Ten of the world's finest shotguns

American double shotguns flourished from the 1890s until shortly after World War II, when the public demand for cheaper, mass-produced pump and semiautomatic guns killed the old classics.

The high grade L.C. Smiths like this Monogram Grade were among the most heavily decorated guns made during the so-called Golden Age of American shotguns, in the 1930s and 40s. This heavyweight gun accepts powerful magnum loads intended for high-flying ducks and geese.

Price: $12,000
Gauge: 12