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If money were no object and you decided to have a bespoke gun built, what features would you want? What type of gun would it be, sidelock, boxlock, hammer gun? Removable sideplates, self-opener, multiple barrels, matched pair, etc... What about engraving, gold inlays, style?

What would you avoid?

Pete

Easy. Boss O/U. 30", 12ga, IC/LM. Nothing special, just the way they come is FINE.

20-28g,410 3 barrel set, hammerless, 6lbs, 28" bbls, sidelock so there's plenty of room for a tasteful mix of gold chickens and necked wimmin, and lightning bolts, hammerless so I wouldn't forget to cock it with my forgetfullness in my old age, Turkish walnut as a fashion statement and sling swivels for effect around the stuffy shirt crowd. Oh, and Krupp barrels of course.

Sidelock, sculpted fences, and concealed pins, ejectors, third bite fastener,disc set firing pins, pierced top lever and trigger guard with rolled edged and hinged front trigger. Action finished by rubbing out the case colors. Locks fully engraved (keep case colors inside), gold plate moving parts. POW grip, splinter forend(a little longer than normal), 29 inch fine black and white croille Damascus barrels & ribs, double triggers, best American done checkering in a minimal pattern about 24 lines per inch, best wood I could find, skeleton butt plate engraved, horn nipple on grip, tapered rib file cut, tight scroll with best Italian bulino bird scenes covering side locks and action bottom with very minimal gold touches on bottom only- if any. Engraving on forend iron (inside), polished throughout like a Lindner Regent Diamond grade. On each side of forend an engraved oblong eschutcheon reflecting old muzzleloader barrel wedges. Satin finish on wood so it looked natural versus varnished. One set of barrels choked skeet and a loose modified (no screw ins) with two narrow lines of gold inlay at breech and engraved wedges on barrels about 3 inches long. Dual ivory beads. Engraved between barrels at muzzle. Twenty guage 2 3/4" magnum proof so SAAMI spec shells could be used if necessary. Weight right at 6lbs. Cased in a modern sealed composite case with every tool (case hardened and engraved) required to dissassemble/reassemble the gun. Things to avoid? Spending such money on a gun instead of charities and church.

Swivels, Chuck? I'm not on the gun scene at all but I thought swivels were, well, sort of exotic however practical and not for swish company this side of the water. Elucidate, please.

Pretty vague, Jerry...

Shotgun, I know but I clarified it all in the last two sentences.

King,
I figure swivels on a bespoke (must be a British gun to use that word) gun would ruffle the purist's feathers. Afterall, this is kind of a "what if cows could fly?" question, at least for my economics. not gonna happen.

Well a bespoken pair would be nice, but if I was limited to just one gun. A Watson Bros. (Michael Louca) SLE, round body 16 bore with 2 sets of barrells 28" and 30". The 28" more open for grouse and woodcock and 30" a little tighter for pheasant). Weight around 6 lbs, a hair lighter if possible. Engraving by Winston Churchill - I believe I would need my Ryman Setter forward of the trigger guard, a woodcock in flight on the trigger guard. On sideplates a pair of grouse, one falling on one side and a group of roosters in flight on the other side. I would seek out his suggestion for surrounding field of engraving. The wood would need to be on the dark side and and not too flamboyant - looking for understated elegance, and something that would stand up to hunting pressure. I would probably want 2 1/2" chambers just for something different.

A James Purdey "Best" muzzleloader complete with all accessories!!!
All the best