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Win. Model 37

Sportsman
Hello,
I just purchaced a Winchester Model 37 in 28 Ga. The barrel is about 99% with just a couple of pin sized rust spots that can be removed. The receiver is not so good though. It has about 5% blueing with a light coating of surface rust. The stock is pretty rough. It has what looks like wood putty around the buttplate and has cut marks from a saw blade on the pistol grip area. Looks like someone tried to make it grip better? The forearm is in pretty good shape though. Both have no cracks in the wood.

I'm wondering if I could restore the gun without loosing it's value. I know that some Winchester doubles are able to be professionaly restored and keep thier value. I'm not so sure about this one though.

Any advise?

Oh. and it is a "red letter" also.
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • He Dog
    Frankly it does not sound like there is much value left to lose. A real restoration is done by an experienced craftsman. If that describes you, go for it.

    I should have added that you very likely can enhance the value with a reblue and replaced stock, but perhaps not as much as it costs to make the changes. Somethings are worth doing anyway.
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  • GuvamintCheese
    I believe all of the 28 ga's were red letters. You might want to buy a 37 in a .410 ga. and trade out the stocks. I dont think you will hurt the value of this gun if you reblue the frame. There are a bunch of fake 28ga. 37's out there and people are still willing to pay the money, go figure. rare gun if its original.
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  • Sportsman
    quote:Originally posted by cartod
    I believe all of the 28 ga's were red letters. You might want to buy a 37 in a .410 ga. and trade out the stocks. I dont think you will hurt the value of this gun if you reblue the frame. There are a bunch of fake 28ga. 37's out there and people are still willing to pay the money, go figure. rare gun if its original.


    Good idea about the .410. I never thought about that. I found a website that has new replacement stocks, but going with the original sounds better to me. It is all original and not a fake. I checked.

    Thanks
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  • Sportsman
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    Frankly it does not sound like there is much value left to lose. A real restoration is done by an experienced craftsman. If that describes you, go for it.

    I should have added that you very likely can enhance the value with a reblue and replaced stock, but perhaps not as much as it costs to make the changes. Somethings are worth doing anyway.

    Your right. Some things ARE worth doing. I think this should be a good project. I do have some gunsmithing skills and will probably go ahead with this. I'm just not quite sure if it will hold the value though. I am going to wait and see who else chimes in on this.
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  • Fatstrat
    I'd be skeptical about a gun w/99% blue on barrel and 5% on receiver being all original.
    While barrels do tend to retain blueing better than other exposed parts, I don't think I've ever seen one w/such a pronounced difference.
    My usual M/O is to keep as original as possible and repair only as much as needed to achieve/maintain firing condition. Unless condition is so bad that gun has little to no collector value anyway.
    But in this case I'd say go for it.
    BTW: My brother has a red letter M-37 12 Ga. in full choke that was my dad's 1st gun. Bought new for him in the 1930's by his grandpa.
    That full choke throws a tight pattern and I won many a (stationary target) turkey shoot w/it in my youth.
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  • Sportsman
    quote:Originally posted by Fatstrat
    I'd be skeptical about a gun w/99% blue on barrel and 5% on receiver being all original.
    While barrels do tend to retain blueing better than other exposed parts, I don't think I've ever seen one w/such a pronounced difference.
    My usual M/O is to keep as original as possible and repair only as much as needed to achieve/maintain firing condition. Unless condition is so bad that gun has little to no collector value anyway.
    But in this case I'd say go for it.

    I know what you meen about the pronounced difference in the barrel and receiver. I do know the previous owner and she had been the owner since 1943. She said that there was never any work done to the gun.It just sat in her closet except for a couple of pheasant trips. The owner befor her.......... I don't know, but is was a friend of hers who gave it to her for a wedding gift. Go figure huh?
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  • He Dog
    Sounds like a really fun challenge. I would love to see the before and after photos of this one. Good luck with it, welcome to the boards here, stick around, you seem to have some knowledge and experience to offer.
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  • Sportsman
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    Sounds like a really fun challenge. I would love to see the before and after photos of this one. Good luck with it, welcome to the boards here, stick around, you seem to have some knowledge and experience to offer.


    If I can figure out how to send pictures I'll do that. I'm new at this. Yes. I'll stick around for a while. It seems like there is a lot of good and informative information to be had.

    Thanks
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  • Sportsman
    quote:Originally posted by Sportsman
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    Sounds like a really fun challenge. I would love to see the before and after photos of this one. Good luck with it, welcome to the boards here, stick around, you seem to have some knowledge and experience to offer.


    If I can figure out how to send pictures I'll do that. I'm new at this. Yes. I'll stick around for a while. It seems like there is a lot of good and informative information to be had.

    Thanks
    I guess I could send by e-mail with an attachment.
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  • He Dog
    There is a post with a stickie at the top of this forum that explains in detail how to post photos here. Even I have done it so I am sure it will be a breeze for a Sportsman.[:D]
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