doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How to verify an original vintage gun?

I have an interest in building flintlock rifles. Some of the gunmakers that do this work often want a gun that looks as if it is a couple hundred years old and finished with period correct methods/materials (for legitimate purposes). Some have developed the techniques to the point it is virtually impossible to discern originals from contemporaries. Not sure even a chemical analysis would help as old metal and the finish materials are still available. I understand that the publication of high grade Parker serial numbers outed more than a couple upgraded counterfeits long believed to be factory originals.

Now that I am retired, I have started to sell my guns. I kind of bought them as an investment. But I bought them at the right price and I bought the guns that I knew would always appreciate in value. About ten years ago, I started buying Colt Pythons when they were in the $350-450.00 range. I also bought Diamondbacks, King Cobras and Anacondas until I had a safe full of them. So in the past two months I have sold two King Cobras, an Anaconda and a Python and have made a good profit on them. I sold two Model 12s, a Superposed two barrel set and two handguns at the Louisville show and made right at $2500.00 on them. I bought them at a good price, it was nice to own them, I stuck them in the safe and I really did buy them as an investment. I have probably bought one or two guns over the years and paid more than they were worth, but not much more. But I can't really see myself losing money on the guns I bought. You shouldn't expect to make a killing, but if you buy them right, and take care of them, you shouldn't lose that much money. But I will tell you something about case coloring. If you ever see a display of Doug Turnbull's guns, you won't mind having one redone. His Colt handguns, Winchester rifles and his Fox shotguns are gorgeous. Jay Shachter from Michigan used to buy Fox shotguns, have them redone and they were pretty nice, too. So, I never minded having a gun that was redone as long as it was done right.

James, selected Colts are a good bet, in fact I'm surprised they're still in business.

Refinished stock tell-tales:
1. Sanding marks esp on the buttplate
2. Wood not proud to metal.
3. Checkering looks too sharp to be true. A lot of older guns had flat or semi-flat diamonds, not pointed up. Checkering does not match forend.
4. Wood looks a lot newer than case colors.

Metal Refinish tell-tales:
1. Barrels: hole in rib, perfect blue on an old gun, bead looks polished/sanded, sanding marks on bbls, lettering faint, sharp edges not sharp.
2. Action: engraving not crisp, holes dished, sharp edges round, no wear on sharp edges despite bores being pitted or oversize, bright colors on an old gun.

Replaced stock tell-tales:
1. Serial no (most american guns have numbered stocks) missing or mismatch.
2. Different finish, coloration, checkering stock vs forend.
3. Stock head not dark on an old gun. A refinished gun will often have telltale darkening, but a new stock will not.
4. Unusual stock dimensions or atypical shape.

On hand-made guns, restoration isn't a huge deal as long as it was done well. English guns almost always have reblacked bbls and many have replaced stocks. On serial production guns, it is a big deal because high condition originality is sometimes the only thing that makes that gun collectible. For example, restored Parkers are worth less than average condition original guns in many cases.