What Has Been Done to this Winchester 1873

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cal01

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What would have been done to this gun to get it this clean?

It is almost as if it is nickle plated, or Stainless Steel. How would it have been cleaned like this?

Has this cleaning destroyed its value to collectors? In all other respects it is in extremely nice condition with a strong very lightly frosted bore.
 

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It looks like someone just buffed off the finish, leaving it bare steel.
I'll rust like crazy unless a coat of a good rust preventing lube is kept on it.

Collectors value is destroyed since the original finish is gone.
 
Ruined from a collector's standpoint maybe. But to those of us that enjoy shooting over collecting that means it'll sell for a reasonable price.

The question would be if some new owner re-blues it or not.
 
It will rust if left bare steel like this, unless someone waxed or clearcoated the bare steel to protect it. I concur that any collector value is gone, so I would have it profesionally reblued, and then shoot the heck out of it.
 
Too Bad.
SO Sad!!!

Anyone who can see beauty in that is not an old Winchester aficionado.

The old rifle has been completely ruined by overzealous use of sandpaper & steel wool by a fool that didn't know any better.

rc
 
Of course it could be re "distressed" with acid and "Plum" browning techniques so it would look good for a Cowboy Action Shooter or display, but to a collector once the patina is gone so is the big $. I'd buy it for 6 hundred or so quickly!
 
Sorry to see the damage.
I wonder how 'rusted' the metal was to cause someone to sand it down to that extent.
It will take a lot of work to salvage it with all the sanding scratches in the metal...
 
I would guess, not much.

All the roll-marks and lettering is still intact.
And deep pitted rust takes them out big time.

At least they sort of kept the edges flat by doing proper block sanding, and didn't just use a big buffing wheel to polish everything out.

It could probably be rust blued to look decent again.

Anyway?
If it was rusted bad enough on the outside to deserve that treatment?
There was nothing left of the rifling and the bore is gone, gone, gone!!

So it is not a shiny shooter now either.

rc
 
I've seen several Ubertis that guys have polished down to bare steel and left that way. They really don't seem to be much more rust prone than with the bluing intact. Keep either one oiled, and it'll be fine. Get water, or sweaty fingerprints on either, and you'll get rust.

I sure wouldn't do it to an original, unless it was pretty badly rusted to start with. But since it's already been done, if you like your guns shiny, rock on. If you're a stickler, look for one that's more correct, or have this one restored. Either way, it'll bring shooter money, not collector money, but that's still $1200 or more, if it's a big bore.
 
Easiest way to see if the finish has been buffed off is to remove the buttplate, sideplates, ans forend cap.
Most people don't bother to buff the original finish off the insides and if it is an original in the white gun, well, you figure it out,,,
Stocks look revarnished too.
 
Sad for its collectability but it would make somebody a nice affordable shooter or fodder for a full restoration.
 
I would buy that rifle in a second! (since it's now probably in my price range since it's ruined) If I got that gun I would have the action color case hardened and the barrel Blued. I know that won't restore the value but it will make it look good and protect the metal.

That's a real shame too since the rifle looks to be in very good condition and the wood looks great too. A trip to Doug Turnbull would do that rifle justice but that would bring the price back to where i couldn't afford it any longer.
 
If it was a buffing job, it was very well done (sharp edges, lettering not dished, etc.). I would guess the bluing was chemically removed (a vinegar bath would do it) and then the metal was lightly polished using something like steel wool.

As for rusting, bear in mind that U.S. issue muskets were finished "National Armory Bright" (in the white) until after the Civil War, and rusting was not a problem. Actually, it's a myth that bluing prevents rust. Oiling and constant care are what prevent rust.

I disagree that the collector value is ruined. Diminished maybe, but not ruined. This gun has its charm in the condition it's in.
 
I disagree on both counts. Bluing does prevent rust compared to a "white" finish. There's just about nothing you can do to prevent a white finish from oxidizing. My blued guns do not receive "oiling and constant" care and they do not rust. However, a white finish does require oiling and constant care.

The collector value is gone. No Winchester collector is going to buy it and its value is far below what it would have been before polishing. In the case of old guns, the original finish, no matter how bad, is worth more than what you see here. Its only value is as a shooter.
 
Well Cal, did you buy this gun? What caliber is it? You said the bore looks good, a blue job and you would have a shooter! I realize that puts the price around what a collectible version would cost, but you would have a shooter. Nothing wrong with shooting the old stuff if they still have rifling.
 
I did buy the gun for what I consider a very reasonable price. I still have no idea as to when and how it was cleaned to the condition it is in now, but no internal parts show any evidence of wear or blue. The insides of the side panels and the internal parts all look just as white as the exterior and no discernible wear is evident. The bore is bright with sharp rifling and no pitting evident. The caliber is 44-40.

I have not decided if I will have it blued or not. Anyone know of a good bluing artisan in Texas? Another question - this rifle was manufactured in late 1889. Is it safe to shoot cowboy action loads in this gun? I do not want to do anything to damage or put undue wear on the gun but I would like to enjoy it as a shooter.

When lead is outlawed what will we shoot in these old antique guns that will not harm to bore?

Thanks as always for the superb advice and a Merry Christmas to all.
 
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