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Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

I wanted to change out my stock on my Sweet 16 because it was almost 1" too short. This is a 1950 SS that I inherited when I was 14 and I want to get it out of the safe and back in the field. I found a nicely grained, refinished stock set on e-bay and switched them out. The problem is, this gun has been hunted hard for a lot of years and has a lot of honest blueing wear. At times I think I like the look of the new stock and other times I feel like I put a prom dress on my grandmother Shocked

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Houston

I give it a big thumbs up--that looks nice. Giving me some ideas for my own SS. Mind if I ask what the stock set cost?

Not to worry CF16-after 4-5 seasons of hard use it'll look about perfect Very Happy

Member Joined: 25 Jul 2006 Posts: 781

Nice wood, too nice for that crappy 2 part finish.

Take the hard gloss shine off that epoxy finish with rottenstone and it will take on a subtle luster, look great and last forever.

Don't even think about rebluing, that's honest wear from family hands.

By the way, you sure it's a Sweet Sixteen? It looks like a standard in the picture. (I have it's youngert brother made in '51)

Jeff

Member Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 110 Location: California

Looks like a great piece of wood! I agree with Jeff about rubbing the finish out a bit.

3Doc

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

662: PM sent

Rev: You're right and I intend to start on Friday by chasing some quail around desert with it!

Jeff: Of course it's a SS! We've talked about it. PM sent.

Thanks all!

Matt

This reply is not pointed at anyone in particular. Its just that the thread has gotten me thinking again about something that has never made much sense to me for some time now. I often wonder why we American gun folks will buy or inherit an older post WWII gun with the blue about gone, then refuse to have it refinished.

In Europe, I guess the folks are plain smarter it would seem. They tend to have their guns redone when the guns need it, then pass the well cared for result from generation to generation for further use. We Americans see these older, well cared for pieces and get all dewy eyed and nostalgic, and start pining for the "good old days when guns were the stuff of legend." In the mean time, we are letting ours rust away from a lack of the protective finish the gun once had because the collector value might be threatened. Does this make any sense to anyone out there? If so, will you kindly 'splain it to me? Confused

Think about it a bit. The finish on the wood is there primarily to protect the wood. Yes, a well done finish is handsome, but its there mostly to preserve the wood. Same with blueing. Its there to protect the metal. This is especially true of hot blued guns. These modern blue finishes will not turn brown in time like the older rust blue finishes found on the classic era guns. Modern hot blue just wears off eventually and then the steel under them turns brown. This mottled hit or miss look is actually hideous. It reminds me of an older but reliable car missing some of its paint and turning to rust from negligence or a house in need of a paint job.

So not having a post WWII gun properly reblued to retain its collector value does not make much sense to me. If its a reliable and accurate shooter, then it will serve better and last longer if the finish protects the gun from the elements and from the stuff that normally gets on and in a hunting gun. If its a modern sporting piece for the collection, then why would we buy it all worn and scarred up and leave it as such. Wouldn't be better to ship it back to the company and have it restored or in the case of a shooter, to a reliable aftermarket refinisher to protect it?

Sometimes (actually, quite often Rolling Eyes

) the American gun buying public just plain baffles me. I think we listen to too many so called experts too closely and let common sense fly out the window. If the gun needs a refinishing, then have it done and tell the so called experts to buzz off. Its not their gun, and chances are, they'd turn their expert noses up at it anyway because its "not their gun". Big whoopee. Rolling Eyes

Just my opinion.

Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 311

16gg,

The American used gun market is heavily influenced by the collector mentality-you hit that right on the head. Frankly, I would include most guns made after 1900 as well. How many people do you know who collect "no finish" A5's or Model 31's or 37's, etc made in the 1930's? Publications like the Blue Book harp on collector value to the point that most people think any old gun is a collectors item, at least until they go to sell it and find there aren't any buyers!

There is a lot of New Age-type nonsense in the gun world. Not refinishing Grandpa's gun is one. Buckskinner types have a religious experience when casting round balls, an activity I find to be a chore and unnecessary since you can buy them. And many handloaders have a religious moment when they bag game with a handload. The hunting experience is what I'm there for and it matters not a whit where the ammo came from. But all of these "experiences" are written about regularly in the arms press. Why people buy into it is another matter.

Yup. If you are doing something for practical reasons, it make sense. I happen to cast round balls for a few of my RB guns and also for a couple of my T/C hawkens, because I can't buy the in between sizes these particular guns prefer for top accuracy. However, if I can buy swaged balls that shoot as well, or swaged slugs for the T/C guns, I'm better off. They are far more consistant than any cast projectile. Most folks who buy a T/C Hawken or Renegade don't realize just how much the bareel bore dimensions can vary gun to gun and lot to lot. I do and load accordingly. So it was for the old rifles with hand cut or freshed out bores.

I don't do it because Jedadiah Smith did it. He'd have bought them if he could have too. Fur trappers were basically businesmen and had to be practical. Most were. The fools among them did not last long.

I also will shoot good factory hunting loads if I can get them. Again, it depends on what is available. I can't remember the last 12 or 20 ga. hunting handload I shot. There are far too many good ones available.

However, for my 16. 28, and .410 guns, I've been able to develope some safe and effective custom loads that plain beat the pants off anything the factories have offered in the last 30 years. Case in point, my 1 ounce, 1240 FPS 28 ga magnum loads are far more effective than the enemic 1100 fps (or less) Winchester 1 ounce loads. They also pattern better and more consistantly too. Same for my 1-1/4 ounce 16 ga mags. And when was the last time you ever saw 5/8 ounce #8 3" .410 mag loads that hit over 1250 fps for sale. Try a few of these on quail and snipe and the little .410 will be out with you more often.

However, not refinishing a field gun that needs it because it was a former family member's gun does not make sense. I'm certain most grand dads would tell us to take better care of that old shooter. These older folks were more practical about life for the most part. they'd say to get the gun refinished. It was too goodl to let it go to rust or to let the wood crack or rot from neglect in the name of collector value. They'd probably snort and laugh at such a fool notion.

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Houston

I'm glad CitoriFeather16 shared this with us, but I'm not certain he's glad he did--what with being told he's dumber than Europeans, that what he's doing doesn't make sense, that his grand dad would probably laugh at him.

Can we not live and let live? At least one other poster supported him in not rebluing the gun.

Some of the responses border on the uncivil.

I'm sure someone taught you guys at some point, that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.

OK, I'm off my soapbox now.

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

I'm not one bit insulted by any of the responses. I have to admit I do not like a high gloss stock. The new ones on the Browning Citories are an abomination and I am already looking for suggestions how to take the gloss off. I got this set of wood first because of the correct length of pull and second because of the grain in the wood. I had no qualms about pulling off the original stocks.

With regards to re-blueing I am undecided. The metal on this gun is very good. No rust, pitting or scratches. Just some honest blue wear. I don't have to worry much about protecting the finish as I live where humidity and rain is not an issue. I don't think there is anything wrong with a well maintained gun showing some wear.

Lastly, this gun is not a collector. I have changed out some screws and it has been brought to my attention that the Sweet's have always been made with a gold trigger which this one does not have. It too may have been repalced at some time. My reason for doing all this is to get the gun out of the safe and back in the field where it was intended.

Thanks for all your comments.

Matt

662, lets not start with the "let's you and him fight" BS. Its not appreciated or called for. Its not the first time you've tried it. So how about knocking it off. I'm not calling anyone dumb. You'd realize it too if you weren't so quick to pounce to stir up trouble.

I think Citori feather understands where I'm coming from. He was not concerned about trading out the original stock on this old gun to make it useful for him again. That is exactly the issue I'm addressing here. His doing so is a very practical move.

I'm not calling him dumb, or anyone in particular. I'm agreeing with him. I'm taking issue with the brainwashing some folks have fallen under from too much "collector" malarky, myself included until I began to see through the foolishness of this line of thought a while back.

Quite frankly, its just a gun show trader ploy to run the value of somebody else's gun down and to run the so called "collector's" pieces up. Go to any gun show and you'll hear this tactic every few minutes. You'll hear it at many a gun shop too.

Perhaps we can agree to disagree and avoid each others posts if that is what it takes. I'd like to keep the peace. How about you?

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Houston

16GG, I have no idea where your 1st and 3rd sentences are coming from. None whatsoever. I think you're reading way too much into my first post.

I made observations. I did not attack individuals.

In the past you've thanked me via PM for watching your backside. Now you want me to avoid your posts. OK. But I think you should re-read some of what you've posted with an objective eye. It doesn't come off like you think it did.

That's all I have to say, and the last post I'll make on this thread.

Joined: 19 Jun 2004 Posts: 1480 Location: Mpls, MN.

The engraving on the receiver of a Browning of this vintage is the real thing-and, I don't care who does it, it will look reblued, if one goes that route. The European guns mentioned will often have reblued barrels, but, the action of a boxlock or sidelock is color case hardened. And that will often be seen as completely devoid of any remaining color, with perfectly blued barrels. This is considered "sympathetic" maintenance in Europe, and they have far different ideas as to refinish, modification, and collecting than Americans do, so comparing what they do with their guns to what Americans do is apples and oranges at it's very finest. We also have access, here in the year 2006, to gun maintenance chemistry that could only be dreamed about in 1951 when it was new, so rust can be held at bay, even without blueing, original, or otherwise.

I liked the picture as is, and figure if Grandma can still get into the prom dress,hey, who am I to stop her? I'll bet the birds don't notice the blueing!
Best,
Ted

Well, I see the storm warning flags are flapping in the wind. I'm heading for port. "Best" Rolling Eyes

, 16GG