We are down right open minded about restorations

[King Cobb]

I posted on a winchester forum about an old 1873 from 1882 that I picked up for next to nothing thinking about getting it restored.

The gun has no finish, an incorrect stock and buttplate, pitting in the barrel, and is missing part of it's sight.

There is absolutely no collector value here and the gun was ridiculously cheap.

I picked it up as a project to restore. You would think I suggested sending a mint 1886 50-105 to turnbull to fancy up.

I know not all on here are pro restoration, but there is no reason to let this gun languish as it is.

[Jim DiSpagno]

Bill, if you take your time and search eBay and other sites for correct parts at reasonable prices and lap the bore, you can put it back to good serviceable condition for a practical price and use it wisely.

[Jay Oliver]

I think it is very situational and can differ from gun to gun. If getting it restored gives you higher pride of ownership and you use it more than I would do it.

You can take it to any level you like. I wouldn't be afraid to make the gun yours so to speak. Then you'll use it more.

On Parkers, the 2 guns I have refinished the barrels and had the stocks re-checkered and refinished are those 2 guns are on the top of the list as some of my favorite Parkers. I did have a Fox Sterlingworth completely restored and I love it to, but looking back I wish I had just done the barrels and stock and not re-case color the receiver. Though I have a few hammer guns that I would like to have the receivers case colored. So it can be complicated.

I also think having respected gunsmiths do the work helps and can add value as well. They should be able to give valuable advice and help you make decisions on what to do for the restoration.

[C.O.B.]

I see nothing wrong with bringing an old gun back to service if it's done properly. The British and their contemporaries from across the pond have historically had their guns serviced from basic cleaning to redoing the barrels ect. For some reason we frown on the practice.

If some TLC makes the Winchester more appealing to you both in appearance and functionality then I say go for it. The next caretaker will undoubtedly thank you for it.

[6pt-Sika]

My personal take on the whole scheme of things is if a person owns it and they want it done more power to them . For my “own” stuff I don’t like the words that begin with “re” . I honestly prefer a gun that’s an honest 40% gun over a completely restored gun .

[Craig Larter]

My philosophy is do what is never necessary to make it look unrestored and untouched. If the titanic barrels have multiple deep scratches from a fall by all means reblue them. If screws are buggered by all means get them repaired. If the checkering is mostly gone have it lightly recut. These are old guns and shouldn't look new, if you want the new look buy a RBL and bypass Parkers, Foxes or any of the vintage guns.
I understand that strong CC sells guns but an untouched Parker well cared for with little CC is a treasure in my opinion, however rare.
Many have asked me why don't you get the initials taken care of on my #6 frame D hammer gun. My feeling is it's part of the guns history and that is important to me. Martin E Wampler stamped his initials in the stock and as long as I'm the caretaker they will remain.

[Richard Flanders]

If I had a '73 that had been owned by Cochise and used in many a' battle back in the day and had a stock he had carved out of one of Custers wagons with a knapped knife and multiple dings and marks that were the result of him chasing buffalo across the prairie and taking some falls in the process, I'd leave it as is. If it has a stock carved from a pc of wooden fence plank by a Kansas farmer in 1950 and it looks like hell and has other operational issues that would make it unsafe, unreliable or shorten it's life and I wanted to shoot it, I'd unapologetically give it the full monty treatment and bring it back to life if I chose to. If the gun continues to be used, no one will notice or care 100yrs down the road.

[Mills]

I will just second Craig as he said it best.

I do enjoy taking guns that are one step away from the scrap yard and bringing them back to shooting conditions.

[Jay Oliver]

There is something rewarding about taking a heavily used and sometimes neglected gun and getting it back into shooting condition. It is often my motivation for buying project guns.

[Pay Dirt]

Not a Parker but a Saltwood 28 gauge.
Salty fore and aft. Yep, the full Monty.
Restoration (and upgrade) begins tomorrow.