Author Topic: Question (Read 529 times)

grousehunter · « **on:** March 22, 2006, 04:12:54 PM »

My sons house burnt and he lost all his guns in the fire! Does anybody believe it is poss. to take the barrels to a smith and have the guns redone? I do'nt believt the fire was very hot, although the stocks were ruined!!!!!!!

Drilling Man · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2006, 04:38:28 PM »

Many years ago i had a home burn down, and i also lost my guns. Mostly they were smoke damaged, with the stocks blackened, also the blueing was no longer perfect. The fire dept put a lot of water on them and that didn't help either.

In -----> MY <----- case, i replaced or refinished the stocks and kept them. On the centerfires, i handloaded a light load and worked my way back up to my old hunting loads. I kept a carefull eye on everything for quite a while, but all of them turned out fine.

I'd "AT LEAST" get them imspected if you don't know what to look for...

Drilling Man

jh45gun · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2006, 04:53:13 PM »

Most guns lost in a fire are kaput, some maybe can be ok but if they got hot enough for the stocks to burn then I would guess the metal got soft and is not worth fixing and dangerous. I bought a 30/30 one time at a gun show I got took is what happend but it was in a fire and was just the complete metal action and barrel. I put in in a duffle like bag I had with my in case I found some stuff and the metal was so soft that the barrel bent just from being in the bag. I have been to my gunsmiths when he looked at guns for customers that were in a fire and he told me if the gunstocks are burnt then most likely the metal is not salvageable. Too bad about your loss. But I would take the insurance money which I hope you had and buy new or used. If you are determined to try to salvage them take them to a good gunsmith who can advise you not some back yard shop but a pro who knows what he is doing. I still will say and I bet he will too if the stocks burned they got too hot.

Keith L · « **Reply #3 on:** March 23, 2006, 12:25:01 AM »

I agree that it is unlikely you will be able to save the guns. I did have a co-worker that saved an 870 express from a fire, but it was a plastic stock and that melted at a lower temps. He did a full disassembly, and replaced some parts, I don't remember which ones. And did a spray paint finish on the gun. It looked like heck but it did work. I hated to hunt next to him figuring the next shot would blow the barrel up.

Swamp Yankee · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2006, 10:50:38 AM »

Thats a good question that I don't have an answer to. I might be more inclined to save one of the rimfires but might hedge on a centerfire because of the presures involved. I agree with the guys, about sending them to a smith. Good luck, Jim

grousehunter · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2006, 11:47:13 AM »

THANKS guys!!!!!!! I was thinking of the 22lr I bought him when he was 9yr old and the old stevens shotgun that was his great granddads!!!!!!!!

Keith L · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2006, 03:46:01 PM »

I might restore those guns under the circumstances, but do it as wall hangers not shooters. Have a good smith look them over before shooting them for sure. Sorry to hear they had history.

Good luck with them.