My late father purchased a model 80 so that he could accompany me to the rifle range on Saturday mornings in the early 1980 s. He was never really an enthusiast, however over the years his proficiency increased and he made into the Lincolnshire Pistol Team.

He had lost his right arm in an industrial accident in his youth so the fwb had left hand grips.

Eventually Work commitments forced him to give up and i went into the army so the pistol was used on the farm for ratting by various hands and by several Forster children who dry fired it in cowboy and Indian games in the outbuildings.

I forgot this weapon as the years ran by but recently following the death and the sale of the farm I found the battered old briefcase he kept it in.

It has been substantially abused, parts of the pistol appear to have been treated with hammer rite and the walnut grips appear to have been filed down to an ambidextrous level.

The pistol cocks and fires but is clearly a mess, the twang I can hear makes me feel that the spring has possibly snapped and the power is very down indeed. Finally the ballistic sledge mechanism appears not to be working.

I cannot sell this weapon for obvious reasons and my smithing skills are not strong. I need it to undergo a back to bare metal re-blue, a mechanical overhaul and new grips (poss right hand) so I could use it.

So could anyone recommend a suitable expert? If so what sort of costs do you think I will be looking at?

Many thanks