What's the stupidist thing you've done with a collectable.

G.W. Gill · 10-09-2005, 12:03 AM

1995. I have a pristine Remington Manyard 1816 conversion rifle musket. After much searching I found an 1842 long range rear sight in matching condition ($250). The rear sights were often removed as volley fire was much more effective with the tactics used early in the civil war. I take it to a high end gunshop with very expensive shotguns and smith equipment. I showed him where the base of the original screw was and asked him to remove it and install sight with screw that I provided. He drilled another hole , threaded it, ground on sight with grinder and used lead wedges. Generally did a job that would fail a junior high shop class. I was sick. I just wanted a screw base removed. I EVEN PAID $18 so I could leave fast as I felt myself getting so angry that the police would be called. I don't trust the depth of the hole he drilled so I can't even use it as a scattergun.

The EVEN PAID is the stupid part. Lets keep it going. So others don't make the same mistakes. Learn from us. And laugh with us.

By the way, most of us are not rolling in doe. I could qualify for Govt. cheese. It is the hit and miss with trades in collecting. More stories are good and help in learning about collecting.

10-09-2005, 12:03 AM	#20
G.W. Gill User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Southeastern USA Posts: 369 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	1995. I have a pristine Remington Manyard 1816 conversion rifle musket. After much searching I found an 1842 long range rear sight in matching condition ($250). The rear sights were often removed as volley fire was much more effective with the tactics used early in the civil war. I take it to a high end gunshop with very expensive shotguns and smith equipment. I showed him where the base of the original screw was and asked him to remove it and install sight with screw that I provided. He drilled another hole , threaded it, ground on sight with grinder and used lead wedges. Generally did a job that would fail a junior high shop class. I was sick. I just wanted a screw base removed. I EVEN PAID $18 so I could leave fast as I felt myself getting so angry that the police would be called. I don't trust the depth of the hole he drilled so I can't even use it as a scattergun. The EVEN PAID is the stupid part. Lets keep it going. So others don't make the same mistakes. Learn from us. And laugh with us. By the way, most of us are not rolling in doe. I could qualify for Govt. cheese. It is the hit and miss with trades in collecting. More stories are good and help in learning about collecting.