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I just recently acquired a 1953 Winchester 94 in a 30/30. It has typical signs of wear like buying is faded and some dents and scratches in the wood. Is it a good idea or bad to refinish the wood and possibly reblue? Thoughts?

Bad idea....

You would be better off selling it and spend the restoration money on a rifle in better condition...

Not a good idea if worried about collector value, it's your choice otherwise, if you want it to look good and intend to keep it.

I kinda agree with shrapnel.

There are still alot of nice pre 64's out there. If you've got one that's really beat, it ain't got much collector value anyway but could still be a good shooter/hunter. If it's still mechanically sound and shoots good {accuracy wise} there's no real reason not to refinish.

Yes there is. The money spent on a refinish is still better used to get an original with condition. Your gun has value when sold and the cost of a refinish added to it, you could easily get the kind of rifle you are trying to make by refinishing yours...

It costs me almost nothing to refinish. One of the perks of working for a gun company. Even if you don't work for a gun company, refinishing the stock doesn't cost much. Neither does a reblue if you tear the gun down and prep the parts to be reblued yourself. I suppose if you are incapable or unwilling to do the work and have to pay retail for the service it wouldn't be worth it.

A refinish will actually devalue the gun, guess it's not an issue if one plans on never selling....

Not if it's a beater or has already been modified to begin with.

What Shrapnel said. You have a $500 (+-) gun and put $$$ in it to restore, you then have a $400 gun. IMO a little "age" looks good on a classic.

Depends on condition. My father in law had a 1954 model 94 .30WCF that was so worn it had almost no finish left on the stock. The receiver was completely worn to silver and the barrel was mostly brown. Somewhere along the line it had sling swivel studs installed. A refinish would have been an improvement and certainly would not have lowered it's collector value because it had none.

Yes, +2.

It's your gun, you can do what you want. But frankly, honest condition/age is more valuable, and more rewarding to enjoy, than a refinished gun 99.9% of the time. They are not classic cars you can just repaint and it looks like "new"; because it won't. Akin to why you wouldn't refinish a historical artifact or museum piece, really.

For example, both a buddy and I passed on a nicely refinished LC Smith, 12ga, 28", F/M, about two months ago. Almost bought knee-jerk on principle because it was priced at... $500. But a refinish is a refinish. That LC Smith "was" a nice gun, now it's basically a rainy day gun, honestly. I was busy trying to choke down the price on the shotgun I did get, so an extra 500 for another rainy day gun wasn't in the cards that day.

Would encourage you to, if nothing else, delay refinishing it for a year or two, shoot/hunt it as is, and reconsider the question then.

I'd hunt and shoot it as is, If you want a pretty one in a few years then send it to Turnbull.

Mike

It seems to have no modifications to it. The bluing is partially worn off as an older gun would be. The wood still has finish on it but has its dings from being used. Seems to be a solid gun. I'll keep as is. Thanks for the advice.

you have chosen wisely!
the wear and bumps and scrapes are stories unknown. look at them and imagine what caused them. better than watching the walking dead!

Will refinishing it make it shoot better?