16ga.com ~ View topic

Canvasback,

There are some darn fine box lock guns, they are just not Best guns, no insult intended.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 684 Location: Ontario

Dave, I’ll take Geoffrey Boothroyd’s opinion, that best guns could be either a sidelock or a box lock. As one of the premier Brit gun writers of the 20th Century I would hazard the guess he was in a prime position to make that assessment. Better than most of us North Americans, seeing as the concept of a Best Gun is a British invention.

Take it from me, all sidelocks are JUNK
Send yours to me for proper assignment
Smile

Close up of old Baker (third gun down)

Guest

Long ago some evil troll, probably an ancestor to the modern troll, invented the term "best gun."

Laughing

Gentlemen,

I do not want to argue with any of you about this, the guns I purchase are Classic American pre 13 L.C. Smith, Brit Classic Purdey pre 1910, and J.P. Sauer pre War German. You may purchase any guns you like, and believe anybody you want to.
Just made a deal on another L.C. Smith 1901 #5 gun this past week, life is great!

Skeettx,
Beautiful guns sir

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

engraving on my 1901 #5 L.C. Smith - America's Best

Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 684 Location: Ontario

Canvasback,

It does not look like we disagree at all, I own some modern Box Lock guns also. However they do not get used for my traditional Grouse hunting, even my Browning 28/20 Combo gun was a long way from my Best double guns. Loved to shoot Clays with the 28 however, great fun.

We take our Grouse hunting around here very seriously, and use the appropriate tools to accomplish the job.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

My little brother Grouse hunting with his Browning 28, sinful I tell ya. He will stand in front of God when he reaches heaven, for using a stack barrel gun to hunt God's favorite bird.

Joined: 25 Feb 2020 Posts: 53

Returning to the topic at hand, if you want your new gun to be a sxs, I would recommend one of the Italian makers. B Rizzini makes the excellent BR550 and BR552. I have a Poli 16 with 32 in barrels that is my favorite gun. I’ve never shot a gun as well as I shoot that one. Admittedly, those 32 in tubes are long, but the gun is perfectly balanced and shoots like a dream. I’m sure you’re familiar with the other higher and Italian makers such a Piotti and Famars. I say this as someone who owns and loves the M21. While I love CSMC, the cost of a new M21 would exceed the value to me. That said, my father owns a M21 in 16 and loves it.

If you’re desiring an O/U, Perazzi makes an outstanding firearm, as you’re well aware. They are incredible target machines. However, and this is personal preference, they seem to lack the intangible “soul” I like in a hunting gun. I’ve owned them but I’ve never fallen in love with a Perazzi. The Rizzini Regal would make a fine gun.

Good luck!

Joe

Joe,

I have to admit when I saw the Riz advertisement for the 28 gauge in the SSM, for the 1st time in many many years I actually though about purchasing a stack barrel gun.
Simply a beautiful 28 or 16 gauge O/U no doubt about it.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Joined: 08 Feb 2009 Posts: 1308 Location: Western WA

Brewester11,

Yep the London boys had this mistaken idea that they were the only Best guns, unfortunately for them the French and the Germans were both making Best side lock double guns long before the London boys ever knew what they were. Granted they were Pin type double guns the London boys finally copied and then improved on their designs. The fallacy of the Best London gun was promoted so the Brit wealthy would invest in London guns, instead of purchasing in other places.

In reality Best double guns are made all over the world, many London guns are not Best guns. A Best gun is determined by the Engineering design and Quality of the gun, not the location of where they were made. Which was promoted because of WWI & WWII, when Krupp dominated high grade barrel production for quality double guns, with their incredible metallurgical steel making process. Any time you see a double gun with Krupp barrels take a good look at the gun, many times if it's a side lock it's a Best double gun.

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man

Joined: 12 Mar 2012 Posts: 684 Location: Ontario

Member Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 1257 Location: Nebraska

I didn't read all the opinions or the arguments for/against whatever, but here's my $.02: Get yourself a nice Sterlingworth 16 at around 6-1/2 lbs. or a bit less. You will love it. The opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it Very Happy

.

Unless one is trying to promote, sell or brag upon a shotgun or, perhaps, even a lawn tractor, "Best" is better left to describing a friend or a day.

Applied to a scattergun, the word is simple fluffery as any gun itself is ...best...only in what it enables, not for what it is.
imo

*As an aside, the pointer's tail on that Baker shotgun is interesting.