Maintaining Un-issued Milsurps?

LeeEnfieldNo.4_mk1

LeeEnfieldNo.4_mk1

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I have a few Milsurp that are un-issued, un-fired, straight from the crate and still in the grease. These are not cheaper rifles but are higher value rifles.

I was wiping the wood stocks on some of my other rifles down with linseed oil (the proper oil for these model of rifles), and was wondering if I should so the same with my greased rifles. They don't have grease on the stocks, just on the metal and internally, so I would not be removing much if any.

I figured its normal maintenance that will only benefit the wood. But I started wondering if it could effect value since these rifles were bought for the collection (I have several of the same rifles to shoot) and I didn't want to risk devaluing them, since there value comes from the "untouched" conditions.

Figured I would get some opinions on here. Would the oil hurt the value?, and also, how to other people with higher value, "untouched" milsurps maintain them?

Thanks
 
If they are OK, just leave the grease and wrapping on them. That original grease and the original wrapping can bring a couple of hundred extra dollars, when it comes time to sell them.

That grease can look dried out but it still seals/protects the firearms and you don't have to maintain them, other than to keep them dry.

I have a pre war, Czech Mod 24, still in the grease, with a bit of the original wrapping still on it. The Rampant Lion crest is just visible under the grease.

The grease is still soft and doing its job and since I have another identical rifle, that I shoot, the collector grade piece can sit in that greasy protective coating, until its new future owner decides to clean it up.
 
If I were you I would leave them as is in the grease. If they are unfired, they'll be worth more in the original condition than if you treat them yourself. Or at least, that's how it has been up to this point.
 
As the others have advised, I would suggest that you not apply anything to the stocks. It will surely affect the collector value of your pieces if it’s apparent that something was done to them since they left the factory.
 
I have seen my fair share of unissued, including India Pattern Bess in the crate (Tower of London), to U.S. Civil War carbines and muskets, right up to, Canadian Forces Inglis HP's.

To leave them as is, would be perfectly fine, perhaps, but each example would need to be checked for any degradation of the original preservatives from years of storage conditions.

I have seen examples that, lets just say, needed a little TLC - added prevention due to the breakdown of original preservatives.

I have personally witnessed examples that where unwrapped only to find out that the original preservatives never had 100% coverage.

In one such case, the butt plate was completely rusted - fused to the stock.

I repeat;

Conditions of original storage change over the years, breakdowns may occur and as such, a wise responsible eye is needed for the future.
 
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30%?!? I WOULDN'T EVEN BUY THE GUN IF SOMEONE HAD SLOBBERED STUFF ON THE WOOD. It’s a deal breaker. And I am a serious collector. I want my guns as they left the factory or field. I have lots of straight from the closet guns that were never touched and they are just fine. Every serious collector I know is disdainful of anything put on stocks.

OP- If they are fine now, do not mess with them. Only reason to intervene is rust. The wood will be fine if stored correctly.
 
This can be a nasty subject, which at times , will separate the best of us and I'm not here to disagree with anyone.

I am just trying to highlight my experience from over the years and I have been at this a long time.


OP- If they are fine now, do not mess with them.
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I agree, but they need to be strictly monitored.

Only reason to intervene is rust.
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Yes

The wood will be fine if stored correctly.
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There can be a lot of, if's there!!!

Climate conditions within a storage area can change at the drop of a dime.

Does everyone keep a room or storage area perfectly climatically controlled?

I have seen stocks that looked fine on the outside, but where dry and cracking from the interior.

Almost the same as the old saying, rusting from the inside out!

Just, saying!
 
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Thanks for all the info.

Just to clarify, the wood is not covered in grease and any grease seems to just be over application when they did the metal parts, and they are not wrapped in paper. The grease as applied to the metal, but not the wood, which led me to the thought of oiling it to maintain it.

But it seems like its better to leave it be. I purchased them for the collector/investment aspect.
 
Sir Plus said:
I’m not looking for an argument, please just research what you are talking about.
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I've been buying, selling, collecting for 55 years.

I have a very good picture of what brings the highest dollar to a serious collector and what you described isn't it.
 
cigar_man said:
This can be a nasty subject, which at times , will separate the best of us and I'm not here to disagree with anyone.

I am just trying to highlight my experience from over the years and I have been at this a long time.




I agree, but they need to be strictly monitored.



Yes



There can be a lot of, if's there!!!

Climate conditions within a storage area can change at the drop of a dime.

Does everyone keep a room or storage area perfectly climatically controlled?

I have seen stocks that looked fine on the outside, but where dry and cracking from the interior.

Almost the same as the old saying, rusting from the inside out!

Just, saying!
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Those rifles were seldom stored in climatically controlled conditions. They were lucky if the warehouse they were stored in didn't have a leaking roof or gaping holes in the walls. Especially in Eastern Europe or in South East Asia or Africa. Our Canadian facilities are mostly better but, consider that many storage facilities are actually in old SALT MINES because of the dryness.

The reason they were often floated in grease was to preserve them by sealing them from the elements. Then, if they were factory fresh, they were wrapped in a type of paper that wouldn't break down from exposure to the grease or elements, then packed into sealed wooden crates for storage.

I've seen and owned No4 MkII rifles that were skim coated with a light, greasy preservative, wrapped in a cloth, then dipped in Paraffin and wrapped in brown paper.

I've also had factory fresh Savage No4 MkI rifles that only had preservative on the metal, with a light coat of waxy substance on the stock and some floated in grease, before wrapping in brown paper and stored in a cardboard box. All had factory/arsenal tags visible, including on the crates and boxes.

When that wrapping is present, to a perspective buyer, the value goes up significantly.

I know some collectors that won't touch a pristine looking firearm, if it's missing the cosmolene and wrapping.
 
bearhunter said:
I've been buying, selling, collecting for 55 years.

I have a very good picture of what brings the highest dollar to a serious collector and what you described isn't it.
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I didn’t mean to hurt your ego. One can’t be familiar with ALL the chemical products on the market. But one should be familiar with a certain product before making claims about it.
 
Sir Plus said:
I didn’t mean to hurt your ego. One can’t be familiar with ALL the chemical products on the market. But one should be familiar with a certain product before making claims about it.
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You didn't hurt my ego one bit.

Messing with anything original has nothing to do with any chemical product on the market. What is it you're missing???

That original cosmo and wrapping is VALUABLE to many serious collectors and they will pay substantial premiums for it. Why would you even consider tossing it away???

Let me give you an example.

Original, in box P35, with original preservative in original wrapper, spare mag and cleaning rod, with the mutal aid decal still intact.

Cleaning anything off and damaging the decal - knock $400 off the sale price.
 
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bearhunter said:
You didn't hurt my ego one bit.

Messing with anything original has nothing to do with any chemical product on the market. What is it you're missing???

That original cosmo and wrapping is VALUABLE to many serious collectors and they will pay substantial premiums for it. Why would you even consider tossing it away???

Let me give you an example.

Original, in box P35, with original preservative in original wrapper, spare mag and cleaning rod, with the mutal aid decal still intact.

Cleaning anything off and damaging the decal - knock $400 off the sale price.
Click to expand...

What does this post have to do with what I said?
See my first post again. Learn to read instead of getting angry online.
 
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