For me, the ones that I have owned and used to hunt for 10 years or more, that have been well cared for but have "honest wear" on them, are my favorite and are like magic, whether cheap or expensive. Each time I pick one up, I get those mini flashbacks of the prior hunts, . . the sound of the gun, the buck against the shoulder, the clean kill, and the gun in the snapshot with the game. The well used ones are like small time machines, that always take me back. Brand new ones are never loved by me, until I get them properly scoped, adjusted, and then used for 10 years.
And you know what else? The really expensive guns are never the ones that you end up using in the field year in and year out. They are generally middle of the road guns, that you picked out on a whim and tuned up yourself, and are 100% reliable.
Big Paulie