1873 (74?) Lifter Action Advice Requested

[oregonreloader]

I just acquired an E. Remington & Sons 1873 Lifter Action shotgun, serial no. 44xx, with 30" barrels. It looks like it had been rusty and some soul decided to remove the rust with steel wool, so it's got that "was-rusty-but now-it's-not" look. The forend was lost somewhere in time and the replacement looks like it was carved by a Cub Scout on his first whittling attempt and attached with a nail instead of the wedge. There is no engraving or checkering, so it's likely a Grade 1 version. The stock is OK and the lockwork is in good shape and both hammers and firing pins operate as they should (but I'd never shoot it).

"What to do?" is my question. I could just hang it on my wall as is, or I could spend a bit of time and money to...well..."make it better". What is the sense of Society members regarding doing any restoration on this shotgun? And if some restoration is suggested, what would you do and what would your priority be for doing things.

(I'd include a photo, but just imagine two steel-wool polished pipes with a stock and a forend made from a piece of scrap lumber.)

[RemRB]

What you described is more or less a parts gun, and I would call a wall hanger. Don't think it is worth "fixing up". Also, you are calling it a model 1873 and then using the term Lifter action. If, when you lift the action a small top sliding piece pushes the hammer to half cock, then it is an 1873. Remington called these "Hammer Lifter". If that does not happen, then you have a model 1875 with rebounding hammers, which is called "Lifter action".

[paul harm]

I'm having a 1873 completely restored. I like to shoot them, and do with light low pressure reloads every week. A simple phone call to Brad Bachelder at 1-616-459-3636 and you could find out what a forearm would cost you, or any other work you might want done. At the very least, I'd redo the forearm . Paul