Our Responsibilities as Collectors

I read the forums as one would a daily newspaper. One thing I've noticed that catches my eye allot is wasted material. All too often I see users asking about how to remove rust from an area, or fix wood, followed by the answer of "it's not worth the time" or "it's not worth the effort because you can buy another one for only $???." Maybe my views are wrong, but I see it as the responsibility of us collectors to preserve and restore as much as possible. All the parts that "aren't worth the time or effort" won't be around forever, especially if we keep using them up like they grow on trees. Most people would not have the know-how to preserve these pieces, but we as collectors do, and it's up to us to ensure that Milsurp pieces are around for as long as possible.


M1/M3 Carbine: late '44 Inland
M1 Garand: late '44 Springfield

One of the most rewarding parts of this hobby (although not the most cost effective) is to reserect a sporter. Parts are getting harder to find and expensive in my experience.If you do not believe it try finding a coachwood forend for an Enfield No 1 Mk 3. Some of the best posts here are the ones were someone reserects a rifle that others would scrap or part out. Unless you are sitting on a collection of pristine examples you are wanting to appreciate in value, save every one that can be saved.
My novice 2 cents.

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Originally Posted by HOOKED ON HISTORY

One of the most rewarding parts of this hobby (although not the most cost effective) is to reserect a sporter. Parts are getting harder to find and expensive in my experience.If you do not believe it try finding a coachwood forend for an Enfield No 1 Mk 3. Some of the best posts here are the ones were someone reserects a rifle that others would scrap or part out. Unless you are sitting on a collection of pristine examples you are wanting to appreciate in value, save every one that can be saved.
My novice 2 cents.

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I've always wanted to resurrect a sporter. I think they must be saved! So you can see where I'm coming from when I say these parts won't be readily available forever. If we can start taking and repairing "that damaged hand guard," rather than just setting it aside as "unusable" and buying another one, we will prolong the life of milsurps greatly.


M1/M3 Carbine: late '44 Inland
M1 Garand: late '44 Springfield

Hey, I gots a Enfield nose what needs fixing:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...stuff033-1.jpg

And some front wood what needs a little reapar but Bubba ain't whacked off the extra yet, so it oughts to be a easy job:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...stuff068-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...stuff066-1.jpg

Could burn it, but somehow it seems to get more gooder all the time.

LOL were did you find that stuff? at the bottom of the ocean?

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Originally Posted by garrettbragg12

I've always wanted to resurrect a sporter.

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You should check out the The Restorer's Corner forum, moderated by Advisory Panel member "louthepou".

He does some amazing work restoring these old girls, particularly Enfields, and saving them from the scrap bin .. :super:

Regards,
Doug

I have done all of the above. But I have another issue. None of my heirs give a hoot about my guns, cars and motorcycles. They have no idea of a G41M. So I will live to 140 for spite. Gary

The No 5 "jungle Carbine" bayonet rehab was particularly informitive.

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Originally Posted by jmoore

Could burn it, but somehow it seems to get more gooder all the time.

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Naw, don't do that. It would only smoke a bunch and soot up the chimney :) If you do burn them, do it on a really over cast day so the smoke doesn't look so thick. :lol::rofl:

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Originally Posted by garrettbragg12

If we can start taking and repairing "that damaged hand guard," rather than just setting it aside as "unusable" and buying another one, we will prolong the life of milsurps greatly.

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For whatever reason, I'd far rather do complicated metal work than "simple" wood repairs! Skill sets just don't seem to mesh all that well. But if any of that old No.1 Mk.III stuff above looks worthy of restoration, just let me know. It's probably not going anywhere anytime soon!

And, no, it wasn't from an old shipwreck, just the remnants from an army surplus store. For which I swapped perfectly good M60 parts. Madness...

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Originally Posted by garrettbragg12

One thing I've noticed that catches my eye allot is wasted material.

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Well I reckon that the combined efforts of forum members go a long way to making sure that as much is saved as can be. And as you will have noticed, some desperate cases have been restored to original configuration and function. The trouble is rather a naive expectation on the part of many that there must be spares somewhere for guns that were made a century or more ago and a reluctance to face up to the necessity to acquire some serious knowhow to do the job oneself. In which noble aim, we do our best to help. But sometimes scrap is, well, just scrap.

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Originally Posted by garrettbragg12

All too often I see users asking about how to remove rust from an area, or fix wood, followed by the answer of "it's not worth the time" or "it's not worth the effort because you can buy another one for only $???."

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Specific examples would help. In the photos above, as mentioned, I swapped good parts for "floor sweepings". Have actually made good use of some of it, but some would inded require more expenditures of time and money than buying a complete parts donor rifle! Old mixmasters with rotten bores have little collector or utility value. But they may yet breathe more life into better condition milsurps. The only alternatives to canniblization are : "repair" (not always feasible), "reproduction" (not often an option), "retirement", or "rendering" (down). For collectors, the canniblization route is preferable if the parts are "correct" (from a monetary viewpoint.) For shooters, the viable options are rather broader.

"I have done all of the above. But I have another issue. None of my heirs give a hoot about my guns, cars and motorcycles. They have no idea of a G41M. So I will live to 140 for spite. Gary "

I bet that when you´re gone, they´ll be quick off the mark! to find out the market value!