What impresses me the most about my East German side by side is what a bargain it was. These were truly "fine guns", and they are still being made in Suhl, and sell for about ten times more as new guns than my old version sells for.
In that regard, it joins my J.C. Higgins Model 10 AyA shotguns imported by Sears, and my beautiful old round knob, long tang Superposed shotguns, and Miroku side by sides, as being champagne on a beer budget, lots of gun for the money, honest bargains.
For about a hundred dollars more than a new, cheap pump shotgun at the big box, a lucky bottom feeder can bring one of these home to add to the stash.
These shotguns could be bought by a young man, and serve him all his life until he was too old to shoot it, and then be handed down to his kids, and they'd go right on shooting it.
The cheap pumps at the big box would do the same trick, but nobody would be all that proud of them, although it would be hard to wear one out.
