Help refinish or leave as is 30 Carbine

[B.D. Turner]

I traded for an Inland (general motors) 30 carbine yesterday dated 2-44. It has a blue sky import stamp on the barrel, nice wood, and shoots like a champ. I cleaned it up removed the crud and oil build up and scrubbed out the bore. The bore is now bright and looks good. The parkarized finish on this carbine is thin all over (about 50%) but there is no pitting anywhere.
With the increase in price of carbines would it be a bad thing to have this carbine refinished?

 

[308sc]

If everything is correct I would not do it...like if all the parts or Inland Manufacture...and the receiver has a production around 44 or so. I don't think I would do it at all. Those little guns are on the rise. I would buy replacement stock from somewhere and keep it in that when you are shooting it....then if you ever want to sell it to a collector or whoever you still have the original stock...that has not been finished. to go along with the replacement....I don't know just some thoughts.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Yep. If it's numbers matching DON'T do it. If it turns out to be a parts gun? Have at it.

 

[B.D. Turner]

Thanks for the advise. The wood looks good it does have a very small dent about where your hand would go on the forearm but nothing to take away from the value. The stock has a nice flat finish and not like some of the shiny finishes seen on some carbines. The handguard and stock are a perfect match too.

 

[308sc]

DON'T DO IT! It sounds like you have a nice one....that will continue to rise in value. Oh and I though you where referring to the refinishing the stock. But now that I read your post maybe you where considering having it re parkerized....ehh I still wouldn't do it...true collectors that pay the most money will spot it like a sore thumb.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

What kind of finish? You may be able to steam the dent out if you're careful about it.

 

[theNoid]

Do you ever intend on selling the gun? Was it bought as an investment? If yes, then by all means leave it be. If not, then by all means, do whatever to it that makes YOU happy with it as that is all that matters in the end.

Noidster

 

[308sc]

Yeah steaming the dent is a good Idea depending on the finish. I did it and it seriously worked better than I could have ever imagined.

 

[texfed]

with that big 'Blue Sky' stamped in the barrel, I'd refinish it. Actually may increase the value. Now if it didn't have their stamp it'd be a whole nother situation!

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

If you want to refinish the wood by all means do so. Use Boiled linseed oil.
That gun isn't that expensive. If you are talking refinishing the steel parts then it can be another story.

 

[B.D. Turner]

I just went over the stock with some Old English it looks just fine now. The few handling marks give it a nice experienced look. I was thinking about getting a new parkerized finish but I believe that I will just use it like it is. The barrel has a blue sky import mark too deep to remove.
I have a Winchester Carbine that came with very faint import marks that I was able to remove and now looks like a non import. Blue sky made the marks too deep to remove on this one. My other carbine is a postal meter which is a non import. I will use the Inland as a shooter for now.

 

[FMJMIKE]