What modern SxS shot guns do you like.

[Armond Fish]

If you could choose any Side by Side modern shotgun for less than $5000, What would it be? I am talking about shotguns that are made today and not ones that are not made any more. I would choose a Merkel .

[Dean Romig]

From what I've read about the Merkel, I would have to agree with you. The value/$$ is said to be excellent.

[John Dallas]

The RBL series.

[Dean Romig]

I agree John but the RBL is way over $3000 now.

[Greg Baehman]

I'd be considering a little 28-ga. AyA #2 case-colored round-action with 28" bbls.

[John Dallas]

Dean. Agree, but the question was $5000

[Dean Romig]

I'm sorry, could have sworn I read $3000

Age.....

[Greg Baehman]

I thought the RBL production was discontinued, are they still being built?

[John Dallas]

The initial 20 ga. is discontuinued (bet it comes back some day) but they are making them in all other gauges, I believe.

[Dean Romig]

At the East Coast Fine Arms Show in Greenwich Ct. last weekent CSMC had about twenty of them for sale in the rack.

[charlie cleveland]

it would be abrowning for me....charlie

[Mark Ouellette]

Here are the modern SxS's in my safe

RBL 12 w/32" barrels - 9 lb 3 oz
RBL 12 w/32" barrels - 7 lb 8 oz
Win 23 Heavy Duck
Merkel 47E 12ga 28"
Merket M8 12ga 28" (which is for sale...)

I think the best value in a 20ga is the Smith and Wesson Elite Gold for about $1300 new.

Mark

[Rich Anderson]

I haven't shot anything but a Parker for over 10 years (I lead a sheltered life:whistle:) but the last time I did it was an SKB 280 20ga.

If I had to do it today I'd look at an AYA or a Grulla. The 5K dollar limit might prove elusive however.

[Russ Jackson]

They are not making these today ,but you can often pick up NIB guns of this make on GB ,I have a Browning BSS Sporter in 20 Ga. ,26" Barrels IC and Imp Mod. ,Straight English Stock ,SST.and Ejecters , in my opinion ,one of the best S X S ,Box Lock guns ever built ! Mine has literally thousands of rounds through it and is as tight as when it was brand new ! I bought it new in 1980 !

[Robin Lewis]

I would pick the AYA #2 in 20 or 28 ga, a great little gun for the money

[Bill Murphy]

I agree with the #2 AYA. I have a 28" round frame .410 and it is a wonderful gun. A friend who chews on them for awhile and then tries something new sold it to me for a very reasonable price.

[Armond Fish]

I'm sorry, could have sworn I read $3000

Age.....

You did read $3000. I changed it when I relized I put in the wrong amount.

[John Dallas]

There's a real example of inflation

[Francis Morin]

And not a used but "sea-worthy" vintage double- and for me that means a side-by-side,. NOT an O/U-- I would take gun writer Terry Wieland's recommendation and buy a top quality Spanish made version of a London H&H- no detachable sidelocks- no copulating Cupids around a fountain as some of the fine Italian makers off, no carved leapfrogging elk in the Black Forest as the Germanic embellishments often wander into

Just rose and scroll engraving, case colored, blue and fine grained walnut-DT, EJ, straight hand grip with no case, splinter FE with Anson push rod release, 28" barrels with 2 & 3/4" chambers choked Imp. Cyl. and Imp. Mod- hinged front trigger, std. auto safety and a 14 & 1/2" LOP to a leather covered pad-

Can I get all this for 5K or less?:bigbye::bigbye:

[John Dallas]

Here you are, Francis. Slap leather.



http://www.gunsinternational.com/ARMAS-GARBI-SXS-Model-100-20-GA.cfm?gun_id=100143247&CFID=6138441&CFTOKEN=c62350b5e638b4bc-4918F1E5-F25A-4F07-BB348E2ECE063AC4

[Francis Morin]

Here you are, Francis. Slap leather.



http://www.gunsinternational.com/ARMAS-GARBI-SXS-Model-100-20-GA.cfm?gun_id=100143247&CFID=6138441&CFTOKEN=c62350b5e638b4bc-4918F1E5-F25A-4F07-BB348E2ECE063AC4 I went to the site, and I see that Wm. Larkin Moore has a Garbi close to my specs- Purdey engraving, I would guess acanthus or rose and scroll, checkered butt (I prefer a pad) and under 5K by a "whisker" I may have to wait until my CPA (crooked price adjuster?) tells me what the olde 1040 has in store for this old boy--then we'll see-

But- one of my Tower shooting friends from FruitRidge Club wanted a 12 ga. M21- as a second to his near mint M21 skeet 16 made in 1953-and he ended up dealing with Wm. Larkin Moore this past summer of 2010- They couldn't have been a better place for him to do business- they had the gun in inventory for some time, they lowered the asking price, paid the UPS shipping to Grand Rapids, and when a slight glitch developed in the selective trigger system, footed the bill without hesitation for PGCA member and Master Gunsmith Brad B. to repair-

It was a very minor problem- the buttstock had been replaced in the history of the gun- mfg. in 1939 by the serial no and like his 16 Skeet, single trigger and ejectors- a small sliver of wood from the restocking job was the culprit-

So if my tax guy says I am "good to go" I may just do that- but not being on Warren Buffett's list of favored friends, if so- will have to pass on the 10 gauge side-by I really want- c'est la vie!!!:whistle::whistle:

[charlie cleveland]

francis when them folks get done with my 1140 i think i will have to be looking in the what would you buy in the 100.00 or less catagory...do you think they have a model 21 in there for me.... charlie

[Francis Morin]

francis when them folks get done with my 1140 i think i will have to be looking in the what would you buy in the 100.00 or less catagory...do you think they have a model 21 in there for me.... charlie-- Hate to be a 'spoil sport" but I don't think a Benjamin would even buy a beat up M24- Winchester's answer to the Stevens 311. But enjoy the nice ejector Remington double with the 26" barrels you bought recently, and you are shooting that double in fine company- Edmund H. Osthaus, the great bird dog painter and at one time curator of the Toledo (Ohio, not Spain) Museum of Fine Art- shot Remington side-bys all his time in America-

I hope to have the ten bore side-by 32" double in time for the Spring Turkey season this year-an 8 bore would be legal for Gobblers, but not for waterfowling, so any 8 bore side-by I come across, I'll put you on to it, as you seem to like 'em--you'll have to find your own gun bearer for it though!

[charlie cleveland]

what kind of 10 ga are you looking for or have you already found it....ps got me a gun bearer in mind if i find the right 8 ga...im lookin for that shotgun that will take a turkey at 100 steps may have to start lookin for a 4 bore what do you think...ha charlie

[charlie cleveland]

theres a couple 10 ga hammerless on auction arms..both are spanish built..one starting at 200.00 would be a good goose gun..both guns 3 1/2 inch guns fluid steel 32 in barrels...probably kick like a canon too...charlie

[Francis Morin]

theres a couple 10 ga hammerless on auction arms..both are spanish built..one starting at 200.00 would be a good goose gun..both guns 3 1/2 inch guns fluid steel 32 in barrels...probably kick like a canon too...charlie Thanks mucho Charlie- I only buy guns direct, CIF- "cash in fist" and after I have seen them in my hands- too many "sharpies" out there for this old boy to content with- I have handled the 10 Lindner Daly several times, broke it down into the three component groups all side-by-side doubles have-beautiful balanced German made gun w/o all the "Hansel und Gretl" gingerbread trimmings (especially on the stocks) some of them have- an also- NO sling clips or swivel studs-- just as very nice older std. 10 gauge I think I could shoot fairly well-

The late "Cactus Jack" O'Connor in his 1965 The Shotgun Book mentioned problems with SOME of the then Spanish doubles- perhaps in the area of metallurgy- I think he might have been thinking of the Stoeger imports-

BUT- about 17 years ago- a friend who was even more of a goose hunting fan than I am (or was back then) took me to the Allegan area- the fabled Todd Farm, and sonofagun, we got the first blind draw pick. He had one of those big Spanish 10 Mags-and hand loaded Federal 3 & 1/2" mag shells with steel shot BB's--the birds were staying high that day- I saw him pull one down with that big 10- I would never have tried such a shot with my M12 3" 12 ga-- I did manage to nail two mallards with my 12 that "straffed" our field dekes- but no goose for Francis- limit was one per hunter on the Todd Farm then-

Al has the keen vision of a jet fighter pilot- he spotted a cruising small bunch of Canadas making a silent approach, said for me to give him my Winchester and to take the shot with his gun- so I did- wow, felt like a telephone pole- I swung way ahead of the lead bird and the fifth bird back crumpled and fell to the deck--Shortly after that I bought the somewhat battered old Fox 12 HE from a pawn shop, and used that for about 12 years-

But now at my age-still have good vision, thank the Lord for that- any goose gun much over 9 lbs. loaded is not as comfortable for me--But thanks for the tip, perhaps another PGCA member is looking for a "using 10 Mag double" and should check out this auction site.

Truth be told, that sweet 10 bore Daly, for me, would be like getting a BMW or Mercedes-Benz, a luxury- but you never know!!!:cool:

[charlie cleveland]

hope you have that 10 for sring turkey season its not that far off...those old 10s are capable ofbringing downthem high flyers but rough on the shoulder...i shot some 3 inch mag 12s today in alc smith 3 inch gun of my sons and it kicks a lot worser than any of my tens or eights... charlie

[Richard Flanders]

Back to the original question of a modern Dbl gun for <$5000. For me it would be a no brainer and a Merkel. I had one for a while. The workmanship was incredible. My only complaint was that it was TOO tight and precise. If it got a few grains of powder residue under the ejectors it would not close comletely. Incredible CNC machined precision. I had to have a Qtip handy to keep the ejectors clean. They tell you in the manual that they will loosen up in time. The barrels, inside and out, fit and finish, were as good as any modern London best gun out there. There seems to be plenty of them on the auction sites upon occasion and for way less than $5K.

[Mark Ouellette]

Richard,

Please see this site's For Sale section for the best deal on Internet on a Merkel Model 8. Yup, this is an extractor version of the fancier 47E. Plus, my M8 has Briley thinwall chokes installed! Where else could you find a great Merkel for $1200?

Mark

[Theodore LeDurt]

Just noticed no one mentioned DeHaan. I have never seen one, but was curious. Personally, I won't cross the threshold of any gun that hasn't given a minimum of 100 years of service.

Perhaps Turkish guns are not in vogue, but I remember when the Spanish guns were poorly thought of.