Side by Sides - Worth Buying?

It’s alas true that Glock-itis has largely replaced the revolver in the USE and given us a generation of shooters who have never experienced a decent trigger.
Best double action triggers were the Webley WG and the old pre-1940 something Smith & Wesson long action trigger. But the short action trigger was pretty good also!
 
40 yards is the normally accepted range of a shotgun for clean reliable kills. Always has been and with modern steel still is. It is the equivalent of 200 with a stalking rifle.

There are some who can consistently kill live birds a bit further - 50 perhaps 60 at a push, but we are now talking heavier loads and guns and good shots. What is not discussed are the number of pricked birds that are never recovered.

There are also those who break clays at even greater ranges - I have seen videos claiming over 100, but its not consistent and a clay is lot easier to kill than a bird.
I agree. A magpie at whatever range up to sixty yards will always get "an offer" but I shoot on some local clay layouts where if the bird presented were a real bird I'd be more inclined to let it pass than raise my gun to it. For I know within my limitations if it had been a real bird I'd not have killed it clean.
 
My Reilly heavily engraved No2 sidelock ejector has quite thick barrels and is chambered for 2/12" cartridges.
“Just try my gun! Now thats your style eh?”
remarked irreverent Mr Reilly.

From the Purdeys' poem "The Battle of the Guns" which can nowadays be found on Haddoake's pages but originally was in their book "The Shotgun".
 
Thanks for all of your replies. I ended up buying an AYA No.2 at the Game Fair. It's in very good condition but the stock needs some alterations. I'm looking forward to using a side by side again after switching to an O/U over 20 years ago.
A side by side, like a fine car, a fine boat or a fine lady just get better with age.
 
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