Restoring G-G-G-randpa's 1873

[gunnut284]

I'm not particularly sentimental but I have to vote #1. If it were something newer I might consider it but with something that old I would buy a new reproduction to shoot and clean up the old one for an occasional nostagia session and to pass it on to future generations. I'd kick my own ass later for messing it up.

[discreet]

I vote for option 2.

The way i see it is, that rifle was made to shoot. So restore it to shootable condition, throw in some modern touches and be done with it.

44-40 is a great caliber from what i've read.

Wait, why are modern touches needed? My stock 32-20 sights are more spot on than any of my 200+ $ iron sights are, and both are zero'd in. Original guns IMO are meant to be original. No point in modernizing something that was already literally perfect to begin with. Just my 2 cents though, but heck, what do I know, outside of taking my mint relic 32-20 out shooting every day, btw, which is more of a hoot to shoot than any AR or other gun I own.

[ryan]

The receiver is already drilled and tapped, the forearm is already busted, the finish is already gone.

Whats wrong with a peep and tritium combo?

Whats wrong with a better finish?

When a quad rail, bipod, gripod, AFG, 36x78x99 scope, etc etc get put on it then holler foul.

[chris914]

Being drilled for a tang sight is a bit different than drilled for a receiver sight.

OP look up Doug Turnbull at turnbull mfg and or Hamilton Bowen at bowenclassicarms.com and see what those folks have to say. I am sure that they can put you on to a source of parts.

[J-Dub]

Wait, why are modern touches needed? My stock 32-20 sights are more spot on than any of my 200+ $ iron sights are, and both are zero'd in. Original guns IMO are meant to be original. No point in modernizing something that was already literally perfect to begin with. Just my 2 cents though, but heck, what do I know, outside of taking my mint relic 32-20 out shooting every day, btw, which is more of a hoot to shoot than any AR or other gun I own.

Easy........I never said modern touches were needed, but if he wants to go that route...go for it, who cares?

[discreet]

The receiver is already drilled and tapped, the forearm is already busted, the finish is already gone.

Whats wrong with a peep and tritium combo?

Whats wrong with a better finish?

When a quad rail, bipod, gripod, AFG, 36x78x99 scope, etc etc get put on it then holler foul.

If you take the gun out, you will realize the sights are perfect the way they are, and anything modern would IMO be useless/pointless (trust me, shooting it in the snow, fog, hot summer days, hazy days etc are more than fine with stock sights).

Better finish, go for it, but I'd keep it more of a traditional blued ordeal. I have seen some people polish theirs up etc, and it does take a lot of the old school relic feeling out of it.

Like said man, if you want to go for it, by all means. I just mention it because every collector I have known who has done similar has regretted doing the mods they did, especially the guys polishing their receiver.

Now forearm and stock, by all means, I'd replace both and keep the original in a box, that way the original, even if the forearm is broken, stays original.

Anyways, IMO, what i'd do is fix the stock up, get the internals back to mint form, and go out shooting, and then decide if sights etc are worth the time.

Definitely stoked to see this thread though. These guns are absolutely awsome to shoot, and one of the most reliable weapons out there.

[subzero]

Where's a good place to get 1873 parts?

Ran across this one last night: http://winchesterbob.com/