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NRA rating

dodge69
I have a 1885 32-40 High wall that one side of the receiver has a lot of scratches and not much blue left on it. I was thinking of having a old type of engraving done on it on both sides. Like a buffalo on one side and a Elk on the other. Would that wipe out any collector value of the gun? Does the NRA rating on a gun apply only to guns that are original.
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Comments

9 comments

Date Votes
  • rufe-snow
    IMHO, yes. Any time a antique firearm has been altered from it's factory original condition. It's value would be negatively affected.

    The engraving you describe, would stand out like a sore thumb. If the rest of the rifle wasn't professionally restored also.

    You would have to ask yourself prior to doing this. If you would be able to recover your the money, restoring and engraving the rifle. If you later decided to sell it.
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  • 11b6r
    Agree with what Rufe said. I just had a S&W Bodyguard revolver professionally reblued. I do not give a hoot about collector's value- it is a working carry gun. But if you care about collector's value- don't.
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  • charliemeyer007
    It sounds like a shooter not a collector item. 32-40 A deer and a coyote or cougar; buffalo and a elk on a 45-120.

    I don't recall ever hot bluing a hi-wall. I would seek Burt's advice.

    added The 32-40 would do the job on sitting ducks or fish in the barrel. By all means its your rifle, money and story.
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  • toad67
    IMO what you spend to have it engraved will detract from any value of the gun. If you have a $500 gun and spend $400 to have it engraved and only get $500 out of it you just wasted the engraving $$ on it. Just keep it as it is.
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  • Bert H.
    Unless it is a late production high-wall 32-40, the receiver frame should be case color finished versus blued. As originally finished by Winchester, the receiver frames were case colored or were machine blued (after August 1901). There are no modern bluing methods that can exactly duplicate the original machine bluing on a Model 1885. Additionally, regardless of which type of finish was used for the reciever frame, the ancillary parts (e.g. breech block, hammer, lever, etc.) were always case color hardened. Most gunsmiths make the mistake and blue all of the pieces and parts (making it very easy to identify a refinished Model 1885).
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  • dodge69
    The serial number on the gun is 98656 and just a quick check on line it would be a 1911. The receiver is the only part that is blue and it matches the color of the barrel. It is a kind of light blue color.
    Charliemeyer 007. The gun was owned by a owner/guide of a buffalo ranch in north west NE. I think it was one of those deals where they kept buffalo and the folks with a little money were taken out on a "hunt" which I have a little problem with shooting a animal on fenced land and calling it a hunt. He told me he actually killed more that a couple buffalo with this gun. The business went bankrupt. I know every old gun has a story, true or not but when I purchased the gun he had just received his annual order of ammo that I got with the gun 400 rounds.
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  • Hawk Carse
    I am not clear.
    Do you mean to engrave and refinish the gun "restoring" it to new appearance in a higher grade. All that takes is money that you will not recover on resale.
    Or do you want it to look like it was engraved in 1911 and used ever since, an "antiqued" higher grade? I don't know where to go for that, but there is probably somebody to deal with.
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  • He Dog
    Engraving will cost more than you suppose unless you are looking to put several thousand into the project. Then you have several thousand invested in a shooter grade firearm. Your gun your choice, but you will never get the price you hope for the gun one day.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by dodge69
    The serial number on the gun is 98656 and just a quick check on line it would be a 1911. The receiver is the only part that is blue and it matches the color of the barrel. It is a kind of light blue color.

    Serial number 98656 was manufactured in December of 1904. You really need to Stop using any online Winchester serial number listing except the one found here - http://winchestercollector.org/dates/

    Based on the date of manufacture, the receiver frame was originally machine blued.
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