The only issue with the W&S 700 series is that they don't make them any more so you have to do a little searching to find the configuration & dimensions that will work for you.
I have a friend who would have agreed with you.
Until the first shot of the first day of opening pheasant season, in 2012. When his 700 became a not-so-good deal single shot. And remained that way for two years.
Opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one. Facts, are different.
Best,
Ted
Yawn! How many times do we have to hear the story about the W&S 700 with the broken integral striker. I had a friend whose 20 ga Purdey shattered a hammer resulting in a long down time & expensive repair but I don't think this is a common thing with Purdey guns any more than broken strikers are with W&S 700 series guns. If I was looking for an absolutely bullet proof shotgun it wouldn't be a light SxS of any nationality.
At least the Purdey & W&S 700 were worth repairing.
Speaking of facts, the only shotguns I've really had reliability issues with were a Garbi 103 A with a single trigger from the late 80's that continued to double from new & after several gunsmiths worked on it & a Remington 1100 slug gun on which the bolt would not go into battery about once every 10 shots which was never corrected.
Garbi makes some nice guns but that one wasn't. Remington 1100 shotguns are usually very reliable if well maintained & I have another just like it that has never failed to function.