I grew up in a midwest state where centerfire rifles for hunting were legally limited to use only on varmints. The vast majority of the hunting that occurred was done with shotguns. Being a very versatile implement, the shotgun filled a lot of roles. Rabbits, ducks, squirrels, quail, foxes and deer were all hunted with smoothbores of one type or another, or as often as not, the same gun. Several shotguns came to be known as being up to the task and survived to become classics.
So what makes a classic a classic? First, to me, age is inherent in qualifying a gun as a classic. A model that has lasted over half a century most likely has a design that is durable, or chances are it wouldn't have lasted that long. Many of those guns were made back when quality products were the norm. Hand engraving was fairly common on many of those classic shotguns Also, there is something neat about carrying a gun that is older than me (unfortunately any more that is saying something).
But to me, age alone isn't enough to qualify a gun as a classic. A needed validation is wide spread acceptance as a quality firearm in its day. I am fortunate to own an old Remington model 32, that is a lot older than me. It holds sentimental value for me, and is a design that has lasted, having been purchased by Krieghoff and still produced by them today. But to me, the Model 32 just isn't a classic as it didn't have a big enough following at the time.
The Remington Model 32 didn't quite reach the popularity to be a classic.
So, the second requirement to qualify for my definition of a classic is that it had to be widely accepted. That is not to say that if there weren't millions sold, like the Winchester Model 12, it isn't a classic; but I want a gun that had a good reputation and was common enough to have been proven.
Another thing that can add to a gun being a classic is a particular connection with a mentor or family member. When I was little my dad was a Browning Superposed fan. I spent a lot of time staring at a pigeon grade Browning in the big wooden gun case long before I was old enough to carry a gun. I'm pretty darn sure that is why my favorite shotgun is the Superposed. I'm not alone in having a family connection to a particular classic shotgun. I have a friend whose father loved the Ithaca model 37, and owned several. Years ago I told my buddy about an ultralight Model 37 had found in a gun store in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He bought it and gave it as birthday present to his dad to add to his collection of Model 37s. The Model 37 now has special meaning to my buddy. There are also those out there that want to carry a Fox like Nash Buckingham's famous Bo Whoop, or emulate other heroes of the uplands.
Another of my requirements is that a classic gun has to be "collectible". I suppose one can collect anything, and reality T.V. has brought hoarders obsessed with holding on to everything to notoriety. But to me collectible means that due to age, quality, or demand, something has a good chance of increasing in value. This is not to say that to be collectible, a shotgun has to be particularly expensive.
I'd summarize my criteria by saying I look for older model shotguns that had a reputation for quality, will likely increase in value and may have a connection to family or icon. My list includes the Browning Superposed and A-5; the Remington 1100 and older 870s; the Ithaca Model 37; the Winchester Model 12, Model 21, Model 37, and Model 23; L.C. Smiths; Parkers; several models of Fox shotguns; and the venerable H&R single shot.
So now that I have my list, and you probably have yours, its time to talk about the collecting AND the using of them. In my mind, the fact that I want to be able to take my classic shotguns out to the field guides me in my quest to purchase/collect them. If you look to purchase a collectible shotgun, condition of the gun helps dictate the value/price. A gun that is 99%-100% is going to command the highest price, and may increase in value quickest. However, even if I can afford the premium, I hate to think about taking a 50 year old shotgun hunting and putting the first ding on a pristine stock or the first scratch in flawless bluing.
So I don't shoot for the 99%-100%. I also don't want to pick a shotgun that is not graded as high as at least 93%-94%. In my experience, guns in less condition than that generally don't increase in value as quickly and are not popular with other collectors to whom you may be hoping to sell the gun down the road. An exception to this might be if you plan on paying for a professional or factory refurbishing.
Another consideration that affects what gun you choose to collect is the use for which you are purchasing it. For example, if I am buying a classic shotgun to use in shooting sports (trap, skeet, sporting clays, etc.) I may purchase a gun in almost mint condition because I can take pains to baby it. If I plan on chasing blue quail through the thorny, prickly, sandy Brush Country of South Texas, I'm looking for one that shows at least some signs of prior use. And sometime you may come across a sweet deal on somebody's safe queen that is in fine condition but you can't pass it up. That's when you force yourself to give the old girl limited use and only on blue bird days or taking a round or two Five-stand. Most of the time it's somewhere in between.
On a recent trip to Kansas, I followed my typical protocol of taking two guns, just in case. The first day started with a wintry mix of rain and sleet which turned gradually to heavy snow. That day, my good old Remington Light weight 870 Wingmaster 20 gauge got the duty. We got some good points in the winter weather and the 870 did its job at least when I did. The following day was blue bird sunny and cold. That was when I was comfortable carrying a recently acquired Browning Superposed, also in 20 gauge. I actually shot a little better with the Browning, but not so much as my English Setters would notice.
The weather on the first day of the Kansas trip called for the less expensive classic shotgun.
A blue bird day, agricultural fields and grassy draws are just right for pulling out your best classic shotgun.
In looking to purchase your Classic shotgun, there are often small details that may reduce the price making it a better bargain, but not so much that it will eliminate it as a collectible. Fixed chokes that have been changed, shorter than standard stocks (which benefits me), reblued or refinished wood, or slightly less desirable variant of the model can all work to put that classic shotgun in your price range. I remember that was the case with the old Browning Superposed Pigeon Grade of my dad's that held my attention all those years ago. It had belonged to old Doc something or other. (A lot of the higher grade Brownings belonged to Old Doc this or that back then) Doc's eye sight had faded and his reflexes slowed so he had the chokes opened to skeet and skeet. Some time later old Doc had left the gun uncased in his station wagon, along with his bird dogs; a mistake requiring an extensive refinish of the scratched up stock. And so it came to be affordable enough to end up in the possession of my father.
For most of us, finding the right gun is greatly influenced by price. But as I mentioned before, Classic shotguns don't have to break the bank. The Winchester Model 37, a true Classic shotgun, can be purchased for under $500 in most gauges. A Model 12 can be had for $800 or less if you look hard. If you have $1500 or just a tad more, you can start looking for a Browning Superposed, a Parker or and L.C. Smith. And the search can be a big part of the fun. There are several gun classified sites and gun auction sites where classic shotguns can be found. I recommend that you spend some time there learning what the going prices are for whichever classic shotgun you desire.
I know that modern technology has enabled guns to be made with more precision, more cost effective and with certain conveniences, like screw-in choke tubes. But I like the character and the feel of those old classic shotguns. On those slow days hunting or sitting around the the trap club, I enjoy admiring an old classic shotgun and imagining where it had been before it came to me.
Two classics, the Browning Superposed and the Remington 870
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