I am at a crossroads. I have an 1885 Lo-Wall (1896 manufacture) that has been re-barreled  (C.C. Johnson) with an old re-blue-over-some minor rust on the action. The rest is still origional. As it shoots quite accurately, I am thinking of a mild re-build. I know that preserving the origional remaining single-shots is a priority of the ASSRA but as what point does one consider rebuilding vs. preserving "as is" for the next generation? Opinions please. 

Flatlander,

I think there's a knee-jerk tendency for many of us, I'm not completely immune, to want our rifles to be "as new." Although we're all impressed when we see a rifle in fine original condition, it's usually a mistake to take an good honest gun with a few signs of age and try to make it new again, because after doing all the work, you'll often find that you would have been much better off to have just left it alone. If you must rebuild a gun, then find a old beat-up basket-case and rebuild that, you won't be harming anything and you might learn something in the process. 

Bob

Thanks for all your opinions. Yes, the rifle is pretty plain as is but is not an ugly-duckling. At first glance,it appears to be just another well used round barrel factory lo-wall in .22 LR. I might just put her up for sale and go for broke on a newly made repro. Decisions-decisions.

I cant stand it, I gota say something !  Its yer lowall. Doll it up. Get that guy back east to make you a striker block for it and get a Smith gain twist barrel with some unusual obscure but interesting caliber. Then get some really fancy walnut and have Gail make you a helm pattern stock for it.  Get into it man! Spend some money and make yourself one sweet shutzen rifle.  Have it engraved, maybe a big wild boar bustin through a picket fence on one side and his arse on the other side with a mangy dog latched onto his posterior. That would look so manly finished a dark black. Some fancy checkering on the stock with some Rosewood and mother of pearl inlays.  I'll turn you a super nice palm rest for nothing if you do it.  Gads!!  I cant wait to see how it turns out !!  I'll bet old Harry's looking down with a big smile.  Harry would give ya the nod on the Smith barrel. Hubelek  would love the MOP inlays.  I'll donate a Berg buttplate so to be sure and make it a one of a kind.  It's just an old lowall ! Empty canvas, go for it!!   
For Christs sake reading some of these posts reminds me of eating Swedish meatballs and Lutefisk at the Sons of Norway lodge!! 
Okay, I'm done. I meant it though. 


                                                    Joe.   

Whats the average age of the current schutzen groupie chick crowd right now?  I'm only 55 Steve!    
I'm bringin my slug gun for show and tell, dont forget my Stevens. And bring your 35/40 reamer. I need to cut a chamber in that special order Smith .35.   Mother of pearl and schutzen rifles, well,----- they were meant for each other.  

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                                            Joe,

Thanks all again for the replies. It seems there is not a consensus of opinion. Steve may be right and it may be a collector piece at some time. 
boats: the Lo-Wall is 100% origional minus the barrel and re-blue. Wood is all correct. I may post a photo if I can figure how to do it again.

I received a very nice reply from Jerry Johnson last spring and the card he has on it says the barrel is a .22 Buhmiller "to the same conour as the origional" . No mention as to the re-blue so who knows when/where that was done.

Boats,

  Oh My! You mean my CC Johnson HW in .22 RF with a close coupled set triggers is ugly in your eyes?  Actually it looks like it just came out of the factory. The only "ugly" thing about it is he/someone soldered a sling swivel on the barrel. Must have been a club(?) target gun at one time as on the inside of the foearms barrel channel it's got Aurora Co. stamped.

  Sorry! Couldn't resist that.    I'll agree with you and say I've seen some real ugly rebuilds. I would suspect mine was re-blued when CC worked on it, but the only way you can tell it from original is the liner and CC's name stamped on it. Still shoots better than I can hold it.

PETE

Pete,   

Did not mean to offend, everybody's baby is pretty.   From what I have seen Johnson was not a stock maker, must have sent guns out to be stocked.  My Johnson Ballard was a small bore prone rifle and showed the typical hacked up stock that so many competitors use.  In fact my Anschutz SB prone rifle has been butchered up pretty good too.

And then there is Chuck Blenders Miller.  Testament to Bondo and Duct tape. And he can out shoot any of us with it.

Boats