Firearm and Antique Weapon Restoration Services
With a century-long legacy, Griffin & Howe is proud to uphold the tradition of excellence in gun restoration, blending historical knowledge, precision craftsmanship, and a passion for preserving the integrity of classic firearms.
Our gunsmiths understand the delicate art of firearm restoration, recognizing that it can make or break the value of your cherished piece. We approach each restoration project with historical reverence, ensuring that every detail aligns with the original craftsmanship.
Our passion for preserving history also extends beyond firearms to a diverse array of antique weaponry. Our team, led by skilled Master Gunsmith Fabrice Champagnac, possesses the expertise to restore a wide range of historical arms, ensuring their timeless allure endures for generations.
Reasons for Gun Restoration
Often, our clients have come into ownership of a classic firearm and want to have it restored to its former glory. Our gunsmiths are always conscious to honor the original craftsmen during the restoration process, and all work done on the gun will be performed or finished as close to the original style as possible in order to preserve historical accuracy.
That said, having an antique firearm is not a requirement for restoration! We receive many requests from clients who wish to restore a gun purely for sentimental value, whether it belonged to a family member, has been handed down through generations, or they just want to breathe some new life into an old faithful gun.
Whether you've inherited a classic piece, purchased a fixer-upper, or want to restore your firearm to its original condition, we can work with you through the restoring process.
Types of Firearm We Restore
Shotguns
Our gunsmiths have expertise with many classic double guns, from British best guns to American classic doubles; Boss, Holland and Holland, Purdey, Rigby and more. We can remove signs of age and wear and restore these timeless firearms to their former glory.
Rifles
Griffin & Howe has spent a century earning its reputation for building and customizing rifles. This tradition continues today, whether it's building a complete custom rifle from scratch or re-stocking, re-bluing or re-engraving a classic. Regardless of the original condition, we can perform high quality restoration work to give you a firearm that not only looks like the original gun, but performs and shoots accurately.
We also specialize in restoring classic Griffin & Howe sporting rifles.
Handguns
Most handguns we receive require mostly superficial restoration, where we upgrade the metal finish and engraving.
Flintlocks
From classic muskets to ornate dueling pistols, we specialize in breathing new life into these iconic pieces. Our restoration process includes attention to detail on intricate lock mechanisms, precision metal finishing and stock restoration.
Swords and Edged Weapons
Whether it's a finely crafted rapier, a battle-worn saber, or a ceremonial dagger, we can perform everything from blade restoration to hilt and scabbard refurbishment, ensuring each piece is a testament to its historical significance.
Storage and Presentation Cases
We can revive presentation cases and storage boxes to complement your restored pieces, ensuring that the containers match the grandeur of the weapons they hold. Historical accuracy is maintained by matching materials as closely as possible to the originals, so that your presentation cases become works of art in themselves.
Restoration techniques
Metal Finishing
We offer slow-rust bluing, Belgian bluing and nitre bluing. We can also prep actions for color case hardening, and we work with several color case hardeners to reproduce the original colors needed as closely as possible.
Stock Restoration
We also offer stock and wood restoration, which ranges from repairing cracked stocks or restoring finish and checkering, to providing a gentle rub-up while leaving honest handling marks intact.
Mechanical Work
Typically during a firearm restoration, we find there will be mechanical work required. We can take care of most mechanical issues in-house simultaneously with the restoration work.
Restoration Experts
Our restoration services are now enriched by the addition of Master Gunsmith Fabrice Champagnac to the team.
Fabrice Champagnac, a virtuoso in the art of restoration gunsmithing, joined the Griffin & Howe team in 2023, bringing a wealth of experience and a commitment to preserving the authenticity of firearms. A graduate of the Armory School of St Etienne, Fabrice has become a trusted name in the world of firearm restoration, with a keen eye for detail and a dedication to historical accuracy.
Additional Restoration Services
Antique Weaponry Restoration
Preserve the legacy of antique weaponry with our specialized restoration services. From Napoleonic masterpieces to World War Two relics, trust Griffin & Howe to bring history back to life.
Collection Appraisals
We provide comprehensive appraisals for antique weaponry collections. Whether you're looking to assess the value of a single piece or an entire ensemble, our experts provide accurate and detailed evaluations for insurance, sales, or personal knowledge. Appraisals can be performed either here at Griffin & Howe or offsite within a 40-mile radius; contact us for details and pricing.
Museum Piece Restoration
From battlefield relics to ceremonial regalia, our team can bring museum artifacts back to life while preserving their historical significance.
