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So, a little carbine that will be here next week got me to thinking about this. And this is, where do you draw the line at modifying older, classic guns?
Personally:
Personally:
- If it is unique, super rare, expensive, or associated with an important historical event or personage, now way, José! That would be like spray painting the Mona Lisa or throwing a brick through a stained-glass window.
- If it is not real unique, but still a classic in our culture (e.g., original Winchesters), yah, no. Well, beyond basic fixes like if missing a spring or front-sight or whatever.
- If it is old, but they made a bajillion-bajillion of them, eh, less concerned. I mean, who cares? There are still hundreds of thousands or millions of other ones out there. (This is where I am with the aforementioned carbine, more or less.)
- If the modification in question can be reverted with a few turns of the screw, then it really isn't a modification, so knock yourself out.
- If the gun is totally trashed, nonfunctional, lump of scrap metal, a restoration that gives you joy, and in the future someone else, why not.
- I've never considered said personally, though I've know folks who wanted to Bubba an old gun to make it like a more modern one. In most cases the cost difference is so minor, why bother.