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I just got back from Tulsa, looked and touched dozens of high dollar Winchester. What disturbs me is the restored and toned down gun to 50%, the fakers are getting good at what they do. I have always looked at the stampings on guns, style of letters and numbers, placement, and depth. I looked at a couple guns that were restored and aged to 50%, serial numbers engraved. The guns looked original, some parts had original finish, some parts had restored finish that looked so good it was hard to tell. The serial number on one gun looked perfect except clean, under magnification I could see cut marks. It was engraved to the correct style, size, placement, and depth by a expert engraver. I spent several minutes with a jeweler’s hood to confirm it was engraved not stamped. Once you mess with the serial number WHAT IS IT! The guy who did this was not Bubba, he was scary good at what he did. Don’t get me wrong, you can tell, but look closely when money is involved. It was worth the trip to Tulsa to get the education. T/R
Any pictures so we can learn from your experience and did you try to confront sellers with this?
I have no pictures, this is not about one gun. This is about buying a lighted loop and inspecting stampings for engraving cuts in the bottom of the markings, especially serial numbers before buying. Engraving is a series of chisel cuts, stamping is one hit from a die. The die pushes the metal proud, it can be buffed or worn flat but it does not have cuts in the bottom. Dirt can hide the cuts, in this case it was left clean with no finish in the numbers. That was the tell! T/R
At a gun show table, every gun dealer has one, they are inexpensive and can be obtained on line. T/R
Eagle said
Wow, that is pretty scary. Where did you get the lighted loop?
Eagle, http://www.KASSOY.com supplies jewelers. I have an illuminated magnifier and a optivisor for inspections, 4X works for me. Cost about $25, but any small lighted loop will work. The older you get the more you use it. T/R
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