Which is best?

[Beekeeper]

Before I go to all the trouble to take pictures I thought it best to ask the question.

Which is best on an old (I mean really old) rifle.
The original stock that is more acra-glas than wood now that it has been restored or a completely new hand made stock.
New stock is mirror of original except there is no cross bolt as I could not get it out of the original with out destroying the stock.

The old stock looked like it had spent more time as a paddle or club than as a rifle stock.

The rifle is an 1888 commission rifle out of the Venzualian(spelling) cache and is not a number matching as most parts are mix master.

Want to see pics let me know and I will take some.


Jim

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Best for what.. to look at.. well the nice wood is always appealing.
Shooting.. again I would go with the better stronger new stock.
But for the REAL McCoy.. there is that origonal chunk...

[Buckshot]

..............Jim, if it was a collectable or highly desireable piece then original is always better. However I doubt that that 1888 Commission would qualify in either catagory, so I'd go with the new stock.

.............Buckshot

[Beekeeper]

Thanks Buckshot and Missionary 5155,
That is what I thought but I made the mistake of posting on annother site I go to.
After the castigation I got from them there I almost sent the gun to the Smithsonian as They were sure it Had so much historical value that I should not be allowed to own it.

One Quote " The very idea of removing the rifle from its original stock even for cleaning I find revolting and you should not be allowed to even own it. It is people like you who destroy extremely valuable firearms that are of high historical value"

Made me almost cry with joy that I owned something of such value.

Anyone want to buy it ,only $10,000 cash only please.


Jim

[missionary5155]

I hear you on that..
I adapted parts to my 375 Supermag frame to make my own 414 Supermag. I never altered the frame or any origonal parts in the process. On another board a feller told me I was absurd for doing this as I created something Dan Wesson never did.
End result though is I have a 414 Supermag and can switch it back to 375 SM in about 10 minutes.

[NickSS]

I hate to say this but most military bolt action rifles go up in value only about as fast as inflation decreases the value of the dollar. I know as I have been buying them for over 45 years. What I could buy for $10 to $15 in the mid 60s now costs $100 to $150 for a similar rifle that my friend is just about what the dollar has decreased in value in that same time. So if you have a beater military bolt action and you want to rebuild it more power to you. However, if you have one in new or near new condition and all matching then it is something special and you should not mess it up. One other thing I learned a long time ago. Unless you are making a truly custom rifle and just using a military action or doing the work yourself, it does not pay to spend gobs of money on sporterizing military rifles as you will never recoup your investment.

[Beekeeper]

NickSS,
I did not sporterize it.
I made a duplicate stock out of cherry and stained it to look like light walnut.
The only diferences are there is no cross bolt.
It is all wood ,not half acra-glass , and it fits together much tighter than the original.
Still have the original and will keep it in case someone wants it after I'm gone.

The horrible mistake I made was using new wood I guess.


Jim

[Buckshot]

Thanks Buckshot and Missionary 5155,
That is what I thought but I made the mistake of posting on annother site I go to.
After the castigation I got from them there I almost sent the gun to the Smithsonian as They were sure it Had so much historical value that I should not be allowed to own it.

One Quote " The very idea of removing the rifle from its original stock even for cleaning I find revolting and you should not be allowed to even own it. It is people like you who destroy extremely valuable firearms that are of high historical value"

Made me almost cry with joy that I owned something of such value.

Anyone want to buy it ,only $10,000 cash only please.


Jim

.............Before 1968 there were a lot of nice military bolt rifles converted into sporters, and that was a worthy endeavor. Many were butchered in the garage but others were lovingly crafted into very nice usefull tools. It's all relative ya know? in the early mid -'90's with my FFL I could have bought M96 Swedes by the boxcar load for $69 from Century and M38's for $79. Heck I paid $139 for my Ag42B and that included a free field maintanence kit! They were a glut on the market to the extent that Kimber converted piles of'em into basic sporters that sold for IIRC $300. They had plastic stocks and those tall 'See Thru' scope rings. Now a matching 1896 in decent shape will shade $400.

When I showed a buddy of mine my recently aquired 1894 Swede carbine, he wasn't impressed. He said, "Oh yeah, a poor man's deer rifle". He was from Tennessee and said a lot of guys bought them from Monkey Wards for 20 bucks or so and hit the woods. Sure if I new someone who had a really nice milsurp of some description and they were talking about "Sport-ster-izing" it I might caution them, or maybe suggest they sell it and use the proceeds for the project. But in the end, it [B]IS[B] theirs and their ownership entitles them to do whatever they want to with it.

.............Buckshot