Ted, I like the BSS Sidelock. Think they're nice guns. That being said, I just bought a Grulla sidelock 20ga marketed by Orvis for $3,000. You won't come close to a BSS Sidelock in 20ga for that money.
NEW Spanish gun prices have really gone up. But there are some nice buys on the used market on Spanish guns. My Grulla is hand detachable (the BSS isn't); has an articulated front trigger (can't recall on the BSS); has bushed firing pins (can't recall if the BSS has those either); the bottom of the action body is rounded (which some people prefer); and the comb of the stock is not fluted (which I think Mr. Flynn mentions in his article, and which is a deviation from the British style). Which is "better"? Well, they're both nice guns. The only way to test reliability, if that's what we mean by "better", would be to put a bunch of shells through both of them. I have not done that with the Grulla, nor did I put a ton of shells through the BSS when I owned it. So I'm not really in a position to knock either of them when it comes to reliability.
On the other hand, any Parker Repro has much nicer wood than either of those . . . and some of the Repros have really spectacular wood, which is way beyond what you'd find on the BSS or on all but maybe the most expensive Spanish sidelocks. And they sell for a lot less than a BSS Sidelock in 20ga, and come in a nice case.
Lots of good guns out there, depending on one's tastes.
