I tend to agree with Don on restoration I used to do quite a few Antique flint locks reconverting them from percussion.... I even aged the parts to match the patenia of the gun BUT I would always leave a "tell" when I welded a new pan on the plate I would never hide the weld on the inside of the plate this way upon closer inspection it would be known it was a reconversion.... I think re-numbering is a little too far... It's like a fellow I knew who would enhance Arisaka rifles by acid etching the mum back on so he could sell it for more money ... Was it a "restoration"? Yes but not done for the right reasons ... The things we do to restore can taint the collector hobby.... That 4000 dollar colt single action with the cavalry length barrel? Was it stretched? Yeah people will take a later barrel bore out the original turn down part of the new barrel slide the old barrel on and TIG it.... It happens these days more and more
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