"modified examples lost their character"
If by "character" we mean it looks like it belongs on a movie set
. At the end of the day, collectors are about collectability, and not history, and that means marketing. Otherwise they'd seek out Bubba and Bubba Sr. and demand tall tales of bygone hunting seasons, and young'uns brought up on the chop-job. Let's not kid ourselves about "history" here, unless we are speaking of guns with providence --anything else is just puffery. If the guns are more an investment, it makes since to fret over such things, if more a tool, it does not, and if they are merely a diversion (novelty, look cool, "historical relevance," etc) I don't think it really matters beyond personal preference. Most of us are in the last group I imagine--not really serious horse-trading collectors, but not completely immune to the wiles of interesting firearms. It's all a balance.
I've been chastised for rebarrelling my Steyr M95. A gun that was first rechambered to 8x56R, then chopped down (stock, too), had the sling swivels moved around and ugly fillers left in their place, new emblems stamped over old, parts replaced in the bolt assembly, new units stamped over the schritt-measured sight, and alternately beat upon or dipped in cosmoline --all by governments and therefore "correct." And
I'm the bad guy for making something truly unique and (to the extent of my ability) well made
Most people who denounce Bubba will claim he destroys value blah blah blah as if it's any skin off their own nose or any of their business whatsoever. It was worth it to Bubba, or he wouldn't do it. My M95 was cheap because none of the concerned collector's wanted it, and ammo is unavailable. I chalk this stuff up to petty jealousy from people who, unlike Bubba, were too cheap to shell out for a comparable rifle, and are now annoyed the rate just went up another tick because he destroyed their chance. In all but very few circumstances, the guns are still available that you can find modified, you just have to want them enough to shell out for them. If anything, I wish there were more bubba'ed guns around, since it'd make it a lot easier for me to buy a used Python or SVT400 without having to pay a ridiculous collector's premium that has nothing to do with my intended use.
Maybe collectors are just mad that, if all else fails, Bubba can always make a gun he doesn't have, while they cannot create anything that interests them (with the possible exception of Mitchell's Mausers Historical Firearm Mass-Production Works
)
I have a theory that in a few decades, Bubba guns that have
not been re-modified into faux-military configurations, as is the fad right now, will be worth far more due to their "closer" proximity to their "correct grade" origins and because nearly none of these reconversions are particularly high quality from a collection point of view. Now fraudsters, on the other hand, will have a field day with today's bogus SMLEs and Sniper Mosins and Mitchell Mausers (as if they aren't already)
I'm someone will also give me hell about replacing the crummy rotted bore of my Steyr Hahn with something chambered in a round you can actually find
TCB