Some have said this is the best looking shotgun they've seen:

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I prefer an over/under, but that SxS makes me think...

Is that a really old Winchester M-21?

I think high grade Remington 1100's are pretty.

When I was a kid, there was a guy who lived down the road who was into rebuilding Triumph sports cars, and always had one in his garage being restored. When we would notice his garage door open, we would sometimes stop by and drool over his latest toy.

He was also into shotguns, and had what I believe to be the nicest shotgun I have ever held. It was a Browning Superposed 20ga in the "Diana" grade, with a high relief engraved grayed receiver showing grouse and rabbits, and a honey colored French walnut stock with unbelievable mineral streaking and grain. Man, that gun was just gorgeous.

Texas Star - I agree about the 1100's. When I shot skeet at the Remington Gun Club years ago, they offered rental shotguns. Some of those skeet grade 1100's had beautiful wood, and seemed to have a higher grade of polish and blueing.

Larry

Lovely SxS.....

However an old humpback A-5 really gets my motor running.....

I think the kitty stole the show.

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Dave Brown
SWCA #3279

Always had a soft spot for an 1100. Love the figured walnut found on the trap and skeet models.

I agree fine feline and Model 21!

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Possum—The other white meat!

I'm not a shotgun guy...... but about a mile from me is a place that only sells high end shotguns........ sometimes I'll stop in just to look at the wood!

You shot the cat??????

I've always been a sucker for a good looking shotgun. Older ones are classy! I have always loved Model 12s and Model 97s.

September 2018, I broke my upper right arm in 3 places. I realized my days of shooting 12 gauge were over. I sold a couple of mine and bought my wife and I over and under 20 gauges. She got the Ruger "Ruffed Grouse" Red Label and I got a "Ruffed Grouse" Beretta. Both are real beauties! Still have my short Model 12 "house gun".

I don't know if it is the "best" but it is pretty close and the kitty is a little cutie. A Browning Lighting o/u is right up there too.

I feel your pain in the shoulder issue. I have an artificial shoulder (2 in fact) and my 358 Norma Magnum, built on a tang safety Ruger 77, doesn't get shot any more.

Nothing more elegant than a well made side by side. Once upon a time, field grade guns were this beautiful.

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There are so many nice double barrel guns out there I don't know where to start. Possibly an original A H Fox 20 gauge. But the Browning Superposed with really good wood is awfully nice.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Well back in the 70s when I was shooting 4 gun NSSA, it appeared that the 1100 and the Browning Superposed were the most used.

I'm relining on the old memory but Rems 1100 skeet guns were Offered in Skeet A, Skeet B and "Competition" models. The fancier you went the more it cost.

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14 S&W Revs none with locks!

A side lock Holland & Holland gets my vote.

But it's above my pay grade.

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Expect the unexpected

While I love 21's I think the Remington 3200 is one of the sexiest shotguns out there. Especially the 1 of 1000 ones

Glad you said it. I was going to say A5 and spas. Double guns just don't do a whole lot for me in the looks Department.

Well, what I actually had in mind was the M-1100 D and F grades.

The Beretta sidelock SO series guns are as superb, as are all of the London "Best "guns, high grade Merkels, Perazzi, etc.

But the 1100 has a certain refined symmetry that I find very pleasant,and the guns handle superbly.

That's a gorgeous piece of wood, and the steel is immaculate, but I'd give a sidelock with the same wood a higher rating.
I've always thought sidelocks were more pleasing to look at in a double gun.

I'll play....My '61 model 12 trap is real nice, wish I had a pigeon12 to post!!!! that Side by gives it a run!

I like double barrels like that. I may get one yet.
For right now, I'm partial to this one.

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The old SxS shotguns do have some very fine detailed weapons out there and I myself own a few in 20 and 12 Ga. that have gone into the field and also used for clays.

My first shotgun was a single 20 Ga. and then I finally worked up to a Winchester Model 12 pump that held three shells !!

As I got better at shooting clays I managed to get a Beretta and a Browning O/U for my clay games that had different chokes, instead of a fixed barrel..........

and yes, I also have a old A-5 "Humpback 12 Ga. for field work that shoots quite well from Quail to big Honkers, in it's day, with lead shot.
I now have a Beretta 391 for the steel loads for D&G.

I have "Workers" and "Lookers" that I use in my love of shooting shotgun loads from the tiny .410 up to the large 12 Ga., that I reload or buy.

I love them all............. they are all #1 on my list.
Even the ugly old Original 12 Ga. Black powder, Wells Fargo SxS , stage coach shotgun.

Michael McIntosh had the right idea with his book "A. H. Fox, the Finest Shotgun Built in America". He was a student of side by side doubles, and wrote another book on fine American shotguns; Parker, L. C. Smith, Ithaca, Winchester, Fox, and Remington. The Remington was the only over under of the group. I have owned an example of all but the Remington, and I agree with McIntosh. Most know only of the Fox Model B, which is just a gussied up Stevens 311, but the Philadelphia Fox and the guns later built by Savage are strong, simple, and elegant. YMMV

Definitely SxS.

The Famars "Castore" is IMO the all time winner:

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SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

The Ithaca Model 37 is my personal favorite.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

There's many beautiful shotguns and the one pictured by the OP is certainly one of them.

For me its the Remington 870 Wingmaster. My first shotgun at age 15 in the mid-1970's and it was georgeous!

I have a soft spot for side by sides, a Trojan, and, a vulcan grade parkers, and a wedding anniversary present from the boss, a 1889 purdey, with sleeved barrels. Nice winchester

A nice side by side shotgun is the prettiest long gun around, in my opinion. I looked at a L. C. Smith recently at a gun show, in 20 gauge and it was a thing of beauty, and just about pointed itself.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

As far as I'm concerned the ultimate in good looks go to the high-grade English doubles. Very beautiful doubles were made in various Countries including the U S but I don't think the British have ever been topped. Look at a few Purdeys etc. and you'll see what I mean!
Jim

An old Sterlingworth Fox is pretty.

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No baby we aint

I have a SXS 20 gauge Yildiz Turkish made gun that has many thousands of rounds through it and dropped many pheasants, quail, dove, and turkey. It's my favorite shotgun and has beautiful wood and nice laser engraving and I'm very happy with it's looks and function and it was under 500 bucks at Academy Sports.

Yildiz 12 Gauge Side-By-Side Shotgun | Academy

I am more partial to an O/u than a SxS for shooting. There is no denying the svelte looks of a nice SxS though.
My hands down favorite is the 20 gauge Superposed..
The lower gun is a very nice Citori Superlight (not feather, but steel framed) in 28 ga with 26” barrels.
The upper gun is my 1953 26.5” solid rib, double ivory bead (factory) 20 gauge.
I am so enamored with the early 20 ga Supers that I have a spiffy little 1958 with factory IC/Mod 28” barrels on it’s way to me within the next week.
If I could find another, it would be on it’s way to me as well.
Strangely, I have no love for the Superposed in 12 gauge

When I was young and retarded I sold a beautiful 1100 Skeet Grade. I think the most business looking shotguns are the 1897 trench guns and the Mossberg 590A1s. I have my grandfather's Model 12. It is still a nice gun. My field gun is a Ithaca Model 37. But if you really really want beautiful it's hard to beat a high end Holland & Holland.

Nope. Like sighting down a 2x4. That extra bbl could a magazine holding more shells. Plus the only gun with 2 triggers should be a machine gun.

SAYING THAT.........Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Be it guns, "wimmin" or trucks.

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S&W Accumulator

I wouldn't pick the Winchester 21 as the most graceful looking shotgun around.
I spent about 30 yrs full time in the restoration biz mainly on sxs shotguns and had just about everything pass through my hands for some kind of work including full restoration.
Maybe I've seen too many different SxS's but the Win21 never struck me as anything special inspite the mfg'rs claims.
They can be made into a nice shotgun but generally how they came from the W factory was nothing outstanding when compared to other mfg'rs offerings.
They did put some nice AmWalnut on them in most instances I will say that.
The older classics like Fox, Parker & Lefever stepped up to Euro Walnut as the grade went up.
Fox can be criticized for down grading it's engraving quality after WW1 to save $$ with those crazy save-time designs by Gough.
Winchester 21 engraving was always crippled by the extreme hardness the frames and forends were heat treated to. An engravers nightmare to cut even when carbide tools came one the scene.
Annealing was not an option for factory engravers but outside workers often did and their work will show fine quality detail the factory cutters never seemed to achieve trying to carve the near impossible to cut HT's steel.

The Win21 is nothing special as far as design,,and neither is the AH Fox or Parker. They all have their quirks and flaws.
They all break and wear out and need repair.
The 21 is the easiest to repair right now because of the availability of parts from CSMCo who continues to mfg the Win 21 under license.

Problems with the ejectors on a Win21?,,buy every part in there if you need to (and can foot the bill). Try that with an elderly Parker or Fox and it's hunt for parts time. Though orig Fox parts are in pretty good supply now from a source in the NY Adirondaks. Many are in rough out form so be ready to file,,then file and fit some more to end up with a part. But it's a good source.
I recently made up an ejector forend complete to fit an existing AH Fox 16ga SPE that was a 2 bbl set and the second bbl was located. The extra ejector forend iron and forend were made up of rough orig Fox parts to fit the old newly located second bbl.

My pick for the 'nicest looking' SxS's would be the pre WW1 German &Austrian made guns.
They are everything as far as quality that the Brit guns are in the mid and high grade guns and the styling is what I would call exactly what I would want.
That comes after just completely restoring a 1896 Purdy 16ga self opener SxS 2 bbl set.
Killer wood under all that grunge,,but I still favor the German products of the era.

But like Mike, SC Hunter says,,,Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....

....I go to the Skeet range and shoot a 1925 Marlin Model 43T (Trap)
and a Remington Model 10T (Target V/R).
I like vintage pump guns too!
I bring the Lindner/ Chas Daly 1912 SBT out too for a run.

Too many to say which one is the best looking.
Maybe it's the Marlin!

I still hurt when I think about the 20 ga. Ithaca double that I just couldn't afford. It was around 1948 and I was trying to get furniture and things you needed to live. Marrying young and in the service, I don't regret, but it took some doing for several years to get even.
The Ithaca was light weight and strictly made for a fast pointing quail gun. The price was $80 dollars and there was no way that I could do it. I looked at that gun so many times I can still see it.
I finally got a LeFever Nitro Special in a 20ga. but there was no comparison.

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Mighty 90's,Trying 4 a 100!

I agree with that but I own 2 and for strong and durable and not worry about what loads are safe I don't think they can be beat. I don't shoot steel shot. I think the best looking boxlocks are A H Fox guns but sidelocks are the best looking SXS guns.
For looks and workmanship London Best guns can't be beat but poor people like me will never be able to own one. Larry

I've got a 20 ga. Darne, which I think is a beautiful, lightweight gun. It's unusual in shape but a joy to own and carry.

When beating around area pawnshops .. I always keep my eye out for a great deal on a shotgun gem ....

I have a 12 gauge Darne copy with the splinter forearm and straight grip. Double triggers of course. I looked for years before I could find one I could afford.

The above set-up is my idea of the prettiest shotgun. I prefer sidelocks over boxlocks. English SxSs rock!

I like the looks of those hammer doubles in post #25 too!

That cat is a pretty one too.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

It's hard to beat a 28ga Parker too

I am not really into shotguns but I think I can top the plain-Jane version of the OP.

Merkel 147E, 12g


Merkel 200E, 12g



And another 200E, 12g

You must be near Joel Etchen Shotguns

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

[QUOTE=italiansport;140657219]As far as I'm concerned the ultimate in good looks go to the high-grade English doubles. Very beautiful doubles were made in various Countries including the U S but I don't think the British have ever been topped. Look at a few Purdeys etc. and you'll see what I mean!

Jim[/QUOTE

And the English maker Wesley-Richards.

German Krieghoffs, and Italian Perazzi's are pretty high on the list also. I have owned both in O/U configuration. The high grade Beretta's are nothing to sneeze at either

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

You must have shot at Lordship in CT. The classiest club ever owned by a not so classy anymore gunmaker

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Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

Sure is pretty (and kitty, too!) but I'll always be partial to Dad's Ithaca Flues Field Grade!

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My current favorite is a 16ga Francotte. 28" barrels double triggers and ejectors. Engraved at about VLD 14E pattern, but made up for a retailer in Paris. Straight stock, splinter fore end and 5lb 14oz makes it a joy at the end of the day. YMMV

I believe my best looking SxS shotguns are Manufrance Ideals, both No 6s, and a Charlin. I like French Shotguns.

One of my Best looking Shotguns.
Circa 2004 Ruger Gold Label SxS 12ga Shotgun.
My One Day a Season Pheasant gun.

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