Brad will do a nice job on the gun, and you'll like it when you get it back. Unfortunately, no one will know whether it was a 10% gun before refinishing, or, in your case, a good strong 75% gun. The original checkering was better than that, but it will now shout "Recheckered". Barrels were a good 75-85%, and now will just be another set of re-blued barrels. You got a great buy on that gun, if not out right stole it. It will be worth what you paid for it when your done. If you're keeping it in the family, no problem. Whatever makes you happy. It certainly wasn't going to deteriorate in the condition I saw it in. Restored, or refreshed guns are everywhere, but, sadly lots of them used to be good honest guns. A perfect example of this is when a well known gun dealer, who had one of the best gunsmithing shops, told my dad he would love to 'spruce up' the 16 ga. my dad bought, at Parker in Meriden, on his 16th birthday. The gun looks nice now, reblued, recut checkering. I'll never sell the gun, and hope my son won't either. Sadly, it is completely devoid of any of the signs of my dads many years of hunting, and love for his gun.
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