Recommend me a side by side side lock for £800 to £1000

You can get a really good English boxlock for that sort of money.I got a William Evans boxlock non ejector for less than £800 all in. It's nearly a 100 years old and as good as the day it was made,choked imp cup/quarter. Unless the sky is black with birds been a non ejector isn't much of a problem.Also you have a piece of English history in your hands ,good luck.
 
Having spent the last couple of weeks searching for sidelocks, I've actually got my eye on a couple of AYA XXV Boxlocks! Keep the suggestions coming though.
 
Well after all that pontificating, I bought a bloody boxlock! Went for an AYA 25, It's a perfect fit and a lovely looking gun.

Thanks for all the input, much appreciated.
 
Well after all that pontificating, I bought a bloody boxlock! Went for an AYA 25, It's a perfect fit and a lovely looking gun.

Thanks for all the input, much appreciated.

The AYA Boxlock is a very good gun - my father has had a No3 since the early 60's and its still tight after a good use.

I have come to like 25" barrels - I recently bought an Alex Martin Sidelock with 30" barrels and a pair of Ribless 25" barrels. I bought it really liking the 30" barrels, but I can see me using the 25" barrels a lot more than I initially thought - they are fast handling and for walked up shooting they will be ideal. I am somewhat conscious that 30" barrels are quite long and when carrying in the crook of the arm the muzzles are pretty close to the floor. Down at Braidwood they have really good fun grouse butts and the 25" barrels are brilliant for that. One day I might get invited for a days driven grouse!
 
A "best boxlock" (and that is a specific gunmakers' term) is certainly a better gun than an indifferent sidelock.

It's also a rare thing now, the "best boxlock", but a fully removable cross pin and chopper lump barrels as a minimum.. both as on the AYA... are two of the features.

Plus usually intercepting sears and "best" lever work.

Webley 700 guns in fact were not, and cannot, be classed as any sort of "best boxlock". Lacking both removable cross pin and intercepting sears. And having dovetail lump barrels.

Regardless of external engraving quality. So certainly the AYA boxlocks have some features found only on "best boxlocks".
 
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Arrh, that may be the case, Haloed and HJ, those Webley 700 guns, and I've also had a couple or three.

But in true terms, yes it is a good gun, although with some design faults (see below) , but no, it isn't what is termed in the trade a "best boxlock" in how it is built. Irrespective of the strength of the metal or quaity of the engraving.

In fact the interwar BSA boxlock ejector in some of its grades, and there were many, has and had more of the features of a "best boxlock" than the Webley 700.

And until the spray hook welding method became used they were always not as simple to rejoint if off the face because of that. So it's a good gun, as said, but not in gunmakers' terminology a "best boxlock". I have seen a prototype that Webley did of the Model 700 that did have a removable cross pin.

And I think even the later W & C Scott Bowood and Kinmount were intended to have that removable cross pin but didn't. Whereas the Holland & Holland Cavalier did have such? But I'll happily be corrected.
 
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I Had a AYA 25 boxlock many years ago. I've never sold many of my guns, but the Aya 25 is one i regret selling. The later wobbly & grott 700s that i saw and handled were awful things. If anyone is offended by my opinion of the wobbly & grott 700. I don't care ;).
 
A "best boxlock" (and that is a specific gunmakers' term) is certainly a better gun than an indifferent sidelock.

It's also a rare thing now, the "best boxlock", but a fully removable cross pin and chopper lump barrels as a minimum.. both as on the AYA... are two of the features.

Plus usually intercepting sears and "best" lever work.

Webley 700 guns in fact were not, and cannot, be classed as any sort of "best boxlock". Lacking both removable cross pin and intercepting sears. And having dovetail lump barrels.

Regardless of external engraving quality. So certainly the AYA boxlocks have some features found only on "best boxlocks".

Interesting stuff, thanks for sharing. Feel even better about my purchase now!
 
Always shot with no2. Now use a pair of them.
Good value, very reliable.
Have a fitting at Hollands(£150 ish), and then take it to Stephan at Harlington, in Bedfordshire for a great alteration.
Take it out and trust the gun . A miss is your fault and not the weapon's.
 
A gun can indeed be a weapon. But any sporting firearm generally isn't a weapon except when it's user has that intention.
 
As previously recommended have a look at a gunmark royale, made as a copy of a holland and holland royal from what I understand and only made for a short time due to copyright issues. Hand ingraved locks, great balance and finish. Working out costs from inflation about a £15kgun new these days and look every bit the part of it, get loads of attention on shoots. I love mine 15" stock 30" barrels at 1/4 and 1/2.
 
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