One last photo, perhaps the best of both worlds (sorry about the poor photo). LC Smith 5E (all work done by Brad Bachelder)

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n...8597D2A1A3.jpgH

[QUOTE=Jay Gardner;103706]16 ga VH, perhaps the perfect grouse gun:


No - no - no... I have the perfect grouse guns ;)

(Too many to show here though.) :smiley7:

Neither of ya do......I do....:rotf:

Well Dave, get the camera out:corn:

Wood

I think the wood is what does it for me. When I walk around a gun show or go into a local shop for instance, I tend to look at the engraving first to help identify it (make, grade, etc.). My evaluation of it for what it is starts with the wood though. I do agree with Dean, I think there is such thing as "too much" when it comes to wood. I see this all to often on re-stocked guns. I'll take a warn original stock with decent figure over something outlandish with a mirror like finish any day.

Mike

Wood. I agree with Mike in that I'm a sucker for older wood with great figure, just like a woman. No restocks for me. Engraving.... To me less is more. Some of the guns coming out of the late 1890's have spectacular wood for their grade.

Just an FYI for all you Grouse hunters.....there is NO perfect Grouse gun. How do I know this you ask? Well it's because I have at least four perfect Grouse guns:biglaugh: IF there was the perfect gun then only one would be needed and what fun would that be?:nono:

Here's one of my perfect Grouse guns a Holland & Holland 20 w/26 inch bbls IC/M. I bought it because I liked the wood...no really I did:)

OK Rich, if we are going to continue in our relentless quest for "the perfect grouse gun" perhaps we should define the perfect grouse gun. I'll start a new thread so as not to clutter this one with OT stuff.