bushka, in today's world of Metal working tools it is no big deal to panel a Borchardt reciever. Does not matter if it is a plain Sporter or a Military action. In fact the Military recievers are dead soft, easily machined. A Military reciever can be reworked to look like a sporting model by machining away the front bottom where the action sling swivel exists. The top of the frame can be machined to have the same ear like apperance also as there is extra material there also. The place to look at real hard is the bottom front of the reciever where the lever pin goes thru the action. Neat radiused edges there that are forged and finished by hand. Also military actions are stamped with company name and address and serial number on the left hand side. Removal will generally show as thinner side wall. Also the sporting models had the serial number stamped on the very bottom of the reciever just ahead of the trigger. The stamping is also very small, I don't think the stamp height is much more that 1/32 to 1/16" high on the commercial sporting models. If it is an original Long Range or Mid Range it would have a removable top tang for the tang sight. This is fitted with a taper fit on the side walls and a single screw at the front end of the base. There have been many reworked actions around in the last few years so look at it real hard. HTH, Regards, FITZ.

If it's a redone military action, considering that the rest of the modern-type refinish work could be done for about $1500 or so, don't you think that $4500 is about twice what it's worth? I do.

I've recently sold and traded several fairly nice original Borchardt actions, including a military reworked into a removeable-tang sporter, in the $900-$1400 range. Someone willing to pay $4500 for a reworked and questionable complete rifle would have gotten my complete attention immediately, instantly and with no delay!
JMO, good luck, Joe

Bushka,

The serial number of this rifle would give the best clue as to it's original configuration, as it can be checked against the original factory records. Did you note the Serial No? If not, contact the seller and ask him what the number is, if it's a dodgy rifle it's likely he will refuse to supply it. At least then you'll know it's probably not in original configuration, and therefore not worth what he is asking for it.

If it's genuine, I'm surprised the seller hasn't had it 'lettered' as this would add to the overall value of the rifle, even if it has been refinished.

It would certainly be worth checking out the Serial No, and doing that could save you a good deal of money. 

Sharps would 'panel' a 78 action for an additional $5.00 on special order, and many have had panels milled in them since by gunsmiths.

A blade fore sight seems unusual on a Long Range Rifle, although not completely unknown, most would have had the 'hooded' adjustable for windage front sight, most probably with a spirit level attached.

Harry 

Harry, over the years I've attempted to letter 9 Borchardts, from #360 to #19xxx. 3 were in the records. The Borchardt records seem particularly sparse, especially when compared to my success rates (75%-100%) in lettering other makes such as Colt, Marlin, L.C.Smith and Winchester.
HTH, regards, Joe

J D---Even when I can pick up a decent action for $1000, it still adds up to about $2500 just for parts and labor (not mine) by the time the gun is complete. Barrel $300, stock blank $100-$300, removable tang $150, color case hardening $200, rust blue barrel $100, mill panels and tang $200, sights $400-$500, checkering $300, stamping the address on the barrel $100. Whoops--thats over $2000 not including the action and months of labor.  Remember-- he was talking about a complete rifle. I know of several "redone" Borchardts that have sold for over $5000. Next time you get a nice action you want to sell, let me know.

The barrel was lined with 8 groove rifling,which I think is old as its usually 6 groove nowadays?? it is military profile.
The front sight dovetail has an open blade in it,and .437" dovetail,
peculiar to Sharps pattern rifles.
The space under the lever,ahead of the trigger,has an small "L" in script.
The serial# numbers are small as 1/32"-1/16" in height,as a previous poster pointed out.
The action is sculpted in areas as in Sellers book.
The tang sight appears to be the longrange 5" staff,with thumbscrew elevation under the slide/eyecup with no windage.it may be an Axtell,but it looks aged,I saw no patent dates,it is a base screwed to the 
extended tang.
And the neat part was, as I pointed out the funny stuff,the dealer
knocked off 1150. and decided to take a 50 dollar profit instead,but just for me of course,as he knows I been looking at it the past 3 gunshows.
He is reputable dealer in high end stuff,and says the original owner tried to get 10,000 out of it.

I understand, the panels do look like "plastic" or heavily varnished wood.

I`m taking this slow as it shows,I`ll take it or leave it at this point,
just waiting for a few things to sell,maybe next show, if its still there I may jump on it,that is if no fancy german smoothbore makes its appearance between now and then.

3800. for a conversion/restoration??
Now does that sound resonable??????

tia,

B