doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Restore/Refinish - Yes or No

I may not know much beyond the last chapter I read (and you can't have the tune in your head until you've put your book larnin in practise and made all the mistakes in the book) but I do know to "travel light" with the remuddling. Yesterday evening I bought a model 12 skeet (ws-1, 3-pin duckbill rib) from 1961. Not much question it's a safe queen but as usual there are those little things (slight bit of pin rust right side of that mirror-blued receiver, couple dings on the toe of the stock, and some nasty scratches in the cove under the comb nose right side suggesting that somebody might have cleaned some bird dirt or something hard out of that cove with somehting like 100grt sandpaper. What do I need to clean this gun up? Well, I don't need aircraft stripper, roaster pans of acetone, Murphy's Oil Soap, and an advanced degree in Winchester red stain and overcoat. I don't need six grades of microabrasives for paint. I've got a small felt rubber that I use with pumice. I've got one I use with rottenstone. I've got a rag in a can black with Simichrome polish. I've got a bottle of the best finish patcher you'll ever see courtesy the British invasion. So I used a bit of slackum as lube and the pumice to reduce the scratches at thumbhole (being careful not to go thru the finish at sharp edges). Did the same at the local finish loss at toe. Followed with the rottenstone rubber and slackum both areas. Followed with rottenstone rubber and a couple drops of slackum over entire stock faces, non-checkered areas of grip area. Wiped down and followed with Simichrome rag over entire stock and forend. Just lightly polished receiver faces with the rag. Stuck a kleenex in the receiver and didn't get black so put a drop of Ed's Red on the bolt and a drop on the stide and slideway and cycled the gun a few times with the slide release depressed. Oiled exterior with Ballistol on a Kleenex, cleaned out a few corners and between rib posts with a Q-tip. To me this is "cleaning and touchup" and I'm very happy when that's all I have to do to get below what probably should be known as safe scum. Can't possibly be worth more than what I paid but I doubt you'd spot the Shinola job if you saw the gun for sale. It would appear a bit cleaner, bit shinier, bit newer, blemishes a bit less apparent at arm's length.

jack

"A dealer tried to buy my decoys and told me they should be displayed in a "direct light" free room, in controlled humidity. Like a closet I asked. He thought that was the perfect place. Nice safe, dark, protected and just waiting for the next owner."

About 20 years ago a picker looking for old stuff in the country stopped by as I was working in the shed. He noticed wood sea duck decoys I had bought for a dollar each from a buddy who had chipped them out 30 years previously. They were chipped with flaking paint and raked by shot.

"What do you want for them?" he said. I figured 25 per cent markup would be good. I wasn't using them; they were too heavy to lug around. "How about one twenty-five each." He pulled out a wallet bulging with money and started counting out $10s and $20s.

Two dozen tollers at $1.25 each to me were $3,000 to him and you could have knocked me sideways.

My 2 cents, is it depends. About 6 years ago I purchased off Gunbroker a Parker VH 12 gauge, 30" barrels on a number 2 frame. Most common Parker made. I paid $400 for the gun and it had a severely cracked stock, because someone had drilled a hole in the buttstock (a bad recoil pad was also added) and poured molten lead into it, probably to balance the gun with those long barrels. Over the years the lead expanded or the buttstock contracted (I've heard both) and the stock was split on both sides and there was also a small split at the head of the stock. I knew all of those things going in, but the price was right and it was my first Parker. I got the gun with no idea of restoring it. I simply wanted a shooter that would work for ducks with bismuth. I went on the Parker guncollectors website and asked about getting the work done and someone recommended a fellow located in Ga ( Bill Scwartz I think) who was a good smith who knew Parkers and who could undoubtedly take care of the buttstock issues. Also, less I mention it, the gun was mechanically very sound. Chokes were full and full, screws had never seen a screwdriver and the bores were outstanding. Gun had not one speck of case color (except the watertable and forearm iron and blueing was pretty gone.

Anyway, I contacted the Ga Gunsmith and told him I wanted him to repair the stock because this was a shooter pure and simple and we agreed on a price for that service and off the gun went.

After the gun was received, Bill called me and said this was a prime candidate for restoration and he would be glad to undertake it if I wished. Cost as I recall for the "Whole Enchilada" was $1,000. I decided what the heck, for $800 more then just have the stock repaired, plus a new (repro) Hawkins pad added I could have a pretty nice gun, so I said go for it.

Probably 8 months later I got the gun back and it looked like a new gun. Wasn't perfect, because I could see where the stock repairs had been made, but everything else was super. In fact, it was almost too nice. Thoughts of using it to hunt ducks disappeared and I went the Benelli route instead. The gun sat in the safe for several years unused. After a bit of time I decided that was pretty dumb, as it wasn't a new gun and I'd just go ahead and use it. It became a great gun to use pass shooting doves and it also became my turkey gun when I wanted to do something different then the norm. In fact, I think it will be the only gun I carry with me while turkey hunting this year.

The cherry on top of the Sundae happened last year when I went to Nebraska Turkey hunting and brought the Parker as my backup gun. Without getting into the gory details, I got too close to my Benelli SBE and got bit by the scope mounted on it and blood flew everywhere. Now really scared of the Benelli I pulled out the old Parker and decided to give it a go. Was rewarded the final day with the following at about ten yards:





Now, if I decide to sell that Parker at some point, I won't loose money on it, but I also think its pretty special the way it is. I no longer worry about beating it up, but I am careful, just like I'm careful with my other side by sides. So my answer it if you want to restore it, do it right and get advise from folks who know what they are talking about. Turnbull seems to be the current gold standard, but there are others out there who also do good work. My final thoughts is do what you want its your gun, just have fun doing it.

I picked up a lc smith grade 2E crown steel barrels a short time ago, it has an old poor condition pad and some cracks under the lock plates....along with the lock up being a little loose with the forend off ...Talked to a good smith and it seems like for in the 500/600 range he can epoxy the cracks, replace the old pad and tighten up the action...Case colors are all but gone with barrel blue in the 85% range....should make a nice shooter for a decent price when done..dont think Id ever completly redue a gun but repairs and a little spruce up can bring one back to life.....think I might just do that...