When to restore?

[William Maynard]

When do you know when to restore or not. When does the firearm get to the point that you want to restore it? How much does it decrease or increase it's value?

[Dean Romig]

William, you have just asked two of the hardest to answer questions anyone could have thought of.
The real answer to both of those questions is entirely subjective in that the way you feel about your Parker (or any gun for that matter) has a great deal to do with its appearance and consequently, is a very personal matter.
Some would say "If you don't like the wear your Parker shows after 75 or 100 or 125 years of honest use, don't touch it. Sell it and buy one with higher condition that makes you feel better. I am of that school. In my opinion, unless the gun is literally a piece of junk - rusted, broken, or molested - a Parker should be left to proudly display the love and honor that has been bestowed upon it by the use it has received by its several custodians over the years.
But, do what you wish with your Parker - just don't let anyone touch it who will not respect it and bring it back to ALL of its former glory.

[Linn Matthews]

When, or maybe IF, to restore? If it is a limited mfg. gun, or rare (an off-beat gauge), or a one-of-a type of engraving, etc. --thing twice about "restoring" for in the process you will alter the gun so that it loses at least a part of its value. If the mechanicals are such that the gun can't be fired and you want to hunt with it, get it fixed(split barrels, rust, etc.)
If the gun is just a good shooter and that is what you want with no regard to appearance, leave it alone. However if you are concerned about the lack of great case colors get them redone and enjoy it further.
What is done to the value? To a hunter looking for something to shoot with, probably very little. If it is a rare gun, limited nos., etc. you will probably reduce the value considerably.

[Austin W Hogan]

I think the choice is relatively easy. If a Parker gun is beginning to show rust pits on barrel or frame, it is time to arrest the rusting process. A gun that is shiny, but not rusty , still has enough rust resistance to carry on even though the visible barriers ( blue, case color) are no longer there.

Best, Austin

[William Maynard]

Thanks for all your imput. There is alot of talk about rust and reblue. What about just re-checkering without refinishing the stock? Or stock refinish and recheckering?

[Dean Romig]

Recheckering, done properly by an expert with a keen eye to original checkering of the grade, can make a well-worn stock look fresher. There are experts who can also 'burnish' new checkering points a bit to lend a slightly worn appearance while not appearing 'worn out'. The grooves can also be colored slightly or stained to eliminate that freshly cut wood look.

[William Maynard]

Dean,
I also like that suggestion. Recheckering without refinishing. I have tossed that idea around. I think just a slight refresher would be nice! Could always do more later.

[Brad Bachelder]

William, that is a question that I get asked on a daily basis.My company restores 75 to 100 firearms yearly. We decline requested work on many,many more. The following is the criteria we use in restoration. Is the gun a classic or collector grade gun ? Is it a family heirloom? Is it unique or rare in some way?. If a gun is mechanicaly sound wood and metal and retains at least 40% of its original patina, we suggest only a professional cleaning and inspection.
A large percentage of classic doubles that we see, have been poorly refinished, restocked, reblued or tampered with. In that case we determine if it can be restored to its original condition. Restoration work is vastly different than refinishing. Restoration requires a great deal of research and an understanding of original finishing techniques used at the time of manufacture. If a restored gun looks refinished It is not done correctly. Oil soaked wood, bare or rusted metal, lead to larger problems of not attended to.
If your double looks good, is original and sound, shoot and enjoy it. If not have it properly restored it will certianly look pretty and ensure another 100 years of service.
Brad