sta500rdr
Member
Well, I have done a few simple restorations in my life. Nothing too complicated. Mostly clean stuff up, replace a few broken parts, tune up the woodwork, etc...
I picked up a Ballard Model 3 I believe from my aunt and uncle. I paid 75$ all said and done. It is in pretty poor condition. The nickel plating has rust spots all over it and the bore is full of gunk. I have run some patches through the bore and it is starting to break up all the stuff in there. Its going to be a while until it resembles something respectable.
This is a pretty cool rifle, it needs a couple parts replaced, no biggie there. The woodwork is in great shape, no splits or major damage. So I don't expect to do much on that front.
Being nickel plated, I think that kind of limits my options for the surface. I don't have any illusions of this being a museum piece, but it would be pretty neat to have it in shooting condition, even if I never shoot it. Here are my questions...
1. Is it more valuable to have nickel plating that is all tarnished and corroded, or would it be worth having it re-plated (if you can even do that) or blued.
2. I have read that some people have the barrel re-sleeved to a round that is more common than its original chamber. Who does this? How much does it cost? Does it destroy its value?
3. Is it even worth all of this?
Thanks! I have posted a link to my thread in rifle country, it has a bunch of pics.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=703225
I picked up a Ballard Model 3 I believe from my aunt and uncle. I paid 75$ all said and done. It is in pretty poor condition. The nickel plating has rust spots all over it and the bore is full of gunk. I have run some patches through the bore and it is starting to break up all the stuff in there. Its going to be a while until it resembles something respectable.
This is a pretty cool rifle, it needs a couple parts replaced, no biggie there. The woodwork is in great shape, no splits or major damage. So I don't expect to do much on that front.
Being nickel plated, I think that kind of limits my options for the surface. I don't have any illusions of this being a museum piece, but it would be pretty neat to have it in shooting condition, even if I never shoot it. Here are my questions...
1. Is it more valuable to have nickel plating that is all tarnished and corroded, or would it be worth having it re-plated (if you can even do that) or blued.
2. I have read that some people have the barrel re-sleeved to a round that is more common than its original chamber. Who does this? How much does it cost? Does it destroy its value?
3. Is it even worth all of this?
Thanks! I have posted a link to my thread in rifle country, it has a bunch of pics.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=703225