How much does a scope mount affect a collectable?

[Bitterroot Bob]

Howdy,
GOT a question for a collector:
I was looking at a Remington 141 pump rifle yesterday. Overall it was in pretty good shape- maybe 90%. The one real flaw was wear to the cartridge brass on the receiver, but everything was still readable. What put me off were the two weaver bases mounted to the top of the receiver.
Is there a percentage that the value is reduced by when a rifle has been drilled and tapped? I am not bothered by receiver sights mounted in the factory-drilled holes, but I didn't think much of the scope bases on a fine old .30 Remington 141.

Thanks for any help,
Bitterroot

[Bigeasy]

Hi Bitterroot

I can't give you an exact ammount, but I am sure it will degrade the value of the rifle.  I don't know how many times I have found clean pre-64 Winchester #94's at small gun shops, only to find the left side of the reciever has been drilled with half a dozen holes for a side scope mount.  My opinion, it really hurts the value, though in your case, the drilling on top of the reciever might not be as bad, and can be pretty well hidden with  flush filler screws.

Larry

[Bitterroot Bob]

Yup,
The top-mount holes are more eaasily overlooked than the side-mount holes. I couldn't find anything specific in the S. P. Fjestad book about how holes affect grading. With grand and great-grandchildren trading in heirlooms on tactical stuff, a lot of fine old gear from the 1930's are showing up on the racks. Many of the trade-ins were personalized long ago and can only be appreciated by the descendants. I witnessed a really nice Winchester Model 54 w/ Carl Zeiss 3/4" scope on Griffin & Howe mounts languish on the used rack for months. The caliber was .270 and was equipped from the factory with a Lyman receiver sight. Unfortunately Grandpa had carved a mountain scene in the butt-stock and had his initials engraved on an inlaid brass plate. The last I saw of the rifle, it had been stripped of accessories and was being offered for $300. A sad end.

Bitterroot

[Rangr44]

[How much does a scope mount affect a collectable?]

It changes it from a "collectable" to a non-collectable.

Most quality vintage guns, of whatever make, seem to degrade in value to the "shooter" value for whatever gun it is, when the gun in question is in other than original issued condition.

The only exception I've noticed is for extremely rare examples, where it's either take the altered specimen, or nothing.

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