "brass" receiver and fore-end cap are gold plate, and the butt plate is brass.

The rifle has no box, so it is not really a "collector" gun. But I'm not going to do anything to diminish what value it does have. I'll just wipe the fingerprints off the gold plate, wipe down the blue steel with some CLP, and maybe wax the wood.

I'm sure glad I asked.