Grade This 1875 Gun For Me

DocB · #1 11-03-2016, 08:05 AM

I know it's difficult to grade any gun without holding it, but maybe I can get some opinions. It's a Number 1 Third Issue lettered to January 1875. It is my avatar. The big blemish is on the barrel on the right side as well as the scratch by the screw on the left side. The bore is slightly rough with sharp riflings remaining. The cylinder is mirror bright in all 7 cylinders. . .as nice a cylinder as I've ever seen. All matching with original finish on the grips. I can polish out the scratch on the side plate if/when I decide to do it. I tend to lean toward maybe 90%, but it is an antique. . .don't know much about grading them. It shoots good too. . .with short CB caps. Very functional.

murphydog · #2 11-03-2016, 08:11 AM

I think it would grade NRA Antique Excellent, or perhaps slightly less:

NRA Museums:

BAM-BAM · #3 11-03-2016, 08:15 AM

DocB ....... Don't you have a SCS&W 4th ED.????????

Pages 26-33 with pictures........................

JSR III · #4 11-03-2016, 08:30 AM

At first glance I thought that maybe you were being hard on the gun with a 90% rating. However, after looking at all of the photos and enlarging them, I would have to agree. The gun is in great shape except for a few significant pitted areas.

But one must take into consideration the age as well. Too me, once you get above 90% it is tough to differentiate between say 93% and 94%. I believe that knocking it down 10% for the rough areas gives it the credit that it earns for being in the condition that it is in after 140+ years but also lets one know that it is not pristine like a 95%+ gun would need to be.

That's my opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it.

glowe · #5 11-03-2016, 08:44 AM

In the 4th image, it looks like quite a bit of pitting ahead of the cylinder that is filled with nickel?? If so, it cannot be graded higher than VG due to re-plating. The gun does look good overall, but one has to be sure any pitting is bare steel without plating. Pitting is red rust that can only be removed by chemical rust remover or wire brushing. Can you figure out why there is no rust in the pits?

To me that amount of metal distress discredits any attempt at valuing by percent finish left. It would fall quite a bit below standard valuation based on finish, at least for me.

DocB · #6 11-03-2016, 12:23 PM

The gun has not been refinished. That's me brushing the pitted area until the metal shines through.

H Richard · #7 11-03-2016, 12:45 PM

Looking at Gary's close-up picture, I think 90% is rather generous. I see this maybe half way between VG and Ex.

DocB · #8 11-03-2016, 01:49 PM

Sounds good! The poor little gun has been through a lot over its 140 year life. Paid $250 for it 2 years ago. It's hard to find one from the 1800's that you can even stand to look at.

model3sw · #9 11-03-2016, 05:12 PM

In lieu of a physical inspection to precisely determine if refinished or not, I think we're all jumping the gun, so to speak( pun intended ).

Now, if we had pictures of Jack the Dog or Woodlawn Boys quality, then ... perhaps, we could tell more accurately.