Posted by Mike Hughes on December 18, 2006, 7:35 pm, in reply to "L.C.Smith refinnishing"
Both guns are past the WD40 and Old English wood Polish stage.
Gun number one is serial number 30783, 20 ga. field grade 2 3/4 chambers and double trigger. All of the steel on the gun is white with absolutely no bluing or case hardening left at all. It is remarkable how little pitting of the steel there is. The wood appears to be white birch and all the finish is totally gone off of it. I would consider a walnut stain and refinish on this wood except some idiot put a recoil pad on it with the wood cut so the stock is 2 inches longer at the toe than the top.
Gun #2 has serial number FWS24403 and I assume it is 16ga. This shotgun would be graded 90% original except it was stored for years in a soft case and has rust lines on both sides that runs front to back. There is some pretty severe rust pitting but I think it can be salvaged. The receiver is case hardened but the pitting is not too bad in this area. The wood is not in bad shape. Just strip/refinish/& pad.
I am looking for a quality gunsmith I can get to redo these two shotguns for new. They are both in bad enough shape that refinishing, by a professional, should not degrade their value.