How does refinishing affect value?

[Quickbeam]

Quick question for all of the collectors out there: How much does refinishing a gun affect its collectible value? On the same note, what about refinishing wood stocks/grips? Assuming you keep the original parts, will having something re-blued affect its value negatively?

[jimmykan]

Re-finishing usually hurts collector value. Haven't you watched Pawn Stars?

The original finish is always preferred, pristine is best, but no shame in a gun that has developed a patina.

It also hurts to replace original slotted screws with phillips head screws. Tacky!

[gun toting monkeyboy]

If you refinish a gun, it's collectors value drops to basically nil. If it is your old Remington 7600, nobody is going to care. That is a working gun, and you are just refinishing it to get more use out of it. If it is a rare 1911 that has a century's worth of patina and character, you just destroyed a piece of history to make a second-rate shooter with lots of extra miles on it.

-Mb

[Quickbeam]

I suppose that makes sense. How would a collector be able to tell if the finish is original or not, if the gunsmith used identical method?

[norcal77]

Depends on who does the refinish...

[jimmykan]

I suppose that makes sense. How would a collector be able to tell if the finish is original or not, if the gunsmith used identical method?

There are ways to tell... During the surface preparation some of the original surface is removed, and all engraving and roll marks will become shallower.

Re-bluing usually requires a lot of surface preparation: acid stripping the original bluing (you can't just blue on top of old blue and expect it to look even all over), bead blasting away any corrosion, and hand polishing to a mirror finish (if you are going for a high luster royal blue).

I looked into refinishing a 1920s Colt Army Special, and found out that it was going to cost more than what I paid for the damn thing. I said forget it.

[tonelar]

If its a shooter, refinish it if you want to. Otherwise... Keeping it the way you found it is best.

[rareair]

For anything collectible, original finish is always preferred over restored.

Anyone can restore an item, It's only original once!

[Fate]

I suppose that makes sense. How would a collector be able to tell if the finish is original or not, if the gunsmith used identical method?

Being able to discern original/unmessed with from something refinished or worse, humped/faked, is what separates real collectors from the also rans. Not knowing things can cost you big money.

[bsg]

in all collectibles... altering from "original" effects value.

[KracknCorn]

For a non limited production gun, if you were a famous person and refinished it and engraved your name on it, it'll probably be worth more later. Just imagine the value of a pink glock 18 engraved by Obama.

[shooting4life]

Throw up what your thinking about refinishing and I'll tell you if it's a good idea.