So, ya wanna collect guns, part II

Some good answers, and some good tries, and one knowledge gloat from a dealer-collector, who swept in like a college sophomore visiting his old high school...  8^ D  All of your answers, right and wrong, indicate why, if you are going to really get into collecting antiques, you need to do some research on the eras and types you are interested in, to include understanding extant manufacturing processes, knowledge that AW1 Tim used, for example.  Investing in a few (themselves not cheap) books can save you hundreds, if not thousands, on collecting over the long haul - this is especially true when you talk older, expensive guns.  You saw MCart wishing he had his references handy. 

Whether the finish is in too good a shape... or is in too *bad* a condition matters.  Too bad a condition?  That can be evidence of artificial aging, to make new parts look old, just as in faking other kinds of antiques.  Whether or not the finish is appropriate for the age and manufacturing styles extant at time of original manufacture.  Newer-style finishes aren't necessarily wrong, especially on military weapons that had long service lives - but, the finish needs to match the claims.  If they guy is claiming an original Springfield M1903, but it has a parkerized finish - then that rifle was redone at some point in it's life - and isn't worth what an original condition rifle would be - unless you're willing to pay what the guy is asking... but you should know general values going in. 

Parts and markings should also match - again, in military weapons, that may not always be true because of arsenal rebuilds.  That's especially true of US weapons.  When we brought 'em in for rebuild, we stripped 'em, put the parts in bins, refurbished the parts, then pulled parts from the bins to reassemble weapons.  Which is why a Winchester-made M1 Garand that consists of all Winchester parts commands a lot more than my Winchester M1 Garand.  The only Winchester part on my rifle is the reciever, the rest is a mix of Springfield and International Harvester parts.  This indicates a Korean War or post-Korean War rebuild, because International Harvester only made M1 rifles during the Korean War.  You don't want to pay a premium for a Winchester-built rifle when what you have is a rebuild.

That said, let's take a look at those same rifles from yesterday, in the same order - only this time, the other side of the action.



Royal Irish Constabulary Carbine, manufactured 1900.  But wait!  I said it was made in 1902 yesterday...  Don't worry - we'll get to that. 



Charger-Loading Lee-Enfield, manufactured 1910



Lee-Enfield No 1, manufactured in 1901.

Okay, go at it, same as yesterday.