[Kentucky Shooter]

Please me start by saying I present this as a valid, honest question, and realize opinions can vary widely. Please let my thread stay open by not starting a flame war of words. I am interested in thoughtful, experienced discussion.

I take care of firearms to the degree I can and would never scratch a gun on purpose of course, and in a perfect world would never get them scratched, but if you are doing to use a gun a few minors dings or light scratches seem bound to happen. Most of my guns stay in good to excellent condition though, just not necessarily mint.

I recently acquired a used but very good condition Stainless Springfield Range Officer in 9mm and it shoots great and I think its gonna be a keeper based on shooting performance alone.

BUT my question, it has a light case of the "idiot scratch" and also 2 or 3 light scratches on the slide. The deal was good enough and the scratches light enough I didnt want to pass it up.

I think the same question could be posed for scratches on any nice firearm, regardless of the reason.

My question for the GT brain trust- what would you do?
1) do nothing, take my own advice above and shoot and enjoy it without the pressure of worrying about getting a first scratch (since it already has some).
2) follow some advice I have read about where light scratches on stainless have successfully been removed by 3M scotch brite in ultra fine grade. (I do have the fear I might make it more noticeable than it already is since Ive never tried this before.)
3) Have the gun refinished at considerable expense and then retire it to safe queen status.
4) Sell or trade it for one in pristine condition.

I am strongly leaning toward #1 or maybe #2 above, I basically listed #3 and 4 because they are theoretical options, however I dont see them as practical.

Just curious how the GT crowd feels on this subject.

 

[RetailNinjitsu]

The 3 pistols in my carry rotation look like they've been through a war. I consider it a badge of honor.

I know a lot of guys who claim to carry a gun whenever they leave the house but one look at the gun can usually tell me everything I needed to know...

 

[powernoodle]

Your guns are going to get wear marks on them if you use them. So the only thing within your control is how you react. In my view, reacting with "I don't care" or "a well-used gun looks sick" is preferable to crying and the gnashing of teeth. That's a learned response, which I have not fully mastered.

I happen to love the look of a well-used gun, especially a semi-custom 1911 like a Les Baer that has had 10,000 rounds through it and looks like a real man owns it.

 

[PattonWasRight]

Number two ... I have a Bond derringer and using super fine emery cloth, it barely did anything. So next time I try, I need to use something a bit more aggressive. Try it with the lightest scotchbrite with the lightest amount of pressure, and go up from there. BE SURE to go with the grain and stroke the entire length of the surface. If not, you'll be able to tell it was 'spot worked.'

 

[janice6]

I tolerate the idiot scratch on my Kimber as a testament to my stupidity and carelessness. It haunts me and I deserve it.

I will not do anything to the gun to hide my lack of attention to what I was doing. It is a lesson I regret, but a lesson nonetheless.

Any scratch on any of my guns indicates to me carelessness. Normal wear and tear on my guns is a welcome and noble indicator of their contribution to my interests, and in no way detracts from their importance to me.

It's the way I feel about important tools of mine and how I care for them. I have 100 year old hand tools, and the wear on them is a reflection of their excellent capabilities and work in the past. To me this is value.

My guns are always clean, my tools are always sharp and ready for use. It's important to me.

 

[mac66]

Most of my guns are well used and I don't even think about the marks, dings or scratches on them.

On the other hand I have a Colt 1903 Hammerless which I bought used as an estate sale a few years ago. It is in just about perfect condition except for one irritating little scratch on the slide. It is almost unnoticeable until you notice it then it drives me crazy. I paid well under it's value at the time so it shouldn't bother me but it still does.

 

[DWARREN123]

Depends on location and how bad they are. Some are just "work" related and some are from "idiots".

 

[PattonWasRight]

Kentucky Shooter ... also, given it's a "keeper" sounds like you'll be happy if you at least try the safest method to remove or at least diminish the appearance of the scratches. If it shoots nice for you, don't trade it in. You could gain appearance only to lose function / accuracy

 

[Kentucky Shooter]

Kentucky Shooter ... also, given it's a "keeper" sounds like you'll be happy if you at least try the safest method to remove or at least diminish the appearance of the scratches. If it shoots nice for you, don't trade it in. You could gain appearance only to lose function / accuracy

Great point, if I knew I wouldnt make it worse I would try the scotch brite.

Unfortunately the scratches, though light, represent carelessness more than honest day to day wear. But I am starting to question the logic of my own statement- isnt a scratch a scratch no matter how it got there?

Good responses, I appreciate everyones thoughts and realize there is no right or wrong answer.

 

[TeaDub]

If I have the ability to fix scratches, I do. Stainless steel is generally easier than carbon steel. I don't own any true "collectibles". My revolvers are all stainless, currently. Nearly all my autos are black.

If the finish wear on my automatics ever becomes too much, I'll look to refinish them. I've done it twice in thirty years. I've touched up my wheel guns several times as well.

Picking the right holster goes a really long way to keeping the appearance up on a gun. My autos basically use two carry holsters. The Cooks brand kydex and Remora. I have several guns with thousands of presentations from kydex that look essentially new. Even my Glocks with the "new" finish so many complain about.

If appearance matters to you, do a little research. If it doesn't, carry on.

 

[refugeepj]

#1.
what, me worry?

 

[Wyzz Kydd]

I have four guns I shoot in competition. They're all very well made guns with awesome action jobs. They're pretty clean, but they get thrown on table and have brass bouncing off them every weekend, so they do have some dings and scratches. If they pick up a few extra it doesn't bother me much.

If one of my safe queen non shooting guns (for example a pristine 1911 manufactured in 1917) were to pick up a scratch I would be pissed and would try to fix it. If one of my competition guns picks up a scratch, oh well. They go through thousands of rounds a year, it's to be expected.

So, what purpose does this gun serve?

 

[crockett]

There's not a single scratch on any of my guns and I wouldn't buy a scratch one either. In your case I'd refinish it myself.

 

[Surtur]

the only guns that i worry about are my $2k+ guns like my pythons. I try my best to keep them looking good.

on my glocks and other polymer framed guns they get knocked around in the dirt gravel mud and rain on a regular basis. Some people go out of there way to have their glocks cerakoted for the "battleworn" look....mine end up that way after a month of regular use.

 

[Kentucky Shooter]

I have four guns I shoot in competition. They're all very well made guns with awesome action jobs. They're pretty clean, but they get thrown on table and have brass bouncing off them every weekend, so they do have some dings and scratches. If they pick up a few extra it doesn't bother me much.

If one of my safe queen non shooting guns (for example a pristine 1911 manufactured in 1917) were to pick up a scratch I would be pissed and would try to fix it. If one of my competition guns picks up a scratch, oh well. They go through thousands of rounds a year, it's to be expected.

So, what purpose does this gun serve?

Probably similar to your four shooting guns, though mine will be used in informal shooting and plinking instead of formal competition. I agree with your thinking.

 

[fnfalman]

I try to keep my collectibles as nice as possible but the bulk of my stash? Don't lose no sleep over scratches on a Glock, HK or Walter or HS2000, ad nauseam.

 

[janice6]

Great point, if I knew I wouldnt make it worse I would try the scotch brite.

Unfortunately the scratches, though light, represent carelessness more than honest day to day wear. But I am starting to question the logic of my own statement- isnt a scratch a scratch no matter how it got there?

Good responses, I appreciate everyones thoughts and realize there is no right or wrong answer.

Not when YOU know how it got there.

 

[Mathemagician1]

Like a car, the first one bothers me a LOT. The rest, not at all.

 

[rds95991]

If it is from use, then those are honor scars. If it is from and idiot moment (like reassembling a Series 70 Gold Cup and scratching the frame with the slide stop) then it bothers me forever.

 

[oldmick]

Carry guns - doesn't bother me a bit. My range guns, I try to keep unscratched. So much so that as a lefty I stopped wearing a wedding ring because it scuffed the grip and replaced it with a tattoo of a ring.