What is the best firearm you ever owned?
 

I have been asked by younger generations several times. “What is the best firearm you ever had”? My answer is my father’s Winchester Model 97 Trap 2 barrel set. I prefer other guns now, but it is a worthy question. What is your favorite? Just curious.

The next one I get

So true!

I would have to say these Parker’s we write about and talk about all the time are the best guns I’ve ever owned. I get more enjoyment from them than any other gun. I have a couple guns with more sentimental value than my Parker’s but they don’t come close in actual value.

Seriously, probably my 20 gauge Trojan my wife gave me when we got married. I shot a lot of quail with it for about 10 years when it was my only quail gun effectively. Then I started collecting and it comes out only occasionally

Tradition is special!

I did hunt with my nephrew and his black lab this winter, but I cannot claim any of the results.

Depends on the definition of best. I had a Purdey for a while that even though used a bunch still cost an insane amount of money. Turned out it was one of the worst I ever owned in terms of shootability but it certainly was best in terms of cost.

I have a Win 101 that was one of the first quality guns I owned. Shot damn near everything with it and I mean everything except a deer. I have well over 150 k rounds through it and only had to replace the firing pins once and that was because I fed it a steady diet of Alcan primers that pierced and eroded the tips. In those terms I would have rate it as one of my best.

However, the most dear to my heart is my first Parker repro 20 that quickly became my go-to grouse gun and has remained so for many a year. If I go grouse hunting without it I feel like I'm cheating on someone and should be looking behind my back. It just may be the best of the best.

I had my repro 20 on this last hunt. Can’t claim anything because my shooting skills are gone!

I have about a dozen that fit that title . 12’s a couple 16’s a 20 a 28 and a couple 10’s . And as far as rifles are concerned I don’t know if I’ll live long enough to list all the rifles I’ve owned or own that I really liked .

A borrowed Trojan 12 gauge with 28" barrels. I "owned" that gun for a few years and even wrote about it in Parker Pages a long time ago titled "A Last Trojan Pheasant". This old Trojan whetted my appetite for Parker Brothers shotguns and I am ever thankful for that opportunity.

Here, a short excerpt from the end of that story:


"I telephoned Dave a couple of weeks ago and left a message on his answering machine out there in Boise where he has lived since nineteen-seventy-something. I asked him to call me back with the serial number of his grandfather’s Trojan. He called me back a couple of nights ago and told me the serial number was 167347 and that…
“Yes, it’s in the same condition you remember it ‘cause I haven’t used it but once or twice since you gave it back to me a few days before you moved away. But I’ll bring it with me the next time I drive back East to visit my mother, probably in a year or two.”

I’d love to hold that old Trojan again, if only just for a while."


Dave's been back a number of times and his mother passed away almost 15 years ago... but he never brought that old Trojan with him...

I talked to him a few weeks ago to tell him of Kathy's passing and learned through his very measured speech that he had a severe stroke last fall.

Our days are truly numbered.





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My favorite by far is my Lefever EE 16.... nearly always with me when following my Setters.
Glenn

My Parker SB, SA and GHE. I’ve won a lot of bling with those three guns.

This a tough one. It's like asking me to pick my favorite Grandchild. All my guns are the best, that's why my safe is overflowing. I love vintage and current .22's. I love handguns. But shotguns are what float my boat and especially 20 and 28gauges. I've got multiple venues to exercise these scatterguns and I do a couple of times a week. As far as SxS's go my best would have to be my VHE 28 with 30" barrels. But unfortunately these old treasures can't take the heavy use that sporting clays demands of them on a regular basis. They are relegated to the vintage shoots, occasional outings on the clays course and virtually all hunting.

So my best right now would have to be 2 Perazzi's, a 20 and a 28ga which can take the heavy toll that target shooting places on them and if, and I mean if they break, they won't cost and arm and a leg to repair and I can usually do it myself.

Best by way of originality(condition)..12 gauge Otto Bock. Practically as new condition...95% case colors...Bernard damascus barrels as smooth as silk with zero fading or wear...32 lpi checking on stock and forend with no visible wear, and engraving comparable to a diamond grade Prussian Charles Daly.
Best by way of upgrading...20 gauge Winchester model 21. Restocked, and custom engraved, by Roy Vail.
Best by my ability to shoot it...12 gauge Grade 2 Parker hammergun. Refinished wood and metal...reversed choked and on a #1 frame.

I just cannot pick the best shotgun I have I care for all of them....charlie

Almost as bad as picking my favorite dog.......ALL of them.

As much as I love my shotguns, I'd have to say my Winchester 61. My brother bought it at an auction in the 1950's; he and Dad were on opposite sides of the room bidding against each other and didn't know it; I think they ran the price all the way up to $40. I don't shoot my rifles much these days but this'n and I were almost constant companions from about my 12th year on. Local squirrels, bunnies and prairie dogs hated it...:)

https://i.imgur.com/aCOXt32l.jpg

The best condition gun I own is a Fox DE 12ga 30" that came out of the Dupont family. I bought it at Pintail Vintagers many years ago from a walk in. I call the gun "Simply D Vine", mint condition. My best ever duck gun (I've owned a couple dozen LOL) is a Super Fox C-HE 12ga 30" with XE checkering that came from Dana Tauber. I almost couldn't miss with the Super and have shot well over 100 ducks with the gun. It's retired to the gunroom wall. It's more satisfying for me to just look at it every day and think of the great times with great dogs and great hunting partners at my beloved marsh. My best ever bird gun is a Fox CE 20ga 26" IC/M. I've shot wild pheasants, grouse, woodcock, mearns quail, bobs and blues. My best ever "put a smile of my face gun" and maybe the most fun to shoot is my Parker GH 8ga 36". I could go on and on but you get the point I really enjoy this hobby and lifestyle.

I am blessed to have 3 safes full of mostly side by sides. When I open the door to take a gun I almost always pick one of 3 or 4 guns. Grouse and woodcock hunting. #1 Parker VH 16 O frame. Or A Parker Repo 20/16. For Pheasent & chucker Preserve hunts it’s usually A Parker Repro 28 gauge. Straight grip w a beaver tail or A 1934 EJ Churchill XXV straight grip 410. @ 4lb 2oz �� . When you continue to choose the same guns I guess that answers the Question.

Harry, you did well with your prompt, especially by not defining "best." Lots of ways to interpret the word, but today, at least for now, I'll say the best gun(s) I have had are two that have served me best, in other words, consistently took birds for me over time.

Here they are:

A John Dickson and Sons boxlock 28 bore that was my constant companion over the course of many years -- years when there were birds in Missouri. I have not used this gun in some years, but it still has accounted for the most birds of all kinds (except dove, turkeys or waterfowl), including pheasants (which we had in decent numbers up until about 2000). This little 5 lbs. 3 oz. gun took ruffed grouse in 6 states over one season.

Number two is my favorite quail gun: a Parker DHE 20 with 30 inch barrels. This little 1918 gun has proven a quail killer, and I've shot well with it. It will take a pheasant on those rare occasions that we find one, but it's a quail gun, pure and simple...and simply the "best."

Now, ask me again tomorrow...:whistle:

Gotta be "Meat-in-the-Pot" my 1914 vintage Ansley H. Fox A-Grade, 12-gauge, with 28-inch Krupp 3-weight barrels and a straight grip. Been my go-to bird gun since 1966.

Attachment 107890

Attachment 107891

An all original Sharp's Creedmoor 50 cal.

Definitely not my best but right at the top as one of my favorites would be . . .

My early A grade, 12 gauge Fox, SN 7983 with 28 inch Krupp barrels choked IC and Full.

I got it from Glen Appleby of Galeton PA in September of 1968 for $175.00.

Shot many ducks and geese with that gun when you could use lead shot. It's had around 15,000 rounds thru it in the last 10 years shooting "at" Sporting Clay's.

That's the top gun pictured below.

Lately tho, I've taken a liking to my newly acquired, unmarked as to maker, grade and serial number but looks to me to be an office sample or lunch box gun.

In appearance, it looks like an early B12 Fox with some added, nicer features. That one is the bottom pictured gun and the two pictures below that. Note the absence of serial number, grade, patent info, etc.

https://i.imgur.com/iRLc7vC.jpg?1

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

https://i.imgur.com/ASO0Op0.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2JLFwvW.jpg

Garry had the best answer, and mine. "Ask me again tomorrow."

Well... my "best" would have to be a four digit U.S. Colt SAA from lot five issued to the Seventh Cavalry...

This is a really tough one for me. There are so many different disciplines and categories of shooting and collecting.
Box birds: My SC-3 Perazzi
Sporting clays: A Beretta AL 391 built by Angleport
Upland birds falls into a few different categories.
Most quail hunting: A 32" Parker
Travel gun (for hunting) A Briley choked M-21 Winchester
Special Hunts: An H&H Royal SLE from 1900
Crow shooting: A custom stocked Briley choked Winchester M-97 with a 21" barrel
Deer and elk: A Browning Stainless Stalker in 7 mm Mag
Varmints: A custom built Ruger H-Barrel in .22/243 (.220 Middlestead) Crazy accurate and deadly wayyy out there.
Tree top squirrels: A Ruger .22 Mag, M 77R (I think)
Paper punching: A Winchester M 52 with an 18 power Lyman Target Scope
Home defense: 1st line defense would be a Mossberg 500 ATP, followed by an AR-15 shorty (CAR 15)
Cowboy guns: SAA Army Colt in .45 Colt, a Bisley, and a couple of early Winchester Lever Guns
Looks and esthetics: German Luger
Truck Gun: Kimber Ultra Carry CDP .45 ACP
There might be a few categories I'm forgetting about.

Great list, Todd:bowdown:but surely you have a few more catagories.:)

I also remember the worst firearm I ever owned. I did not keep it long. It was a Desert Eagle in .44 Rem Mag. First semi-auto .44 mag as i recall. HEAVY and inaccurate! Bought it new and I couldn’t get rid of it fast enough.

This thread is getting a bit out of control, but I will give it a shot. My greatest guns for sporting clays and birds are a DH 16, 28", a world beater, and a DHE 30" 20 gauge, also a world beater, both factory single trigger guns. I own a bunch of bigger sporting guns, but these, with 7/8 and 1 ounce loads, are all I need.

I cant say on shotguns because each one I buy really only fills a niche purpose. Now as far as rifles go I had a Winchester 1917 Enfield that at some point was rebarreled to 300 win mag. It was a odd rifle the thing had to weigh 9lbs but stick kicked worse than larger caliber rifles ive owned, I think it was probably sporterized sometime in the 50s. I really like the cock on close on the 1917s though. I hate to see it when someone converts one to cock on opening takes alot of the personality out of the rifle to me. Shot my first deer with that rifle too, someday I wouldnt mind getting one that hasnt been sporterized and having a repro Malcom scopes put on it.

I define best by the one I enjoy carrying the very most. For me, it's the beater I laid on the PGCA table at Ernie's. A 28" VH choked C/IC 16g on 1 frame. A grouse and woodcock slayer. She's easy to carry, shoots where I look, I don't have to worry about scratching her anymore than she is, and it's the only one I carried in Maine although I brought three others. Second place is a Marlin 336C with Williams peep sight. I just love carrying that gun by the receiver while still hunting deer.

Now that’s quite the revolver. What a find. Definitely a “ BEST “

Best Firearm
 

Thanks Phil...Lucky to have acquired it from a family in Missouri some 20 years ago...

The easiest carrying gun I have ever owned (besides the little sawed-off 16 ga. Lifter I sold) is my Winchester 94 in .30-30. I can hold it by the grip pointing it straight down, never worrying if snow or mud of field debris might get into the muzzle. And I can carry it like that all day long even with a relaxed grip because the lever loop prevents it from slipping from my fingers.

I have relegated it to my grandson Cam... for the time being of course. He seems to want a rifle with a scope and more fire power for some reason...? Heck, I killed my first 5 bucks with one shot each from that little deer slayer.





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Your VH sounds like a best gun to me.

I am reluctant to include a collector gun, but research on my "Gold Hearts" gun is about as far along as I can bring it. It was built for Annie Oakley together with a gun for Frank Butler to shoot in the 1902, last Grand American at Live Birds, the most historical and widely attended Grand American up to that time. It has been a struggle, but I have gotten the dates together. I don't own the Frank Butler gun, but I know the serial number. Frank's name is not on the participant list, probably a nom de fusil, but Annie's name and score is on the list. The search is on. As to the "favorite gun" theme, this baby is in high working condition, great stock dimensions, great barrels, Parker single trigger, and, unfortunately, doesn't get shot as much as it should. The 34 inch Titanic barrels seem to be closer to the bird than anything shorter. Annie shot the Grand with the 30 inch Damascus barrels, but they don't get much use lately.

Like Andy my best's are a Parker VH 16 ga 28" cyl/full on a 1 frame. Had it for over 50 years and used it for everything, ducks in the "salt", upland, turkey and my go to Cowboy Action gun and an early Winchester 1894 38-55 SRC with a tang sight, easy to carry all day deadly accurate and plenty of power for deer and bear. Got this one 58 years ago. These two will never leave me.

There is no such thing. :D

My best shooting rifle is a nice Cooper 52 in .280 Rem.

Shotguns, well there are so many different things you use one for, that one that's best for one thing is likely not best for other things.

I duck hunted for 30+ years with a Browning Citori Field Grade, so if I had to pick one..... But really that's just the shotgun that has the most field time with me so it's got 40 some odd years of memories embedded into it's wood and steel. :D

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