What Won't You Buy??

[Garry L Gordon]

Collecting is most certainly in the eye (or psyche) of the collector. There are some features that just have no appeal to me, no matter how "collectable" the gun might be. For example, I own no single trigger, beavertail or monte carlo stocked guns and don't even consider them when they come up for sale (thankfully, in my wife's opinion).

How about you? What features will cause you to walk away from an otherwise nice offering? Just curious.

[Dave Noreen]

A Winchester Model 24.

[Reggie Bishop]

I like small bore Parkers and Foxes. I like the ones with some nice, original condition, and the longer the barrels the better. And I like unique features like straight stocks, vent ribs, double ivory beads etc. So if its bigger than a 16 gauge I am not interested. If the barrel is shorter than 30" I am not as interested. And if it has been fully restored I am generally not interested. The most difficult thing that I have learned is I can't own them all, therefore I have really narrowed my interests. It is not easy but I am trying. And by being so "narrowly" focused I have learned that very few guns meet all my criteria which is a lot easier on the wallet! At least until one comes along that does work for me.

Garry my dream gun would be a 30" or 32" vent rib, straight stock, beavertail, double trigger 28 gauge or with a monte carlo stock! What a gun that would be!

[Garry L Gordon]

Garry my dream gun would be a 30" or 32" vent rib, straight stock, beavertail, double trigger 28 gauge with a monte carlo stock! What a gun that would be!

Reggie, we could go to auctions together and root each other on. I'd promise to leave all the beavertail, vent rib (forgot to add that one earlier), and monte carlo stocked guns for you. Those other features of your dream gun...well, now that's a different story.:whistle:

[Garry L Gordon]

A Winchester Model 24.

Agreed!!

[John Davis]

Single trigger

[Dean Romig]

The BIG guns like 10's and 8's have no appeal for me and it's got to be a really special 12 for me to even consider.

I like a shotgun I can carry for a long time without the need of a gun-bearer or cart.
My preferences are of sixteen gauge and smaller and on the lighter frame sizes for the gauge.

I like the "one offs" and have a few of those but I'm pretty much unmoved by mediocrity or the very common ones... even though I have a number of those too.

Preferences in gun collecting change over time - I like to say mine have "matured" - and we become more, shall we say, sophisticated (?) in our collecting preferences.

At my age, IF I buy more guns they will be classic American side-by-sides with a very strong leaning to those made by Parker Bros. or a Parker made by Remington. (But that could change, depending on the gun.)





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[Bill Murphy]

I like them all, even the "NO-NOs" mentioned here, except the Model 24. Had one of those when I was 13, kept it about two seasons. I have Parkers from .410 to 8, 17" to 36" barrels. I have a background in competitive shooting, so I like vent ribs, long barrels, beavertails, single triggers, Monte Carlos as well as those that don't have such features. I have Del Grego guns, refinishes by others, as well as a custom and a single or few. Maybe its time to start backing out.

[Phil Yearout]

I passed on a 16ga Model 24 years ago and have always been sorry. I already have one of those Stevens slab sided .410's, so obviously ugly guns don't scare me off :). But I probably shouldn't be on this thread anyway as I'm not a collector; just an old bird hunter lucky enough to own a few decent hunting guns and a couple for the trap range, and happy with those. BUT...I like 28" barrels, double triggers, extractors, splinters, and guns that look like they have been around a while and have a few stories to tell...kinda like me.

[Bruce Hering]

I dont know..... Never say never kind of thing. Right now I am interested in GH grade guns. I like that grade of engraving and I want shooters that look good. If the gun has been refinished well, I'll look hard at it and since Damascus barrels hold a warm place in my heart it harder and harder to find one that has not had its barrels "worked" to one extent or another.

Since I want to shoot all my guns I guess I take a different position then a hard core collector. Heck, (dont shoot the messenger) I like Lefever guns also.

All that having been said I really dont spend a lot of time with "sketchy" guns where the seller has not posted significant info or one that is on the "border" of being/not being a shooter.

JMHO

[Stan Hillis]

Twelve gauge guns with shorter than 32" barrels.

Doubleguns without ejectors.

Smallbore guns with less than 30" barrels.

Vintage guns with chokes reamed out.

Jamamatics.

[Craig Larter]

410's, 28ga and 16ga have little appeal to me. Upgrades, fully refurbished and customs have no appeal. Guns below a DH Parker, CE Foxes and EE Lefevers at this point in my collector life have little appeal unless they are uncommon like 20ga Damascus Parkers or graded 20ga Foxes.
I gravitate to waterfowl guns especially big bore Parkers and Super Foxes.
Interesting topic.

[Mills Morrison]

Guns I can’t shoot although there are exceptions for very early stuff. Honed barrels that are too thin are a deal killer.

[Randy G Roberts]

I gravitate to waterfowl guns especially big bore Parkers and Super Foxes.
Interesting topic.

Craig ain't joking, of course you all know that. He looked at my 34" VR double trap gun with a trap comb that would work for a balance beam and casually commented, that's too small for me. Jokingly said of course. Craig shops in the men's department for sure :)

[CraigThompson]

I’m not much of a pump person but I have two Model 12’s . Not really much on semi autos either but I do have an A-5 and a Benelli . I’ve lost my intrest in Browning Superposed’s but still have a couple . Other than the R-32/K-32/K-80/K-20 guns I’ve pretty much lost intrest in O/U’s . As to doubles the euro stuff doesn’t intrest me much anymore and I hesitate to say it but Fox and Smith don’t get the looks I used to give them . And as to more Parker’s I’d like a lifter 8 gauge , one or two more 10’s , 32” 16’s both hammer and hammerless , a 32” 20 hammerless and dare I say it a 30 or 32 inch hammerless 28 . But I’m not holding my breath for any of them . Oh yeah I almost forgot I shot someones VHE 16 gauge skeet over the past weekend , I wouldn’t mind one of those if I ran across one . Took a couple shots with a friends DHE 12 34” shooting sporting today and as you might expect I wouldn’t mind one of those but I doubt I shoot it any better than my DH 12 32” pigeon gun .

[Mike Franzen]

There are some features that just have no appeal to me, no matter how "collectable" the gun might be. For example, I own no single trigger, beavertail or monte carlo stocked guns and don't even consider them when they come up for sale

Good! Leave them for me. That’s just what I like and if it has a straight stock even better.

[Ryan Brege]

Recoil pads, its going to have to be a smoking deal for me to buy a gun with a non factory pad.

[Reggie Bishop]

Recoil pads, its going to have to be a smoking deal for me to buy a gun with a non factory pad.

I used to feel that way. Then I realized so many super nice guns of the period had pads added so I have taken that spec off my "do not buy".

[Paul Ehlers]

The features which hold the least appeal to me in no particular order are:

1. Single triggers 2. Recoil pads " Especially on Grade 3 or higher Parkers" 3. Ejectors 4. Barrels longer than 30" 5. Frames sizes larger than 1 1/2 6. Big bulky beavertail forearms 7. Vent ribs on a SxS

With That said: I own or have owned examples of all those pet peeve type guns. I guess it's just part of the my doublegun addiction.

My preference is 16-20 gauge guns with double triggers, extractors, splinter forearm, around 6.5lbs and those just right sized 28" barrels.

[Garry L Gordon]

Good! Leave them for me. That’s just what I like and if it has a straight stock even better.

Will do, Mike!

[Garry L Gordon]

The features which hold the least appeal to me in no particular order are:

1. Single triggers 2. Recoil pads " Especially on Grade 3 or higher Parkers" 3. Ejectors 4. Barrels longer than 30" 5. Frames sizes larger than 1 1/2 6. Big bulky beavertail forearms 7. Vent ribs on a SxS

With That said: I own or have owned examples of all those pet peeve type guns. I guess it's just part of the my doublegun addiction.

My preference is 16-20 gauge guns with double triggers, extractors, splinter forearm, around 6.5lbs and those just right sized 28" barrels.

Paul, we should not sit next to each other at an auction. The auctioneer would have trouble determining who had the bid.:rotf: (BTW, you have good taste in guns:whistle:)

[Alfred Greeson]

Well, I really enjoy your posts. Nothing exciting happening here in the smokies today except picking up a set of 20 barrels after having a dent removed. Where is Bruce today, he always kicks in some meaningful info.? You guys are the best!

[Garry L Gordon]

Well, I really enjoy your posts. Nothing exciting happening here in the smokies today except picking up a set of 20 barrels after having a dent removed. Where is Bruce today, he always kicks in some meaningful info.? You guys are the best!

Where in the Smokies, Alfred? What wonderful country!

[Alfred Greeson]

We're in Gatlinburg. Was called back into the military after 9/11 and did another 8 years before returning to TN and retirement to sell real estate. Enjoyed a lot of gun shows and picked up a Parker or two there. Always enjoy seeing what everyone is doing on the forum. Just sold a nice cabin for a client who was a B52 pilot back in the day.

[Jack Cronkhite]

I'm … just an old bird hunter lucky enough to own a few decent hunting guns …. BUT...I like … guns that look like they have been around a while and have a few stories to tell...kinda like me.

Me too Phil. It all started with my Dads VH that needed fixing. Somehow I ended up with a variety of Parker’s that wouldn’t interest any auction house. I used them to learn how to completely disassemble repair and reassemble making safe shooters of all. There are a few quite nice guns and a few beaters and a group that anyone could take into the field and not worry about a scratch or two but take as much game as limits and ability allows. To answer the question there’s no Parker I’d pass on if the price was realistic and my toy budget could accommodate. Cheers Jack

[Andrew Sacco]

I won't buy any gun I'm afraid to bring into the field or shoot (probably can't afford it anyways). Likewise I won't buy any old cane fly rod I'd be afraid to fish with.

[Jerry Harlow]

A Winchester Model 24.

Wish I had read this sooner. I feel depressed. Just shipped to my gunsmith the stock and forearm of a 12 gauge Model 24 on Friday. Someone put an elaborate checkering pattern on the forearm wood. They thinned the original stock, put a silver cap with a mountain scene on the pistol grip bottom, and added a Pachmayr White-Line pad. But they did not checker it. So it's off to add a period correct red Winchester pad and checker the stock to match the forearm wood.

I have two of them, the custom one and an unaltered one. On both of them the chokes are marked modified and full on the barrel flats. Both are actually improved cylinder and full. Great choke combination and I suspect all of them came that way. I've had great luck shooting them at doves. Not pretty but they apparently fit me well and at 7 1/2 pounds there is no recoil. I would buy a 20 gauge Model 24 in a minute.

[Bill Murphy]

Winchesters marked "modified" generally measure out to "improved cylinder". Your gun was probably not modified from its original configuration.

[charlie cleveland]

j a you and me must be the odd pair I too like the old Winchester 24 and the stevens 311....these are work horses for sure.....charlie

[Jerry Harlow]

Winchesters marked "modified" generally measure out to "improved cylinder". Your gun was probably not modified from its original configuration.

Both made twenty years apart measure exactly the same, I.C. and Full. I am sure they have not been opened for no evidence of it.

[Bob Brown]

Ejectors on a gun that I intend to use for hunting. They're fine for clays guns, but the only thing I don't like more than searching around for empties while hunting is leaving them to litter up the landscape. Having typed that I realized that most of my using upland and a few of the waterfowl guns have ejectors. I guess it isn't a deal breaker.

[Garry L Gordon]

Ejectors on a gun that I intend to use for hunting. They're fine for clays guns, but the only thing I don't like more than searching around for empties while hunting is leaving them to litter up the landscape.

I've developed the knack for popping empties into my hand, but on the rare occasions that doesn't happen, I could not agree with you more, Bob.

[Bruce Hering]

Bob Brown and mobirdhunter:

I can assure you that cracking my K80 and side swiping the empties as they emerge from the chambers with those powerful K80 ejectors into a shell bucket after a "dead pair" on a clays course gives me great pleasure but.... I hate to miss an empty in the woods/field.

[Bill Murphy]

So you're the guy who teaches those college boys and girls to slap their empties, a skill I have never learned after about sixty years of competitive shooting. Do you offer a video? If so, thanks for sharing.

[Mills Morrison]

Someone I know who will remain nameless bought his daughter one of those horrible cheap 410 over unders and a 22 rifle for “under $1000” If it were under $500 he still would have paid too much. These guns will never live to be handed down to future generations as heirlooms. What a shame. There is something I avoid.

[CraigThompson]

Ejectors don’t bother me after years of shooting skeet/trap with a K-32 . I’d crack the gun open close to my chest then pull the hulls out the chambers . Same can be said when I shoot the DHE 20 I recently acquired or my VHE 20’s , crack the gun open back close against my chest . Very rarely do I waste any hulls I’d reload .

[CraigThompson]

One of the hotdogs in the skeet game thirty years ago Larry Woo (not one of my favorite shooters) would crack his gun open with the empties flying backwards and the four flunkies on his squad would bat them up in the air one after the other .

[John Dallas]

There are a lot of Larry Woo stories. I've never heard a flattering one

[Bruce Hering]

So you're the guy who teaches those college boys and girls to slap their empties, a skill I have never learned after about sixty years of competitive shooting. Do you offer a video? If so, thanks for sharing.

No, I am not the inventor of that move and there is no video... but thanks. Fact is, it took this ole fart a bit of practice to get it. The kids kept telling me it was cool... a bit arrogant I suppose but it was fun to learn. Learned to catch em both in air on ejection also.... LOL....

[CraigThompson]

a bit arrogant I suppose ... LOL....

That’s EXACTLY the way most people took it when Woo did it except for him and his four wannabes.

[Bill Murphy]

Most International Skeet shooters and box bird shooters catch their empties and quietly deposit them in the proper receptacles. Not a negative comment on shell swatters, it's just the way it is. The Olympic Skeet Mixed Team finals did not come off with this polite way of disposing of empties because, oddly, the hosts did not place receptacles next to the shooters the way it is usually done. However, the shooters caught their empties and tossed them to the front of the shooting stations, out of the way of shooters. It was very pleasant to watch this "good behavior".

[Alfred Houde]

With me, its the kitchen table gunsmith jobs that are usually deal killers. Buggered up screws, cut stocks with badly fitted pads, cut barrels, and any kind of pitting.

I'm not a fan of recoil pads to begin with, so badly fitted hack jobs are a real turn off (even though many can be fixed).

One more, why do people feel the need to put a pad on a .410? Just me.

[Bruce Hering]

That’s EXACTLY the way most people took it when Woo did it except for him and his four wannabes.

Yep.... I saw that once.....

[Daryl Corona]

One more, why do people feel the need to put a pad on a .410? Just me.

Or a 16, 20 or 28 for that matter? A Silvers pad isn't that soft either but I can see it being used to increase LOP.

[Stephen Hodges]

I will not purchase a gun with excuses. "Great gun but has a repair the the stock" etc. There are enough guns out there that do not have excuses.

[Dave Moore]

I will not purchase a gun with excuses. "Great gun but has a repair the the stock" etc. There are enough guns out there that do not have excuses.

I call those "but" guns

[Bill Holcombe]

1. Pinned stocks.
2. Smaller bore than 12
3. Straight stock
4. Non colt 1911s

[Mike Koneski]

I will not buy a rifle in .308, .30-06, .30-30 or .270 (unless the .308 or .30-06 is full auto) nor will I buy a repeating lever rifle.

[CraigThompson]

I will not buy a rifle in .308, .30-06, .30-30 or .270 (unless the .308 or .30-06 is full auto) nor will I buy a repeating lever rifle.

Hmmm 06 and 308 are not in my top ten favorite cartridges however ........ I have one of each in Mannlicher Schoenauer carbines and a 270 for good measure as well as 243 , 6.5x54MS and 7x57 :cool:

[Mike Koneski]

You do like those Mannlicher guns! I had one years ago that was a .22 mag. Neat little gun.

[CraigThompson]

You do like those Mannlicher guns! I had one years ago that was a .22 mag. Neat little gun.

The crowd I hunted the Poconos with all shot bolt actions or a couple lever actions . But we ran into a lot of locals that had a specific deer rifle and a specific bear rifle . Generally they were both Remington 760’s in 06 with see thru mounts and a 3-9 or 4-12 Tasco or Simmons on top . And as a rule their deer rifle shot 150 or 165 CoreLokts and the bear gun shot 180 or 200 grain CoreLokts . Personally I’d have used 165’s for both and a single rifle no see thru mounts and a 2-7 or 3-9 Leupold Vari XII but not on a 760 I’d prefer a 700 Mountain rifle .

[Bob Kimble]

Craig, I've used my 760 carbine in 280 Rem for many deer, several bear, and moose. When I walk out the door, I'm reaching for it every time. No see through mounts but a nice Zeiss scope with Talley mounts. Great combination. Remington pump rifles have been popular in the Poconos for a long time.

[CraigThompson]

Craig, I've used my 760 carbine in 280 Rem for many deer, several bear, and moose. When I walk out the door, I'm reaching for it every time. No see through mounts but a nice Zeiss scope with Talley mounts. Great combination. Remington pump rifles have been popular in the Poconos for a long time.

We may have crossed paths . You are most certainly in the minority of the 760 users I crossed paths with . Our center of operations back then was Newfoundland and Hamlin to a lesser degree . FWIW I ran it three or four guys that had one of the later Remington pumps the 7600 I think it was all in 35 Whelen . I killed more deer in PA with a Remington Model 7 in 260 REM than with any other cartridge . Never did kill a bear up there .

[Stan Hillis]

I'm glad not all of us have the same likes/dislikes. Prices for the favored stuff would be astronomical. I won't buy any gun that is overpriced, regardless how much I want it.

I love ejectors for hunting. I've ordered two made to order 30" barreled .410s for doves and quail in the last few years. Both were ordered with ejectors. I never have an empty to hit the ground unintentionally, whether hunting or shooting sporting .....never.

I like recoil pads on my S X Ss, too. Not for recoil attenuation, but to protect the butt when I put it on the ground in a dove blind, or the wet steel floor of a pit blind in a rice field. It keeps the butt from sliding and slamming the gun to the floor, denting barrels and scratching stocks, too. I also almost always need more LOP on vintage guns, and a period appropriate recoil pad works to do that perfectly.

One more thing I won't buy is a gun without checkering, no matter how pretty the wood is. They just look unfinished to me.