Curio and Relics
Many firearms are considered to be in fact curio and relics: some are just by how old they are, and some are by exceptions.
To collect C&R rifles you don't need a license, but unless you wish to have them shipped directly to your home which is a very good idea to have done if you plan on buying 4 or more rifles within the next three years, because other wise one must ship to a FFL (gun store basically) where they'll be subjected to fill out some forms then be charged about 30 bucks.
One should first decide what rifle from the past do they want to hold. At least one rifle should make one want to touch, and hold it for some reason.
In conjunction with doing so one must find out the laws that their state may have for infringing on your right to bare arms.
A lot of states, like PA, just require that the buyer be 18 to buy rifles, and 21 for hand guns. I live in PA, so I have nothing to worry about; however, in NJ, one can't even handle a rifle without a permit so look up the laws!
One site to help:
States Laws, and Guns from NRA
Cleaning the Gun Unless You Got Carried Away, And Bought A Brand New Gun
First one must completely disassemble the rifle down to every screw.
Disassembly guides for about any rifle can be found here:
After the rifle is apart down to a pile of metal parts, screws, springs, levers, and wood it is time to clean everything of a preservative called cosmoline.
After everything is cleaned of cosmo, it is up to the owner of what to do next:
Some people just want the rifle shootable to they just grease up the internals, and reassemble without even getting the cosmo out of the stock - wood.
Some people make sure to get all of the cosmo out of everything, and refinish at least the wood even sometimes the entire firearm with the metal included.
I usually just finish the wood stock which involves special techniques, sanding, and applying a new finish.
I almost always leave the original blued finish on the steel which looks quite nice to me.
The preference for the degree of finishing comes in a verity of opinions.