Gun advise

[Mark23576]

I am looking to buy a new shotgun I have used an AYA Yeoman ss for 30 yrs. I now want a steel proofed shotgun not really bothered about Ss or o&u. I have trawled guntrader but not many ads say if steel proofed I considered an ATA but would prefer a better quality used gun. 
I am somewhat out of touch with shotguns these days. 
I am looking for suggestions with a budget of £500 possibly a little more

[enfieldspares]

In theory...and I'm going to test this also by buying a secondhand Spanish 70mm chambered gun any STANDARD STEEL cartridges should work in your Yeoman as long as the chokes are not too tight. Now for the benefit of others reading this thread this is not what a brass plug key ring gauge supposedly tells you they are but by actual measurement of the actual gun by a competent gunsmith. Even though your AYA isn't steel proof (the Spanish gun I'm looking at also isn't) the cartridge makers all say that standard steel can be used in modern, in proof, 70mm chamber guns with suitably open choke. Hope it helps. Check your true choke measurements though!

Edited March 10, 2021 by enfieldspares

[Mark23576]

9 minutes ago, enfieldspares said:

In theory...and I'm going to test this also by buying a secondhand Spanish 70mm chambered gun any STANDARD STEEL cartridges should work in your Yeoman as long as the chokes are not too tight. Now for the benefit of others reading this thread this is not what a brass plug key ring gauge supposedly tells you they are but by actual measurement of the actual gun by a competent gunsmith. Even though your AYA isn't steel proof (the Spanish gun I'm looking at also isn't) the cartridge makers all say that standard steel can be used in modern, in proof, 70mm chamber guns with suitably open choke. Hope it helps. Check your true choke measurements though!

I have 2 Yeomans one is true and improved but barrels are badly pitted due to being stored in a damp location 25 years ago the other is 1/2 and full. I want to be able to use the high performance steel as the standard stuff lacks range so my thinking is the high performance will increase range. 

[enfieldspares]

Apparently from what has been noted in the USA steel actually patterns tighter through a gun bored with an open choke than through a gun bored with a very much tighter and fuller choke. I don't know is this is true only for the steel loadings they have available to them and if it would be the same for British standard steel loadings. But I have no doubt someone else will be along also to offer advice.

Edited March 10, 2021 by enfieldspares

[Scully]

Personally I’d just use the better of the two AYA’s. You could always have the tighter barrel opened up if you don’t fancy shoving HP through a full choke. 

[mgsontour]

11 hours ago, Mark23576 said:

I am looking to buy a new shotgun I have used an AYA Yeoman ss for 30 yrs. I now want a steel proofed shotgun not really bothered about Ss or o&u. I have trawled guntrader but not many ads say if steel proofed I considered an ATA but would prefer a better quality used gun. 
I am somewhat out of touch with shotguns these days. 
I am looking for suggestions with a budget of £500 possibly a little more

A good gun is a 'miroku mk38' it will take standard steel and you will get a half decent one around your budget or buy a new Yildiz with 3" barrels for £1k and in theory you can shoot anything you like through it but they kick. I would avoid a used one which will come well within your budget ( £400-ish ) as it may have been well hammered

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, £500 will get a ATA or Yildiz O/U for steel cartridges, if you shoot well with a side by side I would get another AYA Yeoman, with open chokes, scrap the pitted barrels one keep the stock and action , use standard steel cartridges, if you want a O/U the ATA is more refined than the Yildiz and has no auto safety, the Yildiz has auto safety, 

[Rob85]

What range are you hoping to shoot at with you HP steel? As you say you are out of touch with shotguns these days, wouldn't you be best keeping your range to the 35yard mark where standard steel cartridges will do your job perfectly well?

[Gunman]

The Yeoman you have will have no real value after 30 years . You like the gun , so why not just shoot standard velocity steel loads as normal , even if it means having the choke bored . 

If the barrels are damaged , no matter buy another Yeoman for £100 or less .

[monster1971]

On 10/03/2021 at 20:52, Mark23576 said:

I have 2 Yeomans one is true and improved but barrels are badly pitted due to being stored in a damp location 25 years ago the other is 1/2 and full. I want to be able to use the high performance steel as the standard stuff lacks range so my thinking is the high performance will increase range. 

personally i wouldn't put any steel through either of these by the sounds of them

 have a look at a local dealer when you are able, they will be able to advise you and most of them will have several double trigger non ejector side by sides they would love to get rid of if that's what you are used to. 

I wouldn't get too caught up about high performance steel unless you plan to get a lot of wildfowling on the go , as long as its nitro and still in proof you will find something around your budget that will keep you shooting for years to com.

Good luck monster

[wymberley]

20 hours ago, Gunman said:

The Yeoman you have will have no real value after 30 years . You like the gun , so why not just shoot standard velocity steel loads as normal , even if it means having the choke bored . 

If the barrels are damaged , no matter buy another Yeoman for £100 or less .

^^^ This. Unless you have the itch that just must be scratched. However, I can't see what you intent to shoot with it and consequently, it may just be beneficial to sight the BASC Steel Shot Information sheet before making a move.

[MAB1954]

I also have a Spanish sxs 70mm chamber gun that I'm going to use with standard steel cartridges and am hoping for acceptable performance out to 35-40 yards. Will be pattern and penetration  testing this summer and will compare lead shot size 6  and steel shot size 4. My chokes are 1/4 & 1/2. For wildfowling I have a sxs 76mm chambers with high performance steel proof. I think your Yeoman will do standard steel, may need to bore choke, have a look on BASC website it has all the details on steel but I think standard steel is loaded with max size 4 shot which is claimed to equal size 6 lead in terminal performance.

[London Best]

During the fifteen years I had a flight pond I shot hundreds of duck with standard steel 4’s using my old Spanish SxS with 70mm chamber. The bores are still pristine, no marks or problems of any kind.

edit: forgot to say the chokes are true and quarter, zero and .010 inch.

Edited March 14, 2021 by London Best

[enfieldspares]

Well I've bought my Spanish gun...an Essex boxlock ejector with a stock extended in wood already...for £50 plus auction premium. I'll now have to wait until covid restrictions allow collection. Then have the chokes taken out to "loose" improved or "cylinder with a bit extra but not that much". Unless others suggest for standard steel size #5 a better choke size? Presently, apparently, it is 1/4 and 3/4.

 

 

Edited March 14, 2021 by enfieldspares

[wymberley]

34 minutes ago, enfieldspares said:

Well I've bought my Spanish gun...an Essex boxlock ejector with a stock extended in wood already...for £50 plus auction premium. I'll now have to wait until covid restrictions allow collection. Then have the chokes taken out to "loose" improved or "cylinder with a bit extra but not that much". Unless others suggest for standard steel size #5 a better choke size? Presently, apparently, it is 1/4 and 3/4.

 

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Nice! But the waiting ain't too funny. My new 22WMR has been ready for collection since before the new year but a couple of Covid induced problems means I'm still waiting. April 12th is it?

Not a clue about steel, but I'd still say make haste slowly before doing anything to the RH barrel. It might just be satisfactory as it is.

[enfieldspares]

59 minutes ago, London Best said:

 I shot hundreds of duck with standard steel 4’s using my old Spanish SxS with 70mm chamber......the chokes are true and quarter, zero and .010 inch.

Thank you. Very informative. Thank you. Did you find any benefit form either the true cylinder or the 010" barrel one vs the other in killing "dead in the air" performance please? If you had that time again would you choke differently? As I have the advantage of having my new to me Essex - see above posting - bored bespoke as I wish what would you now elect to bore?

[London Best]

I

7 minutes ago, enfieldspares said:

Thank you. Very informative. Thank you. Did you find any benefit form either the true cylinder or the 010" barrel one vs the other in killing "dead in the air" performance please? If you had that time again would you choke differently? As I have the advantage of having my new to me Essex - see above posting - bored bespoke as I wish what would you now elect to bore?

I bought that gun new in 1975 (supposedly to prevent salt mud damage to a nice Derby Rosson). I pretty much used it for everything except proper driven days and used it even then if it was a very wet day. I used it for only a few weeks with the original boring of half / full before sending it to John Wiseman to be opened out. I already had guns bored imp cyl right barrel and thought I would try a parallel bore. I went for quarter choke left barrel as the Rosson was imp / half and I felt ( rightly or wrongly ) that I killed noticeably less with the half choke. I have never regretted the choice of boring for a single moment, ever. The old Spaniard, a cheap and nasty L.I.G. boxlock ejector, has killed thousands of head from snipe to geese and pretty much everything in between. I have taken it to Africa with me. As an indication of use, the chequering has worn away where the fingers of my right hand curl round the hand of the stock. I cannot say I have ever noticed any difference in “dead in the air” killing between the true cylinder and the .010” barrel. Would I bore the same again? Unhesitatingly, or both barrels improved cylinder or improved / quarter as I honestly cannot tell any difference between them, stuff “wraps up” just the same. I must state that I have never actually patterned any of these barrels. My ‘best’ driven game gun carries .004” and .015” choke, not by choice, that is how it came. IMO there is far too much BS talked about chokes. I believe in the old saying, “choke increases your range a little and reduces your bag a lot.”  I hope all this waffle is some help.

[wymberley]

"IMO there is far too much BS talked about chokes."

Ain't that a fact. Full choke can extend the range from True Cylinder by 15 yards. The maximum effective range for a snipe with a Full 12 bore with a Grand Prix No 8 is 46 yards. We won't mention just how far a monowad extends the effective range. And that's just the makers talking.

[Rob85]

Interesting thoughts on chokes there, reminds me of Michael brander's book "the roughshooters dog". where he describes his shooting he either talks about hitting with the first barrel or the "choked barrel", never really a mention of what the choke is and with so much of his shooting being walked up over the pointers it would lead me to believe he shot with a cylinder bore and a quarter choke.