In an attempt to establish objective criteria; how about "better" means what gun kills more birds or targets without mechanical failure over time,
at a comparable price?
Henry Squires 1890 Catalog
Greener Facile Priceps No. 5 - $125
Greener Patent Treble Wedge-Fast No. 6 Far-killing Duck Gun - $100
Greener “Trap” Hammer gun - $85
Parker GH, Ithaca No.3, Colt & L.C. Smith No. 2 all $80
1895 Montgomery Ward & Co. Catalogue
Damascus Greener Facile Princeps “made especially to our order for trapshooting” - $100
Chas. Daly Hammerless No. 120 - $100
Smith Pigeon Grade without AE - $100
Greener No. 3 Ejector - $210
Parker DH - $100 list but sold for $72.
The 1903 H.H. Kiffe Co., New York
Lefever E Grade - $70
Remington 1894 C Grade - $70 + $5 AE
Ithaca No. 4 - $71 + $10 AE
L.C. Smith No. 3 - $75 + $10 AE
Parker GH - $80
W.&C. Scott No. 1 - $85
Greener No. 19 Forester - $100
It would be silly to compare any of the above with these
1906 William Read & Sons Catalogue
“Highest Quality” Westley Richards with single trigger - $595
W.W. Greener G70 “Imperial” - $500
W&C Scott “Premier” - $375
W&C Scott “Imperial Premier” - price on application
Purdey - 89 pounds 5 shillings sterling - about $446
Joseph Lang & Son “Highest Quality” sidelock ejector - 65 guineas
Parker Bros. AAHE - net price of $318.75
Lefever Optimus - $280
Remington Special - $750 = about $22,500 today
L.C. Smith Monogram AE - $365
L.C. Smith A-2 - $390
L.C. Smith A-3 - $740
Then there is "better" in actual competition ie. the 1901 Anglo-American Match
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=185YOyQl7GIB9OYLs9Hr3tnMLHqs4rjEdR4j_E9l4HLwGuns used: 9 Parkers, 2 Smiths and (oh the shame
) 2 Winchester Repeating Shotguns
The English guns were allowed 2 shots to compensate for 1/8 oz. less shot
Forest & Stream July 6, 1901
https://books.google.com/books?id=qkMhAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA18English cartridge: 1 1/8 oz., 3 Dram, No. 7 shot, 382 pellets in 2 3/4” case
American cartridge: 1 1/4 oz., 44 grains (3 1/8 Dr. Eq. “E.C.” No. 1), No. 7 1/2, 436 pellets in 3 1/4” or 3 1/2” case.
