# Centennial Finish Question



## ssmallri (Nov 27, 2021)

I am looking at buying a Beretta Centennial but before I "invest" this much I wanted to see if this could be polished back to original or did it ruin somehow? Thank you


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

ssmallri said:


> I am looking at buying a Beretta Centennial but before I "invest" this much I wanted to see if this could be polished back to original or did it ruin somehow? Thank you
> View attachment 20367


I guess it all depends on what you'll be paying for that pistol? The gun itself is not ruined, but obviously the finish is from the looks of that picture. It's value as a collectors piece has been significantly reduced because of that. Guns like that are really not meant to be carried or used. They're more of an investment. When introduced in 2015 to celebrate Beretta's 100th anniversary only 1915 pistols were produced at a cost of around $3,000 each.

No it can not be polished back to original. It looks to me that the blueing is worn off the slide. Which means that the slide would have to be re-blued. More than likely that would ruin the laser etching on the slide when the slide is prepared for bluing. Which typically means stripping the slide and then polishing it out to a mirror like finish before dipping it into the bluing solution. From the factory that slide was probably first polished out then laser engraved before it was blued. At this point it would be best to just leave it alone if you decide to buy it. It's a shame that some people do not take care of their investment. Some people just have money to burn.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

desertman said:


> I guess it all depends on what you'll be paying for that pistol? The gun itself is not ruined, but obviously the finish is from the looks of that picture. It's value as a collectors piece has been significantly reduced because of that. Guns like that are really not meant to be carried or used. They're more of an investment. When introduced in 2015 to celebrate Beretta's 100th anniversary only 1915 pistols were produced at a cost of around $3,000 each.
> 
> No it can not be polished back to original. It looks to me that the blueing is worn off the slide. Which means that the slide would have to be re-blued. More than likely that would ruin the laser etching on the slide when the slide is prepared for bluing. Which typically means stripping the slide and then polishing it out to a mirror like finish before dipping it into the bluing solution. From the factory that slide was probably first polished out then laser engraved before it was blued. At this point it would be best to just leave it alone if you decide to buy it. It's a shame that some people do not take care of their investment. Some people just have money to burn.


You beat me to it - but yea, everything you said was right.

Unless it is pretty cheap and you plan to use it as a carry gun, I'd pass.


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## ssmallri (Nov 27, 2021)

Shipwreck said:


> You beat me to it - but yea, everything you said was right.
> 
> Its going for about $2200 and I was looking at it as an investment and to feed the Beretta obsession. I have had my eye on a few one a bit more in price ~$400 more but looked much better. Guessing if I want to feed the beast and add a "collector" I would be better off passing and spending the money or waiting for one to fall back at the $2k mark.. OR... should I?


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## ssmallri (Nov 27, 2021)

Thank you guys.. I was close to making a bad decision and do not need another carry gun or to waste hard earned money.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

I think you made the right decision.

There was some closeouts on these at pretty amazing prices abut a year after they came out. I was tempted to get one at the time, at the $2k or so mark (Vendors were trying t get rid of them).

The finish is ruined on that one, in that spot. I wonder why they did that. Looks like they were maybe seeing what it would look like without the finish off?.


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