cost of repair worth more than the rifle?
I have a Marlin model 336 (.30-30) that was made in 1973. It's in good condition except for some slight pitting on the barrel. I have no idea how much it would cost to repair or re-blue the barrel in order to make it look better. Is it worth taking to a gunsmith? It is otherwise in proper working condition with no other flaws (minus normal wear on the wooden stock).
TIA!
TIA!
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My son found a Marlin 39, .22 that had been stored on a houseboat he purchased. The owner of the boat had been dead for several years and when he asked the widow if she wanted the gun back she told him to keep it. From the looks of it I wouldn't have given a dollar for this gun. The barrel has serious external pitting, but none inside. The entire gun was covered with rust and the stock looked like very weathered wood and had turned almost black. Amazing thing is that the action still worked as smooth as silk, the loading tube slid right out and the gun shoots like all Model 39s should. He took steel wool to the stock & all of the metal parts. Keeps it oiled and uses it on every camping trip. Point: gun doesn't have any value, but is an excellent shooter. 0 -
Right, that's what I'm thinking. I got the rifle for "free" as well, a gift from my dad, who bought it cheap from a neighbor. I figure it has no collector's value, but it does shoot just fine. 0 -
Ain't nuthin' wrong havin' a gun with a little "character". Even though I have several "fine" rifles, the beater is the go to gun. Hell they just gonna get beat up if you use'm regular anyhow. 0 -
Dont judge a book by its cover [:X][:D] 0 -
Keep a bit of oil on it and you'll be fine 0 -
I also have several high end guns,most all safe queens,my go to rifle is an old savage I paid $100 for many years ago,its ugly,beatup,looks like it has freckles ,skins all over the stocks and shoots like a dream,why carry an expensive gun to the field just to get it banged up,clean it good,if it still has some rust use some fine steel wool and oil to clean it off and then enjoy it 0 -
I agree with most of the others,.....who cares if it doesn't look perfect, as long as it shoots good.
If you want it to look good, you can refinish the stock yourself, for virtually nothing, and you can certainly improve the looks of the metal with fine steel wool, and some oil.
Probably not worth a professional re-blue, unless it has sentimental value to you.
You could always do a "dura-coat" type finish yourself though, for cheap.
I would do that, as I personally have never had much luck with the cold blue products, other than touching up a sight, or small blemish.0 -
i've got a couple rifles that look like they have rowed boats, but they shoot true and i wont sell them. when using cold blue, steel wool every inch, wipe every inch to remove oil, with alccohol or a keytone, steel wool again with gloves on, do not touch the metal,wrap loosly with aluminum foil and set on dashboard of your truck for 1 hour, tiis will uniformly heat the barrel, apply blue evenly wiping in 1 direction, steel wool again, using gloves, check color,second coat if you want darker, steel wool again and oil to seal. works good[;)][:D] 0 -
$33 for another barrel that aint pitted:
www.e-gunparts.com/product.asp?chrProductSKU=939450&MC=
Sounds like a good winter project gun
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Actually I love guns like this. As a collector I have guns that I would never shoot and finding a dood cheap shooter is a God send!! 0 -
$125ish should get the whole gun professionaly reblued if you wanted to go that route.
Ben0 -
quote:Originally posted by jbw1776
$125ish should get the whole gun professionaly reblued if you wanted to go that route.
Ben
That's what I was afraid of. I think the rifle (even with a fairly nice scope) isn't worth $125.0 -
I just used OXPHO-BLUE on a beater rifle I have with very good results.
It does not look like a pro hot blue job, But for $15 it looks darn good to me.0 -
quote:Originally posted by callktulu
quote:Originally posted by jbw1776
$125ish should get the whole gun professionaly reblued if you wanted to go that route.
Ben
That's what I was afraid of. I think the rifle (even with a fairly nice scope) isn't worth $125.
Are you kidding? Nearly any HP rifle that shoots is worth $100. I'd say your Marlin is well worth $125. But I agree w/the others. No need to spend the money if it;s not nessisary.0 -
paint it camaflage 0 -
it it was a gift, id say its worth fixen. [:)] 0 -
Sounds like a great DIY project, and if you don't like the results you can still call in a pro. Rebarrelling is a ggod way to go too. I mean what the heck 33 bucks... 0 -
You can get another barrel for it probably cheaper than rebluing it....and now after saying that, I would keep the gun...A gift from your father is a gift to be treasured, no matter what he paid for it...and no matter what it costs to fix it up...So what if it costs more than what the gun is worth ..(and according the blue book, its worth more than the reblueing costs..) its a gift from your father.... 0 -
Down at the Tulsa gun show, the cheapest lever 30-30 I saw was 300 BUCKS. Simply insane.
A friend wanted me to look for one for him.
That being said..a bit of draw filing on those pits, blended in well with the untouched portion of the barrel, then a bit of hand polishing will bring that superb lever back to perfection.
90% of the finished job is in the prep work...same as a paint job on a car.
You need to talk to a local gunsmith about doing the bluing.0 -
Got a reply from the wife of the LEO (Freddie) who sold the rifle to my dad.
quote:Freddie went to the house to arrest the man. He was holding two police officers hostage. Freddie went to the front door & threw tear gas into the house. The man shot at Freddie, missing his head by 2-3 in. They arrested the man and he went to prison. The chief of police gave him the rifle. He hunted deer with the rifle, our son hunted, & our grandson also shot his first deer with the Marlin.0 -
I've had Phil Filing do most of my hot blue work. If you do the metal prep his prices are absurdly low. He did my pre-war A5 for $45, after I used Brownell's 270+ blast media on it.
http://www.gunbluing.com/0 -
And a thought just occurred to me: what kind of idiot uses a 30-30 for defense? Or at least, to shoot at a cop? Never mind, I guess I just answered my own question. 0 -
Sometimes you have to use what you got. Story sounds fishy to me but what ever. Try rebuleing (sp?) it your self if you screw up get a new barrel or try again and again. Or steel wool and oil or my favorite for beater guns navel jelly--> steel wool --> Rustolum engine paint if you take you time and put coats on thin actually comes out looking OK. Or try camoing it up. 0 -
Why does the story sound fishy? 0
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