To Restore or Not To Restore?

[AFA1CY]

I have been reading up quite a bit on C&R rifles and Mosins specifically. There seem to be a trend amoung collectors to not do any restoration and leave the rifle in the condition it was retired in. I have read that there are two philosophies on this.

1. The purists. Those who won't even remove the packing cosmoline, much less do any restoration.

2. The minimalists. Those who will do minor repairs but keep the rifle pretty much in the same condition.

Then there is a third group where anything goes.

So what say you? Should C&R rifles be restored or left as they were when placed in storage?

 

[whiskeytangofoxtrot]

I clean them up really nice and try to make them as they would have been when a soldier was issued it. No modifications or anything like that unless the stock has been broken or looks like hammered hell.

I usually only re-finish a C&R only if it will see a ton of use. Plinking is not much use to me. My M1 Garands are workhorses, so I will fix them up as needed, since I shoot them all of the time.

So I polish it up and only re-stain and re-finish the old stocks. Metal stays as it has always been. Try to keep it as it was originally intended.

 

[techres]

That's what 3 and 5 packs are for!

I actually like restored and sporterized ones myself. I just cannot get into the "leave it alone" model. Not for me.

 

[techres]

Oh, and if it is C&R, I believe that overly modding it can remove it from its C&R status and create a theoretical legal problem if purchased C&R. I know of no case law however.

 

[Steelman]

For Mosins, I think you would have to re-barrel and bed the action to gain anything in terms of accuracy. IMO, investing $300 in a $69.99 rifle wouldn't fly. You can add scope mounts and sporter stocks to make it more functional.


That being said, I fall into the purist category and enjoy the historical aspect of the rifle as it was issued. I do remove the cosmoline, though.

 

[Turtle]

I say clean it up and make it look pretty. They are great looking rifles! I will be getting one b4 my B-day in december. My present to myself! Thinking of an M38. Or a 91/30.

 

[GMGCSWRET]

I believe if it’s all matching ser# then only clean and do the required repairs to insure its safe to shoot, if its not matching then do what ever you want. Bottom line it’s your gun do as you please

 

[Disposable Heart]

Depends on what you want to do with it...

If the supply of that milsurp weapon dries up, then they will be worth a little more, but on something like a Mosin, they wont go up much at all, even if all the parts match and such. If you have a Finnish Mosin, K31 or perfect condition Mauser, then count on it going up, and those you try to professionally restore. But then it becomes a constant battle of doing it on the cheap and hoping the weapon's value outpaces the amount put into it.

With the pure amount of the weapons on the market, I would refinish them. In fact I did, ask Jontheturboguy. He has one of my Mosins. One obviously bought the gun to shoot and enjoy it. Unless it was perfect from the factory, then I would enjoy it as a gun, rather than a collectible that will appreciate in value.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Unless it's a rare Mosin...(and there are some rare variations/makes out there) you can basically do whatever you want. They're never gonna be "collector rifles". There were only like 44 million of them made, you know...

That's the deal with most C&R rifles... Millions upon millions made, but only precious few are ever going to be rare and/or collectible.

Personally, I say "restore them to original glory" and be happy with a good lookin' rifle.

-J-