I've been thinking about how to more clearly define my thoughts on restoring, rebuilding, or "butchering" old rifles...
I guess it's kinda like medicine... "do no harm."
Taking a mediocre or poor shape rifle and
properly refinishing it is (in my opinion) a good thing.
Taking a rifle with some original finish left, and giving it a "belt sand and tank dip" job.. well, that'd be a shame.
Taking a poor shape rifle, and painstakingly restoring it to "original" with new wood and careful attention to proper fits and finishes... that is something to be proud of.
Taking a poor shape rifle, and grinding it up, and slapping a lousy piece of wood on it, finishing it with a rasp and slopping on some cold blue... that's a tradgedy.
I've seen what once was a beautiful 1903 Springfield with 3 sets of holes drilled in it for lousy scope mounts, and the stock hacksawed roughly off. That was a darn shame.
On the other hand, I've also seen a couple magnificent sporters made on 1903's.
And regarding "Collectors"...
I don't agree that they're all "buzzards"... although I know exactly the type you mean.
To me, a Collector acquires what he loves. Not becuase it's valuable, but because he loves it, and wants to preserve it as part of the past, and to enjoy in the present and future.
Some don't believe in touching, shooting, or modifying what they collect in ANY way.
On the other end of the spectrum are the "buzzards" as J Sells puts it...
They buy because they want to make money on what they collect. OK.. so maybe some of 'em are just cheap summanumbatches like me who can't afford what the "market" has driven some stuff up to. But heck, even a cheapskate like me can't look himself in the mirror for offering 10 cents on the dollar for a really nice rifle, hoping to sucker someone.
The third kinda guy is the Shooter. Not ALL shooters... but there are some guys that would take that pristine WWI dated Springfield 1903 and saw off a few inches of barrel, chop off the stock, and strap a scope to it, 'cause they can, and 'cause "it's their rifle and they'll do what they want with it"...
CAN they do what they want with it? Sure... but it's a damn shame to take away the beauty of a really NICE original piece... and destroy it's history and character forever.
There are lots of poor, mixed parts, 1903's to victimize... But some folks would just chop up the nice one for a deer gun.
That's not to say that taking an "original" but average rifle and rebuilding it into a highly accurate shooter is bad... just taking an otherwise nearly perfect example, or a rifle with particular history, or unique character, and mutilating it.... well... IMHO, that's just wrong.
Improving guns is good... even given that the very definition of "improving" is subject to debate.
Respect originality.. but don't be a slave to it.
Well..that's enough incoherent yammering from ME for the evening
Paul F.