To Jewel or not

[brajen1]

Hi guys, I run a small gunsmith shop net to my house. The other day a guy brought a model 70 in to have cleaned. I noticed the serial number and got very excited 6984 according to serial number dating charts it was made in 1937. I offered him $500 and he took it. So long story short mechanically it's in great shape but cosmetically it needs some loving. Along with refinishing the stock and working on the metal finish I was thinking about jeweling the bolt and was wanting to get y'all's opinion on it. Should I jewel or go for a straight factory look? Also do y'all think it would effect the value positive or negative?

[reynolds357]

Any noticible change from factory degrades value. Refinishing metal degrades value. Refinishing wood will increase value only if it is done so well one can't tell it's a re-finish.

[brajen1]

Thanks for the reply, I know what you said is the textbook answer. I guess I'm looking for peoples personal feelings if they where to walkin a gun shop and see it with a Jeweled bolt. On a side note I'm going to try my best to preserve the original finish by boiling the barrel and then buffing with steel wool, this has worked well for me in the past. I guess I'm really just torn about what to do lol. I love the look of a Jeweled bolt but with an older gun like this I also feel a responsibility to keep it factory.

[reynolds357]

It all depends on if you are selling to a real collector or to a casual buyer. A true collector is not going to buy a modified rifle at collector price. He will pay you run of the mill price for it if he even buys it. He probably won't buy it.

[jmr40]

Just one opinion. A jeweled bolt looks nice when new. I have a 1974 Rem 700 and at this point it doesn't look so good. And on a CRF rifle the extractor hides most of it anyway. I wouldn't do it on this rifle.

[Scorch]

Any noticible change from factory degrades value.

If the gun was used and is so worn as to justify restoring, it has no collector value anyway. Collectors want rifles that are pristine. That's why there is such a lucrative market in "unfired" Model 70s even though many of them are fakes.

About two years ago, I picked up a pre-war Model 70 action and decided to build my own "unfired" pre-war Model 70 (but with enough subtle changes that a collector can tell). Rebarreled, restocked, rust blued, even got an original Model 70 buttplate and sling swivels and a pre-war Weaver scope and Stith mount. Turned out nice! So I say go ahead and make yourself a Model 70! But you will likely put more money into building a restored rifle than you would pay for an original. I know I did!

[reynolds357]

Quote:
Any noticible change from factory degrades value.
If the gun was used and is so worn as to justify restoring, it has no collector value anyway. Collectors want rifles that are pristine.

All depends. I have some old (over 100 year old) Colt pistols that I have a standing offer for crazy money on. They are not close to pristine. I have been told the best ones in known existence are under 80%.

[RC20]

Brajen: Model 70s value wise are over rated though a 1937 might have value, a big part dependence on caliber (which you should list).

A rare caliber can be worth a lot even if the gun is worn.

30-06 or 270 would not be, its just another gun, nice one, cool old one but certainly some where in the ball park you paid for it.

If its a rare collectible, NO, do not mess with it, sell it to someone who values it (I had a Luger that I thought was a shooter, turned out to be a all match with military markings and a holster that matched, never shot it (one parts breaks and its no longer a collectible) and sold it to a Luger collector.

If its a run of the mill common caliber, then by all means pretty it up.

I would not pay you much if any for that labor (not a 70 fan, a 70 fan might go you somewhat more) . Its still just an old common gun.

I have an untouched 2nd years Sako Finnbear (I fell in love with them due to the family 270) - I won't do anything to it, while not exactly collectable they go up in value over the years matching the original price. That is based on it not being messed with (and in good condition)

I can sell it for close to what I paid for it now and in 5 years what I did pay for it.

So, figure out what you have, what is worth in what condition and go from there.

[DPris]

If you're jewelling to keep, go for it.
If you're jewelling to sell, don't.
Denis

[brajen1]

All you guys make good points. It's a 270 by the way. I'm a model 70 fan boy lol, so to me its awesome but to the next guy it's just an old gun. I'm keeping this gun not selling it and being a Jack O'Connor fan makes me love that it's a 270 even though a rare caliber would be worth more of course. I think I'll just polish the bolt to take out scratches. Like the one guy said the extractor covers most of the bolt anyways. Thanks for all the replies.

[brajen1]

RC20, you said 2nd year Sako Finnbear is that 63? Would love to see a pic.

[RC20]

I will PM you, get an email. Its got some dings on it so not pristine, the butt pad is beat up (they tend not to survive well) - one owner scratch his initial on the trigger guard in a not to visible place.

The Sako site got the mfg record a while ago, I was able to confirm it (SNs on Sakos can sometimes be wildly off)

The family 270 is a first year Sako.

[brajen1]

Cool, I'll keep an eye out for the PM. It's funny about a month ago I read a field and stream article called "A blast from the past" talking about how their be coming more collectible.

[RC20]

Someone ran a value check vs inflation and they are just about keeping up with inflation.

They are a nice light hunting rifle, I can see why people liked them, compare well with the modern lighter guns. Tight action. Smooth.

[gw44]

YES !!

[riverdog]

I’m no collector, but if you are going to jewel the bolt and refinish the stock, may as well go all in and reblue the receiver and barrel too. My old pre-64 Mod.70 came looking like a used field rifle (it was) with a “shot-out” barrel. It cleaned up nicely and a little Sweets 7.62 fixed the shot out barrel (copper fouling). Other than that, it’s just a nice old rifle with a good trigger that shoots.

[44 AMP]

Jeweling, or engine turning is pretty, its attractive, and it does have a small advantage, the tiny little grooves hold a film of oil.

Yes, a purist collector will sneer, but another guy might think "neat! I want that!"

If you bought it with the idea of restoring it to original finish, to make the most possible profit on it, then don't jewel the bolt. Otherwise, do what you want.

It's a special touch, that will make the rifle stand out. I had the bolt of my first Remington 600 jeweled, looked great, though now, 40+ years later, its worn enough it could stand to be redone.

[std7mag]

Almost purely cosmetic.
Hence do what appeals to you.
Personally i don't care for the look of jeweling, but that's just me.

[FrankenMauser]

I am not a fan.
In a run-of-the-mill rifle, I think a jeweled bolt looks about as good as a bedazzled speedo on a hairy fat man.

A jeweled bolt rarely looks good to me, and there must be other 'bling' in play to pull it off: Tasteful engraving, inlays, etc.; with a very high quality, deep, dark bluing job.

[musicmatty]

I love posts like these because I think the Value of any Firearm comes down to the prospective buyer and their own personal taste. I only purchase use guns anymore because I feel these great firearms should be given a Home with TLC.

My own preference would be to purchase a used firearm that’s been completely refurbished as opposed to one that has never been molested and is terribly beat. It sounds like you paid $500 for a 1937 model 70 that is unmolested and somewhat beat. Here I would’ve paid $1000 for the same rifle if it was completely refurbished even though the value may be less than $500 because it has been refurbished.

If that was my 80-year-old legendary Winchester that I only paid $500 for, I would have it completely refurbished and be proud that it was sitting in my gun cabinet.

[Don Fischer]

I'm not a collector of anything, I'm a user! If I had the rifle I'd do to it what I needed to make it more appealing to me!

[DPris]

And that's the thing: Do whatever you want FOR YOU.
Just don't jewel it as an investment for resale.
Denis

[LineStretcher]

You got the rifle at a reasonable price. What does the bore look like? That will tell you if you'll be making money or wasting it trying to make it look new. If it won't shoot well without a barrel change then it's a wall hanger and that's your market and your max value will be in how it reflects it's age.

If the bore is good then put it up for sale as is with a collectors price and see what happens. If no one is interested then sell it through your shop and offer the prospective buyer upgrade options and get the revenue from that.

[Drm50]

The market on shooter grade model pre 64 model 70s is soft. There is always the exception for a scarce model or caliber. The same thing has hit Win M12 shotguns. The new shooters and hunters aren't buying them. True collectors items will always be desirable and the rest will become just guns. The buying public will buy a new BA hi-tech rifle for $1K before they
invest in a used "out of date" gun. Us old timers who want them are getting thin. I hit it lucky when I was a kid. I got a NIB pre 64 in 308 in 1964. I still have that one. At one time
I had over 20 of them. I think they are the best American made bolt action ever produced.
When I bought new BAs after that I went to Sako, Styre, ect.

[gw44]

I have a pre-war (1940) that has had the bolt jeweled looks good, I like it !!!