Im going to disagree with you, as well, Keith. Putting a 100 plus year old implement, be it a fly reel, fishing reel, sewing machine, or fine quality firearm, back into service, sans maintenance, is just plain wrong. He was advised to just shoot it, and that might be the worst advice Ive ever seen posted here.
That, my friend, is saying something.
The OP pretty much summed it up when he posted looking for names who could do it. GOD BLESS HIM, this guy had it figured out before he got here.
Kirk Merrington would be inside the stock with a 15x loupe, looking for problems with the wood. He would do the same with the mechanism. Nipping developing problems at the bud is something that is hugely important with an old piece like this. The more I look at the head of that stock, the more I want a pro having a nice session of de-oiling it. I would bet this one will spend a few weeks at a good shop, assuming nothing major is wrong, and when it comes back, it will be most of a human lifetime before it needs to be seen again. If the gun has a rib that is starting to come loose, NOW is the time to address that, not after it has broken free or taken the fore end loop with it. Ditto a set of beat up strikers. Weak opening lever spring? Do it now. You arent going to see the internals without a strip and clean.
A name I missed would be Dewey Vicknair. Another pro on the circuit, quietly saving guns from bad gunsmiths and bad advice.
Best,
Ted
