I've got a '43 Sako on its way from Pat Burns, the listing said the bluing was at 70%. Since most of these rifles have already been arsenal re-finished, would it negatively affect the value if I had it re-blued? Even if it did, would you do it anyway? This M39 will lead a good life in my collection as a shooter not a safe-queen.
it will not have been rearsenaled. it would knock quite a bit off the value in my opinion. i wouldn't do it. why not just enjoy it at 70% blue? some of my favorites are 70% or less.
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i should add, if it's been rearsenaled, you'll be able to tell, even if the arsenal tag is no longer with it. they wood will most likely have sandscratches against the grain from a belt sander and the cartouches will be very light or gone.
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Ultimately it will be up to you. But consider the condition of the metal, what method you are going to use to reblue it, and if the stock is in good enough condition you wouldn't need to refinish that too. I bought a 1905 Tula M91 thinking I was going to make a project gun out of it, rebluing the metal and re-finishing the stock. There was zero bluing left on any exposed metal. Bluing under the handguard wasn't bad. But, it has a very nice patina on it, and shows no rust. Plus, it was put in a Remington M91 stock and the stock wasn't in too bad of shape either. But, metal condition wasn't that great, some pitting here and there and it wouldn't clean up as nice as I would have hoped for a nice shiny re-blue. So I left it. But at 70% bluing, you shouldn't need to touch it. Is it the one with that beautiful stock on it that is sold already? I wouldn't touch that. On that nice of a rifle, I'd say that since its still an original bluing, whether original from the factory, or an original factory reblue after the Finns screwed on their barrel, I would leave it. I think in this case, you'd be decreasing the value of this particular rifle.
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Russian Mosin-Nagants are often refurbed. To my knowledge the Finn rifles were not - just cleaned and stored. I would not refinish if I had some thought to possibly reselling the rifle in future.
On the otherhand, since my Mosins are 'working rifles' and exposed to the weather, I do at least give the stocks a good cleaning and tung oil treatment to protect the wood from moisture.
I did once cold-blue a Mosin 91/30 for a buddy - but the results were not to my liking. If you do it, do it right - have it hot-blued professionally.
there are some finns that got rearsenaled. they're the ones with 100% blue and arsenal tags. most however have not. that may change with new shipments though. you never know what's coming down the road.
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I've got a '43 Sako on its way from Pat Burns, the listing said the bluing was at 70%. Since most of these rifles have already been arsenal re-finished, would it negatively affect the value if I had it re-blued? Even if it did, would you do it anyway? This M39 will lead a good life in my collection as a shooter not a safe-queen.
This one???
Quote:
About 70% original blue, mirror sharp bore, matching bolt & floor plate, lots of cosmoline, sako war time stock in excellent condition with a small ding on top of the wood by the side of the sight with nice stripes.
If it were mine, I'd do a good job of cleaning off the cosmoline and not even consider touching the bluing. It's a beautiful rifle, just as it is.. It's also correct..
It's your rifle and you may do as you wish.. If it were mine, I'd scrub er' down to remove cosmo and enjoy it just as it is.. Again, she's a beauty!!!
I have agree with everyone esle too. As long as you keep some oil on the exposed metal nothing is going to happen to it. I usally do not have a big problem with cleaanig up rifles but alot of these Sako M39 are all original and to me they are like a bit of history. Both of my M39's are missing a significant amount of blueing but niether one has a spec of rust on it. I think in this case alot of us like to see the M39's just the way they are. When it comes to 91/30's people tend to modify then more due to the fact most have already been re arsenaled anf they are alot cheaper and there are alot more of them.
Yea thats the one I was thinking it was, Paper. I wouldn't reblue anything on it. I don't think 70% bluing is a generous enough estimation. Hard to tell by the pics, but it looks good to me Shoot that rifle, and keep her cleaned and oiled. It will serve very well.
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As far as % of bluing, I have some guns with almost no bluing left and as long as you give it a good wipe down before putting it away it'll be fine. I've got a M44 that's shiny as a bald guy's forehead and it's been that way for a couple years. Less than 10% bluing when I got it and there's no shelac on the stock anymore, too.. I won't reblue it because it looks different and would cost more than the gun to blue it..
Wow! That, my freind, is a beautiful M39. I doubt that you will need to do anything other than clean, lube, and shoot. If it's anything like Tarja (my former VKT) you will be impressed with her looks and shootability.
It's your rifle... but...
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Wow! That, my freind, is a beautiful M39. I doubt that you will need to do anything other than clean, lube, and shoot. If it's anything like Tarja (my former VKT) you will be impressed with her looks and shootability.
Hah hah.....Tarja is now MINE!
Also is my favorite Mosin out of 10.
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Rebluing is a personal choice. If you intend to keep the gun, expose it to weather, and want it to not rust, reblue it or parkerize it.
If you intend to sell it as a collectible, don't reblue it.
I don't understand why everyone gets so hung up on this, especially for a used gun that doesn't cost that much to begin with.
You have to ask yourself why it was blued in the first place, and do you want to have the same reason fulfilled by rebluing it.
Pretty simple, really.
Good answer Ten Man.
Sgtsquid, That M39 looks real good,maybe a little bluing missing at the end of the barrel,nothing to worry about.
I think everbody here knows that one can have a milsurp reblued and if done in a professional manner it can be pretty much undetectable by a collector.If you sell it and do not disclose this fact you are now entering
into a dishonest or misleading transaction as the buyer will likely think it
has always been a mint rifle. And none of us want to be taken on a purchase.On M39's alot of the value has less to do with the bluing or the stock finish,for example an M39 with a Tikka barrel 30% bluing and an average stock will more than likely be worth more than a M39 VTK that looks like new. Both are great rifles,one is more rare than the other.
No car analogies here lets compare apples to apples. Alot of Garands and M1A1's that I've seen have been reparkerized,new stocks ,and barrels and
from what I see they are often worth more. Their brought back to Mil spec.,but not by the military.Should they be worth less? are they less a part of our history? You"ll have to decide that for yourself. What I do feel is very wrong to do any Milsurp is to add stamps or markings to it,like add
a (SA) to a 91/30 , Nazi warbirds to a Mauser, a scope and calling it an original sniper,ect.Doing stuff like that to increase the value of a firearm
is very dishonest and criminal.JMHO
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Shoot that rifle, and keep her cleaned and oiled. It will serve very well.
