Inherited guns...know very little about them...please help

[Sanjuro82]

Agreed on the G33/40. Leave it alone. They are rare and even with the scratched text on the stock it's a true collector .

Your 97 isn't really a collector and would benefit from a proper restore IMO. Over a 1,000,000 of the 97s were produced and your's is a run of the mill 1930s 1897. A properly restored 97 can claim fairly good money from a cowboy shooter. In it's current state, not so much. They are fun shotguns, I have one and they are awesome. I cut mine down to 18.5 and restored mine. I've have been offered $600.00+ multiple times for it. In it's original condition it was worth about 300.

I also feel that the Model 40 would benefit from a restore IMO. They are highly desired for shooters, not as collectors.

The key to any restoration is to do them authentically.

 

[Perplexed]

I'm no Kar-series Mauser expert, but I seem to recall they all came with a steel butt plate. So if the recoil pad on your G33/40 is an aftermarket item, you may want to find out what the original length of a G33/40 stock was, and see if yours wasn't cut down for the pad. Hopefully it'll just need a simple removal of the pad.

 

[AKguy1985]

usually on some mauser rifles the front sight hood was removed by the user. You can check sarco or numrich for a cleaning rod. Wouldnt hurt to look for the buttplate there either. Looks like the steel plate on the side of the stock is missing too.

 

[JB Books]

From a guy who collects vintage guns...original finish is everything when it comes to "Collector Value." You can restore parts, provided they are vintage parts.

On the two Winchesters, restoring them would probably be fine. Sanjuro is right about the 42 models. People usually buy those to use. there really is no Finer .410 shotgun.

 

[fustigate]

From a guy who collects vintage guns...original finish is everything when it comes to "Collector Value." You can restore parts, provided they are vintage parts.

Second! I'm in the "clean it up, but try to keep the original finish" camp. But there are some who strip them down and make them fancy (see Turnbull). I suppose it's like guys who hot-rod their classic car instead of just cleaning it up and repairing the original engine.

Whatever you do, keep doing research, check the price books, etc. There's no going back if you strip and reblue, of course.
I ran into a problem with an heirloom rifle where the gunsmith was recommended by another smith at a local gun shop and was authorized by the manufacturer. He knew his stuff, too. Seemed legit. But he's a terrible businessman, doesn't return phone calls, and takes way too long to finish his work! I didn't bother to look him up on forums and the BBB (grade/score: F) until after I handed the gun over to him. :-(

 

[gaseous maximus]

The Krag, is probably worth at least $200- $300, for if nothing else, parts. I sold an action at the tulsa gunshow, in about 94, for $125. It went within the first hour. The rear sight, if original is sellable, as are other original parts.

 

[dru]

The Krag, is probably worth at least $200- $300, for if nothing else, parts. I sold an action at the tulsa gunshow, in about 94, for $125. It went within the first hour. The rear sight, if original is sellable, as are other original parts.

As far as I can tell, everything on it is original except for it being cut down, the forward portion of the stock being gone, and a piss poor welding job on the front sight