Companion WW2 Pieces for my Inland M1 Carbine.

[TDH]

I bought my P38 at an estate auction and it had some god awful black tarry paint all over (Russian capture?) It shot but seemed sluggish. I found a rebuild kit for a Franklin and had my gunsmith go to work on it. He bead blasted the frame and barrel replaced the slide (I still have the original parts) and reparked it. The pistol is beautiful and shoots like a dream and the so called experts tell me I ruined the collector value. I don't care my guns are all shooters not wall queens. Anyway when he called to tell me it was ready I told him I would get in the following Monday as I was in Pittsburg at the time. He said he planned on bein in Pittsburg the next day (NRA convention) We met the following day and made the exchange and he was happy to have the extra Franklin in his pocket. Anyways that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[imarangemaster]

I bought my P38 at an estate auction and it had some god awful black tarry paint all over (Russian capture?) It shot but seemed sluggish. I found a rebuild kit for a Franklin and had my gunsmith go to work on it. He bead blasted the frame and barrel replaced the slide (I still have the original parts) and reparked it. The pistol is beautiful and shoots like a dream and the so called experts tell me I ruined the collector value. I don't care my guns are all shooters not wall queens. Anyway when he called to tell me it was ready I told him I would get in the following Monday as I was in Pittsburg at the time. He said he planned on bein in Pittsburg the next day (NRA convention) We met the following day and made the exchange and he was happy to have the extra Franklin in his pocket. Anyways that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I agree. There are levels of collector value. An original in its original holster with matching mags and provenance (capture papers, etc.) is collectable. Mine is somewhat collectable, but I have no compunction about replacinf prings, though I would not re-park it. I have seen some though, that are not matching number, lots of pitting and rust, or even grey ghosts, that would be good re-finished shooters.