After I put the new PA-08 shotgun together, I called Weatherby's PR man, Aaron Smith. "Aaron, I'm going to ask you a question and you have to tell me the truth," I said. "Did you pick out the PA-08 you sent me or just send one from the warehouse?"

"I've never seen it before. Why?" he asked apprehensively.

"Because it has the most beautiful wood I've seen on a $400 shotgun."

The PA-08 is Weatherby's new pump-action. Sourced from a Turkish vendor, it's made to sell at a low price point—in this case $389. But even inexpensive Turkish guns usually have well-finished, well-figured wood, and this particular one was spectacular.

In that way, this new gun remains true to Weatherby's shotgun heritage, which began nearly 40 years ago. Weatherby shotguns were made to be admired, just like Weatherby rifles. The PA-08 is as handsome as a budget pump-action can possibly be, and although most have plainer wood than my sample gun, they are uniformly well-finished and good-looking.

Weatherby has always sourced its shotguns from overseas vendors, beginning with the high-grade, Italian-made Regency over-under in 1970. Today, the line has broadened and evolved to comprise everything from the $389 pump and a surprisingly good, inexpensive $449 semi-automatic on up to double guns and over-unders selling for nearly $4,000....

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