Restore or Leave it Be

[Warden Callaway]

I was going to leave this a gray gun but my son wanted it refinished. (Picture taken after shooting with black powder.)

 

[Cholla]

If you’re talking about refinishing it, such as Turnbull style, you will never get your money back. If you’re talking about conservation like Mark Novak does, I don’t see it hurting. Most collectors, the guys with deep pockets, want it original with no scrubbing, buffing, rebluing, etc. there is beauty in an old gray gun. 

[Cholla]

As far as the grips being original, carefully remove them with the properly sized screwdriver and check to see if the serial number is scratched in them. 

[Warden Callaway]

In my cases, the guns I had refinished had already been refinished once before so not much collector value left. Another had been "antiqued" with steel wool. I figured they scrubbed away $1,000 worth.

[Rye Miles #13621]

Leave it be , shoot it and enjoy. BP only though!!🤠

[Warden Callaway]

As you see opinions very. It's kind of a case by case decision.  Here is what the second generation above looked after Bill Fuchs did his magic. The upper gun is a 2019 bought new. The lower one is the refinished second generation.  Even though I got it at what I consider a bargain price, I have more in it than the new one.

 

[Texas Jack Black]

19 hours ago, Warden Callaway said:

I was going to leave this a gray gun but my son wanted it refinished. (Picture taken after shooting with black powder.)

 

 I love those grips

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

PLUS ONE for watab kid.  Beyond changing out the Main Spring (Pietta's new Main Spring is Superb) and the Trigger/Bolt spring (Pietta's flat Trigger Bolt spring is also superb).   I'd personally be running it an a bunch of CAS events loaded with 3F APP you betcha!! (It is a 1st Gen BP gun after all)

[Sawhorse Kid]

It is your gun, do as you please.

Personally, I think it looks great "As Is".

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

Looks like a great shooter to me !

Take it apart and clean it as normal cleaning and lubing. 

Clean and wash down out side with Hot water and Dawn dushsoap and lube with Balestall .

Go to the range and shoot.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

I shall now speak something that may shock a few people.   I have nothing but respect for Turnbull and the outstanding work that they do.  But, in my opinion, they are overpriced and not worth the expense.  There are many excellent gunsmiths out there who can do work that is comparable to theirs, but are far less expensive.  IF you decide that you want to have this, or any gun, restored for some reason, I have come to feel that you are better off finding someone closer to where you are who, while pricey, will probably cost you a lot less than going to Turnbull will.   I can foresee times when, depending on the gun, restoration might make sense.  (By restoration, I mean much more than simple refinishing.)  Ultimately, that's up to the owner of the gun in question.  

And on a slightly different subject, I have never really understood why restoring a gun hurts its value.  If you find, say, a 57 Chevy that is very far gone, or even fully functional but ugly, and you restore it, you have enhanced it's value.   The same can be said for many other antiques and heirlooms.   But if you have a gun returned to like new condition, you have "destroyed it's value."   Never have understood that.  The only other thing I can think of with this kind of "problem" is old coins.  Oh well.