My farming family members were never nostalgic about guns, fancy guns or new equipment. So things got used for what they were built to be used. I had a grandfather who took his mid grade Parker duck hunting for 40 plus years. It got used, but not abused. He had a Montgomery Wards double, out in the barn for varmints and unwanted guest. That gun ended up as a rusty mess, even if it had very few shells shot in it. I rescued it, when I figured out it was a private labeled Baker with barrels thicker than pump pipe. It cleaned up well and has been used a lot on Sporting Clay's. That gun was choked .045 and .050 with barrels that even after striking to remove fifty years of rust were greater than .040 in the thinnest area. That gun was built to be used, abused and neglected.

My first gun was a Winchester Model 12, in 28 gauge, Solid rib, Skeet gun. A rare(ish) gun and trust me it got used as a kid. Not abused but used. I shot 1,000 loads year hunting with it. I know because I bought two cases of shells every year and back then small bore cases were 500 not the modern flats op 250 and every shell got shot by years end. Had that gun been a safe queen it would be worth two times what is today, as it is being a desirable, collectable gun. I got a hundred grand of enjoyment out of that gun and still have it. I did put new feather crotch stock on it but refuse to refinish the metal. It earned those scars and deserves to show them off.

I shoot mostly Winchester Model 42's these days. My two most often used guns are a High Grade and a real Pigeon Grade. A lot of Pigeon Grades I see are not real, only upgrades of guns, upgraded later. My guns get thousands of shells a year shot through them every year and the normal wear and finish wear is starting to show up despite my best efforts. But I love shooting them and enjoy how nice they look. Perhaps in a better life they both could have been a safe queen and be as pristine in 50 years as the day they were made. But in this life, they are guns built to be shot and enjoyed. I freely let anyone try them with shells I will give them. Nice guns were built to be enjoyed and I intend to enjoy them as long as I can. My kids can lament the loss value if they want but I gave all five of them a college education so they can work and buy their own toys. Mine are going to get used.