1951 MK I Red Eagle, with "character".........

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.....for all the folks who say "leave 'em be , they have "character".......well just when does one draw the line, and yes, the gun "functions" and is ALL there.......

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gee, maybe a few times in and out of a GOOD leather holster, some of it may rub off...........oh it is a very early 3 digit, though they did start at #15,000....... 8) :roll: :wink:

well here it is as far as I am taking it............

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Wow . . . several ways to look at it.

If I had come up with it for cheap, I'd probably go over it with real fine brass wool and oil and appreciate it for being the three-digit I'd never own any other way. I have a nice 1975 version.

Some might leave it "as-is" because it's unusual, and might fill an odd niche in an extensive RST collection.

Some might just clean it up a little and use it for a "working gun".

Some might spend the effort/money to have it restored to as close to original as possible, although it would not be "original" in the strict sense.

Some might part it out. I hate when that happens, but it would likely bring more money than other options.

Decisions, decisions . . .
 

hittman

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Unless a professionally restored factory looking blue would allow the gun to bring top dollar I'd likely lean to the economy coatings.

For me, this one is past having "character" and needs to be salvaged!
 
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thanks guys, yes some of you "know" but I am on the side of "decisions, decisions" and not in the mood for a restoration, redo, buff polish ( way beyond, brass, bronze wool, even steel wool,.....the picture was taken after soaking for 3-4 days, the black you see up front is the actual lining of the gun case it was left stored in,, down in a very DAMP basement.........decisions, decisions.......... 8) :roll:


yessir they are "still out there.........." :wink:
 
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well had company this morning, they inspired me, towards a "decision", the gun fired, bore is better than "good", innards ( lockwork ) is better than many newer guns we've had over the years, so lower is just fine two spots on the rear of the bolt, and the front of the grip frame.......... a couple of swipes with the strip of emery paper and back in the soaking tank for the upper ( receiver)............ :shock:

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stay tuned,,,,,,,,,busy weekend,,,,, so NO "gun plumbing" 8) :roll: :wink:
 

44Squatch

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Inspiration sometimes comes in unusual forms ... sometimes its looking in our children's' eyes, maybe it's that first coffee. Or maybe it's some clown that strolls through your house with wet snowy feet aggravating your bride.

Well, as Contender states above, you'll get it to look factory righteous with the period bluing if you continue with the inspiration.

The one T514 you restored of mine was dog-gone nearly this bad and the rust was in the same locations. It rests with a giant note that says "professional restoration" so my heirs don't pass it along as factory original. It's that true.

Artists don't lose the will to create.
 
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That's a heart breaker but it looks like you've made a good start. Your second picture is a little small to see details, but will you be able to sand it enough to remove all the pitting from the barrel and receiver without going from a target barrel to a pencil barrel?
 

kevin masten

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Feb 8, 2014
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Maybe an interesting story to add. Many years back, a friend of mine asked me if I would take a look at some of his firearms. I replied sure! Within a day or so, he dropped by and took me to his car. Arrived at his vehicle and he opened the trunk. Not really having a clue as to what I was about to see, my friend pulled back a Blanket or two and when I realized what he was revealing to me, I gasped, out loud, at what I saw: there were several layers of rifles, handguns and shotguns throughly frozen to the blankets with Rust! I asked him what the hell had he done? He replied that he was really concerned that his home would be broken into and his guns stolen. I told him it would have been better to have had them stolen than what had happened to his guns. The guns were in the trunk for several months into the edrly winter months. The guns were just destroyed by rust; Some were so rusted that the actions could not be functioned. And yes, there were some Rugers involved!

Regards to all
 
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....and to add to that, when we had our shop in the mid 1970's, we were brought 5 long guns, that WERE 'stolen' and recovered out of the Grand River in Painesville,OHio and found when they caught the "youths" a few months later,,,,insurance company paid for us to "restore" them and we did,,,,,,,wish we had digital cameras back then, another job "well done........"

speaking of which here is a old model 357 flatop that belonged to the 'late' Dan Meigs, and was "destroyed"??? in his apartment fire,,,,,,,the parts grips were melted off the gun, he changed them, the grip frame and lockwork and sent me the gun to "finish " the job,,,yes had the digital camera then........

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and when he got it back,,,,,,,,,

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rest in peace Dan, many of us miss you........
 
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well a bit of a follow up about half way done, wanted to rough it in around the rollmarkings....had to buy 15 more sheets of emery paper used up all we had left over from the shop,,,sure wish I had my old Baldor buffers around,,,,,,this hand work is tiresome........

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and the other side.............

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Gonna have to get a new camera is kinda fuzzy even with the 'macros' setting.



8) :roll: :wink:
 

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