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Joined: 23 Dec 2007 Posts: 2

What do you guys think?

My grandfather went into the nursing home this year. (If you haven't had to visit your family members in the nursing home, it is a sad day let me tell you. The worst part of it is that his mind is as sharp as ever but he just can't get around anymore to do daily tasks. Worst of all he got sick about four days before my wedding and couldn't attend and we couldn't change the day at that point.)

I've digressed, so back to the original question at hand. My dad, aunt and uncles were cleaning his house the other day and they divided some of the things that he can't have in the nursing home. My dad is the only one who hunts so he got my grandfathers guns.

To my suprise and delight. For Christmas my dad gave me my grandfathers 16 ga model 12. It's a plain barrel gun, blueing is about 85% and it has some scratches. It's been used but taken care of. My grandpa carried it behind the farm for pheasants mostly.

This gun is never going to get sold but I am planning on shooting it now and again for pheasants and maybe a gentleman's pothole shoot on some ducks.

With that in mind do you think I should leave it original or should I give it a facelift. Resale value is not important to me as I'm not selling it anyway. In present condition it isn't worth a lot of money. If I get it done it will be done by a professional gunsmith who has experience with model 12's. Money for a facelift isn't an issue as I want it done right if I do it.

What do you think?

The scratches and worn blueing on that treasure came there honestly at the hands of your father and grandfather, and are a testament to their use and enjoyment of the gun. It is probably well past due for an internal check and clean however.
For some infro on simply cleaning up the gun externally, please see http://www.lcsmith.org/faq/cleangun2.html

Member Joined: 17 Feb 2007 Posts: 497

As good as it sounds I wouldn't touch - other than give it a good cleaning - those few dents and scratches are your families history. Have your Grand Pa tell you about how they got there.

You are fortunate to have such a fine gun from your Grand Father !

Joined: 12 Jun 2006 Posts: 23 Location: Ohio

I also say leave it the way it is , each scratch and dent is a little piece of your family history etched on the gun .
if it aint broke .. dont fix it

Member Joined: 17 Feb 2007 Posts: 497

Post some pictures of it Cool

Regretably I'll inherit no family guns. I'd love to have the honest scratches and dents that inevitably come to every well used gun and are passed from generation to generation.

Give it a good cleaning and enjoy the history.

I can only echo the thoughts above - keep it with the family history intact, add some of your own (but not too much Wink

) and pass it along.

Member Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 1975

I quess I went the other way of most of the members. I have my grandpas gun, that went through my father. When my dad died my mother said it was to go to me. Well my brother grabbed it,( one of four). Then it ended up with another brother. Finally found it in a closet at one of their houses. Just an old Sears pump, browning style. My grandpa died during the second world war. I remember hunting when I was a little shit with my dad and his brothers. Myself and my cousins were the beaters..
Anyway the gun when I got it was beatup. I completelt refinished it. Reblued and refinished the wood. Now it's like when my grandpa bought it.
Today my son and his family were up, we went on a hunt at the local preserve for christmas eve. We both had to take that old gun out of the cabinet and cycle it a few times. Then we went for a hunt up to the local preserve. [img]

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Do it however you feel, but I feel better putting the shotgun back to original.

You can't miss me in the picture. There's a few birds laying there, but best of all is my grandkids.

Go with your heart. By the way, welcome to the board!

Member Joined: 08 Nov 2005 Posts: 3438 Location: Illinois

Another vote for leaving it as is.Just be sure to use a little RIG and basic maintence will keep you shooting for years Wink

Member Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 258 Location: Nordern MN

I wouldn't dream (nightmares!) of refinishing it. It has character, and since it's staying in the family, that's important!

The model 97 I started using in high school (hence my username) belonged to my great uncle and the honest blue wear and varnish wear mean something. It's been used a lot, but not abused. A gun that lives on for generations like that has stories to tell and tells something about the people that used it, like the fact that they cared enough to keep the rust off for 100 years, etc.

I use my 97 a lot for pheasants and ducks. Just don't forget the Bismuth or Tungsten Matrix . . . no steel shot for Winchesters!

BTW, I think maybe you and my cousin Brent hunted together at NDSU and you grew up with my brother's brother in law - L. Marsh . . . is that a possibility?????

Good luck and have fun!

NR

Member Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 161 Location: New Mexico

Keep it as is.

Joined: 23 Dec 2007 Posts: 2

Mod 97,
You have the right guy. Brent and I were in grad school together at NDSU. He is one heck of a nice guy. I talk to Luke frequently and we do a spring hunt every year in North Dakota.

I think I will leave the gun as is.

I thought I read on here about someone having a reloading CD for the 16 for $20 or something like that. I'd like to do some reloading for the gun. I might as well have a 16 reloader to go with the 10, 12, and 20.

Thanks for the welcome guys. It's hard to find guys my age (I'm 27) who appreciate a gun that actually has some wood in it and its cycle rate isn't one of the reasons they own it. Guys my age who understand character are hard to find. And while I have been guilty of it in the past, the kill isn't really important anymore.

Merry Christmas

What kind of man was Gramps? Was he utilitarian? Was that gun a tool to use? Then a good cleaning is in order.

But, if he cringed at every scratch and ding, then, by all means, honor him and refinish it to as-new condition.

Just my .02 cents. And worth every cent you paid for it.

I'm going to side with the minority. I buy old guns because I like the quality and finish of real walnut and blued or case hardened steel. No plastic nor stainless in my gun safe. I get excited by pictures of the guns when they were new and will restore each gun to its original glory of the day it left the factory. What would you think if new gun catalogs showed pictures of a gun all battered up from field use? Whoud you buy a new gun with "character"?