AggieRob93 said:
Like Irish said above, Purdey builds some purty guns. Been to their store in London...it is a sight to behold. Bespoke firearms of that quality are a treat to gaze upon and handle.
Ugly? Hi-Point C9 pistol. Looks the same as the Marksman bb gun built to look like a .45acp. Looks cheap, feels cheap, is cheap.
Any of the English "Best" shotguns and double rifles - Purdey, Westley Richards, Holland & Holland - are top of the line "purty" and hard to beat in the category of "prettiest" guns. So are the price tags, unfortunately, and that puts them out of my reach. I'm curious if anyone who posts here owns and shoots one.
Equally as pretty, but not as expensive, are some of the other European shotguns, especially SxS guns. Fausti in particular makes some spectacular guns at about 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the English Best guns, and are easily the equivalent of any Beretta break-open shotgun. Fausti used to be a shop that cranked out price-point guns for export as well as fine shotguns and double rifles. When Stephano Fausti passed away and his three daughters took over the company, they changed the focus of the company to high quality guns. Even their basic SxS - the Fausti DEA - is a fine looking and handling gun, having elegant lines, despite being rather plain in appearance. Fausti shotguns start around $2000 (O/U) and $3500 (SxS) and go up to around $35k. Fausti makes the new Parallelo for Beretta, starting around $5000.
I'm a SxS guy for most shotgun applications, and a Fausti is on my list of shotguns to own. I'm currently mostly shooting Spanish and Turkish made SxSs, although I do occasionally break out a 28 gauge Ruger Red Label or a 20 gauge Browning Superposed. I will never own one of those 99% engraved double guns with AAAAA grade wood because I won't own a gun that I don't want to shoot, But I still like to own and shoot nice looking guns.
For rifles, any sleek bolt action rifle with attractive wood and blued metal floats my boat, and I like most lever guns.
I'm not much of a handgun shooter - my preference there runs to revolvers. I really like the lines of the Colt 1860 Army and 1861 Navy, a fine set of flintlock dueling pistols, and Colt 1911s.
Edit: Sorry for the long-winded post but the subject of "pretty guns" gets me revved up about shotguns. I'm off to Illinois Friday to visit family and go pheasant hunting with my brother-in-law. He will be toting his Beretta Silver Pigeon into the field, and I will have my pretty (and inexpensive) Turkish made SxS. Or perhaps my Spanish made 16 gauge XXV.