I'll choose Don Ernesto-- His first shotgun, as an adult, was his M12- field grade 12- 30" full choke with solid rib. You might enjoy the books "Hemingway's Guns" by Silvio Calabi, Roger Sanger and Steven Helsey- 2 editions, the second revises the guns Ernest and Mary had in Cuba.

Hemingway started hunting in Sun Valley, ID in Sept 1939- fell in love with the whole area, in 1940 he met actor Gary Cooper, and their lifelong friendship began.

Unlike his father, Dr. Clarence E. Hemingway, Ernest was afflicted with poor eyesight, that factor kept him out of the US Army in WW1- so he served with the Red Cross in Italy, as an ambulance driver.

Somehow, he overcame the vision problems, and was a top rated shot at live pigeon shoots- He won a Browning Superposed 12 ga. in the 1930's-- and used that and his M12 for a variety of hunting and sport shooting. I am sure the gentleman who has the taste (and deep pockets) to own and shoot a Purdey gun would also be a fine field companion.

In the book "The Idaho Hemingway" Tillie Arnold describes Hemingway and being a kind and gentle man, who never drank until the hunt was over, and tried to give others in the group chances at the best shots on pheasants, ducks, rabbits, whatever.

Hemingway's youngest son Gregory won several live bird matches in Cuba, using a .410 L.C. Smith, competing against grown men with 12 gauges- apparently, the acorn didn't fall too far from the tree with his 3 boys, all were keen game shots-

FWIW-- Of all my M12's- my "pet" is a 1937 mfg. Tournament grade, 12 gauge- 30" full, solid rib, red factory solid pad-- Whenever I handle it, I think of Hemingway. RWTF

Last edited by Run With The Fox; 01/23/19 08:45 PM.
"The field is the touchstone of the man"..