Side by side advice

[Dicker]

Hello and thanks for reading my post.

 

Has anyone done research and purchased a new side by side shotgun recently? I am essentially looking for a lightweight, short barrelled (26") shotgun for early season partridge. (Later in the season, I shoot high pheasant with my brilliant Browning).

 

I have looked at a couple of the Turkish and Spanish makes - does anyone have any reccomendations? Ideally sub 2000 pounds.

 

Many thanks

Dicker

[Guest cookoff013]

Merkel are solid.

Aya are very good.

 

Aya guns are really nice too.

[Underdog]

I have a Robert Lisle BLE up for grabs. 28"

In very good condition.

Pm if you want more info.

[daystate 177]

Aya no2 but then im bias as its my best gun

[DrBob]

Why new?

It's like buying cars, a secondhand prestige car is a better buy than a tarted up, option-laden budget model.

The Turkish guns are OK,but certainly no better than that. Budget Spanish are ok,.

What about a purpose-built, short-barrelled gun ( ie not a longer-barrelled gun that has been shortened) such as the all-time classic, the AYA XXV?

The Twenty Five is a beautiful gun, light, quick-handling, a virtual replica of the Churchill on which it is based. Available in boxlock and sidelock versions, eg;

 

http://www.guntrader.co.uk/Guns-For-Sale/AYA_Shotgun_25-Sidelock_For-Sale_140802090409001

 

There's a couple of boxlocks on this site, both a lot cheaper than the SL.

[Gunman]

A lot of good 26" guns on the market at very reasonable prices due to the ridicules phobia against them .

Lot of nice English guns but most will be 2&1/2" chambers . AyA are good and you can get a 25 or best boxlock at knock down price due to afore mentioned prejudice . Just look out if going the AyA route for all over original condition .

Personally I would keep away from Turkish made and as there is no need for magnum proof or multi chokes in game gun it will mean a lighter snappier handling gun .

[Dicker]

Thanks for the comments gents. Very useful

[Paul223]

Yep plenty of English guns with a bit of character for that money, built more than well enough to see you out if they've been looked after!

[welshwarrior]

As said fashion is against short barrels right now so you can get bargains personally I'd look at a nice aya no2 should get a lovely one for under your budget with 26" tubes.

[wymberley]

A lot of good 26" guns on the market at very reasonable prices due to the ridicules phobia against them .

Lot of nice English guns but most will be 2&1/2" chambers . AyA are good and you can get a 25 or best boxlock at knock down price due to afore mentioned prejudice . Just look out if going the AyA route for all over original condition .

Personally I would keep away from Turkish made and as there is no need for magnum proof or multi chokes in game gun it will mean a lighter snappier handling gun .

+1

No need to faff about, just get an AYA XXV. For your dosh you'll get a really nice boxlock (possibly a sidelock as well but the boxlock handles quicker and you'll get something in far better condition). Older versions are 2 1/2" but more recent ones are 2 3/4". Either way, it makes no difference as there is a wide range of cartridges available for both.

[cueball]

Holts auction is on the 17th sept I think, I had a look through the catalogue today and their are at least 3 aya no.2 and a xxv or 2 in their. (Plus a 12g with a drilling for 500 quid I was having a little drool over) definitely worth looking at the catalogue.

I love my sxs for clay and game, and you can get some absolute bargains at the moment especially with the big ? over the lag report, and a lot of gents who used sxs's reaching that age when they sell up their guns.

Good luck with the purchase

[dougall]

buy 2nd hand and english......lots around cannot see it losing value(a new 1 loses 20% vat and dealer margin on leaving the shop).......older the better in my eyes! Your budget will get a very tidy birmingham boxlock too.......W&S 700/701 Powell/W.Richards etc......of the foreign stuff AYA a solid choice. try guntrader huge number available.

[Gunman]

Webley and Scott 700 say no more .

[ditchman]

AYA no 4..................will get you a very good one @ £700-900........or much less............check the chokes before you buy as they are made tightly choked and may need boring out to suit your preferance

[norfolk dumpling]

I've owned a 27" Gunmark Black Sabel (Arrieta made) for several yrs. Cost me £350 as stock short (like me) but lovely gun. Self-opener, hand detachable locks, nice wood and handles really well. Add this or Arrieta to your thinking.

[MrPhantom]

I've owned a 27" Gunmark Black Sabel (Arrieta made) for several yrs. Cost me £350 as stock short (like me) but lovely gun. Self-opener, hand detachable locks, nice wood and handles really well. Add this or Arrieta to your thinking.

+1 I have the very same gun but with 25" barrels. Certainly don't discount Spanish makers other than AYA. If I had your budget I would include a Gunmark Royale on my shortlist. Made by Garbi - beautifully finished guns.

[bruno22rf]

English sidelock-should get a nice one for your money and its value will increase rather than fall-its also going to have "character" and history as well as being built by the best there ever was-nothing handles like an English gun.

[Dangerous Brian]

As a slightly different tack you could try a new Webley and Scott 2000, 2500 or 3000. They are multi choke, have the option of double or non selective single trigger are steel shot proof marked if you have a duck drive to do. They were either made in Turkey or possibly Italy depending on what you read on the internet. Have a look at the review by GunMart.

 

The SRP is about £1700 ish for the 2000 but Sportsman Gun centre were doing them a couple of months ago at almost half that. Not sure what they are charging now though.

 

I am pretty pleased with mine (double trigger). It's not as refined as some out there but works for me (I miss just as much with it as any of the others I use).

 

Have fun with whatever you end up buying

 

Brian

[ChrisAsh]

English sidelock-should get a nice one for your money and its value will increase rather than fall-its also going to have "character" and history as well as being built by the best there ever was-nothing handles like an English gun.

Not sure that's the case now days, there probably is a big difference between asking and selling prices, auction prices are the only real judge, perhaps someone who follows the auctions could comment

[dougall]

Not sure that's the case now days, there probably is a big difference between asking and selling prices, auction prices are the only real judge, perhaps someone who follows the auctions could comment

agree,any English sidelock under 2k needs v v careful inspection as budget 'fraid needs to be 3.5k+ for goodish one.

[wymberley]

Not sure that's the case now days, there probably is a big difference between asking and selling prices, auction prices are the only real judge, perhaps someone who follows the auctions could comment

Sadly, for my money (or more precisely, the loss of it as I lost out on two Churchills) you're probably right unless you keep and look after it for many, many years. The vast majority of affordable truly English guns will be pre or early post war which means that any necessary replacement parts will have to be made. Much later than that and the affordable ones will be in 'name' only. Yep, there are some little gems out there to be used and enjoyed. However, some of the Spanish offerings are good value, handle well and are still in production so parts are virtually 'off the shelf' and if looked after they also will not depreciate in value.

Just been made aware of Dougall's post and agree entirely.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Contact Mick aka Wabbitbosher and see what he can find for you!

[Fatcatsplat]

agree,any English sidelock under 2k needs v v careful inspection as budget 'fraid needs to be 3.5k+ for goodish one.

 

This is the problem

Contact Mick aka Wabbitbosher and see what he can find for you!

And this is the solution

 

Job jobbed

[14Supersport04]

Im also looking for a side by side at the moment and from my research it seems that AyA is a good reliable brand and there are loads of them for under £2000.

[DanWalker]

buy 2nd hand and english......lots around cannot see it losing value(a new 1 loses 20% vat and dealer margin on leaving the shop).......older the better in my eyes! Your budget will get a very tidy birmingham boxlock too.......W&S 700/701 Powell/W.Richards etc......of the foreign stuff AYA a solid choice. try guntrader huge number available.

 

Agree entirely. My take, being mostly a watcher of auctions, is that English Boxlocks are the last bargain to be had in usable old shotguns. For about the same money as a new 525 or Silver Pigeon you can pick up a gun built almost entirely by hand by men trained the old way in how to make a really good gun. As a rule of thumb I'd expect to pay upwards of £750 (once fees etc are added) for a good non-ejector and £1500 to £2000 for a good ejector. Smaller bores obviously attract a premium. A word to the wise, be VERY careful with the sealed bid sales and take someone who knows their stuff if you go to the viewing day or decide to bid. Far more clunkers than pristine guns out there and repairs rapidly outstrip the residual value. I know, I've been caught out more than once. Good luck if you go down this route, but watch out it does get very addictive.