De-activating a firearm

Question
QUESTION: i have an old firearm from ww1 gathering dust in my garage. Im not sure what it is but i want to have it displayed on the wall. Can you please give me some advice on self de-activating my firearm so its legal.

ANSWER: Hi Clive.

If your firearm was brought back from WWI or WWII and passed to you through family inheritance then it should already be fully legal for you to own and display on your wall.  It would also be legal if you purchased it from someone else that legally owned it.

It is generally best not to damage or modify the firearm since it could be worth a great deal of money.  If you inspect the firearm carefully while it is unloaded then you should be able to see some letters, numbers, names, or symbols stamped or engraved into the metal.  Check the barrel, receiver, stocks, grips, etc.  These markings will usually identify the manufacturer, model, and caliber.

If you find this information then reply to me with a follow-up question and I will help you identify it.  If it is valuable then you will want to take steps to have it appraised and protected during storage or display to preserve the value.  If it isn't worth anything then you can still display it on the wall with a standard gun rack or custom mount without disabling it.

The main thing is to make sure you keep it unloaded at all times, and when handling it keep it pointed in a safe direction and keep your fingers outside of the trigger guard.  If you are not sure how to confirm that is unloaded then you might want to contact a local gun club or gun store and ask someone to help you check it out.  I am sure they will gladly do this for free and they would be anxious to see it, however keep in mind that any information they provide might be biased if they are interested in purchasing the firearm.

Hope this helps.  Good luck.

Bob

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: It is a ross rifle m-1910 and the calibre is .303. It is a mark III. Can you tell me how much it is worth please.

Answer
Hi Clive.

It seems that you have a rifle with an interesting history.  The following link provides an overview of the Ross manufacturer:

https://store.bluebookinc.com/download/Category.aspx?product=GUN&id=833

The same site contains free information about the value of these rifles.  To get an accurate value you will have to look at all the sub-models on the site and determine which sub-model you own:

https://store.bluebookinc.com/download/Model.aspx?product=GUN&id=1472

Also, take note that this model is apparently subject to a "bolt blowback" condition which could cause the bolt to fly back at the shooter when fired incorrectly.  So my advice to you is DO NOT LOAD OR FIRE this rifle unless it is first inspected by a gunsmith and given a clean bill of health.  Do not modify it either.  If it were my rifle I would carefully clean it, apply some light lubricant to protect it from rusting, then store it in gun safe, closet, or display case with desiccant bags to prevent humidity from rusting the gun over time.  If you want to get an official appraisal then you should inquire at local gun clubs or stores to see if there are any collectors in the area that could give you a quote.

Hope this helps.

Bob