drfcolt's real Winchesters are truly beautiful; both are a work of art . . . . . . . . . . and therein lies the problem with them to me. They are too valuable and too beautiful to actually use. Like some of my WWII collection, both Axis and Allies which are too valuable to use, they just sit there in my gun room. S/N matching, correct, pristine examples of the arms of the last World War. Preserved as part of history but too precious to use.
So I'd just ogle them once in a while but never, ever consider actually shooting them. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to own either one of drfcolt's beauties but I could never bring myself to shoot one. That's why I get the reproductions. They are modern copies of those beautiful pieces but not worth much intrinsically other than to use and enjoy. I can shoot them to my heart's content and not worry about damaging them, 'cause if they break, I fix them and start shooting again.