doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Question Regarding Old Stock Wood

Was bored and surfing the web last week when I saw this link that said "Syracuse Deluxe"; interest level thus tweaked, I clicked on the link and saw 3 pix of a pre-1902 vintage OO Grade Syracuse gun laying atop an old "mutton leg" leather case. And although this was a low-grade SAC gun, it was obviously in high condition; so I corresponded with the seller and finally picked up the gun last evening from my FFL. This is the closest to new condition SAC gun I've seen or handled; not a single screw has been turned since it left its maker, and the gun retains nearly all original case colors, blue, and wood finishes. The gun came from a seller in Indiana, and gave me this story. He purchased the gun from a 83 year local guy who told him that his grandfather had purchased the gun and leather case new. He used the gun only a few times then gave the gun to his grandson as a birthday gift, who subsequently used the gun a single time; then placed the gun back inside it's "mutton leg" case where it stayed until it was sold to the seller. The serial number and production features date this gun to 1901, and I honestly don't think this thing has received any attention since it was entombed inside its case. I don't plan to disassemble the gun for cleaning (will leave that to the pros); but will clean outside metal surfaces. But I'm not sure of the wood, which is obviously bone dry; what should I rub onto/into wood surfaces to nourish the wood a bit? The leather case remains in good condition (still has the little skeleton lock key tied by a string on the buckle), but is also dry as an old bone with some of the original stitching dry-rotted; what is the best product to rub into, and condition the leather a bit? I believe I've handled and examined as many SAC guns as anyone(?)and most have been shot hard, carried, used, abused, and neglected so that it was impossible to make an accurate assessment of the original quality of the piece. Although this example is SAC's low-end Grade OO gun, I am thoroughly impressed as to the quality of workmanship exhibited; the wood to metal fit is prefect, and all screws are perfectly aligned. Thanks in advance for your suggestions. Tom

Tom, let's see some pics. I love high end condition guns, even if low grades.

Congratulations on the find, Tom. I'd sure like to see pics, too. Otherwise, I may contact you ahead and come by next time I shoot up at Elberton. Sure would like to see her. I will leave the answers to your questions to the experts in those fields.

SRH

Desert dwellers deal regularly with dried out wood and leather Tom. For wood I like Lemon Oil, then Howard Feed-N-Wax. Orange Oil is great stuff, but will darken the wood slightly, which sometimes is a good thing.
Scroll to the bottom for some leather products
http://www.lcsmith.org/faq/cleangun2.html

Tom, are you going to show it to admirers at Sanford??
PA-LEEEZZE.
Ian.

1)A full view of SAC Grade 00, SN22693 (1901 production; barrels are 28�)
2)A close view of the frame showing case colors
3)The leather Leg-O-Mutton case marked �Royal� in which the gun has been stored for many decades.

Daryl - IL send the pix I have to Drew and requested that he post same; these were copied from the seller's posting and aren't all that great. I'll get better pix later, but I believe these will communicate my point about condition.
Drew - Thanks for the tip on wood and leather treatments; and thanks in advance for posting pix.
Ian - I will be bringing this piece to the Southern; and am looking forward to seeing you there again next weekend.
Stan - I hope you're coming to the Southern next week; if you are, then I'll be around the Smith display most tent of the time and would love to meet you. If you're not coming then I'd certainly like to meet you in Elberton, for although a job opportunity has taken me to Greenville, SC; Elberton is still just down the road. All I ask is that you give me a little more time to get over this broken femur thing before we did some shooting; and once we started popping caps, you don't make too much fun of my shooting (in)ability! Tom

Tom and Hon. Rev-Doc - thanks for the pics and effort.
That oldie SAC and the apr�s-shoot gabfest will be the icing on the Sanford cake. Always enjoy Tom's Sanford bonhomie, instruction, and southern tales.
LOL - Ian.

Tom,

That is really a high condition SAC gun. What a great find. I cannot make the Southern next weekend. My work keeps me here planting corn and getting ready to plant cotton and peanuts this time of year, much more than I'd like. One of these days I'm going to turn it all over to my son and get to the Southern. I make the Fall Southern pretty often. I think we met briefly at the Oconee Gun Club years ago at a S x S shoot, but I was busy shooting and we didn't get to visit much. We'll shoot some at Elberton one day. Thanks.

Ya'll take lots of pictures next weekend, please.

SRH

The gun looks to be in beautiful condition, a wonderful find, congratulations. Can I assume that the brownish look of the barrels means that the rust blued barrels are reverting back to brown?

Steve