A restoration or a renovation

Discussion in 'Browning Auto A-5' started by Biz, May 15, 2022.

  1. Biz

    Biz 20g

    Hello Browning aficionados,
    Here is a nice grade 4 that was, following the seller, fully restore. Don’t you find something is not consistent with the era. I wish we can also see the buttplate.

    https://www.gunbroker.com/item/932927922
  2. Rudolph31

    Rudolph31 .30-06

    Obviously the stock is new. And since it’s not faithful to the original, I wouldn’t call it “Fully Restored”.
  3. win7stw

    win7stw .30-06

    That’s a pretty gross restoration. Something like that I would send to Turnbull
    Rudolph31 likes this.
  4. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    Who screwed the pooch on this one. What a shame. Something like that needs the correct period wood for sure.
  5. Jta5er

    Jta5er .270 WIN

    Yep I saw that one and decided it was done so badly there wasn’t any reason to alarm anyone of its availability.
    It looks like a bad copy of what it should be. I wouldn’t give more than 3k for the thing if I liked 12 gauges.
    Sorry if I sound harsh, I just hope that person doesn’t ruin anymore valuable rare brownings.
  6. Biz

    Biz 20g

    Do you guys believe that in 1925, that gun was rust blue finished and it can be that shiny?
  7. Jta5er

    Jta5er .270 WIN

    I’m guessing a proper restock with some Turkish nice lumber would be 4-5000.00 and hopefully a reblue would change the look of the gold, it just looks wrong. Maybe it’s the lighting?
    Ranger6 likes this.
  8. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    Nope
  9. Ranger6

    Ranger6 Administrator Staff Member Administrator Global Moderator Forum Moderator

    I was quoted 3200 for stock and forearm. That’s me supplying the wood and no finish.
  10. Jta5er

    Jta5er .270 WIN

    Sound correct for the market now probably 4500.00 complete. Maybe the guns photographer used to work for Glamour shots? It’s just bad photography and light, made my first wife look fake also?
  11. Jta5er

    Jta5er .270 WIN

    Sorry Bizz couldn’t help myself, but the guns blueing and gold just looks all wrong. It really could be lighting on the blue but I don’t like the gold. Wood has to go.
  12. Jta5er

    Jta5er .270 WIN

    Do you guys have a good pic of Martins(sauerfans) grade 4 type6 that you can put next to this ugly duck so we can see the difference? Martins is correct.
  13. Biz

    Biz 20g

    Yes, the stock should be nice English or Turkish walnut, round knob and the shiny bluing compete with the gold inlay.
  14. Biz

    Biz 20g

    This is why I call that a renovation, like a quick paint job on a house you want to sell. Following your experience and knowledge, what would be a true restoration on that gun?
  15. Jta5er

    Jta5er .270 WIN

    If you sent it to turnbull, it would probably be 8000.00 considering they charge 5k to refinish metal and existing wood(you would need new wood)
    .
    If it was a 16ga I would buy it for 3k have proper stock made for 4k and have the gun rust blued for 1000.00 and hope the gold changed color after slow rust blue. That would be what I hoped for anyway. I would pay 10k for sauerfans gun or one like it.
  16. Jta5er

    Jta5er .270 WIN

    Do you think gold will change after slow rust blue job?
    [​IMG]
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    [​IMG]
  17. Jta5er

    Jta5er .270 WIN

    I am not up on different variations of grade 4s but this 12 has a lot less details on the flora than the 16 above it. Notice the missing serration of the leaves and less details of the flowers from one to the other. Has it been upgraded?
    Here is a better pic of the 16
    [​IMG]
    Last edited: May 15, 2022
  18. Biz

    Biz 20g

    To refer to the discussion we had regarding Rudolph’s "arme de luxe" I still believe that the engravers had some liberty in the conceptualization of the theme pattern they were given. Therefore, I don’t believe there was an upgrade within a grade. I assume that the gold inlay is done before the rust bluing. Like you, I think it is possible that the acid treatment changes the color of the gold. Or may be the difference between the gold color of the two gun is a picture rendering problem. But a fact remain, the shiny bluing and the square knob stock on a 1925 grade 4 is rather vulgar. I hope the seller or the potential buyer will not read our exchanges. Here is one for someone with some extra cash at Steve Barnett
    https://stevebarnettfineguns.com/br...-grade-4-auto-5-12-gauge-with-an-extra-barrel
  19. Auzzie

    Auzzie 20g

    Thats an interesting side by side comparison. The 12 lacks the rear stock to receiver tear drop feature in the wood which is a standing mark of the high end brownings including super posed.
  20. Biz

    Biz 20g

    Yes, I should have mentioned that it was a good idea to present the two pictures comparing the guns.

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