The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Is factory refinish detrimental to value?

**44 AMP** · February 17, 2015, 10:20 AM

The short answer is yes, and , no...

There are two basic kinds of collectors, those who just want a certain gun, to check out, maybe shoot, and will take any finish (paying accordingly), and would like the best finish they can find, to get the model they desire.

These are the people who are very happy with a mismatched, refinished "shooter" Luger, for example, because it costs about half the price of the "good" ones, and it's a Luger!!

The other kind of collector wants a specific gun (make, model, caliber, features, etc.,) with the best condition original finish available. And to get that, they pay a premium price. A valuable rare gun with worn finish can be worth more to a collector (because its the original historical piece) than the same gun looking like new from a refinish.

Even a factory refinish diminishes the value they will pay, not because of the quality of the work, but simply because it's not the original finish.

To these kinds of collectors (and they are the ones that set the collectors price market), a factory refinish lowers the value of the gun, BUT, does not lower the value AS MUCH as the same work done by anyone else. The same goes for nationally recognized top quality restoration services, like Turnbull.

As an illustration, imagine 3 collectible guns, all looking like new. Gun#1 is all original, never used, been stored in the box since it was bought 70 years ago. This one would get 100% the going price.

Same gun, refinished by the factory, 75%
Same gun, refinished by anyone else 50%

(not to scale, really just an illustration)

And of course the rest of us who "collect" for use, we care about how they work, first, and how they look, afterward, usually. But we do care how they look, and so, get the worn finishes reblued.

A good reblue on a "working gun" doesn't hurt the value, and can improve it. IN fact, a factory refinish can increase the value of a common gun over a non refinished gun with a worn finish. Of course, 80 years down the road, when that common gun is rare and collectable, that refinish will hurt the value to a serious collector, so, pay your money, and take your chances,

Oh, that that trigger job and those aftermarket grips that fit your hand? Collectors won't pay for them, either. Quite the opposite, in fact.

February 17, 2015, 10:20 AM	#16
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,811	Is factory refinish detrimental to value? The short answer is yes, and , no... There are two basic kinds of collectors, those who just want a certain gun, to check out, maybe shoot, and will take any finish (paying accordingly), and would like the best finish they can find, to get the model they desire. These are the people who are very happy with a mismatched, refinished "shooter" Luger, for example, because it costs about half the price of the "good" ones, and it's a Luger!! The other kind of collector wants a specific gun (make, model, caliber, features, etc.,) with the best condition original finish available. And to get that, they pay a premium price. A valuable rare gun with worn finish can be worth more to a collector (because its the original historical piece) than the same gun looking like new from a refinish. Even a factory refinish diminishes the value they will pay, not because of the quality of the work, but simply because it's not the original finish. To these kinds of collectors (and they are the ones that set the collectors price market), a factory refinish lowers the value of the gun, BUT, does not lower the value AS MUCH as the same work done by anyone else. The same goes for nationally recognized top quality restoration services, like Turnbull. As an illustration, imagine 3 collectible guns, all looking like new. Gun#1 is all original, never used, been stored in the box since it was bought 70 years ago. This one would get 100% the going price. Same gun, refinished by the factory, 75% Same gun, refinished by anyone else 50% (not to scale, really just an illustration) And of course the rest of us who "collect" for use, we care about how they work, first, and how they look, afterward, usually. But we do care how they look, and so, get the worn finishes reblued. A good reblue on a "working gun" doesn't hurt the value, and can improve it. IN fact, a factory refinish can increase the value of a common gun over a non refinished gun with a worn finish. Of course, 80 years down the road, when that common gun is rare and collectable, that refinish will hurt the value to a serious collector, so, pay your money, and take your chances, Oh, that that trigger job and those aftermarket grips that fit your hand? Collectors won't pay for them, either. Quite the opposite, in fact. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.