Reconditioning old family heirloom.

[osis32]

A friend of mine has a family heirloom savage model 3d that's in really bad shape with rust on most of the rifle. He's in the Sf bay area and would like to get it looking like new. It needs to have the rust removed and re blued. Anyone have any recommendations? $300 is the budget for now. I took a look at it and I'm not quite sure how the barrel is removed. Any hints or referrals would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

[tr6guns]

Looks like the barrel is pinned in.

[kcstott]

And it's going to take a lot more then $300 to restore it.

tell your friend to learn how to do slow rust blue or leave it alone. A full restoration is going to run $1000 or more.

the "Like new" and "Really bad shape" is the reason for the high cost.

[osis32]

I told him it may be expensive but I didn't think that much. Good Lord

[kcstott]

I told him it may be expensive but I didn't think that much. Good Lord

Complete strip and surfacing of all steel parts to a 400 grit (satin) finish and hot salts blue will set you back close the $400. Stripping and refinishing the stock will set you back that much or more.

You need to understand it's not the cost of the weapon. It's the amount of hours involved to bring a "Really bad condition" rifle to "like new" and at $60 an hour an up well it don't take long to see how fast the time adds up. Two eight hour days is $1000.

You may find someone to do it flat rate. but I wouldn't trust a bottom dollar job unless you want bottom dollar quality.

I get requests like this a few times a month. Some guy asks for a quote, you give them a fair price and they come back and try to cut the price down. But what about this? will that save me money? Usually NO.
Setup time and time period is what it is. People don't like to work for free. and it's one reason I refuse a lot of work. It's not worth my time. it's one reason I learned this trade as i don't have the money to pay someone else to do the work. and I don't trust but a handful of guys to do work to my satisfaction, so i do my work myself.

Now that said he might find someone to cerakote it in Midnight blue and slap some poly shade on the stock. That would run you $300 but it's going to look like crap.

[milotrain]

I tell people to look at this video when they ask why metal finishing work is so expensive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuP4m6L95K4

[osis32]

I don't think he wants the stock done just the metal parts reconditioned. I could do the stock for him but I don't have the expertise our tools to tear it down and clean and blue it.

[Zamble]

My father in law had a Springfield single shot bolt action .22 that was his first gun in 1936. He reported for duty on December 6, 1941 to the Marines. It sat for over 70 years on a shelf in the closet. It was in horrible condition. The stock was thrashed, and the rest just as bad. He wanted to throw it away. I said let's have it restored, it's an heirloom and give it to his grandson.

He said ok and we took it to Hustons here in Stockton. We were told initially one month and $450. The stock was sanded, the nicks were removed and it was refinished. The barrel and receiver were stripped, sanded and reblued.

They kept telling us one more week. It took two months. And the work was outstanding. They did amazing work and the price was not changed.

YMMV or his. But like the others said be prepared to spend $$$. Restored the rifle wasn't worth what we spent. But when he gave it to his grandson, he and they cried. You can't put cost to that.

[kcstott]

I don't think he wants the stock done just the metal parts reconditioned. I could do the stock for him but I don't have the expertise our tools to tear it down and clean and blue it.

You said "get it looking like new" that means to me a full restoration and lot of $$$

[jericho89]

Good, Fast, and Cheap pick two. It is easy to find cheap and fast and you get crap. If you want good and fast prepare to pay for it. But as Zamble showed if you are willing to wait you can get a cheap deal but you have to wait for it and have someone you can trust to finish the work. It sounds like that shop he used worked on it when things were slow and it worked out for him.

[Scota4570]

It will never look new again. It would be pointless to try. It is a low budget 22 with no collector value.

Have a real gunsmith bead blast it and re blue. Put some lineed oil on the stock. It will look nice without breaking the bank.

[milotrain]

Why blue it if you are going to bead blast it? Might as well park it.

[kcstott]

Why blue it if you are going to bead blast it? Might as well park it.

Bead blasted actually looks good blued. It's sandblasting for Park that looks dead flat.

[ar15barrels]

Why blue it if you are going to bead blast it? Might as well park it.

Bead blasted actually looks good blued. It's sandblasting for Park that looks dead flat.

I agree.
Bluing over glass bead looks really nice.

[osis32]

You said "get it looking like new" that means to me a full restoration and lot of $$$

Yes I wasn't thorough enough in my description I'm sorry about that. I meant just the metal parts. The stock isn't in that bad of shape the barrel action and internals are the priority. Sorry for the confusion. Totally my fault