Parting Out

[Bob Seijas]

The thread on the newly discovered Gas Trap has a section on parting it out... that's always a dilemma for partly original rifles: restore or sell the rare parts. In almost all cases, you get more money parting it out, sometimes a lot more. But you destroy a historic rifle. It's hard to be unselfish when the mortgage is due.
I remember going to a gun show and talking with a guy who had an original 1940 Gas Port with double keystone springs for sale. It was a total beater but he wanted $1200, wildly outrageous for the time. I handed it back and said, "Too beat, but I'd sure like to have those springs and the op rod."
"How much would you pay for them?" he asked. I said $120. He leapt at it and whipped them off the rifle, then went to the nearest parts dealer and replaced them for about $15. Last I saw he was carrying it around the show, still for sale at $1200. I felt bad for about five minutes.

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[RCS]

Re: the incomplete gas trap rifle listed in the post below (serial number 48304) it would be worth the effort and cost in the long run, to restore this rifle. The key parts such as the complete gas cylinder, original barrel and receiver group are very difficult to almost impossible to find as a unit. The stock, handguards and springs could be found even if salvaged from a put together restoration (and they are around) or purchased from advanced collectors.

[Bob Seijas]

I totally agree, Robert, it's got the critical original skeleton and would make a great restoration. But you and I are no longer 35 with a family to support while trying to build a Garand collection

[Bob Womack]

You know, this worked out backwards for me. I saved up to purchase my Garand in the '90s and finally had enough to order one from the CMP, only to have the family dog die. Now, in my family that was a CRISIS. We needed money to get our little boys and my wife another dog immediately, if not sooner. To be a good father and husband, I turned over my savings and we got the dog. It took eight years for me to build up the little fund for the rifle again because the price had dramatically increased. Right when I was filling out the forms surprise! our new dog died. Repeat procedure. About three years later I was near the goal and the family chipped in to put me over the top. Crap happens. Gotta keep things in perspective.

Bob

[Bob Seijas]

The dilemma may be solved... looks like the rifle was acquired by a serious collector who already had most of the parts to restore it, just needs an original square main spring. Makes me happy

[Bill Hollinger]

The dilemma may be solved... looks like the rifle was acquired by a serious collector who already had most of the parts to restore it, just needs an original square main spring. Makes me happy

Yep, it is solved Bob. This turned into a win-win. Thanks for everyone who got involved with help on value and suggestions.

[Seaspriter]

But you destroy a historic rifle. It's hard to be unselfish when the mortgage is due.

Bob, I know your dilemma is shared by many on Milsurps. I have a couple of nice M-1 carbines, and they have never been bubba'd but they are certainly mix-masters as they evolved over time. I too would never consider selling parts off a 100% authentic factory original gun -- that would be a sacrilege that would haunt me years later.

But if I had a mix-master and someone needed a part I could easily replace to take theirs back to original form, and I make make a little money in the process, we'd have a classic "the whole is greater that the sum of the parts" equation. That makes me happy -- my gun would have lost nothing, I would have made something, and the other fella would be overjoyed. And sometime in the future perhaps he will return the good deed, making the swap a real win-win. (BTW, this is a real story).