Modification's Effect on Values

[thinckley]

Looking at a Ruger No. 1 in .308 that has been re-barreled. Price seems high for a pristine version, which this is not (couple of dings/damage to the wood), besides the rebarrel. IMO they did a crappy job on the rebarrel. Gun is blued, barrel is stainless, but that is besides the point.

But, it got me wondering. How do modifications affect the value of collectible/semi-collectible guns, in your opinion? Which modifications are acceptable? Which ones are "deal breakers"?

 

[hittman]

That gun is worth the sum of the parts. To me, it’s price value is shooter grade or below.

In fairness, I do not have an appreciation for modifications unless it’s maybe changing grips or adding a scope properly ( without adding holes etc ).

When I look at most modified guns I factor in the cost of what it’d take to make it original again. Even then I’m nervous about what Bubba may have done internally to make it unsafe or unreliable.

 

[thinckley]

This isn't a bubbafied gun, it honestly looks like they didn't bother finishing it. I agree with you on scopes, I view those as an add-on (if done properly), but not really a mod, same with grips (if the originals can be found for a reasonable price).

 

[hittman]

Looks bubbafied to me. But to each their own. You wont know if it shoots or how it shoots until you shell out the money.
Sounds like a crap shoot to me.

 

[contender]

As a collector,, anytime mods are made to a gun,, that makes a difference in values.
If the mods are reversible,, AND the original parts are with it,, then it's a bit more desirable value wise, as long as it can be easily restored.
If the original parts aren't there,, then the value decreases.
If the mods aren't reversible,, then it's strictly a shooter value.

 

[arcticruger]

As a collector,, anytime mods are made to a gun,, that makes a difference in values.
If the mods are reversible,, AND the original parts are with it,, then it's a bit more desirable value wise, as long as it can be easily restored.
If the original parts aren't there,, then the value decreases.
If the mods aren't reversible,, then it's strictly a shooter value.

Agreed!

 

[thinckley]

As a collector,, anytime mods are made to a gun,, that makes a difference in values.
If the mods are reversible,, AND the original parts are with it,, then it's a bit more desirable value wise, as long as it can be easily restored.
If the original parts aren't there,, then the value decreases.
If the mods aren't reversible,, then it's strictly a shooter value.

This is pretty much exactly how I feel. $1400 starting bid on that No. 1 is way too steep.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

No way. Someone spent $500 or more on a rebarreling job to turn a $1000 rifle into, at best, a $500 rifle.

 

[contender]

In a thread here about consecutive numbers,, a nice customized 3-digit .41 mag was shown. Some of it's reversible,, while the front sight modification ruins the potential collector value.

 

[s4s4u]

That gun is worth the sum of the parts. To me, it's price value is shooter grade or below.

I agree with the hittman ^^^

 

[eveled]

Some guns are modified and are better than factory original. We usually refer to them as customs.

They may be worth more especially if the work is documented and done by someone famous.

People pay a lot for a custom gun made to their exact specifications. But they paid to experience the process too.

You never will get back what you put into a custom gun, but it still may be worth more than an original to the right buyer.

As far as that no 1 goes. I have no idea. It needs to be inspected and shot.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

You never will get back what you put into a custom gun, but it still may be worth more than an original to the right buyer.

^^^ Agreed! ^^^ JMHO

 

[GasGuzzler]

There's a guy on a local forum that it seems two or three times a year puts a never fired or barely used gun for sale because he's "in need of funds" (I'd say stop buying guns but..). The guns are always modified and have extra magazines, a case, optics, and a bunch of personalization. He always lists the price of all the extras as if it's a given everyone would have bought the same stuff. He bumps his "priced at about 15% less than retail" ads daily for weeks waiting on someone who wants his exact set up at almost full price then acts like we're dummies for not paying it.

There's another guy that sells a lot of personal collection items at about 2/3 of new price. His stuff is stock and barely used or not used at all and sells in 1-3 days for the price he asks.

 

[contender]

GasGuzzler has a good point. The guy who adds stuff,, modifies stuff, etc then expects others to want what he likes is often very disappointed when it doesn't sell.

I had a good friend, and older gentleman who loved to "tinker & modify" most of his guns. I could have cried at what I saw him do to a few very desirable guns. But I NEVER said a word,, as they were his guns, and his idea as to what he wanted.
He gave me a NM .45 Blackhawk long ago. The ugly, plastic grips (sorta grips) were epoxied on the g/f. And a few other things had been done. Now,, I truly cherish the gun, because it's a Ruger, and a gift from a friend. But I had to try & return it to as close to original as I could.

When he made the decision to sell off his guns & such,, he asked me to assist him. I did,, and he didn't get as much for his guns as he could have if they had been left alone. His Colt 1911 Gold Cup Match was so "modified" that it only brought $400. He wasn't stupid,, and he KNEW he'd removed any real value for most of his guns. But he told me; " I wanted them to be used by me in my way!" And since his family were all basically anti-gun, and such, they didn't care either.

I guess the worst thing to me is when a person has a rarer variation of a gun,, and wants to modify it beyond it being returned to "as shipped" condition, refuses to sell that gun, and buy one like it that's much more common. I saw a OM Ruger FT "Ross" variation once that had been made into a .44 Spl. There is only about 800 of the "Ross" guns. Sell it at a premium, and buy a more common used shooter FT & customize that.

Of course,, they aren't my guns to make that kind of decision. But you can bet that any of my guns that might be collectable,, won't get mods that aren't reversible.

 

[thinckley]

There is a guy on another forum that wants to convert an OM Single-Six to .32 H&R who is convinced it is going to be valuable. I told him, do what you want, it is your gun, but you are never going to see a ROI on it.

 

[GYJ44]

There is a guy on another forum that wants to convert an OM Single-Six to .32 H&R who is convinced it is going to be valuable. I told him, do what you want, it is your gun, but you are never going to see a ROI on it.

And as I pointed out on that forum, totally different context. The Single Six question is in regards to having it built into a custom gun by a well known gunsmith. In this case, Andy Horvath. Not some hack job. Custom revolvers routinely go for replacement cost and more, depending on the gun and the gunsmith that built it. Show me a Linebaugh that somebody lost money on.

 

[el caminero]

Last month at closing time saw a #1 with stainless barrel in, iirc, 6.5 creedmire, 450$, came back with the money in the morning and it was gone already.
Dont blink, man.

 

[thinckley]

Last month at closing time saw a #1 with stainless barrel in, iirc, 6.5 creedmire, 450$, came back with the money in the morning and it was gone already.
Dont blink, man.

Unfortunately, this ain't that.

 

[krw]

Last month at closing time saw a #1 with stainless barrel in, iirc, 6.5 creedmire, 450$, came back with the money in the morning and it was gone already.
Dont blink, man.

There is a lesson to be learned there. Never go to a gun show w less than $10k. I would buy a 1000 for that price. And wouldnt have to think about it

 

[el caminero]

There is a lesson to be learned there. Never go to a gun show w less than $10k. I would buy a 1000 for that price. And wouldnt have to think about it

This at a pawnshop, with no provenance (or barrelmarkings) available but caliber. At closing time. Pig in a poke. No time left to lay it away. "Eh, we're Closing...!"

 

[thinckley]

Post in thread 'Reduced Ruger Blackhawk 5 1/2" 45 Colt/45 ACP Flattop.'

Jul 22, 2025

Price drop to $1000 shipped to your FFL.

• 45Spades

• 

Looks like the mods were worth it.....

 

[GasGuzzler]

Please explain. It hasn't sold yet and the price has been reduced almost 30%. A new one is more than $700 and the mods were over $300 and the price is only $1000.

 

[thinckley]

What is there to explain? The discussion is on if (and how) modifications affect the price of a gun. My comment was facetious.

 

[GasGuzzler]

That. If taken literally it would make no sense.

 

[Hvymax]

Mods generally destroy "Collector Value". But if they enhance actual performance in some way or were done by a "Famous Smith" certain people might be willing to pay more.

 

[contender]

The only problem with the values of a "famous" smith modified gun is that often there may be features on the custom that a potential new owner may not prefer. It's not easy to find a custom that has the exact same features that more than a few people truly want to pay more for.
Example; A barrel with a barrel band at the muzzle isn't attractive to me,, yet others love the look. I would deduct "value" because of that.
And the more mods done to a gun, the less likely others will say; "That's exactly what I want!"
Yes,, many known custom gun builders have a great following of people who will pay a lot to get stuff done to customize a firearm. And yes,, their quality is top notch & often very desirable. But the expense of the gun often exceeds the pocketbook of a lot of people. As such,, it also narrows the potential sales market.
Several years ago,, I watched a Hamilton Bowen built gun sit in a gun shop for many, many months. It was a Ft .357 that had been converted to .44 Spl. The barrel had been set back, the ERH shortened, re-blued, re-marked, and was not a full blown custom. Top quality work by a well known builder. But the price on it was too high for it to sell. I finally bought it for a lot less than what the gun shop had been asking for it.
I wanted some parts off it to upgrade another .357 FT I had. I swapped out the g/f, and a few other parts. I wanted the steel ERH but it was too short. It was a shooter & not a collectable gun. Then I traded it to a buddy who wanted a Bowen. It lives in Wyoming right now.
Point being,, I bought it for the basic value of a shooter Blackhawk, not a custom because nobody was willing to pay extra for it, including myself.

 

[thinckley]

The only problem with the values of a "famous" smith modified gun is that often there may be features on the custom that a potential new owner may not prefer. It's not easy to find a custom that has the exact same features that more than a few people truly want to pay more for.
Example; A barrel with a barrel band at the muzzle isn't attractive to me,, yet others love the look. I would deduct "value" because of that.
And the more mods done to a gun, the less likely others will say; "That's exactly what I want!"

This.

 

[thinckley]

I don't see swapping out the trigger on a 10/22 for a BX adding or detracting from the value, it is a "factory" trigger that, IMHO should be the standard on the 10/22. I also don't see swapping out all of the internals for Volquartsen as adding as much value as the upgrades cost, but I could be wrong, guess it depends on what the gun is for.

I would pay for a brand new, custom rifle, but as @contender said, even if everything done to it was what I would do to it, I wouldn't pay what some people are asking. Not without a true test drive, which I have never seen anyone allow. If you want me to pay $2k, $5k, etc. for a gun, I'm going to need a lot more than a 3-day, non-disassembly, inspection period...

 

[kmoore]

I have 2 rifles I had custom work done. I bet I couldn't get half of what I spent on barrels, stocks and cerakote finish. Neither was about getting my money back out of them. It's what I wanted, and I got want I wanted. Someday someone may appreciate the upgrades. That doesn't translate into covering the costs of the changes.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

So far, the referenced thread is a perfect example of how the market will establish the "value" of a gun. We have watched its asking price diminish from $1400 down to $1000 without establishing its "value" to anyone. That it is a custom gun probably plays a big part in this process.

If the seller pulls this offering at this point, we might presume he "values" the gun at $1000 . . . right now.