I can ask my friend (a vintage Winchester collector) whether attempting to fix it would lower the collector value.
Just talked to him. I forgot to write down the details but he said if it is original finish (i.e. not refinished before), you lose 25% of the value on old Winchesters if you touch them. Leave it alone. Meeting him for dinner in a few minutes and will relay the specifics on the gun. He will most likely know what it is worth but just out of curiosity, what is the current price? And just a guess...that scratch might be from a saddle mounted scabbard?
My friend was not familiar with that model (he's into the old stuff). I looked it up and see that it isn't that old and most likely not that valuable to collectors (yet!).
From a quick read I think that production of that gun only started around 1989. The "AE" apparently means angle ejection to accommodate a scope. Was thinking that you could probably find a better gun in .44mag at a cheaper price but then again I don't recall seeing many long guns in that caliber so maybe there is some rarity there that would make it valuable. If so then the advice would stand...don't touch it. Btw, as for my friend, he is into the OLD stuff. They come into our local gun store from time to time...usually because somebody died and the heirs didn't want it. Our local store moves a lot of iron and they pay a fair price for stuff. My friend has picked up more than a few 1880's vintage Winchesters from there. I think he loses interest at about 1940.
