I have an old Mossberg model 45 , target model with the fancy stock, and it needs work.

The gun was given to my father by his father, in 1939-40-41 somewhere in there. The gun was bought new, and was given to my dad when he was in the Boy Scouts.

My dad gave it to me, and I've given it to my son.

The work it needs,

It had the peep sight rear, but I don't have it now, and I'd like to have that. All that's on it now is the leaf sight, but the receiver has the slot. I've seen them for sale.

Refinishing the stock. I did it at about 12 years old and screwed it up. I want it to be factory color, and while I could do it, I'm doing it for my son and want it done right. I may have taken too much material off sanding when I did it so I don't want to go further myself.

All metal parts need to be re-blued. I want factory, which is a deep blue, but I'd love one of the high luster blues like on higher end guns.

The barrel, possibly salvageable, but not sure. It needs to be re crowned, but I believe the last 1/2 of the bore is bad from cleaning when I was a kid. If it can be crowned and sleeved good, or replace the barrel. I've seen new old stock in Numrich's, most parts are still out there. Just really whatever it takes to bring the accuracy back to factory or better.

Now on the bolt. The bolt handle that is on it is not correct, and the smith welded it into the collar. I had the original bolt that had stripped out of the collar, it was in a box in my car, but I wrecked my car and it got lost ( back in the late 90s ). I'd been keeping it all in my car to take it and it got put off a week, then I had a wreck. Anyway, collars and original bolts are available.

It may or may not need an extractor, but I don't think it does. It isn't extracting fired .22lr, but it will feed and extract unfired 22lr.  It will feed and extract fired and unfired .22 shorts. It never had an issue in my 50 years until a couple of months ago after I'd shot a box of .22 shorts manufactured in the 1940s. I expect a ring of carbon formed in the chamber and that's the issue. I need to put a .22 brush on a drill and clean it out, but I'm missing half my stuff and can;'t do it right now.

Anyway, i look at the thing and feel bad for letting it get in the shape it is, like I let my dad down, and want to bring it back to factory or better, and need recommendations as to who can do it.

I know I'll spend more than it's worth, but it's sentimental. I'd like to get it done, and think my dad will be looking down from Heaven smiling about how good his first rifle looks. I wanted to do it years ago before he died ( 2012 ), but didn't.

Thanks for reading if you made it this far.

Your sentiment is going to be expensive !
Be aware..a fair chance the bluing will never come out as you like. Differences in metallurgy and differences in bluing tech may cause shade differences between the receiver and barrel. Potentially other parts. Mostly driven by less than consistent heat treat back then.

Going to be pricey OP

Seen one on GB starting at 400.

I have the rifle and still shoot it all the time. I just want to return it to its original condition.

You can have the barrel sleeved to fix the bore.

If it can be recrowned then a sleeve is fine.

Photophucket is screwing up, so I can't get my pics of mine up.

The one listed for $400 doesn't have the upgraded stock on it.

The stock that's on mine was optional, but was standard on the model 46 that came out later.

The guns are excellent shooters, silky smooth actions, and the trigger on mine at least, a target model, has about a 5lb trigger that breaks like a glass rod, almost no take up at all.

Here's one with a scope , which mine doesn't have, but with the correct stock.



This is the peep sight that was with it, but I can't find it.

I used this guy, he takes a while and is old school. You have to send 2 self addressed stamp envelopes when you send the rifle in.

https://www.redmansrifling.com/relining.htm

I have used Precession Bluing in NC

https://precisionbluing.com

You can start here for parts.
https://www.gunpartscorp.com

I recommend Ford's Custom Gun Refinishing for the rebluing. However, I'm not sure what their current wait time is.

Thanks guys. I know I'm paying for emotion, but I want it right. I want to think my dad grandad is going to be happy with it, and also that it will be given to my son in near what it was when my dad got it about 78 years ago.

I mean it's already my son's, I gave it to hom when Daddy died, but he hasn't shot it much and leaves it here mostly. He was shooting his ARs and AKs and pistols more, but I'd been talking about getting it right for him for years.

Keep an eye out on Ebay as well. You might be surprised what you can find for your rifle there, particularly the sight.

GunBroker might also have the parts you are looking for, but in my experience Numerich or Ebay will be cheaper.

I found everything I needed and more on Numrich last year. I thought about just buying one of everything and two of a lot of things just to have.

I just didn't have the cash, even though it was priced well, with lots of parts in the grease paper still. I actually thought of getting a second receiver and building a second gun, and putting a period correct ( looking ) scope on it. They have them that look right but are a bit fatter, a bit larger glass and much better glass.

My solution for a heirloom .22 rifle

Havlin's has some of the parts you may need as well

Looking to a similar project for my BIL. Started researching for parts but the rifle has no markings at all other than "22 long and short". I;ve drilled into the schematics on Numrich and it appears to be a Savage\Stevens Premier but the stock and some other things are off just a bit. Anyone have an idea of what model this may be?