I have just watched the video. Its pretty awful.
For a start Alex Martin is not, never has been and never will be an English gunmaker. Alex Martin is a Scottish Gunmaker.
However I do agree with his sentiment English and Scottish guns will come back into fashion. Indeed they already are.
But there are two types of guns.
1) Fine guns - ie best quality when built, that are in well cared for but original condition and that have not been buggered around with or restored or reconditioned.
They didn’t make many of these, and to buy new hand built sidelock today will cost you well over £100,000 from a British maker.
These guns are like fine art. They hold value, appreciate and go down, but fundamentally will give enormous pleasure.
Brand and provenance are important. And fine guns by makers still in business command significantly higher prices than those who are long gone.
2) Usable guns - these are the ones are more affordable and usable. They are used, not abused, may have been refreshed but still in reasonable condition. They may have a new set of barrels at some point, or they have had a superb sleeve job.
This also includes the guns may not be in perfect condition. Bluing rather tired, or there is light pitting in the barrels, or frankly wall measurements are still OK but they have been honed at some point.
These are not investment grade, they are use them, care fir them and pass them down or pass them on for similar sort of money type guns.
3) The Dogs - there are plenty out there. I looked at Sidelock a few weeks ago. A good name on it but it was originally a Birmingham made trade gun to which maker had put its name on. But it wasn’t right. It didn’t handle properly. At some point it had been rebarreled and restocked. The barrels had probably come off a lesser gun and been made to fit. And the stocking was good enough. But the telling part was the handling - well fence posts handle better. Somebody had spent good money on having it put together. But the asking price reflected the handling. Somebody will love it.
Cartridges and in particular Steel. If in doubt you can use Bismuth. And there other alloys being developed such as Hortonium, which mimic lead. This will become available. Bismuth is expensive, but in an old gun on a days walked up shooting you will only fire a few shots. At £1.50 a bang, it still doesn’t add up to a huge amount.
Or use a steel cartridge designed for old guns. Gamebore Regal Steel, or Eley GrandPrix steel.
Side by sides were designed to use 1oz or 1 1/16oz of shot. That’s 24 or 28gm in new money (I think).
If you want to use high velocity steel go and buy a semi or heavy over and under.
Or get a heavily built side by side. I had a AyA no3 Magnum which had had a steady diet of 3” high speed steel through it. I like the gun, but could not hit with it so moved it on.
