From time to time I get a gun in the shop that someone has inherited or been given, and they won’t to know if it is safe to shoot, or if it can be fixed.  In the life of every gun there is a chance that it will have an owner that doesn’t maintain it.  When that happens the damage can be disastrous.

You have to ask yourself whether or not the gun is salvageable.  If it is badly rusted, it is going to be tough to get right again without a serious time and money investment.  If the bore is bad, you will have to rebarrel the gun which is also very costly.  Can I find parts for it?  How much do they cost?  There are times when it is worth it to the customer because it has great sentimental value, but other times it is just something that they have and don’t really know what to do.

If you find yourself in this position ask yourself if you are willing to make a substantial investment in the gun.  If the repairs cost more than the gun is worth monetarily or sentimentally, don’t do it.  A gun that isn’t worth $100 in top condition is surely not worth $150 in reblueing.  Better to retire the gun and get something that you can really enjoy.