doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Does restocking hurt a gun's value...

OWD

You seem to be somewhat fixated on trying to prove the truth of a 'one size fits all' answer to the question.

The answers are somewhat more complicated because not all guns start out the same and re-stocking and re-barreling do different things to value. Re-stock a 1930s Purdey wrong and you will make it hard to sell. Re-barrel the same gun short and the same result. Have H&H 'Royal Brevis' re-barreled by the maker to 29" rather than the original 26" and watch it get easier to sell!

Re-stock a short gun to 15" with the right stock shape and to 15" - easier to sell.

An original, mint 30" barreled Purdey with original, unmarked 14 3/4" stock - very easy to sell, expensive. The same mint action, re-barreled and re-stocked by the maker to the same dimensions, the original gun will shade it as it will appeal to collectors, who would not be interested in the later. Plenty would be 'though.

In the real world, we rarely see mint, unused examples of guns which have been re-barelled and re-stocked. Just as we rarely see original guns in unused condition.

Im most cases we are comparing guns with some degree of wear to their original parts with guns with new, much less worn parts.

As many have said, too many variables to give a pat answer - not sure why you have such a bee in your bonnet about this one.

Smallbore, could he be "Obsessed" ?

I was headed in that same direction. ;-)

Dig is right, as usual. This is a question with no answer.

I'd buy a Grant 12bore damascus sidelever hammergun with a beautiful brand new stock in a second - even if the stock wasn't a perfect for me. I sorta fall into that shooter-collector/collector-shooter bucket though. Others (collectors) would scoff at a new stock while others (shooters) would laugh at buying a gun that could never be perfectly fit.

Until the time comes that we see three guns (although, not a trio) come up for auction that are the 'identical' - excluding the fact that one has been rebarreled, one has been restocked, and one is in fine original condition - this question will be darn hard to answer.

Even then, of course, there are, as we discussed, limitless factors - who did the stock/barrels, short/long stock/barrel, what was the quality of the gun to start, who made it, where was it made, when, etc., etc.

Is it hunting season yet? I think we have too much time on our hands. ;-)

Please- the question has an answer, don't be so literal.

Is it exact? Of course not. But it will give us an idea.

Every dealer/auctioneer can give you an approximate value of a gun - given x, y & Z, your gun is probably worth between A & B. If you don't believe me, flip through an auction catalog. These approximations are called estimates, and they're pretty consistent across certain types of guns in a certain range of conditions.

Is it always exact? No, but it is an educated guess at what an item like that will sell for.

BTW: Gardiner's sale should be done by now, so we should have the results soon. Who know who'll be right.

And check out this listing. I love it: "Original restored by Turnbull". I guess if the work's done right...

http://www.gunsinternational.com/PARKER-VHE-20-GA-ORIGINAL-BEAUTIFUL-.cfm?gun_id=100245697

OWD

Look at that recoil pad someone stuck on that Purdey!!! Now that�s funny.....NOT.

Well...the auction ended and the results are up (and interesting).

Check my blog for the rest of the story:

www.dogsanddoubles.com

(You didn't think I was going to just tell you, did you?)

Thanks

OWD

Gregg......well you were correct, and its a bitter pill for all the smiths and restorers to swallow that redone guns are a money pit.


Not to worry though there is always a place for them and money pit customers. We can't help ourselves wanting to resurect a gun that should have been thrown in the ocean. Guilty as charged

The resurections from the dead balances out with the porting, reaming, sawing, etc going on in the other direction. I'm guilty on both ends.

And a re-barreled H&H 16-bore 'Royal' sold for �12,500 plus commission. That makes it �15,500 out the door, which is what a client of mine paid for an original barreled one three months ago.

Every gun has to be taken on its merits. You will see what you want to see in anything if you decide to.

As I said, all you get from an auction is that gun in that room on that day.

For example, I Watson Bros boxlock with two sets of barrels failed to sell for the �4,000 reserve at Bonhams one Autumn sale,the same gun went back in the following summer and made �9,500.