Fire damaged rifles..

[mowin]

So as most of you know, my cousins/family butcher shop burned down.  In the building was a few rifles.  Composite stock are gone.  

What's your thoughts on the barrel and actions?  Can they be cleaned up and restocked?  Or are they junk? 

[PraiseDiana]

Even if cleaned up I'd be very hesitant to fire one - what would the heat do to the tempering of the steel?

[mowin]

2 minutes ago, PraiseDiana said:

Even if cleaned up I'd be very hesitant to fire one - what would the heat do to the tempering of the steel?

That's what we're trying to find out.  I'm in the toss em category. 

[G-man]

Temper is gone.  But internals may be good for parts trigger job  ect

[Wolc123]

I remember when my grandparents house burned, there were a few old exposed hammer shotguns on a rack in the cellerway.  That’s where the fire went thru the hottest.   The barrels got deformed pretty bad.  They went out on the steel scrap pile.  
 

Other guns, that were in bedroom closets and such, were not bad at all. They got removed the day of the fire and most of them are still functioning over 40 years later.  Problem was, the house rekindled that night and very little was salvageable, after that second fire.  
 

If it ever happened again, I’d take my chances and get everything out that I could, the first time the fire was “out”.  

[Moho81]

I don’t like the idea of having something I’m not 100% confident in that close to my face. 
 

Even if you did a test fire with a string tied to the trigger how can you be confident that on the 2nd, 4th or 7th shot that barrel still holds? 

[Moho81]

I’ll add to this. Keep the rifles and put them on display in the new shop. It may sound like a bad memory now but in 5+ years you may just see that old burned up rifle and it will bring up a good old memory of the last shop. We as humans over time tend to forget the bad and remember the good. 

[PraiseDiana]

Yeah I think cleaning up one or two and keeping as a wall hanger is the way to go - just my 2c

[grampy]

Cannot be 100% sure they are safe. They must not be fired again. 

[cj3a]

Do you have pictures? 

[mowin]

41 minutes ago, cj3a said:

Do you have pictures? 

I don't at this time, I'll get some tomorrow or Tuesday. 

[sbuff]

I'd think that fire was above 600 degrees , I don't think I would want to be the one firing the gun afterwords if you did restore it . Like others I would salvage what you can and keep the memories close to the heart .

[mowin]

Pic of the carnage.  Still have a 30/06 in the rubble.  Haven't gotten the go ahead to clean up yet. 

 

Edited January 14 by mowin

[sbuff]

Perhaps if you reached out to Ruger explaining what happened they would send a replacement, same for the scope manufacturer  .

[Bond,James Bond]

Hate to see this. It happened to my Father in the late 1970s. I would Toss- it won't  be easy.