I second Adam's criteria.............exactly as original or not at all.........including comb of the stock (if new wood), butt plate, metal work, cc, engraving and checkering patterns, forcing cones and chokes and chamber lengths, barrel length and so on - no butchering anywhere......exactly as it left the factory.....preferably lettered with Cody or the appropriate Society..... otherwise IT IS just a modified gun of sorts....with all of the previous owners modifications and add ons.... ............kind of like a fixed up Model A Ford with fiberglass fenders, leopard skin upholstery and a Cord or Pierce Arrow radiator cap.....a far cry from "restored"....the word "restored" is used way too loosely IMO.....restored means "back to factory new".....no exceptions....
Custom and heavily modified guns are in a different category IMO and the word 'restored' would not be appropriate.....owners custom re-worked gun would be a better description.....
There is a REASON that the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty and numerous other works of art are RESTORED, from buildings to battleships.....the degree depends on the individual condition of each piece............old guns are the same.....people bang them up, sweat all over them, let them fall over against a tree or rock, leave them rubbing in gun racks, etc......to me that is not character...........but damage.....
