suggs Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 Had a look at a couple of AYA #2 20 bores today at a RFD, top gun is a 30 inch and comes with the leather case and is unmarked at £3400, bottom gun is a 27 inch with some minor marks to the woodwork and looks to have been slightly shortened with a soft pad added priced at £1950. Both guns would be full prepared and serviced by the onsite smith before sale with any marks removed from the wood work etc then refinished and a nicer pad fitted to the top gun. Bottom gun is gloss but would be sanded back and oiled if wanted and either gun would be fitted to me for included in the price. Case hardening on both guns is still like new but i was a bit disappointed with the wood especially on the dearer gun, although i expect it would be nicer with an oiled finish. PS 3rd gun in photos is a Beretta 692 which had in my opinion nicer configured wood than the AYA's. Maybe im being over fussy..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob85 Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 Is it just the light or has the middle gun got some scratching on the chamber end of the barrels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suggs Posted August 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 Yes has a couple of light marks but thats mostly the light reflecting as had strip lights hanging directly above. If i was to buy it, i think i would be asking for them to be re-blued though. The case hardening on the action is like new seeing as its a 30-40 years old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 I have no evidence but the word on the street is that many of the cheaper Berettas have the grain painted on. The AYA’s certainly do not. Pity about the pad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suggs Posted August 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 10 minutes ago, London Best said: I have no evidence but the word on the street is that many of the cheaper Berettas have the grain painted on. The AYA’s certainly do not. Pity about the pad. Wouldnt be surprised as the wood seems far higher grade than it should be on a lower end gun. Yes big shame about the pad, however the stock length was a bit long for me so i would be able to fit a nicer pad around half the thickness. But does put me off a bit.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunman Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 AyA are know for not having particularly well grained wood , but then again they dont break very often .Shame about the pad as it is totally wrong for the gun .It should be a red/orange "silvers " type . I do not understand why people fit unsuitable pads when the correct ones are available . Then again the second gun has a non original but plate fitted ,it would have been a checkered wood end originally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 (edited) 4 minutes ago, suggs said: Wouldnt be surprised as the wood seems far higher grade than it should be on a lower end gun. Yes big shame about the pad, however the stock length was a bit long for me so i would be able to fit a nicer pad around half the thickness. But does put me off a bit.... A nice red ‘London style’ pad about half inch would look nice on that gun if it made the length ok. Oops, Gunman beat me to it. Personally 27 inch is my preferred barrel length, especially on a 20 bore. Edited August 17, 2020 by London Best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 Elderkins like a sweet shop for the gun buyer, Bill has some very nice guns that are not seen by most of us mortals in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 4 minutes ago, Gunman said: I do not understand why people fit unsuitable pads when the correct ones are available . Because they don’t really know what they are doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suggs Posted August 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 34 minutes ago, Konnie said: Elderkins like a sweet shop for the gun buyer, Bill has some very nice guns that are not seen by most of us mortals in there. Yes these Guns where in Elderkins, first time ive been there and Bill was very accommodating. I was there for 2 hours, as you say its like a sweet shop 39 minutes ago, London Best said: A nice red ‘London style’ pad about half inch would look nice on that gun if it made the length ok. Oops, Gunman beat me to it. Personally 27 inch is my preferred barrel length, especially on a 20 bore. i agree a red pad would like nice with the wood re finished and barrels blued, i had a look at a customers #2 in the shop that had a red pad and it did suit it. Im not sure the dearer gun is worth £1400 more...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 (edited) Most of that £1400 is because of the current fashion for longer barrels. I know which suit me best. I can’t see why the wood needs refinishing, or the blueing. Edited August 17, 2020 by London Best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suggs Posted August 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 3 minutes ago, London Best said: Most of that £1400 is because of the current fashion for longer barrels. I know which suit me best. I can’t see why the wood needs refinishing, or the blueing. the cheaper gun has a several scratches in the wood and that poor pad, it's a px that just came in so it's not been in there workshop yet. I was told all there guns over a certain price have any marks removed from the wood work and fully stripped, serviced and fitted so they go out the door 100 percent and with 24 months warranty. Theres some scratches on the barrels so would be nice to have them re blued to match the fresh finish on the wood work. Guns a 1977 i think so picked up a few marks over the years although the case hardening on the action is stunning. As you say its just the barrel length that seems to be pushing the price way up on the other gun, wood is not particularly better and the case hardening if anything is not quite as nice as the cheaper gun. I mentioned that i prefer oil finished stocks so if i purchased the dearer gun they offered to strip the gloss and give it an oil finish, the dearer gun is unmarked and like new. £3400 is a lot of money for me to be honest, but i would love a nice quality gun to keep long term.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archi Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 Just be careful as I bought a nearly mint b2g from them on the understanding that they would fit a curved horn pad and re finish the stock when I collected they had fitted an ebonite pad with a straight edge and the stock was finished with a french polish type of finish rather than oil. it just took the edge off the purchase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 I never mind a few, what I would call “honest”, marks on a gun. They are part of it’s history. Just so long as it’s not abuse. My 20 bore is 28 inch and seems long to me but I generally use 26/27 inch. 20 bore pic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suggs Posted August 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 5 minutes ago, archi said: Just be careful as I bought a nearly mint b2g from them on the understanding that they would fit a curved horn pad and re finish the stock when I collected they had fitted an ebonite pad with a straight edge and the stock was finished with a french polish type of finish rather than oil. it just took the edge off the purchase Thank for letting me know, that would **** me right off. Did they offer up any explanation ? 6 minutes ago, London Best said: I never mind a few, what I would call “honest”, marks on a gun. They are part of it’s history. Just so long as it’s not abuse. My 20 bore is 28 inch and seems long to me but I generally use 26/27 inch. 20 bore pic. Very nice gun you have there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
button Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 1 hour ago, London Best said: I have no evidence but the word on the street is that many of the cheaper Berettas have the grain painted on. The AYA’s certainly do not. Pity about the pad. It's not painted on but laser etched to give the wood some figure, like blaser on the F16 fusion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 (edited) Unfortunately it’s a non-ejaculator. Armstrong of Newcastle. Coil sprung side lock. Shoots beautifully with proper 20 bore loads of 23/25 grams but is unusable with 28 grams . Weighs 5 3/4 lbs. 3 minutes ago, button said: It's not painted on but laser etched to give the wood some figure, like blaser on the F16 fusion Thank you. I am sure you are correct. Edited August 17, 2020 by London Best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archi Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 13 minutes ago, suggs said: Thank for letting me know, that would **** me right off. Did they offer up any explanation ? Very nice gun you have there Just that they couldn’t manage it in the end i think someone made an error and didn’t follow the instructions or write them down properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 19 minutes ago, archi said: Just that they couldn’t manage it in the end i think someone made an error and didn’t follow the instructions or write them down properly. Id have rejected it and asked for a full refund if they didn’t sort it. What a bitter ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salmo9 Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 Just a ‘heads up’.. That bottom AYA with the plastic pad might be a model 117 and not a No.2. Why be cautious.? A long time ago I was sold an AYA No.2 and discovered it was a cheaper, European 117. To his credit the RFD took it back. Serial number emailed to AYA Spain usually gets a fast response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 I'd avoid the lighter coloured AyA that doesn't have the pad (is that the 27" barrel one) as it looks as if it has three "shakes" in the wrist. These are knots in anyone else's language. Shakes in a butt are not a problem. But through the wrist are best avoided as they cause in a gun if through the wrist exactly the same issues as knots in timber used for other purposes. The pad isn't very good. I have a great deal of respect for Bill Elderkin but as a third party I'd not explore the purchase of either AyA any further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 22 minutes ago, Salmo9 said: Just a ‘heads up’.. That bottom AYA with the plastic pad might be a model 117 and not a No.2. Why be cautious.? A long time ago I was sold an AYA No.2 and discovered it was a cheaper, European 117. To his credit the RFD took it back. Serial number emailed to AYA Spain usually gets a fast response. Ive got an AYA 117, it’s a beauty but was a lot less than £1,400. Worth checking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
button Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 I picked up this 20 bore Spanish beaut for alot less and I would certainly say quality is equal if not better than an AYA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suggs Posted August 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 31 minutes ago, enfieldspares said: I'd avoid the lighter coloured AyA that doesn't have the pad (is that the 27" barrel one) as it looks as if it has three "shakes" in the wrist. These are knots in anyone else's language. Shakes in a butt are not a problem. But through the wrist are best avoided as they cause in a gun if through the wrist exactly the same issues as knots in timber used for other purposes. The pad isn't very good. I have a great deal of respect for Bill Elderkin but as a third party I'd not explore the purchase of either AyA any further. Thanks for the info, the lighter one is the 30 inch gun for £3400 it did notice the 3 blotches but didnt realise it could be an issue. I had pretty much decided against that one though one as its a lot of money for a gun im not feeling 100 percent on. Not sure on the other cheaper one but the pad would be replaced with something correct. I'm starting to think i might be better off looking for a nice 20g O/U such as a EELL for similar money..... 26 minutes ago, button said: I picked up this 20 bore Spanish beaut for alot less and I would certainly say quality is equal if not better than an AYA very nice, what is it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
button Posted August 17, 2020 Report Share Posted August 17, 2020 Victor Sarasqueta model 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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