I grew up shooting side by sides, I shoot mostly with a W.W. Greener Empire Model 30” boxlock with Greener side safety, and Prince of wales stock. Also have a AYA yeoman with beaver tail forend, prince of wales stock, 28” barrels and a Baikal side by side 16 bore with 26.5” barrels, pistol grip 😄. I love side by sides, have a Beretta semi auto which I never use!!
👍 Very good comparisons of these shotguns. I have 4 side-by-sides. 1 new modern CZ (20 gauge), 1 second-hand market modern AyA (12 gauge), 1 Italian replica of an 19th Century American Coach Gun (12 gauge), and 1 Italian made replica of an 18th Century flintlock (20 gauge). All serve me well depending upon my mood and task. But, I agree with you, if I could only keep 1 it would most likely be the AyA. The CZ would be a close second choice. I really do enjoy your videos - very informative.
Yes the AYA is excellent value, you can find nice SXS Beretta's around also, but if you can find a nice Winchester model 21 then you have a winner also.
Webley and Scott produced a lot of 700 series boxlocks in the white for a lot of other provincial makers, also produced them with H&H on, after Holland and Holland purchased the company. The AYA's are quality guns, and to be fair, always marketed as such, I always much preferred the number 1 to the 2, just more pleasing on the eye, gold washed locks etc. I shoot more and more walked up, as such I don't need or want an ejector, hence I shoot a number 3, same as 4 without the ejector, sadly dropped from their line up years ago, a very nice gun, that has given me no grief.
I have two Webley and Scott 700 guns. Both have 30 inch barrels and Prince of Wales grips. One is a pigeon gun 3/4 and extra full chokes and the other a game gun choked I/C and full. I also have an Armas Garbi sidelock which is a copy of the H&H Royal but cost me about 60,000 quid less. I grew up shooting side by sides and prefer them to this day.
I am a very proud owner of a WW Greener made somewhere around the turn of the century. Still use it, mainly for called foxes. Pleasant to shoot with 28gram loads, a bit brutal with 32 gram. I will not use any heavier. Problem is it's such a beautiful old gun I feel bad using it, I sure don't be rough with it. I probably don't deserve it.
Started shooting SXS a few years ago. I'm going to say I now prefer them over O/U and AL guns. I have in my stable 2 Parkers, 2 L.C Smiths, a Fox and Weatherby. I'm looking at getting at least one proper British built gun, one on my list is a Cogswell 20 bore hammer gun that's Nitro proofed.
“Keep it in the cabinet….”. Not blxxdy likely! They were made to used and mine get used all the time. Beautifully built and dynamic unlike the awkward lumps that are most modern O/U’s.
Funny I would have said that the most common English gun is 30". I have only been shooting for 18 months -20 months the last 6 of which has been 100% sxs so am always looking at forums on lines gun sales and auction sites. My 1909 Greener is 30, my 56 William Powell pigeon gun is 30 and 90%+ of the English guns for sale are 30. The Spanish seem to like 28's. My two German SxS's are 30 too.
Brilliant video David! I could not agree more about English guns coming back in favour. The English 'feel' cannot be bettered, and quality will always show through.
Best video yet really interesting well done David. I'd like to try a sxs I think if was to buy one I'd go modern just because of the steal shot and I think a bit more familiar so might help shooting it
Now steel cartridges for 65mm guns are available shooters will come back to English made guns. If older guns could be re-barreled at a reasonable cost many old guns could be saved, this work could be done in Italy or Turkey. I have seen some good scores at sporting with a s/s, don't bury your head on the comb as said. All my field shooting is done with my Boswell, Bland & BSA still going at 100yrs old.
@@ronaldjohnson1474 Ronald, out of interest, what was the 1st bolt action shotgun? I owned one quite a while ago. You will come across the Marlin Goose guns quite often in the UK, all other makes and models in comparison are quite rare.
@@beeboop1726 I am getting 2 of our SxS's opened to 1/4:1/2 so we can shoot standard steel at one particular ground we go to. My go to clay gun is getting opened up to 3/8:5/8 but most of our grounds at the moment take lead.
@@scottbrooks7978 good idea Scott, I got a cheap AYA yeoman opened up 2 years ago from 1/2 and full to 1/4 and 3/8, I still haven’t had to use steel yet but I am prepared now.
@@beeboop1726 I am going to hold off on my English guns for the momnet and keep them original as long as positible. The Greener is a gun my ggrandfather bought new and I have just bought the William Powell. The Greener is 1/2:3/4 and shoots really well as it is - though even just using subsonic rounds the poor thing got a bit of a fright and now has a loose top rib. It hadn;t been shot for more than 50 years before I put a slab of cartridges through it. It was checked before I fired a shot too. I haven't shot the William Powell yet and thats full:full. I currently shoot an average of just over 60% at clay comps all over the place shooting a Simson 35/70 full:full with Trust 28g 1295fps loads so the tight chokes don't worry me. I am hoping to crack 70 with the 3/8:5/6 chokes though :)
I grew up shooting side by sides, I shoot mostly with a W.W. Greener Empire Model 30” boxlock with Greener side safety, and Prince of wales stock. Also have a AYA yeoman with beaver tail forend, prince of wales stock, 28” barrels and a Baikal side by side 16 bore with 26.5” barrels, pistol grip 😄. I love side by sides, have a Beretta semi auto which I never use!!
👍 Very good comparisons of these shotguns. I have 4 side-by-sides. 1 new modern CZ (20 gauge), 1 second-hand market modern AyA (12 gauge), 1 Italian replica of an 19th Century American Coach Gun (12 gauge), and 1 Italian made replica of an 18th Century flintlock (20 gauge). All serve me well depending upon my mood and task. But, I agree with you, if I could only keep 1 it would most likely be the AyA. The CZ would be a close second choice.
I really do enjoy your videos - very informative.
Yes the AYA is excellent value, you can find nice SXS Beretta's around also, but if you can find a nice Winchester model 21 then you have a winner also.
Great video. Been looking forward to this.
Webley and Scott produced a lot of 700 series boxlocks in the white for a lot of other provincial makers, also produced them with H&H on, after Holland and Holland purchased the company.
The AYA's are quality guns, and to be fair, always marketed as such, I always much preferred the number 1 to the 2, just more pleasing on the eye, gold washed locks etc.
I shoot more and more walked up, as such I don't need or want an ejector, hence I shoot a number 3, same as 4 without the ejector, sadly dropped from their line up years ago, a very nice gun, that has given me no grief.
I have two Webley and Scott 700 guns. Both have 30 inch barrels and Prince of Wales grips. One is a pigeon gun 3/4 and extra full chokes and the other a game gun choked I/C and full. I also have an Armas Garbi sidelock which is a copy of the H&H Royal but cost me about 60,000 quid less. I grew up shooting side by sides and prefer them to this day.
If you can't afford the 'Big guys', AYA are outstanding! I won't part with mine.
I am a very proud owner of a WW Greener made somewhere around the turn of the century. Still use it, mainly for called foxes. Pleasant to shoot with 28gram loads, a bit brutal with 32 gram. I will not use any heavier. Problem is it's such a beautiful old gun I feel bad using it, I sure don't be rough with it. I probably don't deserve it.
Great video again. Yes sbs all the way. Aya no2👌
Started shooting SXS a few years ago. I'm going to say I now prefer them over O/U and AL guns. I have in my stable 2 Parkers, 2 L.C Smiths, a Fox and Weatherby. I'm looking at getting at least one proper British built gun, one on my list is a Cogswell 20 bore hammer gun that's Nitro proofed.
“Keep it in the cabinet….”. Not blxxdy likely! They were made to used and mine get used all the time. Beautifully built and dynamic unlike the awkward lumps that are most modern O/U’s.
Funny I would have said that the most common English gun is 30". I have only been shooting for 18 months -20 months the last 6 of which has been 100% sxs so am always looking at forums on lines gun sales and auction sites. My 1909 Greener is 30, my 56 William Powell pigeon gun is 30 and 90%+ of the English guns for sale are 30. The Spanish seem to like 28's. My two German SxS's are 30 too.
Brilliant video David! I could not agree more about English guns coming back in favour. The English 'feel' cannot be bettered, and quality will always show through.
Best video yet really interesting well done David. I'd like to try a sxs I think if was to buy one I'd go modern just because of the steal shot and I think a bit more familiar so might help shooting it
Best for value is fabarm classis 12
Now steel cartridges for 65mm guns are available shooters will come back to English made guns.
If older guns could be re-barreled at a reasonable cost many old guns could be saved, this work could be
done in Italy or Turkey.
I have seen some good scores at sporting with a s/s, don't bury your head on the comb as said.
All my field shooting is done with my Boswell, Bland & BSA still going at 100yrs old.
I can't afford a English side by side but I love my AYA double trigger straight stock 20 Bore
Would have a side by side no problem. 👍🏻👍🏻
What about the c z bob, white and sharp tail
History:
Forgetting Brownings semi automatic shotgun in 1898 👍
@@beeboop1726 Absolutely right, but the inertia gun wasn't patented until 1900. And, the first O/U wasn't until 1923.
@@beeboop1726 Corrections noted, thanks.
@@ronaldjohnson1474 Ronald, out of interest, what was the 1st bolt action shotgun? I owned one quite a while ago. You will come across the Marlin Goose guns quite often in the UK, all other makes and models in comparison are quite rare.
Or a aya yeoman for like £100
The problem being in 20 years time when we all have to use steel you won't be able to use English guns
That is simply incorrect, you can use standard steel as long as the gun is still in proof. You just need to have chokes no tighter than 1/2.
@@beeboop1726 I am getting 2 of our SxS's opened to 1/4:1/2 so we can shoot standard steel at one particular ground we go to. My go to clay gun is getting opened up to 3/8:5/8 but most of our grounds at the moment take lead.
@@scottbrooks7978 good idea Scott, I got a cheap AYA yeoman opened up 2 years ago from 1/2 and full to 1/4 and 3/8, I still haven’t had to use steel yet but I am prepared now.
@@beeboop1726 I am going to hold off on my English guns for the momnet and keep them original as long as positible. The Greener is a gun my ggrandfather bought new and I have just bought the William Powell. The Greener is 1/2:3/4 and shoots really well as it is - though even just using subsonic rounds the poor thing got a bit of a fright and now has a loose top rib. It hadn;t been shot for more than 50 years before I put a slab of cartridges through it. It was checked before I fired a shot too. I haven't shot the William Powell yet and thats full:full. I currently shoot an average of just over 60% at clay comps all over the place shooting a Simson 35/70 full:full with Trust 28g 1295fps loads so the tight chokes don't worry me. I am hoping to crack 70 with the 3/8:5/6 chokes though :)
Oh yes you will!