Mungler Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 I want to get a half tidy second hand 12g SBS for around the £500 to £600 mark (I have had two driven shoot invites for later this year and reckon the semi auto might raise a few eyebrows....) What's a good make to go for and what should I look out for? Anyone seen anything interesting in any Essex gun shops? Cheers all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 There is an advert at the Braintree shooting ground for an AYA no. 4 can't remember the price but I think it was around the 400 mark. Cheers Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted May 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 There is an advert at the Braintree shooting ground for an AYA no. 4 can't remember the price but I think it was around the 400 mark. Cheers Martin Okay. Next question is how does the whole "No. 4" etc business work? What does it mean and what's it all about? Ta, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Absolutely no idea. I personally would buy an O/U for your driven days as you will shoot better with it if you are used to a semi. Or just ask the game keeper if you can use your semi. I went on a formal day last season and the keeper was only to happy for us to use a semi. Some don't like it but it is after all a shotgun. Cheers Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 I wouldn't use a semi on any driven shoot. A lot of people get sniffy about them. Rightly so, a lot of other Guns will get worried about the safety aspect = unless you use a breech flag, it's not obvious whether your gun is loaded or not. An AYA is a good buy. The No 1 is AYA's equivalent to a best London SBS. The No 2 is a pretty good mass-produced sidelock. I'm not too sure about the No 3 (it could be their "best" boxlock?). The No 4 is their mass-produced, but very good boxlock. There's lots of thread about SBS vs OU decisions. You will shoot better with an OU if you only shoot a semi, however a tidy SBS looks the business on a game shoot. Plus SBSs are lighter and more manageable than a heavy OU if you're standing at a peg all day. £600 will buy you a good Spanish, and maybe even an English boxlock SBS. If you can do the trip from Essex to Suffolk, Trulock & Harris Gunsmiths has a huge selection of cheap SBSs in store. I was dribbling over them this last weekend. Trulock had a very, very elegant Ugartechea 12b SBS sidelock for about £650 in stock, almost unused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkield Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 If you are after an 'acceptable' game gun you could get a resonable 20bore O/U for that sort of money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Most of the issues concerning semi autos where there are a lot of people about, are in the areas of safety, rather than a snobbish attitude. Almost any AYA sbs is going to be a good, reliable, gun and the No4 is the model above the Yeoman. As has been suggested, think about an O/U, they are completely accepted at any formal shoots I have attended. There seem to be a lot of good secondhand bargains about at the moment. It will pay to shop around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted May 30, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 I have a Beretta over and under which I love dearly, however, it is heavy and is not be lugged round the countryside. The AL391 would be perfect - light, 3 shots and synthetic but I am not going to take it. If I got an invite from a client to go to the opera I wouldn't go in a string vest and wearing white trainers if only not to show up the client who invited me. Yes, the AL391 is the shotgun equivalent of white trainers. Besides, I fancied an SBS and have some more money burning a hole in my pocket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Actually I think a string vest and wearing white trainers is a must for the opera...but then I'm an uneducated heathen swine with no social graces Just liked the analogy is all. I think semis are (and generally speaking are) anathema on driven days. Just not the done thing chaps! I mostly shoot with a semi for pigeon and wildfowl (brilliant tool) but no way would I contemplate going to a driven day with one. In fact I draw the line at using one on any formal shooting occasion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted May 30, 2006 Report Share Posted May 30, 2006 Go on, get an SBS. There's a pile of good SBSs up for grabs at the Holt's and Southam's auctions over the next 4 weeks. http://www.holtandcompany.co.uk/Temp%20Jun...2006%20sale.doc http://www.southams.com/html/auctions.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BERETTA687 Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 its up to you and what you shoot best with , dont go to the shoot feeling you have to have the best guns or a sbs, go so you are happy and comfortable to enjoy a good days shooting. bring your semi if you are allowed to?, as you are comfortable with it, just remember saftey and keep it in a slip , if you are going to get another gun , dont bother with a sbs, go for an over and under, there are lots of game models about for good prices, they are light and pointable. just my opinion its up to you. good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 With that kind of money you could end up with a nice SbS if you hold out and shop about first I ended up with this after a wait of about 2 month And the best part is! IT'S ENGLISH but nothing can beat the price tag though Princley sum of £225 Good luck in your search and if i stumble upon anything nice in the mean time i shall give you a holla LG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Right been on Gun trader and found the following if you want a look see? All are SbS's Miroku for £395 LIG (looks nice) £395 sarasqueta (nice) £450 saraskeeta (beautiful) £595 (chichester) and lastly an AYA No2 again beautiful but £750 LG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Lord Geordie, the gun you bought looks like a good find. What make is it? It would look great with an oil finish to the stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted May 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 By a process of "signature elimination" it would appear to be a: Sussex Armoury 12g SbS Out of interest, what's the barrel length LG? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Ok, OK, I ws being thick and I had missed Lord Geordie's signature block...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted May 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Okay, Mr. Maiden still has his Armstrong SBS for sale. It's old, a bit battered, has been re-slieved and there has been some monkey business with the stock. However, the price looks like it could be right and the gun is a piece of history and I am attracted to it. Moreover, I doubt that I will have that many "driven days" to worry about it that much. I have an O/U and a Semi. I repeat that the clients that have been kind enough to invite me do not deserve to be shown up in anyway shape or form and I am not that unprofessional to do so. So, no semi auto - ah, the naivity of those that say "use the gun you are comfortable with", "don't worry about what people think", "ignore the snobs use the AL391"..... reminds me of all those naive tossers when I was at University that voted Socialist Worker Party and now who hope for lower tax rates, private education for their children and a conservative government again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Hold on a minute, YOU asked for advice, we gave you our opinion and now we are naive? just remember the saying "those that matter don't care, those that care don't matter" If someone can't accept me for who I am then stuff them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted May 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Hold on a minute, YOU asked for advice, we gave you our opinion and now we are naive? just remember the saying "those that matter don't care, those that care don't matter" If someone can't accept me for who I am then stuff them. Whoah there Lesley. I asked for advice on a side by side, nothing else.... Imagine this - you get an invite to the Opera from a very good client. You are self employed and clients are important personally to you and your mortgage payments. You do like the Opera though. You however are most comfortable in a string vest, track suit bottoms and trainers. Would you attempt to go in your favourite attire or would you make an effort - yes, to conform but also not to embarass your good client (who would not be attending the Opera in a string vest and trainers etc) I rest my case. Put your copy of the socialist worker away.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 I accept what you are saying but I wouldn't go vastly out of my way to fit in. You'll be off to saville row next for a tweed jacket and plus fours. An O/U is perfectly acceptable on a driven day as you will find out when you go. And I am quite sure that if you only had a semi and you asked it would be fine. I know there is a dislike about the safety of them as it is not obvious whether they are safe but a breech flag and carrying them in a slip unless you are shooting and there no issue. If I was going to the opera with an important client then no I wouldn't wear a string vest and tracksuit trousers, neither would I nip off to Moss Bros for a DJ and Bow tie. I am about as far from being a socialist as you can get. Cheers Martin No offence meant or taken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted May 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 What do you mean? I already have plus fours and a tweed jacket - doesn't everyone? Back to the thread Citizen Cavie, is this any good?: http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...topic=16781&hl= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 I would go out of my way to fit in on a driven day. You'll shoot better if you aren't standing at your peg wondering whether the other Guns are making snide comments about your choice of weaponry. And if you look the part and put in a good performance, you may well find more invitations come your way. Which is a definite bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted May 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 I would go out of my way to fit in on a driven day. You'll shoot better if you aren't standing at your peg wondering whether the other Guns are making snide comments about your choice of weaponry. And if you look the part and put in a good performance, you may well find more invitations come your way. Which is a definite bonus. Yep. They are big money days out and from what I hear they are not about who shoots the most with the most techincally perfect / accurate gun for the job but are about the day itself. Moreover, what I intend to spend on a gun (which I get to keep, use forever and sell if I get bored with) will not scratch the cost of just the day out shooting which the client will be paying for. And obviously, a return invite would be most welcome. I am confident that my shooting will speak for itself.... the rest is the window dressing that will keep everyone happy and the chance of a return visit alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 What do you mean? I already have plus fours and a tweed jacket - doesn't everyone? Back to the thread Citizen Cavie, is this any good?: http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/ind...topic=16781&hl= I wouldn't really know to be honest, Side by sides aren't really my thing. Having said that I did buy one last night off of Pavman. (Top Bloke) for £25. It is the same with any gun, it is only any good if it suits you. Oh And POWER TO THE PEOPLE Cheers Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldrick Posted May 31, 2006 Report Share Posted May 31, 2006 Mungler, I couldn't agree more about what makes up a good day's shooting. Playing the grey man is always wise in these situations..... The Armstrong gun sounds like a good deal, and they are good guns. Just keep an eye on Guntrader...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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