Would you restore Dad's old rifle?

Lots of good advice here. Thing that stands out for me, is checking the bore for fouling. Give her a good clean and copper cleaning, maybe tape the end of the barrel and let som Ed's Red soak in there for a few weeks. It would be a shame to take off the original barrel if accuracy can be restored.
 
I agree, good advice here. I think I'll do some scrubbing on the bore and do a bullet seating depth check. I do have all the reload records for the rifle so I'll dig them out and go over them.

How many rounds would a person expect to get from a 7x57? 5k?
 
Refinish it, no question. And somehow check to see if the barrel really is 'shot out' or if it just needs a serious cleaning.

Let's say your dad left you a '68 Charger with 383 Magnum. All original, including rusted out quarters, faded paint, torn seats, and an engine that smokes. What would you do - drive it as it is all original, or restore it?
 
Grouse Man said:
Refinish it, no question. And somehow check to see if the barrel really is 'shot out' or if it just needs a serious cleaning.

Let's say your dad left you a '68 Charger with 383 Magnum. All original, including rusted out quarters, faded paint, torn seats, and an engine that smokes. What would you do - drive it as it is all original, or restore it?
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Hahaha! Thats a pretty clear way of looking at it isn't it.
 
Cleftwynd said:
A trophy to me isn't the biggest rack on a buck, or the best plumage on a bird, it's the memory of a great hunt. That's why my mounts are those of fond memories. Every ding, every dent, every scratch, even a bad refinish is all part of the memories of a rifle. About 50 years ago the front sight was lost from my grandmothers rifle, my father filed a roofing nail to fit the front dovetail slot and it was used that way until the 80's when my dad made a nicer one by hand out of brass. I could source a new sight, refinish the wood, reblue the metal and have a very nice rifle. But it will have lost all the marks and history of its life with those that came before me.

If it was me, I would try and make it shoot, and leave it alone. And if it doesn't shoot, I would put it away and find another just like it to hunt with where the old girl can't go.


But I am a sentimental fool....
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This one still shoots good :)
It shall remain in the condition it was handed down to me in...Grandpa Passed on in 1977
This gun brought back Moose to his homestead when he was so broke he only had one shell to fire in it.
Yes that is one quarter of a Canadian Penny for a front sight
I used this gun as my first hunting rifle(borrowed it and model 39 at the beginning of the season and returned at the end)

OP do what your heart tells you to do.
Mine tells me to pass this one down EXACTLY as it is
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hometownhero said:
I would do a full restore on it. New finish on the wood, new barrel, reblue it all
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That would replace a good portion of some rifles ^
 
I would suggest you give the barrel a good cleaning and have a gunsmith freshen up the crown... it may surprise you...

If you plan on keeping it as a memento of past days I would not refinish or re-barrel it. I did that to my fathers rifle and regretted it ever since...
 
horseman2 said:
Much like Grandfather's Axe . . . two new heads and 12 handles but it is still Grandfather's Axe.

Returning it to pristine condition will not deteriorate the family tradition.
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I was thinking of the same story.
"This is my grandfathers axe. My father replaced the handle, and I replaced the head. So, is it really grand dad's axe?"



tiriaq said:
Have you given the barrel a really good cleaning? Built up metallic fouling will affect accuracy and can give a bore a washed out look. A 7x57 should be good for many thousands of rounds and retain hunting accuracy.

Another option would be to look for a take off barrel. You aren't likely going to find one in 7x57, but these rifles were made in other calibers. This would be a very economical option, and would retain factory markings.
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In addition to this, you may be able to remove the barrel, cut a half inch off the chamber end, re-chamber and re-thread it, then screw the newly freshened up barrel back on.
I once talked with some DCRA shooters and they often do this after about 6000 rounds. They often shoot very well afterwards.
 
guntech said:
I would suggest you give the barrel a good cleaning and have a gunsmith freshen up the crown... it may surprise you...

If you plan on keeping it as a memento of past days I would not refinish or re-barrel it. I did that to my fathers rifle and regretted it ever since...
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Sorry to hear that....thanks for the advice.
 
cdn shooter said:
Sorry to hear that....thanks for the advice.
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I have seen this many times before as well. A fella gets an original rifle handed down to him from a family member, and then gets a complete refurb on it, and very much regrets it after, as it really isn't the same rifle anymore.
Not sure what your situation is, rifle wise, but if you use another, then keep Dad's as is. Build a nice display box for it, and fill it full of pictures and memento's. A fitting tribute to both the rifle and your father.
Certainly clean the barrel, and oil metal, etc., and take it out and shoot it once in while, but leave it as is.

R.
 
See if the accuracy issues can be corrected but otherwise leave it as is. In its current form it's your father's rifle. A refinish and rebarrel mean it's no longer the rifle he knew. I don't have a rifle from my father but do have other items that were once his and they will remain as they were when he owned them.
 
I have some used M70 pushfeed barrels, but I think the only Featherweight I have is .223. Might have a .243. Pretty sure I have .270 and .30-06, but these are standards, and would not fit the inlet in your stock. If you think you might be interested in the .243, let me know, and I'll check. If it is a Featherweight, it could be installed without alteration to the action or stock, so you could hang onto the 7mm barrel, and your rifle could be retained as your Dad used it. The .223 could be rechambered to .22-.250 or .220 Swift, if you're interested in going that way.
 
Rman said:
I have seen this many times before as well. A fella gets an original rifle handed down to him from a family member, and then gets a complete refurb on it, and very much regrets it after, as it really isn't the same rifle anymore.
Not sure what your situation is, rifle wise, but if you use another, then keep Dad's as is. Build a nice display box for it, and fill it full of pictures and memento's. A fitting tribute to both the rifle and your father.
Certainly clean the barrel, and oil metal, etc., and take it out and shoot it once in while, but leave it as is.

R.
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Or you can do what I did for my dad's buddy he had an older pre 64 Win 1894 30-30 unbeknownst to him I scored it refinished it all for him had the barreled action reblued and I redid all of the wood myself and gave it back to him on his birthday.

A few years ago he gave the rifle too me there is nothing I have to do to it cause I already did it... :)
 
tiriaq said:
I have some used M70 pushfeed barrels, but I think the only Featherweight I have is .223. Might have a .243. Pretty sure I have .270 and .30-06, but these are standards, and would not fit the inlet in your stock. If you think you might be interested in the .243, let me know, and I'll check. If it is a Featherweight, it could be installed without alteration to the action or stock, so you could hang onto the 7mm barrel, and your rifle could be retained as your Dad used it. The .223 could be rechambered to .22-.250 or .220 Swift, if you're interested in going that way.
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Thanks for the offer, but I want to keep it 7x57.

I think I'll clean it up and try some new load development. Powder, primers, projectiles have probably all changed since he developed his favorite load for it. All I've been doing is following his recipe. I'm also going to give it a quick refresh on the stock. I've decided against rebarreling unless I can find an original featherweight marked 7 mauser. Never know maybe the load has just fallen out of its node.
 
Rembo said:
I wouldn't touch it.
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Nor would I. I re-did my grandfathers rifle and regret it.

I would do everything I could to improve accuracy w/o changing/refinishing the bbl or stock. Cleaning, bedding, re-crowning, trigger jobs, general inspection, etc, might go a long way to improve accuracy.
 
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