Colt woodsman finish

[shaneus]

First, new to forum. Thanks for any reply's, found forum after buying handi rifle and needing (and finding) help.

My recently wife inherited a colt woodsman, the gun is in fair mechanical condition but has very poor finish.  The remaining finish looks like a very smooth brown parkerized finish where it still shows.  Approx 50% is rubbed off from 40 years in a leather holster hidden away.

I would re-blue to make wife proud of old family heirloom.  Others say don't mess with finish, you'll ruin value.  This gun will never change hands, value to me would be wife looking at it like it was a new Ferrari.

Gun is from 1938 - 1939, has backstrap with vertical only ribs (suitable for hi pressure shells according to others).

Thanks,
Shane

[Hairtrigger]

IMHO leave it as is. I tend to apreciate a gun with character

[Drilling Man]

  +1

  DM

[Graybeard]

Generally speaking collector value is higher with original finish unless condition is quite low. There were quite a lot of these made and collector value isn't all that much anyway so I'd not let that make the decision for me. Often when allowing the factory to refinish it can add not take away value. I kinda doubt there is enough of Colt left for them to refinish it these days however. Still there are some companies in the business of refinishing that can do it as Colt did in the early days and make it look as if new again.

Since it's a family heirloom and you plan to keep it in the family I'd vote to have it properly restored by someone up to the task. I'd not however turn it over to some local yokel to do. Doug Turnbull Restorations ain't cheap but when you get it back from them it will look like the day it left the factory.

[Brett]

+1 to what GB said.  Since it's a family heirloom have it restored properly by a real pro like Doug Trumbull.  Don't chance it to just anyone.  Get references and inspect pieces they have refinished for other customers.

[shaneus]

Thanks all for your thoughts.  I have had the local gunsmith look at the gun and he gave me some additional thoughts.  He thinks the finish is original and has acquired a brown patina.  Unfortunately he also thinks it is too rough to look good with gloss finish.  He thought satin was my only option. He also thinks I will lose most of the rampant stallion as it is badly worn from the leather it was in. 

Too bad, I was hoping to get wife fired up a little with this.  Would probably do satin but dont want to loose stallion detail.

Gotta go, them prairie dogs ain't gonna shoot themselves.

Shane

[Brett]

Keep looking.  A really good restorer should be able to save the roll mark.   

[Drilling Man]

Thanks all for your thoughts.  I have had the local gunsmith look at the gun and he gave me some additional thoughts.  He thinks the finish is original and has acquired a brown patina.  Unfortunately he also thinks it is too rough to look good with gloss finish.  He thought satin was my only option. He also thinks I will lose most of the rampant stallion as it is badly worn from the leather it was in. 

Too bad, I was hoping to get wife fired up a little with this.  Would probably do satin but dont want to loose stallion detail.

Gotta go, them prairie dogs ain't gonna shoot themselves.

Shane

  I still say, it would mean more to me to leave it in the condition the person left it to me in, "especially" since it's an family heirloom!

  DM

[Hairtrigger]

[
  I still say, it would mean more to me to leave it in the condition the person left it to me in, "especially" since it's an family heirloom!

  DM
[/quote]


Same here leave it the way it was when grand dad shot it