doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com need opinions about AyA boxlock

What British gun do you compare with?

Lennart

That's why we have personal choice and each one of us will make a diffent one for perfectly proper reasons.

Search your heart and buy what you prefer. That is really the only criteria. However, your choice in 16-bore will be more limited - I'd buy a lightish (6lb 6oz) English 12-bore with 2 1/2" chambers and shoot a 1oz load.

As a previous poster said, a new AYA will halve in value in little time. Buy an English gun well and it will be worth what you paid for as long as you keep it.

I choose by fit plus handling and not by name or country of origin. My field gun happens to be 12ga 6lb4oz Thuringian piece with 28" tubes and 70mm chambers, but Made in CCCP MC-7 or Italian PB 'S' series gun would do just as nicely. The common denaminator seems to be long, "lean" fixed choke barrels.
If I run across minty #4 for 1,700+/-100 USD I might buy it.

Ivan,

if you should find a good used double trigger AYA 4, 400 or a 4/53 in the European theatre, you should jump at it.

Currently, I own a cased AYA 400E, 12 bore, circa 1961 that does all a field gun should do. It swings well, points and shoots like a good Spanish attempt at a British field gun

In my opinion, they are greatly under valued at this time...

Thank you. In my heart I prefer quality old gun: British or continental (Belgian for ex.). In that time I doubt about their fit.
The question of the fit is the main reason why I'm considering the AyA. Certainly, the factor of "new gun" is also important.

To Drever2005
At the moment I'm not sure concrete maker. But of the reason of the price it would be hammerless boxlock with steel barrel from Birmingham (for ex.) or something similar from Liege or Ferlach.

Ivans, have you considered Piotti BSEE? Extremely delightful beaty, which provides a lot of pleasure.

I have both English boxlocks and 4 AYA boxlocks in various gauges. I have owned one of the AYA's for about 25 to 30 years - absolutely no problems. I got a new gun, it was an ejector, it had not been messed with, the stock wasn't cut, there was a guarantee.

A new AYA is a very fine gun for the money - with NO risk. An English boxlock is also a fine gun, but, there is the risk factor unless you know guns well and can trust your dealer / the person selling the gun and all its previous owners...

personally I very much doubt you will find an old english gun in the same or similar condition to a new AYA at the same money.It can be done, and I could do it in GB, as there are still one or two nice Webley's etc knocking about - but in a different country it becomes significantly harder if not impossible if you are to stick to the same budget. The english gun may also have fired a lot of shells, been used in wet weather, may have been lapped, jointed, dents lifted, chambers lengthened, stock cut not to mention triggers / ejectors etc etc.

It all depends what you want the gun for - if its just occasional low volume use go the english route - if you can find a good one at sensible money. If you intend shooting a lot and you don't want a gun thats obviously had a life and plenty of use before you - I know what my choice would be - but then I have the advantage of owning both...

Jonty

I have two AYA 12g,20g,two A.Francotte 12g and 16g, two Sauer 12g,and Winchester mod 23 12g and so on,I have tryed
basic Birmingham boxlocks,but I find everyone I allready have is much better what I use them for.And it's hard to find a nice boxlock from Birmingham,you have to go up in big money to have
a fine British gun.
(That Piotti is a nice gun from Italy,but it's exspensive )

Regards Lennart

to pokslok
I agree - this is very nice gun but what is the price?

to Jonty
thank you for such argumented opinion. I agree with you especialy I need this gun not for collection but for hunting.


Drever2005
So, if I understand correctly you don't reccomend the "cheap Birmingham boxlock"?

Factory price for BSEE was in 2005 11.480eur + add on price for single trigger 1.010eur + abt 400eur for beavertail fore end. In 1988 it costed abt 3,5keur. I´m very very pleased with it.