Wingbone

Having a gun that's been in your family for a couple of generations is one thing, there's a story in each scratch and mar. Buying a collectable shotgun at a collectable price and submitting it to the conditions that a field shotgun is exposed to is another. Chances are that it won't have choke tubes. Changing the friction tubes to accommodate light or heavy loads is a process. And, they are heavy. I agree that most of those old machined steel and walnut guns are much better made than most equivalents today, but they aren't immortal. They don't break often but parts do break. Replacing them isn't cheap. I really don't know what the price of a good A-5 goes for, but I'll bet it goes for close to what you'd pay for a new one. I've got an old Mod. 97 Winchester pump that I love shooting. But I do most of my hunting with my BPS that I'll put up against any pump gun.
It's great to use a classic gun, but it's also great to have an alternative that you don't mind getting all scratched up.