Re: re: side plates of lc smith 12 gauge field grade shotgun Archived Message
Posted by SGT on September 16, 2008, 8:56 pm, in reply to "Re: re: side plates of lc smith 12 gauge field grade shotgun"
Paul, obviously you felt the gun was worth the price you paid, or you would have walked; so I won't second guess your decision. But you asked for advice, so I'll share my thoughts. It sounds like this gun has undergone some unprofessional restoration as regards buffing of the lock plates to remove most of the maker's name; then a blue of the lock plates/frame as opposed to the correct color case treatment. If the gun were mine I believe I would want a double gun pro to check the balance of the gun for wear, for proper function; and also for peace of mind to make sure there was no further unprofessional "cobbling" that will cause problems later on. As to value, I believe I would enjoy using the gun as is and not invest any futher dollars in restoration, as you will never recover those costs when you are investing in a very common 12-bore Field Grade. If you are new to double gun collecting, understand that everyone makes his mistakes; so let this be your "learning gun"; then, before investing in another, be sure to study as many guns and printed materials as possible to learn what constitutes an unaltered gun with original finishes. Once armed with this knowledge, you will no longer have to wonder if you made a good decision. Regards, Tom
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