Now that you have decided (IMHO very wisely) to pass on this gun, consider the following:
The first yellow light in this process should have been the vast discrepancy between the asking price of the gun and the current Blue Book valuations per degree of finish quoted by some of our more helpful members. ("If its too good to be true, it probably isn't). (Thanks to Dean, Craig, and others for the insights and the price quotes).
The amount of finish a "mint" gun can lose in 34 years (c. 1983-2017) would astound you, regardless of the age of the owner (who probably had nothing to do with its demise of condition). Improper cleaning, handling, storage, use and casual abuses can render an heirloom gun like this a dented rattletrap inside of a couple of years.
So far as calculating a "Flip Index" on a gun like this (see the first thought above), you have to remember that the great majority of us (neither great in number nor a majority) looking at guns of this magnitude and deciding to purchase or not to purchase based on projected profit from a secondary sale have been at this for a while now and have seen some truly bizarre 'deals'. Most of us I dare say usually wind up considering the financial equivalent of the hygroscopic meniscus in water science - e.g. water seeks its own level
- but there are limits!
So far as the aftermarket ejectors being a deal breaker, in retrospect they're almost a moot point - if they work OK, a plus: if they don't deactivate them and shoot the gun as an extractor setup (per John Campbell and others). One thing is for sure - ejector problems in a Parker Gun (factory or non- )are a very expensive proposition. And parts for these prototype pre-factory mechanisms are no more and must be hand made, installed and adjusted in situ.
In retrospect, I think you did the right thing.
|