Who Shoots an XXV shotgun?

[Rhodesianjess]

It’s very evocative. For me it brings memories of tramping through the African bush after my Pa shooting guinea fowl. I was aged about 3 1/2!

Someone very kindly gave me a slab of Eley paper cased 16 bore cartridges. On a shoot day, I asked a friend " would you like to travel back to being a kid again?" Cue puzzled look. Handed him a fired case,he inhaled the smell and the look on his face told me that he had travelled back to his childhood, picking up empty cases behind dad/grandad/uncle and smelling them.
Superb memories.

 

[WH308]

As a small boy my dad started to shoot again after a break. He took me out and after taking a shot handed me the paper case of an Eley GP. I’m pretty sure that’s the day I became a shooting man.

If I do decide decide to go with the Churchill XXV with its 2.5” chambers, I’ll be buying some paper cased cartridges for the season, for the smell as much as anything else

 

[GWP]

Eley always had a smell of their own i still have a box of trapshooting paper cases and a box of two inchplus some odds and ends

 

[User00053]

add a hint of original youngs 303 to the mix proper aroma therapy

 

[enfieldspares]

If the OP or anyone else wants I've some paper cased #6 in 1 1/16 ounce and some paper #6 in 1 ounce that I'd be happy to offer for sale as it's unlikely I'll be using them so they can be "let go" at the same price (no swaps - cash only) as Lyalvale Power Gold fibre wad 28 gram would cost me locally. They are either Lyalvale or Hull I think. That's around £10.50 a box of twenty-five. If anyone is interested I'll have a count up.

 

[Len the dog]

If they could just do a cologne in either old Eley Grand Prix or Hoppes #9 then that will be Christmas sorted.

 

[spannulman]

Here’s mine. Extra full and cylinder. I’ve not had it opened out as it patterns well and did ok for the previous owner who shot it for 50 yrs like that.

 

[WH308]

Here’s mine. Extra full and cylinder. I’ve not had it opened out as it patterns well and did ok for the previous owner who shot it for 50 yrs like that.

Lovely looking gun with a deep colour to the stock.

 

[User00053]

Here’s mine. Extra full and cylinder. I’ve not had it opened out as it patterns well and did ok for the previous owner who shot it for 50 yrs like that.

Very nice and always thought that would be an interesting choke combination to shoot with.
Any chance of a picture of the engraving and action please?

 

[Covert]

Have seen a lot of old side by sides with that choke combination. Popular and effective.
Have seen one of the finest partridge Spanish shots using a trio of Purdeys choked as follows , his first gun choked full ( first shot taken far out) and cylinder , his two receiving guns both choked cylinder and cylinder.
Was in the next butt to him on one drive saw him kill 96 partidge for 98 shots, never missed just finished a couple off. Any thing that flew within 50 m was dead.

 

[Dunwaters]

Not a Churchill or with 25” barrels but close, a side lock with 28” tubes. I only use it for birds over my dogs and the odd clay shoot, its a completely different tool to my Beretta o/u sporter.
It‘s very kicky, so I use 28Gm cartridges, its lightning fast in the hands, I have to remind myself to slow down, especially on long crossers, it has an auto safety and twin triggers which doesn’t faze me in the slightest, but definitely bothers many dyed in the wool clay shooters.
Its not as easy to shoot as an OU but it gets me at least one “ if you’re ever selling it give me a call” or “ can I have a try please” when I take it out.
Definitely one for the “ from my cold dead hands “ list.
My advice would be to get one, spend a bit of time finding a niche for it learn how to use it and just enjoy the experience, the odd missed bird is no big deal when you’re enjoying yourself.

 

[CookM]

I had a Denton and Kennel 25" sidelock
Really quick to get up into the line of the bird or clay.
Should have kept it,l am eyeing 25" boxlocks on Guntrader.

 

[Heym SR20]

Not a Churchill or with 25” barrels but close, a side lock with 28” tubes. I only use it for birds over my dogs and the odd clay shoot, its a completely different tool to my Beretta o/u sporter.
It‘s very kicky, so I use 28Gm cartridges, its lightning fast in the hands, I have to remind myself to slow down, especially on long crossers, it has an auto safety and twin triggers which doesn’t faze me in the slightest, but definitely bothers many dyed in the wool clay shooters.
Its not as easy to shoot as an OU but it gets me at least one “ if you’re ever selling it give me a call” or “ can I have a try please” when I take it out.
Definitely one for the “ from my cold dead hands “ list.
My advice would be to get one, spend a bit of time finding a niche for it learn how to use it and just enjoy the experience, the odd missed bird is no big deal when you’re enjoying yourself.

View attachment 326767

I have shot a few over and under clay guns - Berreta’s, Brownings, Blasers, Kemens etc. They are all nice and easy to shoot. They are the equivalent to driving a modern car down the road. Efficient, fast and pretty easy to drive. Stand on the brakes and they stop etc.

By contrast using an older side by side is akin to driving an old vintage car. They are all different, all have their own idiosyncrasies, but they are an all encompassing experience that requires your full attention. If you get it right the pleasure is supreme. Get it wrong and you are in the ditch.

If you want to get from A to B with minimal fuss and both, jump in a modern car, turn on the infotainment system as you need cos the actual driving is boring.

If you want fun jump in an series landrover, mg midget, morris, mercedes w115, an early 911, jag, ferrari, Bentley etc and drive. It will take you a while to get your timing right on the gearbox, and to learn the brakes. You won’t have power steering, so you have to steer ahead of the curve etc. You don’t need an infotainment system, the driving is all encompassing - and you can’t hear it anyhow.

But if you have only ever driven a car built in the 21st Century you won’t have a clue what I am talking about. Ditto if you have only ever shot a modern over and under.

 

[WH308]

I have shot a few over and under clay guns - Berreta’s, Brownings, Blasers, Kemens etc. They are all nice and easy to shoot. They are the equivalent to driving a modern car down the road. Efficient, fast and pretty easy to drive. Stand on the brakes and they stop etc.

By contrast using an older side by side is akin to driving an old vintage car. They are all different, all have their own idiosyncrasies, but they are an all encompassing experience that requires your full attention. If you get it right the pleasure is supreme. Get it wrong and you are in the ditch.

If you want to get from A to B with minimal fuss and both, jump in a modern car, turn on the infotainment system as you need cos the actual driving is boring.

If you want fun jump in an series landrover, mg midget, morris, mercedes w115, an early 911, jag, ferrari, Bentley etc and drive. It will take you a while to get your timing right on the gearbox, and to learn the brakes. You won’t have power steering, so you have to steer ahead of the curve etc. You don’t need an infotainment system, the driving is all encompassing - and you can’t hear it anyhow.

But if you have only ever driven a car built in the 21st Century you won’t have a clue what I am talking about. Ditto if you have only ever shot a modern over and under.

I’ve owned a couple of classic cars and I fully understand what you mean. Makes me want one more not less now!

 

[User00053]

Going off track a bit but a live pigeon gun is an interesting gun to shoot with which was basically what the late and very great Percy Stanbury had made and shot with plenty written on the gun itself and pickies
Been all over the place with shotguns and enjoyed the ride and varying quests and a great fan of English guns of the period but for last twenty years shot with a browning a1 20 bore shs with 261/2 inch barrels which goes against the grain for me but it works

 

[User00053]

Crouched in a hide foreshore or field only freestyle enter Bruce lee aka George digweed.

 

[User00053]

I’ve owned a couple of classic cars and I fully understand what you mean. Makes me want one more not less now!

The sound of a fine British sidelock closing is also addictive I find when bringing but to barrels

 

[Ratel]

Couldn't get on with an AYA 25, had two but never worked for me. Did shoot a pair of Purdeys for a while, identical with 28" barrels but for some reason I shot far better with the number 2 gun.
Only got two shotguns now..410 and a 27" barrelled Reilly sidelock 12 again number 2.of a pair. With this I shoot reasonably well, say 3 out of 5 on good pheasants.

 

[enfieldspares]

Have seen a lot of old side by sides with that choke combination. Popular and effective.
Have seen one of the finest partridge Spanish shots using a trio of Purdeys choked as follows , his first gun choked full ( first shot taken far out) and cylinder , his two receiving guns both choked cylinder and cylinder.
Was in the next butt to him on one drive saw him kill 96 partidge for 98 shots, never missed just finished a couple off. Any thing that flew within 50 m was dead.

It used to be the standard on the 1920s and 1930s BSA guns. The idea is that you can take a far out driven bird with the precision of the searchlight like narrow cone of the choke and then the second bird (or the same bird if you miss) close in with the cylinder. Same really as watering the plants in the garden with an adjustable nozzle on a hosepipe perhaps? For walking up of course the combination is ideal as, too, for snipe walked up. For the gamekeeper the choke gives a quasi-rifle feature for shooting sitting vermin such as crows or magpies or squirrels taken at distance.

 

[Button]

I have three XXV
AYA sidelock, an Arrieta and then picked up this last month, which for me is the ultimate, Arrizabalaga self opener