In the 1880’s, the English perfected the side-by-side game gun. For over 145 years, great makers such as James Purdey & Sons, Holland & Holland, and Boss & Company have been producing handcrafted, bespoke, “best” shotguns that were, and still are, the pinnacle of gunmakers’ craft. Weapons with elegant symmetry and minimalistic, efficient design, carefully built with the durability of steel and walnut to serve multiple generations. Usually embellished with intricate hand engraving, superbly figured walnut, and metal finished in coin (like nickel), oil-dipped case colors, or rich rust bluing, these guns are stunningly beautiful, possibly too nice to use.
Beyond aesthetics, these guns possess the magic of ergonomic perfection, with a simplicity in design perfectly suited for thier intended use – wingshooting. Light and balanced, they jump to the shoulder, eyes are drawn down the barrel, with double triggers perfectly placed for quick shooting. When the gun fits, you know you can shoot it well. These are sophisticated, elegant shotguns that add one more high-quality dimension to the most joyful of human pursuits – upland hunting in the still wild places behind beautiful pointing dogs with good friends.
The drawback to these great artifacts of humanity is this . . . they are insanely and prohibitively expensive. Only the very wealthy, those with life priorities a bit askew, can afford these things. In addition to the quarter- to half-million-dollar price tag, there is a 12- to 24-month wait for the gun to be built. Ouch.
Now, the good news for the proletariat, the unwashed masses such as myself. The gunmakers in Spain and Italy produce outstanding side-by-side game guns at a fraction of the cost of English guns. These are often very well-made, as beautiful (almost), and possess the same elegant handling and shooting characteristics as their blue-blooded neighbors. A few Italian makers are producing luxury, custom-made guns that are on par with their English counterparts, but they are also very expensive. Some makers to consider include AyA, Grulla, Arrieta, and Arriabalaga, from Spain. From Italy, a nation rich in fine gun manufacturing, there are Beretta, F.lli Piotti, and F.lli Rizzini ($$$). A fairly recent addition to the market is the guns built by RFM for the Upland Gun Company. These are offered at very reasonable prices, with many options to customize a gun to your preferences. Also, all of these Spanish and Italian guns are commonly available in the used-gun market at much more affordable prices, but be careful.
The gun below is a Piotti King. This gun has all the attributes of an English best gun, except that it is not one. This is a 12-gauge pinless sidelock with 29″ barrels, double triggers, straight English stock, semi-beavertail forearm, rose and scroll engraving, gold inlaid maker’s name, and decent wood with a 15″ length of pull. A super fun gun to shoot, it is an awesome quail killer. The best source for these guns is William Larkin Moore in Scottsdale, AZ.
I hope you enjoy these few pics of this beautiful gun.
Birdhunter 
