Restoring Henry F. Tenney's Wife's VHE

[edgarspencer]

Brad will do a nice job on the gun, and you'll like it when you get it back. Unfortunately, no one will know whether it was a 10% gun before refinishing, or, in your case, a good strong 75% gun. The original checkering was better than that, but it will now shout "Recheckered". Barrels were a good 75-85%, and now will just be another set of re-blued barrels. You got a great buy on that gun, if not out right stole it. It will be worth what you paid for it when your done. If you're keeping it in the family, no problem. Whatever makes you happy. It certainly wasn't going to deteriorate in the condition I saw it in. Restored, or refreshed guns are everywhere, but, sadly lots of them used to be good honest guns. A perfect example of this is when a well known gun dealer, who had one of the best gunsmithing shops, told my dad he would love to 'spruce up' the 16 ga. my dad bought, at Parker in Meriden, on his 16th birthday. The gun looks nice now, reblued, recut checkering. I'll never sell the gun, and hope my son won't either. Sadly, it is completely devoid of any of the signs of my dads many years of hunting, and love for his gun.

[edgarspencer]

Originally Posted by edgarspencer

Brad will do a nice job on the gun, and you'll like it when you get it back. Unfortunately, no one will know whether it was a 10% gun before refinishing, or, in your case, a good strong 75% gun. The original checkering was better than that, but it will now shout "Recheckered". Barrels were a good 75-85%, and now will just be another set of re-blued barrels. You got a great buy on that gun, if not out right stole it. It will be worth what you paid for it when your done. If you're keeping it in the family, no problem. Whatever makes you happy. It certainly wasn't going to deteriorate in the condition I saw it in. Restored, or refreshed guns are everywhere, but, sadly lots of them used to be good honest guns.

Remember, way back in the beginning of this thread, when I said this? Well, I now have the benefit of seeing your gun now that it's back from Batchelder's.
What I said in the first sentence above is now proved; he did a great job.
Going back to the beginning of the thread gives everyone else the benefit of seeing before pics, but I got to inspect the gun closely. I stand by my original position. That gun was what everyone looks for. The minor pitting on the barrel was so minor, it was almost imperceptible, but "striking" them down is draw-filing metal, and in doing that, you've reduced the barrel wall thickness. Maybe not a lot, but doubtless enough to show up when gauged. This might not matter much on a big ole 2 frame, but it does on small frame upland guns.