Colt SAA: Restore? - Page 2

Jim Watson · October 17, 2017, 12:42 PM

We haven't seen Art's gun yet.
I would not refinish or even fully restore Driftwood's Bisley, it looks better than my CAS lever action and shotgun, although my sixguns were bought new or lightly used.
Art's might be better, equal, or worse, we don't have anything to go by.

FLD had a couple of roached out SAAs that sat in his showcase for years with high prices on them. They were consignment guns and I suspect the consigner just looked way to the left in Blue Book and came up with numbers far higher than their market value.
They were of no value or interest to me at all. Too ugly to use, too expensive to restore, and not likely to come out well from a simple refinish.
He eventually turned them back to the consigner so he could look for a sucker elsewhere.

claydoctor · October 17, 2017, 04:56 PM

I think you have two choices, either keep it like it is and buy a newer SAA if you need something pretty or have it restored by Turnbull. The latter course at least gives you a shot at getting some money back as the gun will have some provenance. Having it done by a no-name gunsmith will just destroy any value in the gun.

October 17, 2017, 12:42 PM	#26
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,542	We haven't seen Art's gun yet. I would not refinish or even fully restore Driftwood's Bisley, it looks better than my CAS lever action and shotgun, although my sixguns were bought new or lightly used. Art's might be better, equal, or worse, we don't have anything to go by. FLD had a couple of roached out SAAs that sat in his showcase for years with high prices on them. They were consignment guns and I suspect the consigner just looked way to the left in Blue Book and came up with numbers far higher than their market value. They were of no value or interest to me at all. Too ugly to use, too expensive to restore, and not likely to come out well from a simple refinish. He eventually turned them back to the consigner so he could look for a sucker elsewhere.

October 17, 2017, 04:56 PM	#27
claydoctor Senior Member Join Date: August 26, 2010 Location: Virginia Posts: 450	I think you have two choices, either keep it like it is and buy a newer SAA if you need something pretty or have it restored by Turnbull. The latter course at least gives you a shot at getting some money back as the gun will have some provenance. Having it done by a no-name gunsmith will just destroy any value in the gun.