A question about Restoration work

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Hello all,

I know several of you mention doing restoration work on antique rifles and fowlers.  My question is, what exactly are you doing?  I come from a museum background and in that field there is a big difference between preservation and conservation.  When preserving and item you do as little as possible just to make sure the item does not deteriorate more.  When you are adding pieces or changing then you are conserving. 

So when doing restoration work is it a good cleaning?  Or do you go as far as replacing parts and getting the item back into working order?

Regards,

Coryjoe

[Pete G.]

As a general rule, restoration is considered as returning a piece to a previous condition. Obviously there are various types of restoration. A cut off barrel could be "stretched" to its original length, but still not be shootable, or a piece could be restored to a firing condition, which is a different type of restoration.

I would place a proper cleaning more in the class of conservation. Then there is the overly enthusiastic cleaning which is in the class of artifact destruction.

[KC]

I have an old Ohio style percussion rifle that was around my Dad's house for about 40+ years. At some point, someone had removed the lock and lost a lock screw and some small parts. I sent it to Jack Brooks because he advertised as providing restoration services. I have no idea what the collector's value of the rifle is but my Dad had always spoke of getting it operable. I sent it to Mr. Brooks and asked that he only preserve it and make it operable. He sent it back looking pretty much like it was when I sent it to him except it was cleaned, well oiled, in one piece, and ready to shoot. I haven't shot it yet but I couldn't be happier with the results. He fabricated the necessary parts, adjusted the triggers, and generally saved it from becoming another lost old rifle.

I intend to post pictures to see if any of the experts here can tell me anything about it. It's a half stock rifle with a lock marked "Biddle" and it reminds me of a Vincent rifle. 

[jerrywh]

 If it is a high quality important piece I would refuse to alter it and have.  Otherwise I just do what the customer wants done.

[Mark Elliott]

I only do conservation work which I define as only what is necessary to ensure the gun continues intact.    I do as little as possible in keeping with the owners wishes.    I have never worked on anything high value and would probably refer that work to someone with more experience.   I would not "stretch a barrel or reconvert a gun to flint, even if I could.  Finally, I try not to do anything that I can't reverse.    That said,  I have gotten very good at untangling other people's messes.   

[doug]

I think that something not said so far is; "what is the condition of the gun now and what is it going to be used for?"  If the gun is for example, something dug up at the Little Big Horn and going to be displayed simply as an artifact of that location then obviously just do what is necessary to keep it from rusting and rotting away.  On the other hand if the gun is a pile of rusted parts that would otherwise be thrown in the garbage and the desire is to display the gun as an example of that category of gun in its operational shape, then I see nothing wrong in rebuilding it to a functional gun.  I suspect most guns fall somewhere in between.  I rebuilt a Spencer rifle locally for the military museum and it was functional at the end of that work.  I can state categorically it would have gone in the garbage if left as found.  There was no provenance as to where it had been found and had been bought a number of years before for $20 which is about all it was worth when I started

cheers Doug