What Won't You Buy??
 

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.

A Winchester Model 24.

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!

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:

Agreed!!

Single trigger

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.)





.

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.

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.

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