- Home
- Arms and Armour
- FAKE!
FAKE!
- By Supica, Jim
- Published 18 March 2008
- Arms and Armour
- Unrated
The "faking" of firearms
What can a collector do?
You could give up gun collecting and watch more TV. Well, ok, me neither.
With that out of the way, there are a number of tactics to minimize the chance of getting hung with the Old Maid. None are fool proof. Most have some merit.
Self educate. There is universal agreement that this is the single best approach. Study the reference books. Join collector clubs, attend meetings, talk to other collectors. Use every opportunity to study the type of gun that interests you, taking notes and making side by side comparisons between various examples. Learn to identify correct markings, quality of finish, and even the grit of sandpaper and the direction of the polish lines used by the factory for the original final polish. Yes, the expert restorers will duplicate all of this, but cruder modifications can be identified.
Shun greed. Shun speed. Over and over the experts have said -- If it’s significantly underpriced.... if it’s too good to be true.... if it’s a one-time, go-fast, bottom-dollar, good deal.... the warning flag should go up. Several mentioned that the faked items nearly always have a good "just came out of the attic" or "personally know the guy who brought it back from the war" story to go with them. Take your time in examining the gun.
Re-do clues. The truly professional fakes and restorations will get past you. However there are some clues which may reveal less than perfect modifications. On a gun that looks too crisp, study for tiny pits and flaws under the surface of the finish. Look for blurring drag marks on the lettering and dishing of screw holes. Feel the edges that should be sharp for dullness. Learn if the factory had special "refinish" marks, and look for them. Check to see if the various parts have the correct type of finish for that gun (should the screws be fire-blued? the hammer and triggerguard case colored?). Look for polishing waves in the surface of the metal.
Let there be light - Light and magnification are usually your best tools. Sunlight is often best, but not always practical. One of the very powerful "Sure Fire" flashlights can easily fit in a pocket and give you a deep look into a blued finish that would be impossible in most "gun show" lighting. Under strong light, century old bluing will usually show some amount of reddish "plum" color coming up underneath the blue.
Do the cuffs & collars match? Is the condition of the gun consistent throughout? A perfect bore on a battered gray gun can be a warning of an artificially aged reproduction. Even on guns with excellent bores, if they have been fired at all there will generally be some sign in the forcing cone area on revolvers for example, and usually tiny dings at the muzzle visible under magnification. On the other hand, if buying a gun as an original mint unfired specimen, a look through a magnifying bore scope may reveal small pits and wear in the mid-barrel rifling that might suggest a lightly used gun which has had the exterior professionally restored. Likewise, the internal mechanics should usually be consistent with the exterior wear.
Buy from a reputable dealer. This, again, was a consistent recommendation. Buying from an established dealer or auctioneer with a reputation for integrity has obvious advantages.
Get it in writing. When possible, get a receipt, description, and guarantee of authenticity from that reputable dealer.
READ the writing you just got it in. Be sure you read the terms of purchase, and understand what, if anything, is guaranteed. Read what the words say, and not what you’d like them to say. Watch for phrases like "type" or "probably" or "most likely" or "in the style of". Study what, if anything, is guaranteed, and to what extent. Be aware that in auctions or elsewhere "as is, where is" means no guarantee, no recourse.
The dissent - I feel compelled to present a contrarian view at this point. One collector vigorously suggested staying away from major dealers. He felt those with the most exposure and self promotion and expertise were among those most able to perpetrate effective frauds. Another felt that auction houses had a tendency to turn an intentionally blind eye to questionable merchandise. Perhaps it all comes back to the adjective "reputable".
Get a second opinion - Ask the opinion of fellow collectors. They may catch something you missed, and most are very willing to help so long as you don’t make them the "bad guy" if the piece is bad, and are not the type to hold a grudge if they guess wrong.
Get a third opinion. This time from an expert. - Get a dealer or consultant who specializes in that particular field to examine the piece and "vet" it for you, or maybe pay them a bit more for a formal written appraisal. Many of the better auction houses and major dealers will offer free informal verbal evaluations, in hopes of getting to participate in the sale of the item if it comes on the market. Yes, be aware of potential conflicts of interest here. However, balance this with the knowledge that you’re gonna be playing by yourself if you decide not to trust anyone.
Trust, but verify - Get a factory letter, with the written agreement that the gun can be returned for refund if it won’t letter. If it comes with a factory letter, spend the few extra bucks to have the factory verify the letter.
Come up to the lab and see what’s on the slab. There are laboratory tests that can be done that may expose some types of restoration or fakery. Practices such as spark tests, x-ray, thermo fluorescent, magnetic resonance, microscopic study of tool and die marks, and others can be revealing. There are three problems with this approach.
The thoughtful may reader may well ask, "Hey, what happens to that phony piece after this quiet settlement?" Good question. Perhaps the noblest dealers would destroy it or hang it on their own wall as an object lesson. IF they could afford to do so. A more common disposition, but still arguably ethical, is that the piece is resold to another buyer for what it is -- an altered specimen. Other times it may be channeled into an "as is / where is, caveat emptor" forum such as an absolute auction or gun show, and begin the process all over again.
Finally, civil fraud or criminal theft by fraud charges are always a possibility. The problem is finding the guy who originally created the fake with the intention to defraud, or sold the item with the knowledge that it was faked and misrepresenting it with the intention to defraud. The "intention" element of this approach is often very hard to prove in court. In cases where a serial number has been altered on a modern firearm, the BATF may be willing to take an active interest in the matter, as illustrated in the Rorabaugh case.
New deck of cards - Reconsider the field you choose to collect. If the prevalence of fakes in your field worries you, switch to another area where you are more comfortable.
Commit heresy - The first three rules of collecting are "condition, condition, and condition". Ignore them. Learn to love 50% guns, NRA Fair, and bobbed barrels. Won’t work for you compulsives, I know, but works fine for me.
You could give up gun collecting and watch more TV. Well, ok, me neither.
With that out of the way, there are a number of tactics to minimize the chance of getting hung with the Old Maid. None are fool proof. Most have some merit.
Self educate. There is universal agreement that this is the single best approach. Study the reference books. Join collector clubs, attend meetings, talk to other collectors. Use every opportunity to study the type of gun that interests you, taking notes and making side by side comparisons between various examples. Learn to identify correct markings, quality of finish, and even the grit of sandpaper and the direction of the polish lines used by the factory for the original final polish. Yes, the expert restorers will duplicate all of this, but cruder modifications can be identified.
Shun greed. Shun speed. Over and over the experts have said -- If it’s significantly underpriced.... if it’s too good to be true.... if it’s a one-time, go-fast, bottom-dollar, good deal.... the warning flag should go up. Several mentioned that the faked items nearly always have a good "just came out of the attic" or "personally know the guy who brought it back from the war" story to go with them. Take your time in examining the gun.
Re-do clues. The truly professional fakes and restorations will get past you. However there are some clues which may reveal less than perfect modifications. On a gun that looks too crisp, study for tiny pits and flaws under the surface of the finish. Look for blurring drag marks on the lettering and dishing of screw holes. Feel the edges that should be sharp for dullness. Learn if the factory had special "refinish" marks, and look for them. Check to see if the various parts have the correct type of finish for that gun (should the screws be fire-blued? the hammer and triggerguard case colored?). Look for polishing waves in the surface of the metal.
Let there be light - Light and magnification are usually your best tools. Sunlight is often best, but not always practical. One of the very powerful "Sure Fire" flashlights can easily fit in a pocket and give you a deep look into a blued finish that would be impossible in most "gun show" lighting. Under strong light, century old bluing will usually show some amount of reddish "plum" color coming up underneath the blue.
Do the cuffs & collars match? Is the condition of the gun consistent throughout? A perfect bore on a battered gray gun can be a warning of an artificially aged reproduction. Even on guns with excellent bores, if they have been fired at all there will generally be some sign in the forcing cone area on revolvers for example, and usually tiny dings at the muzzle visible under magnification. On the other hand, if buying a gun as an original mint unfired specimen, a look through a magnifying bore scope may reveal small pits and wear in the mid-barrel rifling that might suggest a lightly used gun which has had the exterior professionally restored. Likewise, the internal mechanics should usually be consistent with the exterior wear.
Buy from a reputable dealer. This, again, was a consistent recommendation. Buying from an established dealer or auctioneer with a reputation for integrity has obvious advantages.
Get it in writing. When possible, get a receipt, description, and guarantee of authenticity from that reputable dealer.
READ the writing you just got it in. Be sure you read the terms of purchase, and understand what, if anything, is guaranteed. Read what the words say, and not what you’d like them to say. Watch for phrases like "type" or "probably" or "most likely" or "in the style of". Study what, if anything, is guaranteed, and to what extent. Be aware that in auctions or elsewhere "as is, where is" means no guarantee, no recourse.
The dissent - I feel compelled to present a contrarian view at this point. One collector vigorously suggested staying away from major dealers. He felt those with the most exposure and self promotion and expertise were among those most able to perpetrate effective frauds. Another felt that auction houses had a tendency to turn an intentionally blind eye to questionable merchandise. Perhaps it all comes back to the adjective "reputable".
Get a second opinion - Ask the opinion of fellow collectors. They may catch something you missed, and most are very willing to help so long as you don’t make them the "bad guy" if the piece is bad, and are not the type to hold a grudge if they guess wrong.
Get a third opinion. This time from an expert. - Get a dealer or consultant who specializes in that particular field to examine the piece and "vet" it for you, or maybe pay them a bit more for a formal written appraisal. Many of the better auction houses and major dealers will offer free informal verbal evaluations, in hopes of getting to participate in the sale of the item if it comes on the market. Yes, be aware of potential conflicts of interest here. However, balance this with the knowledge that you’re gonna be playing by yourself if you decide not to trust anyone.
Trust, but verify - Get a factory letter, with the written agreement that the gun can be returned for refund if it won’t letter. If it comes with a factory letter, spend the few extra bucks to have the factory verify the letter.
Come up to the lab and see what’s on the slab. There are laboratory tests that can be done that may expose some types of restoration or fakery. Practices such as spark tests, x-ray, thermo fluorescent, magnetic resonance, microscopic study of tool and die marks, and others can be revealing. There are three problems with this approach.
- Some sources say fakers are learning to dodge lab tests as fast as the technology advances.
- Some tests require taking a sample of metal from the gun -- not desirable on high dollar items.
- Finding someone to do it - state forensics labs are generally swamped. However, this may be an option worth considering when a once sweet high dollar deal is threatening to explode into litigation, which brings us to --
The thoughtful may reader may well ask, "Hey, what happens to that phony piece after this quiet settlement?" Good question. Perhaps the noblest dealers would destroy it or hang it on their own wall as an object lesson. IF they could afford to do so. A more common disposition, but still arguably ethical, is that the piece is resold to another buyer for what it is -- an altered specimen. Other times it may be channeled into an "as is / where is, caveat emptor" forum such as an absolute auction or gun show, and begin the process all over again.
Finally, civil fraud or criminal theft by fraud charges are always a possibility. The problem is finding the guy who originally created the fake with the intention to defraud, or sold the item with the knowledge that it was faked and misrepresenting it with the intention to defraud. The "intention" element of this approach is often very hard to prove in court. In cases where a serial number has been altered on a modern firearm, the BATF may be willing to take an active interest in the matter, as illustrated in the Rorabaugh case.
New deck of cards - Reconsider the field you choose to collect. If the prevalence of fakes in your field worries you, switch to another area where you are more comfortable.
Commit heresy - The first three rules of collecting are "condition, condition, and condition". Ignore them. Learn to love 50% guns, NRA Fair, and bobbed barrels. Won’t work for you compulsives, I know, but works fine for me.