doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Valuing a Rough Lindner Diamond Quality

I believe I can see Bernard pattern Damascus beneath the patina. You might be able to find an old set of Parker Bros. Bernard (CH) tubes that could be sleeved
into the original tubes. You might be able to cobble together a full length rib by splicing the Daly stamped section onto a nonoriginal rib. You might be able to find a set of diamond grade 10 gauge barrels( I sold a 32� Bernard set ~ 15 years ago)
A lot of � might be�s� here.......
If you have the time to spend on researching and acquiring the needed parts, the resources to engage the necessary gunmakers/ craftsmen, and the desire & patience to see through your project to fruition, I say � damn the torpedoes�!
The key decision is whether you want to do a true restoration, or just � salvage� what used to be a very special piece of Prussian craftsmanship.
If you choose restoration, be prepared for a long journey that you may tire of before you reach your goal.
Best of luck with whichever direction you choose.
Best Regards,
JBP

I'll remember to keep my off-topic thoughts to myself next time. So, staying on topic, ask him what he has to get for it. If it's too much, offer less. You already know what you will give him. Deal with it and let us know what you did...
JR

John, I will. I wasn't trying to be rude....I just didn't start the thread to talk about directions I won't be going in nor did I want to justify what I will be doing. I've read enough on here about "not getting your money out" to know where it was going to go. That's all.

JBP, I've done this before, although I haven't had to replace barrels before. A sympathetic restoration of the highest quality is the only thing that interests me. If I acquire the gun and if a full restoration proves too much for me, I'll send it down the road. I have no interest in trying to "salvage" something.

In a perfect world, when CJO hands me back the Lindner Diamond 12 gauge he is working on for me, I'll hand him this and the appropriately sourced additional components.

I'd be a lot more concerned about the second trigger not working if there was evidence that Bubba was in there. But the screwheads all look pretty good. You already know that the barrels are the heart of the gun, and whether sleeved or saved with orphan barrels, the work will result in a gun with much lower value than one with good original tubes. But I think it's a gun worth fixing if you can.

You may remember Terry Buffum's "Clunker Optimus" Lefever restoration project that saved a work of art, but was still not a shooter after several thousand dollars of work, plus the initial expense. This isn't as rare as a Lefever Optimus, but it certainly transcends into the realm of gun artistry. And CJO is certainly a guy who could make this Lindner Daly pretty again. Let's put this in perspective. If you could nail it for $500.00 or so, you wouldn't be one-millionth as crazy as gun guys who vote for anti-gun Democrats. Or you could be like Jagermeister and save all of your money for an extra nice casket with solid brass handles.

There are lots of other guys who like the challenge of a restoration project even knowing they will end up under water. So if you can buy it right, you can always re-sell it and get your money back if finding the right barrels and parts proves too difficult. I can't wait to see it when it's done.

I have a set of 30" 12 ga Lindner Daly damascus barrels in excellent condition, #7xx from the second number sequence. They would be legitimate candidates for sleeving with the correct DNA but as Eightbore points out, "Who would do it?" If you could find someone, I would guess the labor would be at least $3000-4000. The wood I would be $600-800 minimum, fix the buggered screws and other metal $300-500 plus the gunsmithing repairs and I would have a very heavy 12 ga Lindner made Daly with beautiful engraving with $4-6000 invested not including the price of the gun...or barrels.

The rib would not be correct for a 275 Diamond so it could never be sold as a real Diamond Quality. I just sold a 275 Diamond at the Southern (9xx) that had been rebarreled with proper Krupp steel but did not have the Diamond Quality marked rib and it didn't have the crossed pistols under HAL on the new barrels but the barrel knitter was "RS"....Lindner's guy. The gun was otherwise excellent with killer wood. I sold it for $2k less than I would a pure example.

Bottom line, if I got the gun for free I'm under water before I start.

Life is full of illogical actions, and at the end of the day, we do things we want, not always according to what we need. I buy a vehicle, knowing it depreciates right away. I spend a little more on this or that- because I can, and want to, and enjoy it. I decorate my house according to my taste, not worrying about how it will affect resale value 20 years from now.

I have a composed, three barrel set for my Ideal. I have no chance of getting anywhere near half back of what I have into it. Guess what? I couldn't give a bass' rat. I love the gun, and what I've done. It is so versatile as to be the equivalent of more than three guns, and it handles the same with any of the three on it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

As stated in the OP, justification for the project is not the purpose of the post- just the value of the gun to make a fair offer to the seller. I agree with CZ- you would basically be buying the engraving, with the prospect of a long term project as parts or options became available. Looking at the pics, I'd give 500.00 for it to put that engraving on display- it deserves to be seen.

Mike

Huge money pit. I would pass on that one.

From the sounds of things JM, you pass on all guns.

All, but one.

So, what qualifies you to hold forth on all the others........................what you can "glean" from others' writings? Can't be experience.

SRH