gtxmonte said:
My opinion on this has always been, why send it to Ruger? Refinishing guns is not their principle business and a refinished gun is a refinished gun, even if the factory does it. So why not send it to a company that refinishing is one of their primary things. Might cost a few bucks more, but the chances of the job being much better is extremely high
It's enough part of their business that they refurbish and/or refinish a lot of guns, likely more than any other refinishers, and they're good at it!
You have it a little backwards; if you want it to look refinished, send it anywhere but Ruger. Even if you pay twice as much and get the best refinish you can, it will look very nice, but WILL clearly look refinished. The less you pay, the more it will look like a poor refinish; the more you pay, it will look like a good refinish. In fact the better it looks the easier one can tell it's not a factory finish and HAS been refinished!
If you send it to Ruger it doesn't look refinished, it'll be a restored finish and look like a new Ruger. The polishing patterns, surface prep techniques, and bluing color are the same. It will not only NOT LOOK refinished, it will look original!
It's all individual preference, and nothing wrong with that.