I look at it this way, If I buy a gun in 50% condition and restore it, the experts say I still have a 50% gun. However I have saved it for the future and almost always when I sell it I get more than 50% of book. It's a matter of taste and it's function. The "white glove" & "safe queen" crowd will disagree and they are entitled to that I guess, but I am talking about field grade guns for the most part not the Czar's Parker.