I just shot a $15,000 shotgun!

[drgrant]

For the most part, although the higher end guns definitely have much more attention paid to them in the mechanical department as well.

Is it really 10K or 20K worth of attention, though? How much does it really cost to have a shotgun fitted to you with a good trigger and action?

The difference between dropping $20K for a fine shotgun and $20K for a registered M16 is that one of them actually has close to $20K worth of engraving, woodworking, and man-hours put into it, while the other is $20K for a few parts that cost a total of $5 to cast but are rare because of artificial regulation.

Yeah, but the M16 is orders of magnitude more fun to shoot.

To each their own, I guess. I'm also the guy that would shoot the .45 ACP luger until it broke if I ever got my hands on it, so my opinion is probably not worth very much in this realm.

-Mike

 

[Roadblock]

I'm just curious, what makes these guns so valuable? Is it simply the craftsmanship or the art on the gun, or are they really 15x more accurate/durable/etc.?

There are three factors that I know of:
1) Artwork (this is a biggie, a Ruger Red Label is fairly reasonably priced...I've seen them for $20k with amazing scrollwork)
2) Materials (higher grade, higher finish)
3) Extensive customization, the gun is made specifically for the shooter.

I don't think accuracy/durability is affected THAT much, although there are obvious benefits from a gun designed to fit you specifically.

So think of it more like this:
Very high quality custom built gun
+
Piece of art

 

[vellnueve]

Is it really 10K or 20K worth of attention, though? How much does it really cost to have a shotgun fitted to you with a good trigger and action?

Yeah, but the M16 is orders of magnitude more fun to shoot.

To each their own, I guess. I'm also the guy that would shoot the .45 ACP luger until it broke if I ever got my hands on it, so my opinion is probably not worth very much in this realm.

-Mike

The fitting part and the mechanical part are the easy bits. The part where the attention is placed is in the engraving and woodwork.

And I would shoot the hell out of a Beretta SO if I got my hands on one. These aren't display pieces, they're probably the most finely crafted and functional firearms available. If you don't shoot shotgun games every week at least, then perhaps you wouldn't want one.

 

[Dick]

I didn't see a "Serious" answer to the "Why matched fine doubles?" so, here goes: The way I understand it, English Guns were for "driven" hunts, where beaters drove the birds to the shooters. Each shooter would have a loader to reload: BANG BANG [give the gun to the loader, take the other], BANG BANG, repeat. Matched guns were regulated and fitted identically, so the shooter had an easier time.

Just so. In addition, I understand that the main (hammer) springs on those guns are cocked on closing, unlike the usual double, which cocks the springs when you open it. The gent takes two grouse as they are driven toward him, opens the gun and hands it to his loader, who hands him the other gun in the pair, already closed and ready to go, at which point the gent turns and takes two going away. As the saying goes "A gentlemen does not close his own guns." The traditional opening of the red grouse season in Britain is termed "the glorious twelfth" (of August, that is).

None of the above based on personal knowledge, as my net worth falls several digits short, sadly.

 

[kaetaur]

Wow.......the day I ever pay 15K for a shotgun of any make, model or type, I'd voluntarily commit myself to getting some mental help.

I don't care who made it, there aint no shotgun worth 15k, not even a USAS 12 full auto.

I'd pay it if it was teh shotgun that saved my life.

 

[drgrant]

I'd pay it if it was teh shotgun that saved my life.

Then you'd be a fortune teller and could probably stay alive by that alone.

-Mike

 

[Titan]

High end shotguns are like most other high end products.

Some buy them for an aesthetic reason....they genuinely value the craftsmanship, hand made nature, etc. and have the discretionary income to afford it.

Others buy them to show they are wealthy and to remind you that they can buy them and you can't.


And then there are the posers who save to buy them, or borrow to buy them, to gain entry into the society they long to be part of.


Whether it's a high end shotgun, a Mercedes, a Maybach, etc., .... the reasons for purchase tend to be similar.


Truly wealthy people who can bring themselves to shooting a 'normal' shotgun or driving a lower cost, but excellent quality car....will save LOTS of money and still have a product of very good quality and value.
.

.

 

[maee]

Does it turn lead into gold for that much??

 

[captain-03]

Some good points by all!! Not a change of topic - just back to the topic, somewhat!!

On some Sunday afternoons each spring or summer, I load the truck up with some WWII milsurps and head for the range. Just sit a couple Enfields, Garands, M1 Carbines, M1903s, M1917s on the bench and watch people just ease over to your bench. What is that you have there? Who used it? What caliber is it? OH Yea, I saw that in the Band of Brothers, etc,,etc,,etc,,

Of course I take some extra ammo and offer, especially the younger generation, the opportunity to shoot a few rounds. The Garands are always the hit with the younger ones. Also a good opportunity for a history lesson for them! Let them not forget!!

 

[vellnueve]

I suggest that anyone visiting NYC at any time visit the Beretta Gallery and take a look at some of the incredible guns they have on the shelves there. There's literally several million dollars worth of shotguns on the racks up on the third floor.

 

[MisterHappy]

Some good points by all!! Not a change of topic - just back to the topic, somewhat!!

On some Sunday afternoons each spring or summer, I load the truck up with some WWII milsurps and head for the range. Just sit a couple Enfields, Garands, M1 Carbines, M1903s, M1917s on the bench and watch people just ease over to your bench. What is that you have there? Who used it? What caliber is it? OH Yea, I saw that in the Band of Brothers, etc,,etc,,etc,,

Of course I take some extra ammo and offer, especially the younger generation, the opportunity to shoot a few rounds. The Garands are always the hit with the younger ones. Also a good opportunity for a history lesson for them! Let them not forget!!

This sort of openness is what our sport requires. Unfortunately, if the people are already on the range, they're likely to be on "our side". The trick is to get the people TO COME OUT TO THE RANGE, and then, we can help to open eyes, hearts and minds.

There was a re-enactment out in Stow [I believe - I missed it, but my som went] and the re-enactors were very open and eager to show off thier stuff. While the visitors didn't get to shoot, there was a good selection of firearms based on the description and brass "souveniers" that came home. A place like that would be an excellent recruiting ground for clubs local to that area, to say, "You've seen the Garand [ Mauser, Springfield, etc.], come on out and try it for real!"

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Had I the resources, I would buy myself a low-end Beretta SO, something in the 20K range. If you're not a shotgunner and can't appreciate the fine art and downright incredible craftsmanship and artistic talent put into this type of firearm, then you'll never understand. One of these is definitely in my long-term plans.

Well, you guessed it, I'm not a shotgunner, nor am I deeply enamored by pretty wood or engraving or even bluing for that matter but I can and do appreciate the work that someone puts into fine pieces, I admire all good craftsmanship and design....I just wouldn't go out of my way to obtain such items or pay the prices they command.

I'm a "meat and potatoes" type of gun guy. I like a parkerized finish or stainless, (function over fashion always) both are easily repairable and durable. I don't like having to handle my guns like a piece of fine china and worrying about putting a scratch or ding on them or standing in the pouring rain with them worrying about whether its going to be rusty the next day.

I buy what I can afford and try to keep some modicum of practicality in my purchases and 15k for a shotgun doesn't meet that criteria for me.

I'd rather buy a $1000 dollar rifle and $14K worth of ammo to shoot out of it.

 

[vellnueve]

A good Beretta or other premium maker double is going to be more reliable than any other shotgun money can buy. Function over fashion?

High end skeet guns probably take more of a beating than any average pump gun or semi. Their owners generally use these guns for heavy amounts of skeet shooting and the gun gets more or less bombarded with clay pigeon fragments on a regular basis. The round counts that your average competition double takes is generally going to be higher than any "tacticool" shotgun that you might use for shotgun matches.

Oh, and ammo is much more readily available and cheaper than most of the common rifle calibers.

 

[drgrant]

A good Beretta or other premium maker double is going to be more reliable than any other shotgun money can buy. Function over fashion?

I find this very, very hard to believe. Shotguns, especially ones that aren't semiautomatic, are among the most reliable guns out there. I can go to the local gun store, buy (insert name brand pump here in good condition) and it's going to take many, many cases of ammo to kill whatever it is. The only guy I know that has actually -killed- a shotgun through use is BillK, he eventually toasted his Mossberg, after many, many cases of (insert any and all types of shotgun ammo here). Not just the relatively wussbag skeet and trap loads people use in the fancy guns. Further, those loads are basically a "high round count of nothing" compared to running a cases of 00 buck or magnum slugs through the same gun.

-Mike

 

[Realtor MA]

I find this very, very hard to believe. Shotguns, especially ones that aren't semiautomatic, are among the most reliable guns out there. I can go to the local gun store, buy (insert name brand pump here in good condition) and it's going to take many, many cases of ammo to kill whatever it is. The only guy I know that has actually -killed- a shotgun through use is BillK, he eventually toasted his Mossberg, after many, many cases of (insert any and all types of shotgun ammo here). Not just the relatively wussbag skeet and trap loads people use in the fancy guns. Further, those loads are basically a "high round count of nothing" compared to running a cases of 00 buck or magnum slugs through the same gun.

-Mike

The 'high end' guns are arguably less reliable. The insides of a Krieghoff are a sight to see though and they have great balance and triggers etc etc.