Did This Hurt The Value?

Yeah, depends on the definition of "collector".

The guy who buys guns to put on display, impress people with rarity, and/or eventually sell for a profit, but never, ever actually shoot? He's not interested in that gun, either before or after refinishing.

The guy who has a "collection", either because he wants examples of a particular gun or because he just can't stop buying guns? Well, I don't think the refinishing hurt the value to that guy, but there's no way the cost of refinishing makes financial sense to the seller.

No, that is a shooter's gun: a gun for guys like me, who are looking for clean functional examples to take to the range and wring out on a target. We might be induced to go another fifty bucks higher because it's shiny and blue, but no one is ever going to recoup the cost of that refinish.

kennedy said:

it was on the outdoor channel on wed nite, every wed nite its all gun shows sponsored my midwayusa nite at the range

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Thank you. I have a Colt DS and want some work done to it. The trigger feels mushy. I won’t just let anyone fool with it.

Pat Riot said:

I have always been fascinated, or annoyed, depending on the situation, by “collectors” or would be collectors that get all in a huff over what someone else does to their personal property.

I had.a guy on another board lose it over the “disparaging treatment” that I did to my Winchester 94 AE Carbine because I Cerakoted it. It is mine. It was rusty (long story - dipstick buddy involved). I had it Cerakoted. You’d have thought I called his mother a name…or worse.

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Perfect example, before and after, my Colt Agent. Not as common as the Detective Special. It was spray painted and looked like garbage. Several hours and some DuraBlue, an hour or two in the grips to refinish and I have an attractive revolver. Not a collector by any stretch but some said leave it alone. I like it better now, looks good, locks up like a bank vault and shoots well.

The pistol on the show was refinished for sentimental reasons, one of the family members had carried it for a long time. There was no concern or interest in resale value . I didn't catch the last minute but it sounded like it was going in a display case.

NIGHTLORD40K said:

Naw, the condition was already so bad, it wasn't collector grade to begin with.

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^^^ This. For a fun range gun, the new finish is much more durable than the original.

It'll sell for more than the original would, but not enough so to cover the cost of the gun and refinish.

If someone had it refinished to resell, they're losing money on the undertaking.

Turned a 300$ gun into a 600$ gun, maybe 800$ to the right (wrong) buyer...depending.....if all that work was worth it to him.
He didn't hurt its value, I spose.
If this was simply a "labor of love" to restore the gun for himself, props to him. Job well done. His tools and skillset far exceed mine!

Depends on the buyer. Not everyone want to buy worn out crap and call it a patina. I would much rather have the after than the before and I don't care what the collectible fanatics think.

To me the turnoff is not that it was refinished. It's that the dope doing the work didn't know enough to polish the frame with the sideplate in place. That trough between the sideplate and frame shouldn't be there.

ColtPythonElite said:

The value was already at the bottom. The refinish job didn't hurt it. It probably added a little to the value, but likely not enough to cover the refinish costs.

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This.

If you zoom in, the pony does not look the same as Colt’s

Looks like a Rampant Colt to me. That logo has had subtle changes over the years.

.38 Special said:

Yeah, depends on the definition of "collector".
The guy who has a "collection"... because he just can't stop buying guns?

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Hey! That's great news! I am not a moron with little self control- I am a collector!

Speaking of refinished Colts.
Just picked this Trooper up with the nitride finish already applied. I have thought about restoring it to a nice shiny blue but for now, it fills the 4" .357 hole in my... collection.

When a gun is already in poor condition, it's not likely the value would be harmed at all.

Unless it's of some historical significance and ought not be tampered with in the first place.

Pat Riot said:

What was the name of the show?

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Gunfather Restorations; shown every Wednesday night on the Outdoor channel. Sort of a hokey, "feel good" kind of format where a family from the East coast moves to the West to start a gun sales and gunsmithing business.

Do you want to shoot your gun, or make love to it?

It is a beauty to me!

From a practical and collectors standpoint, that Picture of the DS has 0% factory finish. It’s collector value is gone. But, it looks nice. If somebody wanted it refinished, with no intent of making a profit, good.

There’s a refinishing company touted as one of the best.

Granted, the color they get and finish it good. But…

You could run a Slot Car in the seams between the side plate and the frames.

This is from their website. So, I assume they are proud of it…



That, to me, is mind boggling. Not sure how bad those guns were before, but, damn.