Does anybody have any advice for firearm restoration?

[Squatch]

Hey, everybody. I wanted to post this in the sportperson's group, but you have to pay the cover charge to get into that speakeasy. (maybe eventually...)

Anyways, I could use some advice on an old, old handgun I just picked up. My brother-in-law had this tired old gun in his safe when I asked him about it. He said that it was his grandfather's and he's about ready to junk it.

I pulled it out and saw that it was a Colt .32 ACP model 1903. He gave it to me, so I took it home, and completely disassembled it. A serial number check put its year of manufacture at 1937.

The condition of the gun is about 40-50%. There is significant rusting (looks like the bluing is just chewed up and the metal has minimal pitting) under the wooden grip furniture, in the slide serations, and on a few other places. The bore is obviously used, but in good condition, showing no pitting or cracking. The breechface, firing pin, and slide rails are in a similar condition. All the other parts (mainspring, sear, etc) are in good, but worn condition.

Now, what I am thinking about doing is sending it off to a professional for re-bluing and refurbishing and it is here that I'd like to get some advice.

First of all, can you recommend a good place to get this done?

I am on the fence if I want the bright hi gloss bluing or the slow-rust bluing that shows the incredible variability in tone, swirls, etc. What are the advantages/disadvantages of either?

The magazine for this pistol was lost long ago, so if anybody has any ideas on where to obtain a replacement, I'd appreciate it.

Lastly, I want to bring this gun to as near to 100% condition as possible. I am going to present it back to my brother-in-law in a handmade rosewood box and pearl grips for him to retain as a keepsake of his grandfather. Which leads me to my last question, any ideas on where I can pick up some pearl grips?

Thanks for all the help and apologies to the mods for posting this in this forum.

[one_true_leroy]

1. I have limited experience myself, but a friend

does restoration and smithing as a hobby. Be VERY VERY careful with the barrel. The _slightest_ curve or bowing or rust in there WILL cause a back/misfire and could be very dangerous.

edit: you may not be able to pick up those imperfections by sight, so be careful. A lot of that has to do with the temp/humidity in which the gun lived, and whether it was stored laying on the barrel.

[Squatch]

10. I don't think it'll ever be fired again,

but I have considered replacing the barrel, just in case.

[TX-RAT]

2. Nice thought " but "

Thats about a 135 to 150 dollar gun in that condition. If you want to bring it back to 100%, it's only worth 250 dollars. The restoration could run you that much. It is a nice gesture.

[Squatch]

9. It's more for keeping as an heirloom

It carries large sentimental value.

[PaganPreacher]

3. Simmons, in Olathe, KS

For refinishing:

Simmons Guns
700 South Rogers Road
Olathe, KS 66062
913-782-3131
http://www.simmonsguns.com/html/repair.htm

A few years ago, a friend had an old Colt Detective Special, that was damaged in a house fire. He sent the gun to Simmons, and they did a great job repairing and restoring it. The last I talked to him, he was still carrying that old .38 as his CCW piece.

For magazines, you might try Numrich Gun Parts Co. I think they have your magazine in stock for $30.00:
http://www.e-gunparts.com/product.asp?chrProductSKU=168850

Pearl grips? Try:
http://www.eaglegrips.com/ultraip.htm

For old weapons, I really like the slow-rust bluing. It really gives a gun some personality! It would look great with pearl stocks.

The Pagan Preacher
I don't turn the other cheek.

[-..__...]

4. "Only a pimp in a New Orleans whorehouse or a tin-horn gambler...

would carry a pearl-handled pistol."... George S. Patton

For the mag (and any other replacement parts).

Numrich Gun Parts

http://www.e-gunparts.com/productschem.asp?chrMasterModel=0660zPOCKET%2032%20HAMMERLESS

Magazine... $30.00

(They used to have the mother of pearl grips $51.45 stock #703250, but are sold out).

As you can see, the parts alone can be quite expensive

The forums there are good if you have any other specific questions regarding your Colt.

http://www.e-gunparts.com/forum/forums.asp

I'm with Tx-Rat, this isn't the sort of firearm that would be worth investing any great deal of time or money in.

[Squatch]

11. LOL...check out this picture...

Why, that's a pearl-handled revolver...

[-..__...]

12. If Ol' Blood and guts...

were alive today, he'd slap you silly. :P

http://www.pattonhq.com/unknown/chap05.html

"Most people, and especially Patton fans, are aware that Patton hated for his pistols to be referred to as "pearl-handled".

Of the 1,500 Colt .380's obtained by the Army for issue to General Officers, only one of them was different. Someone along the supply line had removed the standard grips from the pistol to be issued to General Patton and had replaced them with pearl grips, undoubtedly in an attempt to please the general.

In it's original condition, the pistol had black, hard rubber grips. Patton replaced them with grips different than the usual ivory grips with his initials. This pistol had black stocks with three large ivory stars inlaid. Upon his promotion to full General in 1945, Patton again replaced the grips. These new ones had four large stars inlaid.

In photographs of Patton after acquiring this pistol, he is rarely seen without it.

Patton took violent offense at any reference to his pistols being pearl handled. He said, "Only a pimp in a New Orleans whorehouse or a tin-horn gambler would carry a pearl-handled pistol." In no uncertain terms he would have the offender know that his revolver was indeed "IVORY-GOD-FUCKING-DAMN-HANDLED" and with that he would turn on his heel and leave.

There were two very plausible reasons for Patton's disapprobation toward pearl. One was that Patton, being a firm believer in luck, considered pearl to be unlucky, and consequently refused to wear it. The other was that Patton, as a young lieutenant, spent many years on border patrol in Texas and New Mexico. That territory in those days was still the "old west" and many a time personal opinions were assisted with a few ounces of hot lead. Patton personally knew and associated with many of the types about whom movies are made today. One of them was a town marshall named Dave Allison who had, while Patton was stationed at the town of Sierra Blanca, killed a gang called the "Orozco outfit". With no help and from a distance of 60 yards he had shot all six of them squarely through the head. Patton often went hunting with the marshall and they were quite good friends.

Truthfully, in those "old days" only pimps and tin-horn gamblers did carry pearl handled sidearms".

[Postmanx]

5. Go for it!

Don’t be dissuaded. To the right owner, guns can be worth far more than the sum of their parts, or their current market value.

Having a smith fully restore an old piece can be very gratifying and will endear the finished product to you.

I happen to love the old Colt 1903. Good luck with your project.

Incidentally, Patton carried a pair of ‘03 Colt’s inside his coat. They were his goto guns, the SAA was strictly for show.

[Hoka Ke]

6. Take your question and...

spend some time on http://www.pistolsmith.com .

Members of their forum are among the finest gunsmiths in the U.S., if not the world.


That's the best advice I can offer.
Hoka"amansgottoknowhislimitations"Ke

[MrSandman]

7. Have it appraised first...

If it has value, restoration can ruin the value.

As far as gunsmiths, magazines and springs, start with the manufacturer, if still in business.

[Mark H]

8. I've been able

to find a few oddball parts here;

http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=26461144

[DoNotRefill]

13. Don't do it...

when they refinish a gun, they basically sand metal off of it. It'll destroy the markings on the gun.

Better to have it in original condition than to have it monkeyed with. Trust me, I've got a gun that my dad had refinished, and I REALLY wish he hadn't.

[a conservative]

14. Refinishing

As you state that you want to make this into a "Presentation Piece", I would say go ahead and "make it pretty". The pistol may not have a lot of collector $value, but that is not what you are trying to do with it anyway. As a family heirloom, collector value is less important than the history of the family members who owned it. (my opinion)

I would probably lean toward the hi gloss finish in this instance.