Originally Posted by
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.
A good quality older A5 can actually be had for under $600 pretty much any given day...with the exception for some rare models, they are a relatively good purchase as many other older semi-auto models such as the Remington 1100/1187 and the Winchester Super X are more desirable and tend to run a little higher price-wise. I have a handful of newer shotguns...but my 1957 A5 and my 1957 and 1959 Browning Superposed shotguns more often then not get the nod to the ranger or field. I stand by my assertion that an older A5 is a better investment than a newer one. But that is my opinion. You can't go wrong with either, for many of the reasons wingbone states...it's more about what you want. Both will serve you well for many year at the range or in the field.