benelli-banger
Well-known member
Been scouring the gun universe for another S X S...been focusing on Spanish makers. Almost pulled the trigger on an Uggie grade III 16 gauge from Lion Country for $2295, but it sold, and new ones weren't coming for a month or so. Saw an Orvis Arrieta 16 gauge sidelock at Cabela's for $2500...used, but in great shape...again, sold a minute or two before I got to it! Started looking around on ShotgunWorld.com and noticed some talk of the AYA 4/53 20 gauge for $2550, new, no sales tax...had them e-mail pics, looked great, which was verified by a guy from Ogden, UT who was at that shop and handled it, but opted to buy a used one for the same price with 29" barrels, as he avoided the sales tax issue by going used through a private party. I bit the bullet and grabbed it...NECG is the primary AYA dealer, and they are at $3200 new for the same gun with 28" barrels and case coloring. Kind of wanted a 16, but the 4/53's are about $500 more it seems, and you add about 1/2 lb. I have concluded that the joy of a S X S has a good bit to do with the lighter, slighter, livlier handling characteristics that the sub-gauges offer...I have looked at alot of 12's, some 16's, and quite a few 20's, and the smaller the gauge, the better they feel, at least to me. I have one S x S, a Fausti 20 guage, and I must say I really like it. Not a huge fan of buying guns sight unseen, but since I had a positive testimony that the e-mail pics backed up, I thought it was worth the "risk" at $2550.
