There are a few nuggets of wisdom in this piece. If you know how to read into them.
No. 1:
"More and more, it appears that the side-by-side shotgun, both American and European, is fated to become a niche item—the Morgan sportscar of the shooting world."
And No. 2:
"...we can never escape one crucial fact: A fine side-by-side is a thing of beauty."
In plain language, the SxS double gun was revived and thrived because it had cachet and appealed to a segment of society that knew what a Morgan was. They also appreciated beauty. Beauty of design, fine craftsmanship... and style.
As these people and their more sophisticated taste leave the marketplace, the magic of great double guns fades from the public's collective conscious.
To be replaced with movie and video game-inspired black guns. Killing machines without soul or grace. Suitable for the mass murder of wildlife. And nothing more.
The perfect reflection of the times in which we live.
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