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Model 1885 32-20 Refinished?
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June 24, 2021 - 2:45 pm
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I just acquired this model 1885 low wall in 32-20. I was wondering if it has been refinished? Approximate value? Thank you. 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/APKBz7Ao4u4xL5Fq6

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June 24, 2021 - 4:01 pm
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The stocks have been lightly sanded and refinished.  Additionally, the muzzle face has been refaced and the chamfer at the bore entrance recut.  What is the condition of the bore?  This rifle was manufactured in the year 1896, and therefor it was undoubtedly shot with black powder ammunition.

Bert

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June 24, 2021 - 4:14 pm
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Case colors don’t look original to me.  Esp. buttplate, where they’re rubbed off the soonest. 

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June 24, 2021 - 4:56 pm
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I agree with what Bert said.  I am not so sure about the case color or the blue.  It has enough wear to look OK.  I would want to hold this gun and put a light on it.  Collectors will probably back off on this gun, so is it worth what you paid for it?  What does the case color look like in the protected areas?  Guns will go grey but so do aged back guns.

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June 24, 2021 - 5:23 pm
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Thank you for the information. The bore is very good with strong lands. The rifle actually looks even better in person. I just wasn’t sure how much had been done to it. I didn’t pay much for it which lead me to believe that it had been refinished. I bought it to display and occasionally shoot. I’ll add a picture of a protected area. 

 

Best Regards,

 

Mike

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June 24, 2021 - 5:37 pm
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Chuck said
 It has enough wear to look OK. 

Not in the places where CC fades the soonest, BP, lever, & upper tang.  “Going grey” is the natural thing to happen if a gun has seen average use.  Unsure about bluing on brl.

As to its present worth, less than the value before, as I believe, the refinishing work was done.  To me, there’s nothing at all “unseemly” about a totally grey gun, as that’s inevitable with a much used gun, even if carefully handled. 

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June 25, 2021 - 1:58 am
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Reminds me of a “Rogers” gun. Restored and then aged back to 85% so it actually looks fairly legit. Maybe not, but I had a high wall he did and it looked very much the same as this rifle. Beautiful, believable work that doesn’t go to a Turnbull extreme. 

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June 25, 2021 - 2:36 am
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I really like the gun but something about the metal bothers me. Photo quality is quite good so I may be seeing things I normally don’t see. IMHO the corners of the barrel and the muzzle show much more wear than any other part of the gun. Muzzle has been refaced as Bert pointed out but the corners of the barrel would have been harder to dress up so they were possibly left as-is. I like the gun but one can make an argument for a skillful restoration, only a hands-on examination by an expert will tell. Have I mentioned that I REALLY like the gun? 

 

Mike

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June 25, 2021 - 3:39 am
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TXGunNut said
 IMHO the corners of the barrel and the muzzle show much more wear than any other part of the gun. Muzzle has been refaced as Bert pointed out but the corners of the barrel would have been harder to dress up so they were possibly left as-is.  

Looks like the remnants of pitting to me; hard to improve without drastic draw-filing.

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June 25, 2021 - 3:58 am
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pdog72 said
Reminds me of a “Rogers” gun. Restored and then aged back to 85% so it actually looks fairly legit.   

Except that, in this case, it’s too uniform–that’s not the way guns, or anything else, naturally ages; a brl can have almost all of its original blue, while the rcvr is worn grey.

“Aging back” isn’t technically difficult–just a matter of elbow grease & patience, & most importantly, judgement; I’ve done it several times.  (Before I learned to avoid the situations that called for it.)  What’s difficult is making yourself remember that making it look “too good” defeats your purpose.

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June 25, 2021 - 8:54 pm
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pdog72 said
Reminds me of a “Rogers” gun. Restored and then aged back to 85% so it actually looks fairly legit. Maybe not, but I had a high wall he did and it looked very much the same as this rifle. Beautiful, believable work that doesn’t go to a Turnbull extreme.   

Not arguing with you on Roger’s guns but…Many of his guns were blued or case colored by others and aged back by them.  Last year one of our members talked with me about the work he did for Roger.  Roger did use Turnbull sometimes.

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June 25, 2021 - 8:57 pm
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clarence said

Chuck said
 It has enough wear to look OK. 

Not in the places where CC fades the soonest, BP, lever, & upper tang.  “Going grey” is the natural thing to happen if a gun has seen average use.  Unsure about bluing on brl.

Sorry, should have been clearer.  I meant wear to the metal not the case color.

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June 27, 2021 - 5:33 pm
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Nobody commented on the set trigger. Does that affect value and thoughts on this gun? Don

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June 27, 2021 - 5:55 pm
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86Win said
Nobody commented on the set trigger. Does that affect value and thoughts on this gun? Don  

Nice thing to have if it’s working properly.  How much it adds to value is debatable–at least $100, I’d say.

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June 27, 2021 - 11:42 pm
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86Win said
Nobody commented on the set trigger. Does that affect value and thoughts on this gun? Don  

Don,

The adjusting screw is a replacement, and it is turned in to far. I suspect that it is not working properly.  In regards to it affecting the value, the single set trigger was very commonly installed (approximately 14% of all Single Shots rifles were made with a single set trigger), and if it is not working correctly, it adds zero to the value of the rifle. Set triggers were the most common special order item found on the Single Shot rifles.

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