Determining % bluing remaining

paradox998 · 07-26-2007, 11:05 PM

Hello:

I have seen a lot of ads for P-08's with 98% bluing, 95%, 90% etc. Some of these look pretty worn and look to me like they have lost a lot of the original finish. How is the % of bluing judged? Is it just the sellers opinion? Are there any guidelines or standards that should be followed? Thanks

Ron Smith · 07-27-2007, 11:44 AM

Hal,

It's pretty subjective. Most dealers will "up-grade" (read exaggerate) the condition for obvious reasons.

I go by the following:

High edge wear or "very slight" hoster wear , no fading = 95-98%

High edge wear with side rubs on front barrel band and leading edge of side rails and side plate or slight fading = 90-95%

Light grip strap wear or fading front and back drops it to = 85%

Blue wear or fading on on frame, barrel or grip straps = 80%

Pitting or heavy blue wear = - 60%

It's difficult to explain in words and as I said, subjective. One persons 90% might be another's 80%.

At 90-98% it had better be in very nice overall condition. When they quote "NRA" conditions be very weary. NRA ratings are pretty lax.

Another consideration is rarity. If very rare, condition percentage is often ignored completely or viewed in a whole different light.

I hope this helps somewhat.

Ron

wlyon · 07-27-2007, 12:35 PM

Hal
Ron's % of bluing sounds good to me. Most you will read about is overated. There are pictures of various % of bluing in the Blue Book of Gun Values. While it is very subjective I think we must have our own scale such as Ron has established. It would be rare if two people agree for any particular firearm. Bill

paradox998 · 07-27-2007, 07:57 PM

Thanks Ron and Wlyon. I pretty much suspected that percentages were often inflated. I think your rating system seems very reasonable. It sure does seem like we need a standard to guide ratings. Thanks for the guidelines.

383 magnum · 08-01-2007, 11:27 PM

Grading is very subjective. There is a photo of a P.38 in the Blue Book in the section on how to grade condition and the pistol is described as 80 percent. Unless there is something I can't see in the photo, the pistol looks to be 90 percent or better to me. There is another picture of a CZ 27 that is rated at 60 percent, but it looks to be more like 70-75 percent to me.

thegundude · 08-02-2007, 07:14 PM

A word of caution with regard to percentage grading...

Don't apply this method to your woman, at least not when she is within earshot. It can be very detrimental to your relationship in many, many ways...

07-26-2007, 11:05 PM	#1
paradox998 User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: South Florida Posts: 105 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Determining % bluing remaining Hello: I have seen a lot of ads for P-08's with 98% bluing, 95%, 90% etc. Some of these look pretty worn and look to me like they have lost a lot of the original finish. How is the % of bluing judged? Is it just the sellers opinion? Are there any guidelines or standards that should be followed? Thanks

07-27-2007, 11:44 AM	#2
Ron Smith User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Orygun Posts: 4,243 Thanks: 118 Thanked 245 Times in 150 Posts	Hal, It's pretty subjective. Most dealers will "up-grade" (read exaggerate) the condition for obvious reasons. I go by the following: High edge wear or "very slight" hoster wear , no fading = 95-98% High edge wear with side rubs on front barrel band and leading edge of side rails and side plate or slight fading = 90-95% Light grip strap wear or fading front and back drops it to = 85% Blue wear or fading on on frame, barrel or grip straps = 80% Pitting or heavy blue wear = - 60% It's difficult to explain in words and as I said, subjective. One persons 90% might be another's 80%. At 90-98% it had better be in very nice overall condition. When they quote "NRA" conditions be very weary. NRA ratings are pretty lax. Another consideration is rarity. If very rare, condition percentage is often ignored completely or viewed in a whole different light. I hope this helps somewhat. Ron __________________ I Still Need DWM side plate #49... if anyone runs across a nice one. What ~Rudyard Kipling~ said...

07-27-2007, 12:35 PM	#3
wlyon Lifer 2X Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: May 2005 Location: Somewhere in Montana Posts: 2,635 Thanks: 3,174 Thanked 2,556 Times in 954 Posts	Hal Ron's % of bluing sounds good to me. Most you will read about is overated. There are pictures of various % of bluing in the Blue Book of Gun Values. While it is very subjective I think we must have our own scale such as Ron has established. It would be rare if two people agree for any particular firearm. Bill __________________ Bill Lyon

08-02-2007, 07:14 PM	#6
thegundude User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Western NC Posts: 1,137 Thanks: 3 Thanked 16 Times in 3 Posts	A word of caution with regard to percentage grading... Don't apply this method to your woman, at least not when she is within earshot. It can be very detrimental to your relationship in many, many ways... __________________ Keep your knees in the breeze and your iron in the air. ~Steve

07-27-2007, 07:57 PM	#4
paradox998 User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: South Florida Posts: 105 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks Ron and Wlyon. I pretty much suspected that percentages were often inflated. I think your rating system seems very reasonable. It sure does seem like we need a standard to guide ratings. Thanks for the guidelines.

08-01-2007, 11:27 PM	#5
383 magnum User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 120 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Grading is very subjective. There is a photo of a P.38 in the Blue Book in the section on how to grade condition and the pistol is described as 80 percent. Unless there is something I can't see in the photo, the pistol looks to be 90 percent or better to me. There is another picture of a CZ 27 that is rated at 60 percent, but it looks to be more like 70-75 percent to me.