Lip stick on a pig?

[Knarley Bob]

I have a '74 "Sharps", a Pedersoli Quigley that I have been thinking about re-stocking. The gun shoots straight, and I do like it but I'm getting the hankering for some pretty wood. The butt stock is......O.K., but, that pregnant guppy fore-stock just drives me nuts. How Pedersoli thinks that it is even close to looking like a "Sharps" is beyond me. I don't want to destroy the factory wood, so I'd be starting with new wood. The thing is , would it really be worth it? I know I'll be learning from doing it, I've put kits together, and re done quite a few guns, so I kinda know my way around. (Besides I'll still have the factory wood)
But when it's all said and done, it will still be a Pedersoli. I'm not trying to knock the brand, but, then again what would a restocked one be worth? Kinda like a custom painted Ford Pinto.

Then again, tearing apart a Shilo or a C.,(Which I don't have anyway) I'd get put in the looney bin. Just something I'm kickin' around.
Worth it or not???
Knarley

[Coal Creek Griff]

I say, "Sure."  If you like the gun and it shoots to your liking, why not invest a little in making it look good too?  Have at it!

CC Griff

[Litl Red]

I have a '74 "Sharps", a Pedersoli Quigley that I have been thinking about re-stocking. ...........

But when it's all said and done, it will still be a Pedersoli. I'm not trying to knock the brand, but, then again what would a restocked one be worth? Kinda like a custom painted Ford Pinto.
..............

Worth it or not???
Knarley

Worth it?   Hell yes.

Anything we do that makes any of our treasures prettier in our eyes is more than worth what little effort it takes.

As for making it worth more, having two sets of wood for anything makes anything worth more.  And having the correctly shaped wood on a Pedersoli REALLY would make it sell faster.  It's probably true that shape could have stopped some shooters who aren't blind from buying them.

Would you want a '57 Chevy that had round fins?  Wouldn't be a real '57 would it?  And wouldn't be what defines a '57 or makes them desirable.   

[Knarley Bob]

O.K. you two talked me into it. I done ordered some new lumber for the gun.
When and If I get it done, I'll see if I can't post some b-4 and afters.

Knarley

[frimath]

Do it! If you haven't already done it then do it!!! If you like the gun and its a shooter then you'll be keeping it so change out that "Guppy Wood"................I hate that look also and its probably the biggest reason I haven't bought one. But you MUST post photos when you get it replaced!!! Enjoy the new wood! Lobojack

[cpt dan blodgett]

The worth of a pedersoli restocked.  Priceless if you love the job you did on it.

[Gabriel Law]

I would not hesitate.  I bought my Shiloh Sharps in '79 as a barreled action, and stocked it myself.  Since then, I've restocked dozens of buffalo rifles for clients, and it is always worth the effort.  Recently, I restocked my Pedersoli Colt Lighning 45 Colt, and my 1876 Centnnial Rifle.  In both cases, I chose fancier wood, lengthened the LOP, raised the comb, and fit new butt plates.  The end result is something both handsome and unique, and more enjoyable to shoot.

[Bruce W Sims]

I think you just turned a very important coin over, Bob.

A lot of folks on the forum talk about how much a gun is worth ....to other folks.
Questions like "what can I get for it?" and "what is it worth?" seem to always revolve around what
some stranger would pay you for it. Seems like very little is said about how much a person is
happy with his own hardware, and how much it reflects his own tastes and values. I think
thats what makes some of these old bits like holsters and sheaths and guns so interesting....
meaning "how much does this bit reflect some real person and his life".

When I was young I used to live in apartments a lot and was always afraid to put anything
up on the wall. Got so bad that when I finally had my own house it was years before I put
anything on the wall. IMHO you take that piece and you make it your own. And when somebody
asks you about that gun you can honestly and fairly say, "this is MY Sharps".  FWIW.

Best Wishes,

Bruce