Broke my heart..

[ArmedinAZ]

Was in my favorite LGS today and immediately noticed a nice looking walnut stocked 10/22. Picked it up and looked at the left side first, excellent condition front to back and serial # 1364!! :shock: This '64/'65 baby isn't leaving my hands. Turned it around and the right side as nice as the left....except for the social security number poorly engraved into the surface of the receiver behind the bolt handle slot :?: :evil:

I looked at the shop owner with a pained expression and he said don't feel too bad, he just sold it on Gunbroker, forgot to pull it off the rack. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=354814515

Question: could Ruger fix this and refinish it?

 

[BlkHawk73]

Morning sir!

I doubt they'd be able as it's not just a surface/finish issue. It WAS a very nice and clean older era 10/22 but now...well, it's a constant reminder how some ppl do stupid things.

Hope all's well put there!

 

[AJGUNNER]

Had me excited for a minute there thinking I may have it's sibling. Had to check the number and found I was only off by 3000. I sure would like to have that fine looking piece of wood to upgrade one of mine.

 

[CajunBass]

Morning sir!

I doubt they'd be able as it's not just a surface/finish issue. It WAS a very nice and clean older era 10/22 but now...well, it's a constant reminder how some ppl do stupid things.

Hope all's well put there!

I suppose a lot of us were stupid back in the day. There was a time, I guess it was back in the late 70's, early 80's, when every police force in the country was not only urging people to do this, but were providing the elsectric pens to do it. It seemed like a good idea at the time. There are a few guns floating around out there with mine on them. I was smart enough to put them in a place where it wasn't visable but I fell for it too. Idenity theaft hadn't been invented back in those days. Shoot, we had out social security numbers on our checks...which we actually wrote to just about everybody, not just to the church.

Not too long ago I found a really nice three screw Single-Six with a SS number on the bottom of the grip. Right out in the open.

 

[Snake45]

If the price were right, I'd have bought it just as a shooter.

Heck, it might even be possible to fill the "engraving" with epoxy, sand and polish it smooth, and refinish the recieiver with one of the new-tech paints. I know, still wouldn't be "worth" as much as an unmolested example, but would be a nice-looking shooter.

 

[ArmedinAZ]

Well Snake, I've been slacking off on my weekly stops to the LGS or I would have been sorely tempted to bring it home and find a way to fix it. Anything less than Ruger making it right would be 2nd best IMHO and nothing brings it back to original. Thought about the shooter part too, I bet it shoots. I've got a '76 Sporter that shoots under 1/2" at 50 with low grade target ammo so I kinda got that covered.

The $267 price is probably correct, still such a shame..

 

[Gumby]

Hi ArmedinAZ

When I read the heading, and started to read your story, I thought it was going to be that it was your long lost 10/22, and when you saw your SSN, and that serial #, it 'Broke Your Heart' that it had already sold on Gunbroker. That would really have been a heartbreaker.

As CajunBass already stated, I also remember those electric pens, and the push to use it on all your valuables. I knew a lot of carpenters and electricians that used them to engrave their tools. I also remember taking my poor Labrador Retriever, and having my SSN tattooed to his inner thigh. Felt so sorry for him when it was being done.

Yes, the times have changed.

 

[ArmedinAZ]

I also remember taking my poor Labrador Retriever, and having my SSN tattooed to his inner thigh.

Man, I felt bad when we had our lunatic heeler "chipped" and he didn't even seem to feel it.

 

[mjpchief]

That would not have been a problem to fix. Just disassemble the gun and use a flat file to shave that side down and sand it with fine sand paper until it matched the rest of the reciever and duracote it. Simple.

 

[mohavesam]

Don't feel bad. I once chased down a pair of Zeiss binocs, an $1800 set for $750, spent a morning driving one-way, and upon inspection, found the guy had engraved his SSn on the body!
In retrospect, I could've owned the fool, as I had his name, address, and SSn.

 

[rugerguy]

That would not have been a problem to fix. Just disassemble the gun and use a flat file to shave that side down and sand it with fine sand paper until it matched the rest of the reciever and duracote it. Simple.

yes, an easy ,simple solution, you could even use Alumahyde from Brownells for any cover up after you "file, fit and finish, the side of the receiver....wish I had a nickel for everygun we had to redo, refinish some part to coverup and remove, any and all "personal identification" markings over the years............if you have any connections, you may even find someone who can 'anodize' aluminum for you, seems like over the years Ruger themselves have been trying about any and every type of coating for the 10/22 receivers.......including painting and clearcoating............. 8)

 

[toysoldier]

A more expensive "fix" would be to have an engraver do some custom work that would eliminate the amateur scratching. Sort of like having a tattoo artist change a self-done swastica into a peony.

 

[ArmedinAZ]

All the fixes offered would work of course. Just a crying shame a rifle kept in that immaculate original condition was defaced like that BITD. I'd pay a fair price for the rifle without the stupid engraving but just not interested in a "fixed" condition. Just me.