I suspect that PA had the skill to make a best gun, even back in the sixties when they weren't making "best guns". My 1967 unengraved 28 gauge is the best fitted shotgun I have ever owned. The metal to metal and wood to metal is as good as my English guns, including my Purdey pigeon gun made in the best era. I think that each gun made by PA must be evaluated on its own merits. On another subject, is the unengraved PA gun as scarce as recent gun ads would suggest?