Sometimes these conversions are a struggle. By the time I was 14, I had a Lefever, a 20 gauge Model 24 Winchester, and a Parker. That year, my Dad finally broke away from his Model 12 and bought an AYA Matador from Tendler's in DC. Four years later, in 1965, he went off the deep end and we split a pair of Model 21s. That's when I had him. Considering that I had my first double gun in about 1957 or so, the conversion took me about eight years. Now I'm wondering who was converting whom.

I don't want to admit it but we had a lot of fun shooting that 20 gauge stoeger. Not a piece of quality work but fun none the less. I had my 870 wingmaster and we traded off shooting 20 gauges. I guess when it comes down to it if it is a gun I like it. Some just more than others.

Would you have this gun restored----- only 30% color and many other surface defects, worn checkering etc.??????
http://jamesdjulia.com/auctions/view...p?lot=1438-346
Would restoration hurt the value of this gun? Improve the value and saleability?
If you would have this gun restored, what would you have done to it??

No, I'd leave it alone. Provenance is too strong to do anything to it.

I don't know what it's provenance is, but it's condition is way too nice to touch. I don't see it going much higher than the low estimate though. I'm guessing $18K, but what do I know?

No!

No way would I restore it or do anything to it except shoot it. If I lost my mind and did want to restore it, I would do a complete restoration as no partial refinish would enhance it in anyway, IMHO.

I used the term provenance incorrectly and Edgar's correct. The apparent limited production of this particular gun as noted in the auction page would dictate leaving it alone. It's apparently a too limited production model and still in decent shape to warrant messing with it. Only if it had major defects/damage etc. My 2 cents only.

If I had some type of mental breakdown and actually bought the gun from Julia I would do nothing to this except to use it in the way it was intended.

There wee about 100 16ga. CH guns, but only 4 with 32" tubes, so that in itself makes it rare. The C is somewhat more rare because it fell in between the D and the B with very little more coverage than the D, but 50% more expensive.
I had a nice 30" 16ga. CHE that was my dad's. I believe that was my daughter's first year of her master's degree. I believe I shall remind her of this often, very very often.