Not all that bad. She is what it is, used, moderately well cared for over most of her 65 years, tight and working fine. However:
 |
| This can be explained. The owner wanted a selection of chokes. This Lyman add-on was popular in the 1940s when this 31 left Ilion. |
This defies logic and even a pretty good imaginative stab. Dropped on a spinning stone? An angle grinder gone postal? Pure malice?
So, despite her classic status, her collectiblity is long gone, victim of accessorizing mutilation and some unspeakable workshop atrocity.
Does she go on the rack as simply a spare for a hunter who arrives empty-handed? No, not necessary. She would be about a fourth spare, and I don't know that many people likely to come for shooting and forget to bring a gun. (Ammo-free visitation is quite another matter.)
Take her to another loophole and try again to get something like 150 Federal Reserve Cartoons? It didn't work last weekend. In fact, I don't think anyone even fondled her. Economics: She commanded a bride price of either $85 or $60, depending on how my CPA decides to allocate the $25 profit from a J.C. Higgins bolt action 12 gauge which accompanied her. So I'm not in over my financial head on this one, The decision is aesthetic, not monetary.
A makeover is possible. Chop her down to the legal limit, smear some JB on the gouge, smooth everything out with files and emery, then bring her to tactical glory with some of that nice black spray 'n' bake stuff from Brownells.
I suppose that would be okay. At least she'd look acceptably tactical if I decided to pose in my GI combat pants, M1951 field jacket, and the beret, if I can find it. I could put it on the internet and be cool.
But it seems like a cruel fate for a dowager who, however time-ravaged, still retains the grace of, errr, well, say, Princess Grace in her time.
Sometimes a guy just doesn't know what the Hell to do.
.
3 comments:
Clean 'er up. Polish 'er up as best you can, then put her in the gun rack for periodic pampering. Like a good pointer that is too old to hunt anymore. Still needs some respect and ear scratching. JAGSC
Whut the Hay-ull happened to that receiver???
That's probably what will happen, Jagsc, maybe more because of too many other undone projects
than anything else.
John, I'm trying to figure that out myself. Aside from the guesses in the post, I recall a personal ooops. I dropped a wrench into the spinning plantataries in a Dixon mower. Before I could shut things down, it suffered a not-too-different gouge. Or maybe some little kid wondered if files really worked and the 31 was the handiest piece of test metal.
Post a Comment