quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
You can find some basic but decent English workhorses on the second hand market. Many are out there in excellent condition and you can even find some several years old that have been fired little or never.

For an entry level gun, I suggest you look at the Birmingham made Webley & Scott models 700 and 720 that were made into the 1980s. The 700 is most often encountered in 12 gauge but was also made in 20. The model 720 was a little bit fancier 20 gauge.

The next step up would be to go to a London made boxlock. Holland & Holland's Northwood and nicer Cavalier models are very well made and carry a well known cache'. There are several other well known London brands like Westley-Richards, Churchill, Charles Osborne, and William Evans but you can often find a very good gun made by one of the lesser known British brands. It is also important to realize that it was quite common for London gun makers to hire out work to Birmingham gun makers. The result is that you can find yourself with a very nicely done gun with a London brand that was almost entirely made in Birmingham and then finished in London. Nevertheless, if a good London firm was willing to put their name on it then it is a pretty good guess that they made sure the finished product was built to a high standard.

The next level up would be a sidelock. A well made British sidelock is the epitome of the classic handling bird gun.

If you are considering purchasing your first English gun then I would recommend you start with a boxlock in high condition. After you shoot and use it a while then you will have a better understanding of just where you may want to go from there. You might end up fully satisfied with what you have. If not, then you have the option of selling/trading it off or keeping it for a rainy day gun. One good thing about British guns is that they tend to hold their value.

Purchasing used shotguns can be tricky. You can end up buying a very nice looking gun with barrels that have been serviced to the point that they are very thin. The bores can be out of specification (proof). There can be rust hidden under the ribs. The chambers could have been opened from 2-1/2" to 2-3/4" by an amateur using a hand drill. A near new condition basic boxlock is a safe start till you learn more. And, of course, having a knowledgeable person look at any gun you are considering also helps.

I will not attempt a more detailed discussion of the various brands, features, and merits of British shotguns. Many, many books have been written on the subject and I am far from expert compared to any one of them.