Gray’s Sporting/Terry Wieland
 

Has anyone read TWs article, “Rebirth &Twilight”, in the recent Gray’s issue? An interesting assessment of the trends and fashion in the SxS world.

I just finished this article and was fascinated to read about the "dark underbelly" of the current double gun market. Some of the participants I recognized. Weiland's columns are consistently enlightening and enjoyable. In the same issue he discusses Colt Walkers--original and reproduction--and the collector mania for untouched, unfired, and pristine firearms. I agree with the author: if you can't shoot it, why have it?

I have owned two such guns. IMO they are extremely important in order to preserve for future generations of collectors and firearm historians exactly how they were the moment they left the factory. True pristine unfired guns are becoming more and more scarce as time goes on and, even as nicely done as some restorations are, they are simply not a true reflection of a ‘factory new’ gun.

Again IMO, for this reason, a benchmark unfired gun should never be fired. There are plenty of other guns we can shoot to our heart’s delight so why erase history?





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Incidentally, what is the “dark underbelly” of the current double gun market? I don’t subscribe to Gray’s.





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Great question, Dean. My guess would be: "Is it live or Memorex?"