The ravages of time are immutable, and finding a vintage firearm in excellent original condition—especially one with provenance—is the Holy Grail of gun collecting. Most Old West guns, however, are not pristine after aging for more than a century, and these represent the lion’s share of actual original collector guns that are subjected to the various grading and condition standards dictating their value.
One exception, of course, is well-worn historic arms with particular provenance—say, a Custer-era Single Action Army—in which case the story is often as important as the gun itself. Finding Old West guns in excellent condition is challenging and is also the most expensive form of gun collecting!
Most guns, edged weapons and anything else crafted from metal is going to age. Therefore, recreating historic firearms in “as-new” condition is…
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Guns of the Old West (Digital) - 1 Issue, Winter 2023