Im new to military surplus rifles and im looking at getting either a k98 or a springfield. I was wondering if i were to buy either and refinish the wood and reblue the metal would it decrease the value or increase. Would it depend on whether or not it was war issue or rare?
Value after refinish.
- Thread starter pklassen
- Start date
Yes to all of the above. A good cleaning is one thing. If you're looking to refurb a mismatched bitser, no problem. Don't expect to make any money on your work or parts replacements.
If you take a decent K98 or Springfield 03 etc and decide to refurb it, you might just as well go to the toilet and flush your cash down the toilet, before you even start.
The age of refinishing milsurps, is basically over. If you are putting together a rifle to shoot, that's what it will always be. Anyone, familiar with milsurps, will spot the work, almost immediately.
If you want a collector/shooter, look at some of the offerings on "Tradex", a banner advertiser. They have some collector/shooters, chambered in the easy to get 7.62x51 Nato and easy to find 7x57 Mauser. They are complete and accessories are available from the same dealer. All they require to be correct and look good is a decent cleaning. They also come in two barrel lengths.
If you take a decent K98 or Springfield 03 etc and decide to refurb it, you might just as well go to the toilet and flush your cash down the toilet, before you even start.
The age of refinishing milsurps, is basically over. If you are putting together a rifle to shoot, that's what it will always be. Anyone, familiar with milsurps, will spot the work, almost immediately.
If you want a collector/shooter, look at some of the offerings on "Tradex", a banner advertiser. They have some collector/shooters, chambered in the easy to get 7.62x51 Nato and easy to find 7x57 Mauser. They are complete and accessories are available from the same dealer. All they require to be correct and look good is a decent cleaning. They also come in two barrel lengths.
Deltasilver
Regular
- Location
- Right behind you...
...And of course you picked two of the most "collectible".
Take a $400-$700 k98, sand the stock, re-blue and enjoy your new $300ish shooter.
CGN political correctness aside, it's yours to do with as you please.
Maybe look at one of the vendors carrying the m48BO? Shiny NEW mauser, no refinishing required. Marstar has what you need
Take a $400-$700 k98, sand the stock, re-blue and enjoy your new $300ish shooter.
CGN political correctness aside, it's yours to do with as you please.
Maybe look at one of the vendors carrying the m48BO? Shiny NEW mauser, no refinishing required. Marstar has what you need
"...refinish the wood and reblue the metal..." Decrease considerably.
"...or a Springfield..." Both high S/N 1903's and 1903A3's, in decent condition, are scarce up here. Even 'sporterized' rifles are scarce. Very long dollars when they do appear.
An Israeli K98, in decent condition, would be a good option. Most are chambered in .308/7.62. Not much collector interest. Lots of shooter interest.
Or one of the Swedish Mausers Tradex is listing.
There's no milsurp ammo around for either.
"...or a Springfield..." Both high S/N 1903's and 1903A3's, in decent condition, are scarce up here. Even 'sporterized' rifles are scarce. Very long dollars when they do appear.
An Israeli K98, in decent condition, would be a good option. Most are chambered in .308/7.62. Not much collector interest. Lots of shooter interest.
Or one of the Swedish Mausers Tradex is listing.
There's no milsurp ammo around for either.
I dont see why its so frowned upon to refinish a milsurp. I just want something in perfect condition. I think it would be fun to take a ok rifle and make it brand new again and if it gained value then that would be a plus but obviously thats not the case. Ill go ahead and do it anyways for the hell of it and if people look down on me for it then oh well i dont care ill still have an amazing looking rifle to shoot and admire. Thanks for all the info
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Please note, that while in Europe, that is not frowned upon, on this side of the pond, the value DECREASES. It's better to buy something in good condition to start with, and that will hold it's value if taken care of.
PK, there's more than just the looks of a milsurp to consider here. Think about it. You pay a certain amount for a milsurp because it's an operational firearm, AND because it does carry a history. Take half of that away, the market value goes down accordingly.
It'd be similar to a museum curator taking an artifact (an old painting, a ancient Greek vase, an Egyptian scrool, whatever) and changing it permanently, erasing some of its markings, to make it look prettier.
As mentioned above, cleaning, maintenance work, that's different. Preventing the firearm from rusting away and slowly getting destroyed because of the elements, that's a good idea.
Lou
It'd be similar to a museum curator taking an artifact (an old painting, a ancient Greek vase, an Egyptian scrool, whatever) and changing it permanently, erasing some of its markings, to make it look prettier.
As mentioned above, cleaning, maintenance work, that's different. Preventing the firearm from rusting away and slowly getting destroyed because of the elements, that's a good idea.
Lou
One item you don't have to worry about the end value for re-finishing is a rifle that bubba already got his hands on. That is the case with a very early made Gewehr 98 I have that, sadly, saw the sander and the wood saw at one point.
Refinishing a rifle that is still in military configuration and decent condition will generally not give you any return value but if you want something to keep for yourself, do what you please. I only ask you don't bubba it
.
Refinishing a rifle that is still in military configuration and decent condition will generally not give you any return value but if you want something to keep for yourself, do what you please. I only ask you don't bubba it
.If you already knew the answer, then why did you ask?
See Obvious Cat:
Im not sure what thread you have been reading or what you've been smoking but i didnt know. I figured i highly rare rifle in good condition shouldnt be refinished but had no idea that if you took a run of the mill milsurp and refinished it that it would decrease the value. As for the trolling picture im not sure what to make of it. Ill just assume you dont know what trolling is because thats the only explanation i can think of.
Not sure if we have the same definition of bubba. You see when i think of a bubba rifle i think of a rifle that has been modified (usually permanently) from its original condition with all kinds of modern supposed improvement. My goal is to buy a average milsurp and make it new again. Not to modify but bring it back to the condition that it left the factory. Not to sporterize or anything of the sort but to have a new condition milsurp to appreciate and shoot. If thats a sin then oh well i guess ill change my name to Bubba.
I know what you are saying PK. For this purpose, I think a valid option is to find a pre-bubba'ed rifle, then find the required parts in new or near-new shape and rebuild it. Then you're doing this rifle a favor. If you take a non-bubba'ed rifle, sand the stock, restain it, reblue the metal... that's not advisable in my opinion.
Here's a de-bubba'ed rifle of mine: http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj180/louthepou/HPIM1206b.jpg
Found a sporterized No4Mk1* that had good metal and a good bore. Found new forend, handguards and butt stock... Looks decent and a lot of fun to shoot.
Lou
I know what you are saying PK. For this purpose, I think a valid option is to find a pre-bubba'ed rifle, then find the required parts in new or near-new shape and rebuild it. Then you're doing this rifle a favor. If you take a non-bubba'ed rifle, sand the stock, restain it, reblue the metal... that's not advisable in my opinion.
Here's a de-bubba'ed rifle of mine:
Found a sporterized No4Mk1* that had good metal and a good bore. Found new forend, handguards and butt stock... Looks decent and a lot of fun to shoot.
Lou
Thats a great idea. Not only could i restore a rifle to its former glory but i would probably get it cheaper since its been "BUBBA'd". Great looking Enfield by the way.
Go to any collector forum (furniture, knives, automobiles - all of them), and you'll get exactly the same answer as you did here. It's your property and your money, so it's obviously your right to do as you please, but you shouldn't be surprised, nor should you get indignant because you got an answer you didn't like.
The restoration idea is a good one, but the restored rifle will never be worth close to what an original is, even if original finishes are applied.
The restoration idea is a good one, but the restored rifle will never be worth close to what an original is, even if original finishes are applied.
Restoring a bubba'd rifle to its original configuration is fine and commendable, since it isn't collectible anyway, but please keep away from the originals!
By the way, a decent bluing job isn't something that can really be done easily at home.
I think there is one upside to the increase in value of milsurp rifles; it tends to discourage butchering them and saves them for those who appreciate them for what they are.
By the way, a decent bluing job isn't something that can really be done easily at home.
I think there is one upside to the increase in value of milsurp rifles; it tends to discourage butchering them and saves them for those who appreciate them for what they are.
Lou brings up a lot of excellent points - as usual! If you want to do your own work on a milsurp, why not take an already bubba'd rifle, and change it back to as issued condition. That way you do your own work, have a new looking milsurp, have made an almost worthless rifle whole again and have something that you can shoot and use without worrying too much.
Read Lou's thread on his Enfields, they are an excellent read and show what a commited person with a bit of patience (and A LOT of talent) can do.
Read Lou's thread on his Enfields, they are an excellent read and show what a commited person with a bit of patience (and A LOT of talent) can do.
"...Dont want a hunting rifle..." They're not the same thing either. Hunting rifles are pretty much all the same. A vintage battle rifle has some history. Even a restored bubba'd rifle.
It's the collector value that decreases. Shooter rifle values aren't as high.
It's the collector value that decreases. Shooter rifle values aren't as high.
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