What to do, what to do?

[catnthehatt]

"How does it shoot?" would be my first wonder!
My Westley Richards has been cut to 26" and it's killed more winged things than the Avian Flu!
If it shoots well, I would be inclined too keep it and hunt with it!

 

[leveractionjunkie]

I’m with cat I’d like to see how it shoots for me before I made a decision. Seems it could be a beautiful occasional Skeet/woodcock and early season grouse gun. If it patterns alright and to POA for me I’d have it cleaned, refinished and tuned up to the point of being a good shooter.

It’s a beautiful piece. I don’t know how you guys come across them with such frequency. Congrats

 

[.22LRGUY]

Well, I'm definitely the wrong person to ask...OR have chime in on this...but for me, the more time and money (neither of which I have allot of) I dump into something I want to "make perfect"...the higher my expectations are of the end result. Both the gun itself, AND how much I expect to love the thing. If either thing doesn't measure up, and quick, regret sets in fast and furious. lol So, my answer would be to let it go...and use the proceeds towards something you can enjoy today. Or soon. As I'm sliding quickly towards the age of 50, life is dishing-up constant reminders that one should make every day the best it can be.. so prolonged, frustrating, expensive projects just aren't on my radar. I think I'm alone in that, at least in this thread.

 

[canvasback]

Well, I'm definitely the wrong person to ask...OR have chime in on this...but for me, the more time and money (neither of which I have allot of) I dump into something I want to "make perfect"...the higher my expectations are of the end result. Both the gun itself, AND how much I expect to love the thing. If either thing doesn't measure up, and quick, regret sets in fast and furious. lol So, my answer would be to let it go...and use the proceeds towards something you can enjoy today. Or soon. As I'm sliding quickly towards the age of 50, life is dishing-up constant reminders that one should make every day the best it can be.. so prolonged, frustrating, expensive projects just aren't on my radar. I think I'm alone in that, at least in this thread.

Hahaha! Someone has a bad case of buyer's remorse on a regular basis.

 

[gunsaholic]

If the gun could be put into shooting condition for a decent cost I would maybe do that. But for me I would regret sinking in a lot of money on a restoration because, as it is, it would always be a gun that has cut barrels and that would really eat away at me. I already have one gun that I should have abandoned when unknown problems were discovered but I kept going. Thinking about it now, I wouldn't do it over again. First I would not even be close to getting half my money back if I were to sell but secondly, I wouldn't feel comfortable selling it to someone . Now with your gun yes, you could have the barrels sleeved which would remedy the cut barrels issue---if you want to put that kind of money into it on top of the forearm issue.

 

[Londonshooter]

Someone please put me onto a side-opener in high condition and then I can move on. Quite sure I won't be getting into sleeving (but maybe jug-choking it as is. We'll see what develops). Can't shoot as-is because the lug to fit the fore-end wedge has been removed to see how the iron needs to be reshaped.

 

[Stephen Nash]

As I'm sliding quickly towards the age of 50, life is dishing-up constant reminders that one should make every day the best it can be.. so prolonged, frustrating, expensive projects just aren't on my radar. I think I'm alone in that, at least in this thread.

Ha! Not so alone... I’m sufficiently past 60 that I’m making the horrible transition from not jumping on every beautiful gun that comes along, to having to make careful choices, and even thinning the herd. And all because of a stupid rule that you can’t take your guns with you when you leave this Earth.

 

[gyates93]

Is anybody else amazed at how immaculate the screw heads are on this ancient shotgun? It looks like it would be a real beauty over top of the fireplace..

 

[saskbooknut]

Nobody can really tell you what to do.
I would say don't do anything to degrade the good stuff of this gun. It is a class act that deserves considerate treatment.
I doubt that a full restoration is an economicly rewarding proposition.

 

[Ashcroft]

John, you already know the answer or you wouldn't even be asking. IF the barrels were original length AND If they were in proof AND IF the minimum wall thicknesses were decent it would be in my opininion worth restoring, which will cost many thousands to complete to the original standard of this gun. But even if in proof with good thicknesses those shortened barrels will forever drag that gun down no matter what else is done to it. Personally I won't buy a fine gun with shortened barrels and my personal limit on the very best gun if out of proof is $3000 because I know the value won't be there for another buyer. If this was mine and I really liked this gun I would consider spending the minimum ( including purchase price) to put it in decent shooting condition and shoot the $hit out of it. Remember, it can never be a collector item or a valuable original piece, think carefully of the true potential value of this gun. And compare - if the name on it was Charles Osborne, what would your decision be? The name Holland and Holland can only carry a project so far. Find a better candidate to start with. J.

 

[canvasback]

John, you already know the answer or you wouldn't even be asking. IF the barrels were original length AND If they were in proof AND IF the minimum wall thicknesses were decent it would be in my opininion worth restoring, which will cost many thousands to complete to the original standard of this gun. But even if in proof with good thicknesses those shortened barrels will forever drag that gun down no matter what else is done to it. Personally I won't buy a fine gun with shortened barrels and my personal limit on the very best gun if out of proof is $3000 because I know the value won't be there for another buyer. If this was mine and I really liked this gun I would consider spending the minimum ( including purchase price) to put it in decent shooting condition and shoot the $hit out of it. Remember, it can never be a collector item or a valuable original piece, think carefully of the true potential value of this gun. And compare - if the name on it was Charles Osborne, what would your decision be? The name Holland and Holland can only carry a project so far. Find a better candidate to start with. J.

What he said.