Does finish affects value?

[Pony Edwards]

To Group: due to the unique nature of western action shooting, I know several old pistols have been refurbished and reblued. From a collectors standpoint, I believe that lessens the value, but from a W.A.S. standpoint does it matter? Is a new looking original preferable to a worn finish, or is it just shooters preference?

I have a 6000 range, four digit S&W commercial model Russian I acquired some years back, just as the Uberti's were starting to come into the U.S. I paid about what a then new uberti would have been. It's a grand shooter, but times have changed a bit for me, and I need to find a new home for it. When I saw it on the table I mistook it for a new uberti, due to its finish. If I can't get what I need out of it, I may have to have a friend properly age it, to try to restore its value.

[St. George]

If it looked 'that' good when you first bought it - it was likely already a refinished piece.

That said, its value had already been lowered quite a bit, so having it 'aged' will make it a 'twice-refinished' piece and will lower the value even more.

Don't do that - just clean it and take good, clear pictures of it and price it fairly - you should be able to sell it easily in it's 'once-refinished' state.

Scouts Out!