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1903 NRA sporter

Lightning4570

Lightning4570

Alpha
Have inherited my wife’s grandfather’s model 1903, circa 1922 if my serial number research is correct. He used it to hunt in Alaska as a professional guide in the 1920s. Lyman rear sights, etc. It will be strictly a wall-hanger now, and I’m interested in the community’s opinion on having the stock restored (forend cap is a different wood from the rest of the stock) and general professional cleaning, perhaps reblue?
I‘m certain many/most would be against the idea, but I’m less interested in holding its value than creating a beautiful piece of wall art for the family.
Thoughts?
Thank you gents.
 
It's your gun, do what you want...

As a decoration cleaning, re-bluing, and polishing would be all right.
I had a WWII 1903 A3 Sporter that I shot regularly.
 
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Lightning4570 said:
Have inherited my wife’s grandfather’s model 1903, circa 1922 if my serial number research is correct. He used it to hunt in Alaska as a professional guide in the 1920s. Lyman rear sights, etc. It will be strictly a wall-hanger now, and I’m interested in the community’s opinion on having the stock restored (forend cap is a different wood from the rest of the stock) and general professional cleaning, perhaps reblue?
I‘m certain many/most would be against the idea, but I’m less interested in holding its value than creating a beautiful piece of wall art for the family.
Thoughts?
Thank you gents.
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Personally I would be minimally invasive. Clean it up, but keep the old bluing and don't refinish the stock. Leave it the way it was when your wife's grandfather had it. Not for value, for history man.
 
Bassbob said:
Personally I would be minimally invasive. Clean it up, but keep the old bluing and don't refinish the stock. Leave it the way it was when your wife's grandfather had it. Not for value, for history man.
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I agree with Bassbob and mikep. Clean it up as necessary, knock any rust off it, then oil it and leave it alone. It'll look MUCH prettier as a wall-hanger with honest wear and patina on it.

That said, there is NO reason you couldn't/shouldn't take it off the wall and actually SHOOT IT from time to time, as God intended. Ammo's available and assuming it's still mechanically good, there's NO reason it shouldn't shoot as well as it ever did. I don't have anything this old or this cool; closest would be a Winchester 69A (.22 LR) that's in more or less original condition and which I enjoy shooting just as it is--as a "time capsule." ;)
 
Finally back in town to post some pics. Thanks for the inputs gents.
 

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Oh my, that's a beauty! I'd just clean it up as-is, oil it, and hang it proudly on the wall. And I'd take it out and shoot it from time to time, too! That was probably a "state of the art" rifle back in its day (circa 1922). Congratulations!
 
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