Refinishing purchase??

[Model29-26.5]

Have you ever bought a gun that is a little worse for the wear with the intention of having it refinished from the get go?
I’m bidding on one right now that at least looks like it is in good enough shape that a refinish would bring it back to its former glory. It has little rust spots all over
but they seem pretty light and it does not look like it is heavily pitted.
If I can get this one for the right price, I think it’s something I would like to pursue.

 

[RobertK3026]

To a collector, refinishing will affect its value, but to someone like me that never sells a firearm I would refinish it.

 

[TAROMAN]

I did a pre-B CZ 75. Zero collector, ugly import stampings.
Turned out pretty nice for my first try,
Before:


After:

 

[JRB416]

I've purchased a few long guns in the past that needed some mechanical repairs and or stock refinishing. None were valuable as collector firearms and I just wanted a manageable project to enjoy. I was pleased with the way each turned out and they were all great learning experiences.

If you can get a good candidate reasonably priced, and the gun will be enjoyed after the refinish and or repair, then by all means give it a go and enjoy the learning experience.

Good luck and if you take the plunge please keep us posted on your progress.

 

[tlawler]

I picked up a Model 14-1 that shipped in Oct. 61, so it was a birth year gun for me. The finish wasn’t bad, but it had been shot a bit and had some holster wear. The 14-1’s aren’t very common, but since it was made the same year as me, I decided to indulge myself. I had Ford’s up in Crystal River, FL do it, and while the actual finish is stunning, someone got a little over eager on the buffing wheel and I wound up with a fairly large side plate gap. I’m still glad I did it. It’s a safe queen and I’ll probably not shoot it, but I’ve got a really pretty birth year revolver now.

 

[Model29-26.5]

To a collector, refinishing will affect its value, but to someone like me that never sells a firearm I would refinish it.

A collector would not buy something like this to start with.. that’s the way I see it.
I think if a gun has been refinished, a collector would want to pay less for it than one with an original finish…. But a gun in bad shape to start with is not one that would interest a collector.
I don’t think it hurts the Value. It would only hurt the value if you refinish a gun that was in pretty good condition already., but if it has rust spots, I think it deserves a refinish.

I picked up a Model 14-1 that shipped in Oct. 61, so it was a birth year gun for me. The finish wasn’t bad, but it had been shot a bit and had some holster wear. The 14-1’s aren’t very common, but since it was made the same year as me, I decided to indulge myself. I had Ford’s up in Crystal River, FL do it, and while the actual finish is stunning, someone got a little over eager on the buffing wheel and I wound up with a fairly large side plate gap. I’m still glad I did it. It’s a safe queen and I’ll probably not shoot it, but I’ve got a really pretty birth year revolver now.View attachment 778954

beautiful job they did.

 

[ACORN]

I bought an abused Browning Hi Power for $225 with the black factor rug a a box of Remington ammo. Lots of wear. Mashed front sight, and the slide stop cut in the slide was peened. I dropped it off at the smith to have him restore it. He called a couple days later saying he had a customer come in and offered me $325 for the gun alone.
SOLD!

 

[Faulkner]

I bought a Colt model 1903 made in 1924 that had been stored in a sock drawer for a couple of decades. One side was pristine, but the other side had seen some moisture and the finish was ruined. I knew the collector value was gone but it was in great shooting condition.

I sent it off to be bead blasted and Parkerized and it's now one of my favorite shooters. In .32 ACP, my wife and grandkids love shooting it and it looks nice too.

 

[TAROMAN]

That one is nicer Parkerized.
If you ever shot one in the bright sun you know why!

 

[stansdds]

Unless it is a rare firearm, one that is used and has significant finish loss and especially if it has corrosion (rust), it is not likely to be of interest to a collector. Refinishing such firearms is fine, but the cost of purchase and refinish can easily exceed the final value of the refinished firearm.

 

[RichCapeCod]

While in the NYPD someone gave me a retired coppers heavy barrel S&W 10. Gun was solid but had 20 years of holster wear. Lots of white metal showing. I had the gun refinished and am embarrassed to say as I had this done over forty years ago I don't recall the process. Not Cerakote, that I remember, but a more durable robust finish. Anyway, handgun is solid, locks up like a vault, good shooter. Oh, also replaced the grips as well.

Rich

 

[Shotguncoach]

If you’re thinking of paying someone else to do the work be sure to do the math first…it may be cheaper to buy a better example. Doing the work yourself can be a fun way to make nice shooters out of trainwrecks.

Or so I’ve heard….

 

[M29since14]

“Rescuing” revolvers is something I’ve done a time or two. To me, a gun in poor finish condition is hardly desirable material for a collector so I have little concern with restoring it mechanically and refinishing it, according to my tastes.

I have a really nice Model 29 4-inch that has been expertly restored and refinished. It appeared to be a wreck when I bought it on the web and it was actually worse than it appeared when I received it. I should have returned it, but I kept it anyway and was fortunate that at that time I had access to a shop that was more than capable of bringing it back to a respectable life. Today, it’s one of my favorites, mainly because of who did the work, but I can’t say I actually recommend the rescuing process. It’s usually not economically sensible, unless you can do the work yourself.

 

[desi2358]

I guess I'm just cheap, spending the money to have a gun professionally refinished just seems like an unneeded expense to me. A worn finish doesn't bother me much, I tend to be more concerned about functioning and accuracy. Some of my guns are certainly examples of looks like crap but shoots really well (can't pass up a rescue case if it's cheap enough LOL). I have done a bit of touch up (usually use Vanns cold blue) mainly to reduce the chance of future rust forming or to darken shiny areas. As far as collectible guns go I try to buy the best condition ones I can find and just live with any finish issues they might have.

A couple family guns I have show some wear and tear but they still work and I figure they got that way from normal use, not going to change them now. I understand some people don't feel that way, they want them to look new again. We had a gunsmith in our area who did very good refinish work and our shop sent him more than a few customers. I still recommend him now for people wanting work done. He's good but not cheap. If someone is thinking of selling a gun down the road it's highly unlikely that refinishing it will increase the value unless it was a total train wreck finish wise and they got it super cheap or free.

 

[JwesleyN]

Have you ever bought a gun that is a little worse for the wear with the intention of having it refinished from the get go?
I’m bidding on one right now that at least looks like it is in good enough shape that a refinish would bring it back to its former glory. It has little rust spots all over
but they seem pretty light and it does not look like it is heavily pitted.
If I can get this one for the right price, I think it’s something I would like to pursue.

Are you intending to polish the gun yourself? Stay away from refinishers that use polishing wheels. It takes many years of training on the right equipment to become proficient. Some smiths will hand polish but you will pay for their time. I have done a few firearms by hand then sent them off to be blued or nickeled mostly by Ford’s. The cost is minimal, some emery cloth and cork blocks which can be shaped to the various contours of the gun and lots of your time. I send the guns disassembled with just the parts I want refinished with an inventory list of those parts.

 

[wood714]

I drove about 60 miles and met a cop at midnight to buy this 686-1. He said it had been used as a tackle box gun a while. I think I gave him $450 or $500 for it. Only time I ever filled out a BOS.

 

[Bald1]

I recently sold a 19-2 that the buyer told me he intended to refinish. I thought it looked very nice as is. He was sending it off to the mother ship. So yes. People buy with the intentions of refinishing

 

[Model29-26.5]

I feel that anything that is a lot worse for the wear yet not too heavily pitted or damaged to be brought back to new looking is a good candidate for a refinish.
If it’s a little wear here and there then it’s not worth it, but if it has a bunch of missing bluing and rust spots it’s kinda asking for it. It also kind of honors the craftsmen who made it using their old school skills back in the day.
Seems Smith charges $270 for a high polish. Fords is twice that.
Maybe I’ll do it myself and see how good I can get it.
Send it to Scotty’s Gun works to be blued real close to me in TN

 

[Riposte1]

Have you ever bought a gun that is a little worse for the wear with the intention of having it refinished from the get go?
I’m bidding on one right now that at least looks like it is in good enough shape that a refinish would bring it back to its former glory. It has little rust spots all over
but they seem pretty light and it does not look like it is heavily pitted.
If I can get this one for the right price, I think it’s something I would like to pursue.

It sort of depends.

I bought a 1917 once that was pretty rough. No rust but it had a "spotty" fiinish and what I thought might be dried blood on the barrel. The gun would not function and so the dealer (whom I knew well) sold it to me for $150.

I had suspected that the lube used by the previous owner (many decades ago) had dried to a sort of varnish - and that turned out to be true.

I cleaned up the revolver but did not refinish it, and it shoots well - need to snap a picture, while it is nothing to look at it does serve as a sort of example.

OTOH I have another 1917 that I bought in better shape but the fiinsh was no prize either, and so I shortened it to 3 3/4" installed a Micro front ramp and had a friend that was a gunsmith bead blast and blue it.

It was no real prize as a collector and was a 1937 contract gun and makes a great carry gun! Made the stocks myself out of an Elk antler I picked up while hunting in Colorado.



Riposte

 

[Mossy117]

Hi guys, I read here quite a bit but hardly ever post. I have an example of buying one with the refinishing likely costing more than the total value. This 14-4 8" was missing much of the finish. Around 2013, I sent it to S&W with a request to color case harden the hammer and trigger, go over all of the internals, and refinish in a high-gloss blue. I only paid $250 for the gun but I think I was in the high $300's for the work at S&W. I'd have to dig out the receipt to get an exact figure. Anyway, here it is.