DelGrego value

[Phillip Carr]

I would like the opinion of value on DelGrego refinished guns. Awhile back I acquired a 12 gauge GH with Damascus barrels that had a DelGrego recoil pad installed the gun I was told was restored by Delgreo in the 50's. I decided to find out for sure, so it was sent to Larry DelGrego where he inspected it and provided me with a letter confirming DelGrego had done the work, with the exception of the barrels as they have never did Damascus barrels. He felt the gun had been done by his father or grandfather. I will try to get some pictures later and post them, but just as a general rule I am trying to determine does a restored gun by DelGrego get valued at a percentage of a new condition gun?
Phil

[Bruce Day]

Is it "restored" with striped cyanide case colors and spray-on can lacquer finish? Some restorations have replacement stocks with too-thick wrists and transitions and sharply angled thumb grooves. "Restored" can mean many things and many restorations are not true restorations but only expedient approximate reconstructions.

The DelGregos have always done excellent mechanical work.

Many people who follow values closely say that a typical reconstruction has only half the value of a high to moderate condition original. One never knows how close the restoration was without seeing detailed photos. The true, exact, and costly restorations of rare or unusual Parkers sold recently at Julia's seem to bring the same or about the same as originals. While some would say that Parker collectors are too exacting, I also take the Winchester Collector's magazine. Winchester and Colt collectors are perhaps even more exacting, particularly when you have hundreds of old Colt revolvers selling for $100,000 or more.

[Dean Romig]

Bruce is exactly right. There are many definitions of "restored" and "refinished" and beauty (value) is in the eye of the beholder (potential buyer) and is entirely subjective.

[Phillip Carr]

Here are some pictures.

http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss14/Philcarr/GH%20Parker/DSC_0160.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss14/Philcarr/GH%20Parker/DSC_0159.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss14/Philcarr/GH%20Parker/DSC_0156.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss14/Philcarr/GH%20Parker/DSC_0152-1.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss14/Philcarr/GH%20Parker/DSC_0150-1.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss14/Philcarr/GH%20Parker/DSC_0149-1.jpg
http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss14/Philcarr/GH%20Parker/DSC_0148-1.jpg

[Pete Lester]

Looking at the forend checkering I am wondering if the forend wood is oiginal to the gun or if it was indeed restored by Delgrego and Sons. I mean no disrespect to your gun or the Delgrego's but the checkering on the forend looks right for a V or P grade but not a G.

Perhaps early G's had a different pattern? Maybe somebody here knows.

If the gun was done in the 50's or 60's it has seen little use since and well cared for.

[Pat Dugan]

Asa Kelley and I bought a VH DelGrego #2 frame 12 gauge with a letter detailing what was done to the gun and price charged for the complete redo of the whole gun. It was beautiful, cost to us $ 1100. Asa ended up with the gun and traded it to TON 80 in Atlanta and he sold it for $2800 as fast as he put it up for sale. The gun look new and all screws and the wood were perfect, so every one came out well due to the efforts of the DelGrego family.

As Steven Cobb tells Asa and I , no one complains about a Purdy gun being sent back to Purdy for a little touch up but in the US the touch ups completely trash the value to some , to others they are bargains.


PDD

[Bill Murphy]

At least Larry DelGrego hasn't ruined a hundred thousand guns by hacking on the barrels like the highly regarded Brits have. Del Grego projects are headed for collector status if the subject gun was in good condition before restoration.

[tom leshinsky]

If you look closely at the foerend wood you will see the black staining near the metal. That should tell you the wood is indeed old. Now to really check you have to take it apart to see if the ser# is on the wood.

[Bill Murphy]

I don't doubt that LDG did the metal, but I have trouble believing that he did not do a better job getting the oil out of the forend wood. It is still a nice gun.

[Kevin McCormack]

Smart buyers today look for the better Del Grego restorations, especially on smallbore guns. The self-explanatory benefit in these guns is that nothing more need to be done with them; they are ready to take out and shoot. Provided there are no cut barrels, botched triggers, and no one has cut all the choke out of them, they are now and always will be a bargain. I have sold a half-dozen or so and always made a modest profit on each of them; also made it a point to include Del Grego's letter with the documentation for the sale. It never disappointed anyone who bought one, so far as I can tell. When you look at today's prices for total restoration, a 30-40 year-old Del Grego gun is always a bargain; it hurts to look at the old letters and the individual charges quoted compared to today's estimates. My completely redone 12 ga. VHE including NEW ejector beavertail forend installed cost me $336 in 1969. Of course, gas was around 28 cents a gallon then!

[Phillip Carr]

Here is a copy of the letter. It reads gun was done by Del Grego prior to 1980. Larry stated this because unless I had an exact date, he said it takes to long to search through all of the records. This gun was bought by a friend along with a VH and a CHE all three were restored by the previous owner in the late 50's. Gun is perfect with the exception of the staining a a couple of scratch complements of USPS that istroyed the box

[Pete Lester]

This gun was bought by a friend along with a VH and a CHE all three were restored by the previous owner in the late 50's. Gun is perfect with the exception of the staining a a couple of scratch complements of USPS that istroyed the box

Given that, it looks to me that somewhere along the line the VH forend wound up on this GH. The Delgrego's know the proper checkering pattern for a G grade.

[Phillip Carr]

Under normal circumstances I would be reluctant to remove screws that have been untouched for 50 years, but since my friend has the VH we will know shortly

[Phillip Carr]

Well all numbers match ????

[Bill Murphy]

It's a great gun. Leave it alone.

[Dean Romig]

I have never seen a Del Grego restored Parker that had the wrong checkering pattern for the grade - in this case, A GH gun with VH or PH forend checkering pattern and the checkering on the grip is not correct on the lower part of the grip below the end of the trigger guard tang where the correct Parker pattern was a radiused sweep back over the grip cap rather than the 90 degree angle this one takes. I'm having a hard time trying to convinve myself this gun was done by Del Grego.


And now I'm editing my post after having read the April 2010 letter you posted from Del Grego..... only to say that I guess The Del Grego's weren't as accurate with duplicating Parker checkering patterns as they ought to have been.

[Phillip Carr]

Well maybe Larry Del Grego will cover this under warranty ( rework).:rotf: After all it has only been 50 years. Nicely done but a shame it does not follow the original pattern. With 3 guns there possible the wood got mixed up, after they sanded of the checkering. This wood is rather plain, yet the wood to metal fit is great. I will call my friend and see about looking at the VH.

[Bill Murphy]

Obviously, LDG did not replace the wood or initiate a new checkering pattern. If he did anything to the wood, he sharpened the incorrect checkering and refinished the wood without drawing the oil, an expensive fix that will need to be refixed. I doubt that Del Grego did the wood, even though Lawrence or Babe said it was their work. It's still a nice gun.

[Phillip Carr]

Well Larry had the gun in his shop in March so he could inspect it first hand. You would think he could Identify his work. But then again lots of questions on this one. Even has the black Del Grego recoil pad. I was going to put it on Gunbroker but will hold off for now. Too many issues. I appreciate all of the feedback.
Phil

[Rich Anderson]

Everyone is assuming the gun had the correct stock/forarm wood when it went to DelGrego's. Perhaps the wood was replaced befor the rest of the gun was sent for restoration.

[Kenny Graft]

I perchased a GHE Delgrego refirb from Safari Outfitters 4 or 5 years back. It had been completed the year befor. This was a full restoration wood and all. It looks new!...I do not like the coloring they use and the wood is not as trim as the originals would be. It is a mutch better grade of wood with full flame patterns from the grip back like Grade 5#. The dementions are modern 1 1/2-2 1/2 30" M/F nothing to fuss about...the wood to metal could be a bit tighter but is O.K. not as good as original!....It shot loose in less than 25 rounds and was set aside till I could reset the grip mounting screws and has been fine ever since. As to the value.....I liked the gun overall, The asking price was 4500.00. I piad 4000.00 shiped. It has all the Delgrego's estamates and final invoice. The grand total was right at 4000.00....This said....Im happy with this shotgun....(-: I may send it to Brad and have the metal properly cased, butt stock slimed up and the wood to metal fitted up tight then it would be a masterpeice! Thanks all...Kenny Graft SXS ohio....(-:

[Bruce Day]

So Kenny, are you saying that the previous owner paid $4000 to have the gun redone and then you paid the seller $4000 to buy the redone gun?

And then you are thinking about sending it off to have it re-re-done and spending another $2000 to $3000?

I wonder if $6000 to $7000 could have bought a very nice original G 12ga in the first place? I know some here have said that Jack Puglisi's prices are too high but here is a 12ga GH extractor gun that he has at about $2400. Decent enough gun and good colors I think but then I don't buy or sell many guns so maybe I am out of the loop and maybe an original, extractor gun doesn't have the value.

[Kenny Graft]

I got the gun for cost of repairs...(-: The work I would have Brad do would come in less than 1000.00 closer to 600.00. That would not be all that bad of investment....