40_Rod wrote on Jan 17^th, 2019 at 11:16am:


But some owners are nicer than others too. In the case of some of the holes on Skalkaho's Ballard, and my Schoyen, the person doing the work was less than professional work. One thing to have extra holes, and another for them to be off center, or poorly done like my gun had. Poorly done holes are better repaired than left as evidence of many owners. Some owners need to be forgotten.

40_Rod wrote on Jan 17^th, 2019 at 11:16am:


Does that include checkering or stock carving jobs done with a pocket knife, probably at a hunting camp while drunk?  It's no shame to be incompetent, as I am about many tasks, but I detest the idiots who are too stupid to recognize their own incompetence.



  

Redsetter I am not sure how you came up with or could even try to justify incompetence. When a fellow has worked hard and paid for something that he now owns what he does with it from there is simply his own business and none of our own. But yet here we are trying to condem them for everything we don't happen to like as if we originaly bought and paid for it and actually have that right.

I don't believe those who damaged or degraded these fine old guns did so intentionally. Of course the end result speaks to their talents, but not to their intent.
What these guns were worth back when the work was done often speaks to what went through the individual's thought process. He may have paid very little for what today is a valuable rifle; so taking on a task above his skill level wasn't taking a big chance in his mind. 
I am saddened by the end results of some of the old home gunsmithing projects. But I do understand they were usually done to save money, and on guns that had less value than they do today. Even big name custom single shots weren't appreciated nearly as much as they are today. Heck, even gunsmiths known for making great guns themselves didn't mind destroying what their contemporaries made before them! I've seen Schoyen barreled rifles that AW Peterson installed a .22 liner in the barrel. I'm sure he wanted the work, and didn't question it when the customer brought in a Schoyen barreled rifle to make a .22 out of.

Marlinguy very well stated and thanks for sharing your thoughts as those were indeed very different times and not forgetting  the depression and the wars where these firearms were left behind for a time they were also very challenging. It's actually quite remarkable that so many have survived in the shape they are in or still being restoradble and regaining back some of their popularity once again.

JLouis wrote on Jan 18^th, 2019 at 1:17pm:


What I don't understand is the "pass" some would like to give to the perpetrators of willful gun butchery.  So alright, let's all give a pat on the back to all the gun butchers of all time, because, according to you, their "heart was in the right place."   

It's no different than if you had something very valuable and told yourself you wont chance messing it up. But you had some clunker worth very little, so you decided to take a shot at it yourself. I've taken a chance fixing something of little value also. I figured if I fixed it that would be great, and if I didn't not much loss. 
As I said, there was little value to many of these guns when they were messed up. You continue to base the idea of not harming them on the fact they've become valuable. It's not about giving these guys a pass, it's about considering the time frame in which it was done.
Hindsight is 20-20.