Ok, I'll admit I own some very nice condition milsurp weapons, but at the same time, I do own some that show use. Things that make you think, what did this poor guy and a particular weapon go through. The horrors that existed on many battlefields through time are mostly documented, but looking, you can find it in your own gun safe. Imagine what a forensics lab could discover if they went to town on some.
For instance, lets look at 2 of my M91/30 Mosins, a '39 Izhevsk and a '38 Tula. Yea, your thinking, run of the mill M91/30s, right. well, look harder. There is a story, a gruesome story behind each one. Both are also Finnish [SA] marked as well.
First the '38 Tula, this is as it has been described by many weapons collectors as "blood etching". The entire exposed metal surface is etched in this way, the action all the way to the front sight. Was this pulled from under a partial rotten corpse, a bloody trench, who knows?
Now, the '39 Izhevsk, nice Finnish handguard, till you peel it off. And what does one find, well it's shrapnel damage, damaging wood is one thing, but to leave marks in metal is a complete different thing. This damage show the poor fellows last moments, or simply be damage from something else, like a bomb going off near a stack of weapons, we will never know.
Now from the other side of the world, a Mum bearing Type 99 Arisaka bring back. This shows operator use, how many rounds did this solider fire to leave fingernail marks at the bolt?
They are more than just looks, it's the history, the ghosts they carry and only they know that's important as well. It's also a respect for those who carried and suffered for their country and beliefs, however bad they were, these guys were following orders. And sadly, it's a reminder that war is truly hell when you find stuff of this nature.
If you got battle scars, damage, lets see it.