I could never force myself to purchase a new best gun with earned money. Maybe lottery money or inherited money, if I had any...Geo
I could never afford a 'best' English new; However I did buy a Beretta SO new - 20 years ago - and that has walked miles with me and shows a fair number of 'use' scars.
I did try to buy (at auction) a 'bar in wood' Dickson round action. These are quite simply the best looking guns I have ever seen - and this example was fully cased with decent original Damascus in nitro proof. It went for considerably more than I could afford (and much more than I paid for my SO new).
IF I had been able to afford a best gun new, I think it would have been a Purdey or Henry Atkin (I like Beesley's patent action), with house extra fine rose and scroll. And most likely I would have bought a used example anyway as I'm mean with money!
