The soul of a gun is in the story that it tells you when you hold it for the first time and research the markings. When you inspect every scar that is on it and wonder where they came from. To me a military surplus rifle is way more than an inexpensive way to create a hunting rifle or plinker, to me it is a way to get in touch with a time and era that will never return. To experience shooting the way so many brave soldiers from around the world got to experience it. We are losing our veterans from WW2 everyday, we are never getting them back, saving and restoring these guns makes me feel as though I am helping to save and tell their stories to a future generation. No matter what side the soldiers fought for, they all had one common binding thread, they fought for their countries, ideals and rights which they felt they deserved. That is the main reason that I do not discriminate what types of guns that I collect. In the end, some say it is your rifle to do with what you will but in reality it is not your rifle at all, you are simply the caretaker of a particular gun until another generation acquires it and does the same. These guns outlasted the soldiers that used them and will almost certainly outlast us also. That is my reasoning at least. So yes, try to put it back to original if at all possible. Just my 2 cents.
i agree with you to the bone,,but also someone posted about being already "bubba'd" than continue,,on that i also agree,,unless as i believe it was mentioned theres a reason not to,,i.e. numbers matching,, rare,,etc, if theres thousands available and their almost giving them away then sportsterize away one,,otherwise i say restore,, good posts for the most part in my opinion!
