I'm with Ted on this one. If a gun is so-far gone that handling it requires a trip to the parts-cleaner tank, it's time to refinish it. Up until that point, I'm rather fond of the silvery patina they get from years of service afield (I know, I'm in the minority here), but I'm a user and not a collector. Some Model 12s may rise to the point where they are objects d'art (either for their scarcity, originality, or the level of finish they've received), but those guns miss me completely. I'm into value and function, English guns are art to me, M12s are honest tools of the trade.
Last edited by Lloyd3; 06/16/13 05:39 PM.
