for me, it's a matter of "honest wear"....late last year i sold a gibbs underlever hammer 12ga (1879-80 likely) that had been rebarreled with fluid barrels under the 1925-54 proving rules (evidently by the gibbs shop). at some later point, it had been completely "restored", and had been honed (7 thou on the left, and 12 thou on right). it had not been reproved, so my assumption was it had been reworked stateside....the work was professional caliber, the price was fair - i had bought it early last year. shot it a few times with 5500psi reloads...and would characterize the gun as "eye-candy".
i enjoyed having the gun, but had a chance to sell for a couple hundred more than i had paid....and did so without hesitation - the gun simply was not honest enough to capture my long term affection. i appreciate the concept of "sympathic restoration", and am somewhat affronted by the overboard approach of making an old gun look "new".
i have, and have had, a few extremely high condition guns - most of which i am/was loath to carry afield. i would rather have a fine gun that can be used without the attendant nagging fear of a scrape or blemish being added. at the price-point that i live with, i want to consider my guns as finely crafted tools...not as artifacts.
as stated above...knock yer lights out - and enjoy your gun...
best regards,
tom
