thegreatmodel8.remingtonsociety.com

I recently purchased a model 8 and I am not sure if it has been re-blued. If it has, does that decrease the value? The gun was made in 1922 and looks very clean. All the markings are clearly legible and there is a "propeller" stamp/mark under the serial number. Can anyone help?

Welcome, some nice clear pictures would help.

Welcome aboard and seconds on pictures. Plus, a close up picture of the barrel with the forearm removed could help with your re-bluing question.

Pictures will help most of us offer an opinion. However, some fairly obvious things may help you form an opinion rather easily. Many reblued guns have had the bolt handle blued, the bolt handles are not originally blued. If the blue is much better than the wood, you should be suspicious. You shouldn't have a gun with near perfect blue showing no edge wear or carry wear, yet the wood is banged up, worn or oil soaked. Also, if the wood has been refinished and even sanded and now matches near mint blue, it was probably reblued. There are few reasons to redo wood on a near mint original blued gun. Also, look for areas of old pitting, rust or scratches which have blue in them, obviously blued after the damage occurred. Although the stampings may still appear legible, they should be crisp and full, anything less probably indicates buffing. The same is true of all edges of the rifle. Edges of the metal should all remain sharp on a gun that looks new with original blue, any rounding of the edges indicates a reblue.

Value is definitely affected when a rifle has been reblued. With very few exceptions collector’s value is nullified, as there is often little collectible about a non-original gun. There is of course still shooting and gun value, but no collector’s value. The gun is essentially utilitarian verses collectible, unless there is some additional features which allows the gun to still retain some collector’s value (ie: rarer model, engraving, custom features….). However, if a standard gun is completely worn with really no condition to speak of and is already in utilitarian only condition, it may help appearances which may increase its value to a shooter or hunter. If the rifle is silver and/or rusted & pitted, a proper refinish may help protect the rifle and elongate its life. I believe with the enhanced aesthetics and improved protection the gun has value as a hunting rifle. It will never be collectible at the values of original guns with high condition values, but most guys like to shoot and hunt with a decent looking gun. If the gun already has a non-factory kickpad or has been drilled and tapped for a scope or Williams or Redfield tang sight, much of the collector’s value for most collectors is already gone, so why not have a decent looking rifle. Some of the guys on the site have done some great restorations on ugly guns with little previous collector’s value. Most would argue they have increased the value of these guns, if not the rifle's self esteem. This is just my opinion as a an individual who tries to only collect high condition and original guns. Others will have their own opinion.

Again, good pictures will probably tell the story.

Thank you for the response. I have pictures, but they are too big to post on this site. I do not have the technical savvy to change the size of the photographs. I could send them via e-mail to anyone interested.

seadragon56, you may send them to my email address and I will resize & post them here for you.

cat9x@hotmail.com

Hey Corey,

I want to say that your response is one of the best if not the best on the "value" question. You have articulated the key issues to consider in "collectors vs shooters" debate. In my opinion you hit ther nail squarely on the head when you describe improving the old shooters. I don't know many guys who pride themselves in hunting with a firearm that is beat all to hell and looks terrible. That is not to say that many of us have old shooters but have resisted the urge to make them appear better for one reason or another.

I am very pleased that you are taking the time to add your comments to the forum. I seem to learn more each time you impart your knowledge to the questions asked by the membership. I hope that you can continue to find the time in your busy schedule to respond to the interrogatives being generated by the members.

Kindest Personal Regards,

Jack

I agree totally with Jack's comments about Corey's "value" response. Very nicely said. Thank you, Corey, for your comments and input on this forum. I, for one, am appreciative, and learn from each and every post. The same can be attributed to almost all members input....thank you to all the members of this wonderful forum.

Clint