Opinions on parts swapping...

I have been offered a parts swap by a Gunboards member with my new 1916/1936 V.C.S./Spandau 98M. All parts are Imperial in origin. My parts for his parts.

He has a rear trigger screw with '87' and a cleaning rod '87' to match the action; my current cleaning rod is '05' and rear screw is unnumbered. He also has a complete bolt 'guts' set with #47; this would make my bolt a true bolt MM with #47 and Imperial marks. I would still have the original bolt body with the Nazi overproofs.

So is it worth it? No cost to me save postage. Maybe just the trigger screw? Cleaning rod? Front screw still does not match. Effect on originality, value, collectibility? This is one of my nicer rifles.

PM

This issue has been debated for years,- swapping parts- and of course if done correctly, matching finish and wear, it would add to the value.

Some think its wrong to alter the "history" of the rifle, - I am not one of those, as long as disclosure is made at the time of sale (though in time this will be lost and the parts will get grand fathered in..) but there are many who do not like it.

Anyway, bottom line is it's your rifle and you can make it a tomato stake for all I care, as nothing trumps property rights in my opinion. What might be unfortunate is irrelevant when it comes to your rights to do with your property as you see fit.

Personally, and it is only my habit, is I replace parts on rifles to proper "acceptance" patterns, but not to match serial numbers. Mostly I do this because I have a hard enough time remembering what I eat for dinner last night, needless to say which parts I may, or may not have replaced. And if you misrepresent a rifle, your reputation is crap in this hobby- and it only takes once.

I have been flipflopping on this for a while. Given the cleaning experience, even patina, Nazi overproofs, frozen trigger screw, crusted dirt, crud, cosmo, and a great barrel, I think this rifle has been together in its current configuration for quite some time, perhaps to its last rebuild in 1936. FWIW, I have decided to keep it in its 'original' condition.

PM