To me, there’s a BIG difference between brown guns & pitted-degraded surfaces such as Leroy’s rare example. In reference to the original post question, being a shooter/collector when I see that condition, regardless of rarity, I steer away as I feel the overall functionality has been compromised therefore placing them at the bottom of my personal grading scale.
Darrin
Rick – that’s a nice looking special order sling ring carbine. It would give me pleasure to own that carbine. The finish is in a whole different class than LeRoy’s rifle. Your carbine is a combination of brown and silver which in my mind, is more desirable than all brown or all silver. And Darrin makes a good point about rough/pitted surface vs. smooth. I have several rifles/carbines like Rick’s and view them as vastly different from LeRoy’s ’73.
Rick – what’s the caliber of your carbine?
RickC said
This is my brown gun. At 50 yards it’s as accurate as anything I have. I grade it’s value higher than normal due to it being an honest gun with no cracks, excellent bore, excellent sights, and works smooth and tight…not because of lack of bluing.
RickC
Beauty, Rick. Looks like it might have actually worked for a living.
Here’s a grey/silver 86 45-90 with 28″ that I wish was brown, but I try not to be judgmental (poor gun; it’s not it’s fault). And a brown 86 which is brown like yours is brown. And a rusty, upside down 94 brown that I actually like more, as far as color is concerned (it’s hard too shoot because it’s upside down but I like it):
RickC said
Love a 45-90 Huck. Sold one a couple yrs ago and wish I kept it. I think pre Ser 122,000 in the 86’s are CC & will wear to silver. Still a very nice gun.RickC
That probably explains it. The number is 64,549. But the barrel is silver too so I don’t know why some do and some don’t. Anyway, I’m with you on the color.
A cased receiver turning to silver is much more attractive to me than barrel blue that has turned to silver. As I stated in an earlier post, it really depends on the gun. Rick’s SRC nails it as far as what I like (i.e. for a gun that has no actual blue). I don’t like all silver and I don’t like all chocolate (even if it is not rough).
steve004 said
A cased receiver turning to silver is much more attractive to me than barrel blue that has turned to silver.
Takes a lot of wear on the brl to make that happen, because the brl steel was rust blued, & retained its finish better than the carbonia or machine blued rcvr. Making it common to see guns with strong brl blue, but little finish remaining on the rcvr.
Brown vs silver? To be honest with you, I don’t like either except a fairly strong blued rifle or carbine with faded case colours might be acceptable depending on the firearm.
I did own a Winchester Model 1894 carbine in .32 40 with a silver receiver which, of course, was once blued, and despite being hard to find, I sold it several years ago because it was a bit difficult for me to appreciate in that state. YMMV
I’m still looking for its replacement, in better condition, of course.
mrcvs said
Brown vs silver? To be honest with you, I don’t like either except a fairly strong blued rifle or carbine with faded case colours might be acceptable depending on the firearm.I did own a Winchester Model 1894 carbine in .32 40 with a silver receiver which, of course, was once blued, and despite being hard to find, I sold it several years ago because it was a bit difficult for me to appreciate in that state. YMMV
I’m still looking for its replacement, in better condition, of course.
I probably would have really enjoyed that carbine.
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