How can I tell if a gun is in good condition?

[bdub1792]

Local shop has some older guns, one of which being an 1842 springfield. Id like to collect some of the originals from around the Civil War but honestly have no clue what to look for. I just want a gun in shootable condition thats historically accurate. I included some pics of the one at the shop to get your alls opinion and how much it might be worth. All I noticed on it was some pitting by the hammer/breech.



Thanks

 

[ohio ramrod]

Things to look for are cracks in the wood, pits in the bore, and signs of abuse. From the picture it looks good from what can be seen.

 

[frankie]

check the bore first. I wouldnt buy one unless I could see down the bore unless I was going to rebore it.

 

[user 53846]

Bore condition, and if you know someone at a hospital, try and have the barrel X-rayed, to check for hidden cracks, not visible to the eye. Beautiful piece!! My guess is its probably a shooter, but check to be certain. I have dropped flints on a few that looked much worse than that, and lived to tell the tale. A very nice looking HF!!

 

[hawkeye2]

$$? That means a lot! Pitting around the breech is normal as the caps were corrosive. The piece looks good but it could have been extensively cleaned which could affect its value. More photos needed there. 42" barrel or has it been shortened? Any reproduction parts? The sling swivel is missing from the trigger guard bow. A pitted bore can be accurate and not dangerous, it depends on the extent. The barrel can be lined if the bore is bad. That is not too expensive and will yield a safe and accurate gun. Lining the barrel of an otherwise mint or rare gun will lower its value but on a lesser piece it may actually be a plus to some buyers.

It looks like there may be some other guns of interest in the rack.

Do some searches on the net and various auctions. Look at the sold for price, not the asking price.

 

[ArmorerRoy]

I'm jealous of that shop.

 

[SamTex1949]

Dang ! where is this shop ??