Posted on 11/14/2017 8:09:13 AM PST by w1n1
There is something about a stately old shotgun that lures us in and tempts us to pick it up, shoulder it and dream of where it’s been. Worn bluing and scarred walnut gives a hint of the days in a duck blind, grouse woods or a trap and skeet field.
Most of those venerable shotguns started out in factories and on gun shop racks, and hunters and shooters across America chose the ones they thought were best. Eventually, the greatest guns stood out. Here are 10 shotguns that I believe must be considered among the classics.
BROWNING AUTO FIVE
Many would consider John Moses Browning a genius, a point to which the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), the Browning .50-caliber machine gun and the Colt 1911 pistol can attest. Browning also designed the Automatic Five shotgun (four in the magazine, one in the chamber) in 1898 and first took his idea to Winchester, a company he had done business with on many other projects.
REMINGTON MODEL 31
Remington trotted out an elegant firearm in 1931 that many would consider a gold standard for pump shotguns. The reason for this was the intricate hand fitting of parts that contributed to the smooth action of this pump gun. The Model 31 appeared in August of that year and retailed for $48.50 (roughly $750 in today’s market).
BROWNING SUPERPOSED
Val Browning, son of John M. Browning, finished the work on his father’s last firearm. John Browning died while working on his revolutionary concept for a double barrel shotgun in 1926. The elder Browning decided to superimpose the barrels one on top of the other instead of the traditional side by side, and this configuration became known as “superposed.” Read the rest of the 10 classic shotguns here.
Just more proof that we should rank John Moses Browning right up there with Edison & Westinghouse as a genius of the late 1800s USofA Industrial Age.
Grew up shooting a model 12. Knew it was on the list without looking.
I questions the Remington 31, 32 and Winchester 59. Should be replaced with the Remington 1100, Benelli SBE and Beretta 686. I agree with most others.
bang
Collect em’ all!
A rational country would have a statue of that man in every single town square.
L
I believe that for the money the Mossberg 500 is one of the best shotguns ever. It ain’t fancy. It ain’t pretty.
But man does it shoot.
L
Makes a great canoe paddle too!
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