Ok I know never refinish a firearm. Unlike a car where a high quality restoration enhances the value firearms, knives, etc. should never be refinished and with coins you don’t even want to clean them. Doing so destroys the collector value

But let’s say we are talking a 32 S&W single action top break with maybe 40% nickel remaining. On a really good day the guns worth $300 but that would be a lot. There are just far too many out there in better condition and they aren’t that desirable to begin with. The 38’s and 44’s are far more desirable than the little pocket 32’s and unless there is some proven uniqueness, like a certified famous owner or unique feature, they really don’t have any historical relevance

The problem that I see isn’t so much destroying the collectors value, a $250 gun with a $1,000 restoration will still probably bring $250, but just that. The refinish doesn’t increase the value so from a financial standpoint it is money down the drain.

Simply put you end up with a gun with a lot more invested in it than it’s worth. Is that an issue? Depends on the individual. Have you harmed or destroyed anything? In this case I don’t think so. I wouldn’t restore a rare, desirable, or unique firearm but a run of the mill one with little value to begin with? I don’t think from a historical standpoint it matters just from a financial one