[bradsvette]

A complete restoration wouldn't add to the pistol's value, in my opinion. It probably wouldn't hurt it's value either because it's an arsenal rebuild. Others may disagree.

I had a Colt 1918 Black Army that was an arsenal rebuild (1914 Colt slide on a 1918 Colt frame). It was a rusted up POS. I couldn't live with it in that rusted condition and so I sent it to Turnbull Restoration. It came back looking like a new gun. I ended up selling it a few years later for about what I paid for the original gun plus the cost of the restoration.

If your gun is a "very nice rack grade" as you describe it, why not just leave it alone?

 

[bradsvette]

One other thing. Because it's a Colt frame, Turnbull restoration manufactures Colt-looking slides that are heat treated and look period correct. The markings are all period correct too. If you wanted a 100% Colt-looking arsenal rebuild that was fully restored and essentially a new gun, you could send it to Turnbull, sell the Remington Rand slide to them to defer some of the restoration cost, and have them put a new Colt-looking slide on it.

Then you'd have a 1943 serial numbered gun, that was basically brand new, and thus you could shoot the crap out of it with no worries. The WW2 slides were heat treated on the ends, but not in the middle. I don't know if that makes any measurable difference in the strength of the slide or not. I'm not anything close to an expert. They'll chime in soon enough.

 

[bradsvette]

Even Turnbull will admit that there is a narrow range where the value add of a full restoration equals its cost.

I think that CMP certificate is all it needs.

I totally agree with that too. I'd say do whatever makes you happiest.