Side by Side Club

[JJsDad]

20 minutes ago, wymberley said:

Not all good news, though. If it's what I hope, then the XXV already shown on here will be up for grabs which hurts a bit

You are not alone. We have all been down that route and mentally ended up kicking myself for years afterwards !

[matone]

2 hours ago, JJsDad said:

Further to my comment above, I was browsing Gunstar (as you do) and Wisemans have a Webley 700 with a 14.25in stock, 26in. barrels with the weight quoted as 6lb 4ozs.

Had one that was 6lb6oz with 2 3/4" chambers also.

[Old Boggy]

4 hours ago, JJsDad said:

I dont know where you are based Old farrier or your budget, but just to let you know John Forsey has a 3in Bland Brent on his rack at £995; see: https://www.johnforsey.co.uk/used-shotguns

If you had any interest, he or Phil will always do a deal for cash and will ship to your local RFD.

Cheers

JJsDad

I am going into John Forsey`s next week to pick up some 16g steel cartridges that he`s managed to obtain for me. Almost got there today, but the Memsahib had other ideas so didn`t quite make it. If interested OF, I can take some photos of the Bland if you wish as that was the only one on his website without a photo.

OB

[Old farrier]

4 minutes ago, Old Boggy said:

I am going into John Forsey`s next week to pick up some 16g steel cartridges that he`s managed to obtain for me. Almost got there today, but the Memsahib had other ideas so didn`t quite make it. If interested OF, I can take some photos of the Bland if you wish as that was the only one on his website without a photo.

OB

I’m interested 

i phoned and the girl said that they would phone me back 

still waiting ? 

pictures would be very nice if it isn’t any trouble 

also any bore measurements general condition and any pitting of the barrels 

many thanks

of 

[JJsDad]

Going back to `oldpigeonpoppers` original post about side x sides and dealers who are debating scrapping unwanted stock, I would suggest this is a throw away comment rather than a true fact across the board. The auction houses have always been a lucrative and quick way of getting rid of slow moving or `dodgy` stock. While the marked may seem to have crashed on the cheaper end non-ejectors there is still (in my view) a very healthy market for the better quality stuff. You only have to look at the asking prices at the likes of Jason Abbott (Gunmakers) or Vintage Guns near Ludlow (Dig Hadoak) to see some people are still prepared to pay good money.

It also depends on the dealer. Within 10 miles of me I have two well stocked shops. One aims his offerings directly at the clay shooter, selling clays and cartridges by the slab or the pallet load and his are racks stuffed with Beretta`s, Brownings & auto`s. The last time I went in to replen on cartridges he only had 1 lonely side x side on the rack. Offer him a SBS in P/X and he would probably reduce you to tears.  The other is aimed at a mix of wildfowling / game shooting & clays. He has always got a good selection of SBS game guns rangeing from the cheap and cheerful non-ejector starter gun, right through to a gold inlaid Wilkes of London that I have drooled over.

Also, beware of the chancers who frequent this forum. A few months ago (shame on me) I asked questions about a Miroku Mk 60 Gd 5 20 bore that I was considering buying. I had rung a Wiltshire dealer about taking a 20 bore AYA best quality boxlock in P/X which he agreed to do. Not wanting a wasted long trip I asked him to give me an approx P/X price against the AYA. Which he agreed to do, subject to some decent photo`s. After sending the photo`s we spoke again and he suggested a P/X for the AYA of circa £1300, but covered himself by stipulating that this was subject to examining the gun. I got some good feedback from the forum about the Miroku but had 2 enquiries about how much I wanted for the AYA that I had mentioned I was P/Xing.

On request I sent photo`s to these 2 who shall remain nameless, but indicated I had been offered north of a £1000 so dont bother wasting my time with an offer.  One promptly vanished, the other told me there was no market for such a gun at that price, but he would kindly let me have £600 !!!!!!  

I duly drove down to Salisbury and having selected the better (by wood) of four Miroku`s; he brought a very broad smile to my face and a rapid handshake when he said he would allow £1400 on my AYA. A week later it was on his website, and still is at: £2850 !!!!    The lesson here is, dont believe everything you are told.

 

 

Edited April 24, 2018 by JJsDad

[JJsDad]

21 minutes ago, Old farrier said:

i phoned and the girl said that they would phone me back 

still waiting ? 

Its usually like a mad house in there. John doesnt keep normal shop hours nowadays. Ring and ask to speak to Phil.

[Old Boggy]

39 minutes ago, Old farrier said:

I’m interested 

i phoned and the girl said that they would phone me back 

still waiting ? 

pictures would be very nice if it isn’t any trouble 

also any bore measurements general condition and any pitting of the barrels 

many thanks

of 

As JJsDad said, it`s a very busy shop. They are shut on Wednesdays so doubt whether you`ll get a phone call back until at least Thursday now. Nice people to deal with and John, known him quite some time, is very knowledgeable on English guns.

No trouble taking photos although cannot guarantee their quality but will try. Also I`ll make a note of condition and ask regarding bore measurements etc.

My pleasure,

OB

[matone]

48 minutes ago, JJsDad said:

Going back to `oldpigeonpoppers` original post about side x sides and dealers who are debating scrapping unwanted stock, I would suggest this is a throw away comment rather than a true fact across the board. The auction houses have always been a lucrative and quick way of getting rid of slow moving or `dodgy` stock. While the marked may seem to have crashed on the cheaper end non-ejectors there is still (in my view) a very healthy market for the better quality stuff. You only have to look at the asking prices at the likes of Jason Abbott (Gunmakers) or Vintage Guns near Ludlow (Dig Hadoak) to see some people are still prepared to pay good money.

It also depends on the dealer. Within 10 miles of me I have two well stocked shops. One aims his offerings directly at the clay shooter, selling clays and cartridges by the slab or the pallet load and his are racks stuffed with Beretta`s, Brownings & auto`s. The last time I went in to replen on cartridges he only had 1 lonely side x side on the rack. Offer him a SBS in P/X and he would probably reduce you to tears.  The other is aimed at a mix of wildfowling / game shooting & clays. He has always got a good selection of SBS game guns rangeing from the cheap and cheerful non-ejector starter gun, right through to a gold inlaid Wilkes of London that I have drooled over.

Also, beware of the chancers who frequent this forum. A few months ago (shame on me) I asked questions about a Miroku Mk 60 Gd 5 20 bore that I was considering buying. I had rung a Wiltshire dealer about taking a 20 bore AYA best quality boxlock in P/X which he agreed to do. Not wanting a wasted long trip I asked him to give me an approx P/X price against the AYA. Which he agreed to do, subject to some decent photo`s. After sending the photo`s we spoke again and he suggested a P/X for the AYA of circa £1300, but covered himself by stipulating that this was subject to examining the gun. I got some good feedback from the forum about the Miroku but had 2 enquiries about how much I wanted for the AYA that I had mentioned I was P/Xing.

On request I sent photo`s to these 2 who shall remain nameless, but indicated I had been offered north of a £1000 so dont bother wasting my time with an offer.  One promptly vanished, the other told me there was no market for such a gun at that price, but he would kindly let me have £600 !!!!!!  

I duly drove down to Salisbury and having selected the better (by wood) of four Miroku`s; he brought a very broad smile to my face and a rapid handshake when he said he would allow £1400 on my AYA. A week later it was on his website, and still is at: £2850 !!!!    The lesson here is, dont believe everything you are told.

 

 

He must`ve learnt from Hughie Green !

Obviously doesn`t need to shift stock quickly either .

Edited April 24, 2018 by matone

[wymberley]

5 hours ago, JJsDad said:

Hope you didnt pay over the odds !  There`s one in the for sale private adds for £600, described as mint but with 30in. barrels. Not even a sniff of interest by the look of it.

Any speculation on the weight of a 26in barreled version would be plus or minus a couple of ozs, depending on the length of the stock and wood density but I will put a wet finger in the air and say 6lb 10oz !

If you calculation of £3850, taking into account inflation, is anywhere near correct then wages in Spain must have shot up over the same period in the light that a new AYA No: 2 today is upwards of £6000.

I didn't. Have been told by someone who knows that it isn't a sleeper - it's been in a coma. Left it with the 'smith for a pad to be fitted, so photo's later.

4 hours ago, JJsDad said:

You are not alone. We have all been down that route and mentally ended up kicking myself for years afterwards !

Sadly, not the case on this occasion. Won't bore you, let's just say it's on medical grounds.

[JJsDad]

1 hour ago, matone said:

He must`ve learnt from Hughie Green !

Hi Matone. While I remember the show, you might have to explain the humor to some of our younger members !

I was a happy chappie having bought it off a mate for £1200, but was surprised with quite such a hefty mark up.

[AYA117]

2 hours ago, matone said:

A week later it was on his website, and still is at: £2850 !!!!

Yep still there  They are well known locally for their over pricing !

They also have an AYA 117 pretending to be a Countryman ( that is a gun and not me  )

Edited April 24, 2018 by AYA117

[JJsDad]

19 minutes ago, AYA117 said:

They are well known locally for their over pricing !

They may be on some stuff; but, they were the cheapest by several hundred £ on the new (dare I mention it) Miroku. I had already looked at a new one in Tunbridge Wells and their price undercut Potters by a wacking £300 plus. Plus they had a choice of 5 in the shop and would do the conversion to auto-safe while I waited. I dont mind a 200 mile round trip to make £200 on my existing gun and get a wood choice from 5, at a price that was around £450 - £500 under RRP. Also the little lady`s face lit up when I told her I had made £200 on the old gun

Edited April 24, 2018 by JJsDad

[AYA117]

2 minutes ago, JJsDad said:

price that was around £450 - £500 under RRP.

That's good, still not a proper gun though 

[marsh man]

This is half of my side by side mini collection .

Norman , side lock ejector , T Wild n/p hammer gun , Midland Gun Company , Damascus barrels , b / p .

 

[JJsDad]

Just now, AYA117 said:

That's good, still not a proper gun though 

Yep, but I did point out I was mildly ashamed in mentioning it !

[AYA117]

I have a Thomas Wild identical to yours, had it since I was 17, shot my first driven pheasant with it.

[marsh man]

4 minutes ago, AYA117 said:

I have a Thomas Wild identical to yours, had it since I was 17, shot my first driven pheasant with it.

I give mine a couple of days on pigeons in the summer on the stubbles so it can get some fresh air and doing what it was made for .

Have you any idea when they were roughly made ?

[AYA117]

I was told around 1900 but not sure how true that is.

[JJsDad]

5 minutes ago, marsh man said:

Have you any idea when they were roughly made ?

If you care to PM me the serial number I will see if Nigel Brown`s books can shed any light. Like the look of your sidelock.

Edited April 24, 2018 by JJsDad

[motty]

On ‎23‎/‎04‎/‎2018 at 13:33, JJsDad said:

I wonder if some of the current offerings from Turkey and Italy will still be in use like this in 120 years time !

Why wouldn't they?

[Pushandpull]

I would urge caution over the Bland Brent. I have shot a couple (a life long friend has owned one since he was 18), and I have also owned two pre-war Bland magnums as well as one or two others such as magnums by Cogswell and Harrison and Jeffery. The Brent seems to me be to be heavy in the barrel and lacking life. It should certainly be handled before buying.

[marsh man]

47 minutes ago, JJsDad said:

If you care to PM me the serial number I will see if Nigel Brown`s books can shed any light. Like the look of your sidelock.

P M ..... Sent   ........ THANKS

[Old farrier]

9 hours ago, Pushandpull said:

I would urge caution over the Bland Brent. I have shot a couple (a life long friend has owned one since he was 18), and I have also owned two pre-war Bland magnums as well as one or two others such as magnums by Cogswell and Harrison and Jeffery. The Brent seems to me be to be heavy in the barrel and lacking life. It should certainly be handled before buying.

Many thanks for the advice 

i was hoping for a few details on it before committing to the trip to view / buy it 

 

[Old Boggy]

10 hours ago, JJsDad said:

They may be on some stuff; but, they were the cheapest by several hundred £ on the new (dare I mention it) Miroku. I had already looked at a new one in Tunbridge Wells and their price undercut Potters by a wacking £300 plus. Plus they had a choice of 5 in the shop and would do the conversion to auto-safe while I waited. I dont mind a 200 mile round trip to make £200 on my existing gun and get a wood choice from 5, at a price that was around £450 - £500 under RRP. Also the little lady`s face lit up when I told her I had made £200 on the old gun

I have PX'd a couple of guns with the Salisbury shop that you mention and have also been dealt with very fairly by them. Not so with Chris Potter, but that's another story. He now seems to deal more in the high end O/Us.

Regarding your post that Vintage Guns (Dig Hadoke) seem to sell at higher prices, I do wonder whether he actually achieves the prices that he advertises at, which seem well over the top. I think that he has found a niche with the American market who cannot get enough of our English guns if in good condition, but cannot imagine that he sells too much in the UK when you look at some of the prices achievable at auction. I do know that he does refurbish guns and so takes out some of the 'Caveat Emptor' factor but still advertises completely out of keeping with general market prices. Like many gunshops, some of his guns remain for sale for many months/years so I suppose he works on a larger profit margin than say a shop selling new or S/H over & unders where the margins have to be tight to remain competitive. Having said that, he is pretty knowledgeable on English guns and writes passionately about owning and using them and is able, within his writing, to stir up a wish to own and use say, an old hammer gun. 

OB 

[EMT]

Well I couldn't resist any longer. Bought this yesterday and love it.