Favorite Grade of the American Classic?? What say you?
 

The recent release of Josh's book of the Eric Klein Collection got me thinking about my favorite American classic SxS grades. I must say that I like understated but classy looking guns, I'm not an over the top kind of guy. I appreciate the F Foxes and A-1 Parkers but they don't excite me. Maybe because I will never be able to afford one or they are just too excessive in decoration. For me the Parker grade 5's and 6's, Fox XE's and DE's, LCS A-2's and Monograms and Ithaca Grade 6 and 7's are about the best of the best. What say you???

The Parkers I find the most appealing are grades 3,4,5 and 6, and while condition is important, I much prefer the guns which show they have been used and loved.

Ok. I will come clean…

The Baker Black Beauty.

Parker Grade 2’s and 3’s so far . But I’ve always wanted a grade 4 or 5 with antlered critters in the engraving .

I’d rather have a well maintained honest 40% gun over a total resto any day ! Provided they’re both the same grade of course .

My collection is a shooting collection with a few exceptions, a very few.

Grades 5 & 6 Parkers, with a soft spot for the twist barreled PHs. A grade 5 pre-1913 Smith always has my interest. The Fox XE is at the top of my list, too.

I also am partial to the Ithaca Flues grade 1.5 (like the Smith Ideal). I keep hoping to find one with Damascus barrels in the right gauge and configuration.

That BHE 20 with straight/splinter and two triggers in Josh’s book keeps me dreaming. :corn:

Since I shoot all my guns, whether Parker or Lefever, I want them to fit and be solid. I'm not into ornamentation on guns. Give me basic engraving and I'm happy. That said, I really really really like V grade Parkers and G or H grade Lefevers. Even the Trojan and Durston Special guns hold my interest. I'll save my interest in flashy for Hawaiian shirts!! :rotf::rotf:

I'm going to say that the Grade 5 (B) Parkers, whether side x side, hammer, hammerless or sbt, is about the perfect balance of form and function.

parker PH twist and GH Damascus ,They have just the wright look to me.

Here you go, Brian. A Baker Black Beauty about like it was when it originally left the store.

https://i.imgur.com/KAI7vm3.jpg

My latest and greatest is a Jacob Glahn signed L. C. Smith A2 recently purchased from Daryl Hallquist.
Thank you Daryl!

The lines of the Ansley H. Fox double with just a bit of border engraving like the HE-Grade Super-Fox or the early A-Grades. Not a particular fan of the bold engraving that showed up on American doubles in the early teens. For high end ornamentation I prefer the Glahn family engraved Lefevers or the D & E quality Remington Hammerless Doubles. Really dislike those lightning bolts on the sides of the barrels of several of the companies' high-end guns.

Parker Grade 2, 4 and 5. Fox early C grades

I couldn't agree more! And not a fan of elaborate gold inlays generally.

My favorites are my graded Parkers with no engraving, a CH and a AAH. Second on my list would be very high condition V Grade and Trojan Grade guns that have never been hunting. Next on the list would be PH Twist guns that have, you guessed it, never been hunting. This doesn't mean that I don't respect my graded guns, but these less than normal collector guns are interesting too.

I'm also not a fan of gold treatment on shotguns, but I think the gold ovals on Parker B's and above is a very classy touch. I also think the same of the gold line on LCS ribs and the gold "R" and "L" on Fox single trigger guns. Normally gold bird dogs are over the top for me. But my Lefever E 8ga with the gold setter on the trigger guard is way cool and perfectly done.

All of a sudden I’ve gotten a taste for a Krieghoff K-80 in Bavarian or Danube grade . And I mean one from about 25 years ago not one of the present lazer engraved jobs .

I'm a different sort of guy, I accept that. But, that said, I've always had a soft spot for Fox B and BE grade guns. They were not made but for a few years and I always thought they were dropped because they were too nice for the price, and were unprofitable for Fox.

My 1918 BE 32" twelve gauge.

https://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/72733_800x600.jpg

https://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/72734_800x600.jpg

Purdey, standard engraving all the way! Still working on owning one.

I’m with Stan on the BE Foxes!

+1 more on Fox B Grades

There is something about a PH with twist barrels that seems right. The barrel pattern with that classy understated engraving is just perfect.

Damn if that’s so Jap women are fine but I don’t care for their guns very much . Spanish women are fine but I don’t care for their guns to much . I need not go any further or I might be called racist :rotf:

I really like the Fox 2nd generation engraving but A grades are all my paygrade can support...

https://i.imgur.com/Ddi7bMNl.jpg

but overall, Ithaca engraving is pretty hard to beat (grade 5 here),,,

https://i.imgur.com/VHoNGcjl.jpg

A big soft spot for Parker Cs w/Bernard barrels! And a B Fox is a fine gun! Recently developed a liking of the Ithaca NIDs, the 28ga are sweet.

Nice photo layout Mr. Phil.

My current two favorites are Fox XE's deeply engraved with heads down Fox and Parker BH's. I favor guns made before the great conflict WWI.

I do like gold when used in moderation. Here's an example from a grade 6 Parker that looks very appropriate to me.

Damn the pay grade(s)! Buy what you want and if that means chummying up with the lady at the credit union, go for it!! The term "budget" is like a noose around your neck when the one you've always wanted comes up at auction. Bust a move and think like a businessman - finance and duration of terms (e.g., buyer's premium and line of credit extentions). Once you spend your first $10K on a gun, it starts you thinking......how did I do this??

No argument from me, Garry. The grip cap treatment, beginning with the grade 5 were 'just right'. I also like finding them with engraved initials. Sometimes a letter sheds light on them, sometimes not, but that just adds a little mystique .

To Craigs point, I too find the earlier gun engravers put a little extra effort into their detail.

OK; I’ll re-phrase my “paygrade” statement. The fact is that shotguns are not my only hobby, nor the only thing I choose to spend my money on. And to that end, the guns I own. - plebeian as they may be - are exactly what I choose to own. I’d never spend $10k on a shotgun even though the lady at the credit union would approve the loan. Just not that important to me.

I really like any Parker hammer gun grade 3 and above. The bolster sculpting that was done starting at grade 3 level is hands down some of the nicest styling that one could ask for on a gun. And a set of Bernard barrels would sweeten it even more. So I guess I would say a grade C (4) Parker hammer gun.

I would have to agree with Brian on the Parker hammer guns, not so much a fan of the low grade with round bolsters, but the grade 2 with sculpted breeches and then they just get better as the grade goes higher.
I haven’t owned nearly all the American hammer guns, but but in my opinion, Parker hammer guns are as good as it gets!
Ithaca NID’s grade 3 are one of my favorites, of course grade 5’s and 7’s are attractive also:)

Did someone say they’re not a fan of gold:bigbye:

Don't forget for that classic styling and overall solid construction, Crescent Arms hammer guns are hard to beat. Just sayin'. :corn:

Can't verify that without pictures, just saying.

Brian, I note you are moving forward from the Black Beauty . I, too, like the sculpting on the Parker hammer guns.

https://i.imgur.com/9UgJcCn.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/g2X1vUf.jpg

Gun Grades
 

Like the guy said when you spend 10,000.00 the first thing you think is why did I do that, It was the same as my first Rolex, 15000.00 but I wanted it and bought it some asked why I needed it, I said it had nothing to do with need only want.

Ron