Bitsa's - What to do with them?

[Bricari]

Restorations are always good projects to have. I attempt to restore to original so that all parts are marked (BSA / LSA / Enfield) from trigger guard to trigger to bands etc. The interesting part is haunting the gun shows to collect the parts so that the restorations can commence. I scored excellently yesterday with a Mk 1 nose cap which is going on my 1897 Enfield as luck would have it, it is Enfield marked so I have a match. The best thing is that it cost nothing what they go for on EBay.

[me2]

I love desporterising these things. My favorite rifle next to my Model 70 is my No.4 Long Branch that I unBubbaed. I don't think it will ever be truly finished and I've learned a lot from the experience. I am in the U.S. so I don't have the ownership issues a lot of you do so that plays a big part.

Good on Ya!! I have exactly the same attitude. Bubba in a way has been my friend in supplying cheap Enfields other collectors turn thier noses up to. Most of my restorations are matching #'s and in fine shape due to the fact that after they were "discharged" from military service way back in the 1960's and thereafter usually fed a diet of low pressure Remington or Winchester commercial ammo. I do however demand that any bubba I purchase has not been molested metalwise ie shortened barrels, ground off rear sight/charger bridges etc. If you love Enfields and are on a budget it's a good way to go.
Most grateful our 2nd Amendment is still intact (for the most part) after reading posts from Europe.

[3mctoledo]

I am glad to see the debate is gobal. I was begining to think that my office was the only place full of gun nuts. I think we discuss this weekly. So lets recap:
1. Collectors
2. Shooters
3. Accumulators
Expensive to collect, expensive to shoot, and expensive to accumulate. I cannot define myself in just one of these categories, but, I tend towards the accumulator-shooter side. I do not think there is a simple answer. Additionally I do not do well it the abstract. So lets take a for instance.
I have a few BSA Sparkbrooks. Immeadiately the collectors see dollar / pound signs. Right! The truth be told it was sold to me on Gunbroker for 250.00 USD. It is my rabbit gun (.410).
Strange, rare and unique. So heres my math:
Sparkbrook ~15000 made
BSA-Sparkbrook ~couple of hundred maybe
1914 IP*** conversions ~4000 best gues from books
1931 .410 ~UNKN
So how many BSA-Sparkbrooks exist with a charger bridge and converted to a .410 are there? Yet it was only worth 250.00 to myself and the guy who sold it.
Possiblities for the collector:
Convert it back to a Mk1*
Convert it back to a III / III*
Leave it alone.
All three are collectable. The only thing wrong with it (used loosely) is that it has a NOS Enfield Forstock and top wood. No block. But that is just it. I use the gutted and cut down magazine to hold shot shells.
For the shooter:
Good for rabbit, deer slug (not recommended) or clays as a .410
Good for deer and target converted to .303 or wildcat
On accumulation, I have lots of NOS and used parts laying around to configure these things to what ever I want. I did change out the butt stock to match the forstock. This gave it a consistant look, but, I could have just as easily changed it the other way. I swapped some buggered out screws for new ones too.
My motto is "What would an armourer do?" Kind of what Peter said. This is not what the collectors in the office say.
The bottom line for me is to think of the reason you bought the piece in the first place. The resons are as diverse as there are people. If it still fits, meets your needs or wants, keep it. As a side note; I have not sold one yet. Probably a little easier in the states.