Leave room for me behind that parapet. The O/U has never been the strong point of the British mfgs. The Italian and the German/Austrian tradition of making the O/U the focus of their light to medium-heavy game rifles (in modern times, usually stopping at the justly well-regarded 9.3X74R, which will suffice for any Continental and most North American/African game short of the Big Five or a Grizzly) has resulted in what I believe are the 'best guns' in the O/U arena. Consider the Merkel 323, now brought into the US on special order only, and in a pre-war setting, with some of the finest wood and engraving one can find. Several of the Suhl-built pre-war guns were the match of anything 'best' built in Great Britian. Today, that tradition continues with Peter Hofer, etc offering O/Us that are truly 'best guns' -- and priced accordingly.

Italy? Beretta's SO series, custom built at the higher end, are built to the highest standards in a shop that resembles Purdey and H&H with a tradition and full support of a family and a company that started building guns in the 1600s. Ferlib and other small Italian shops turn out superb and indisputable 'best guns,' a often engraved by Creative Arts (one of the premier engraving concerns in the world and also the 'hand' behind the engraving of my SXS Beretta 455-EELL in 416 and my Ferlib round action hammer gun in 9.3X74R) or one of the other Italian engravers who are now at the top of that food chain.

I agree that the SXS British best guns from the 1890s through the beginning of WWII are in a class by themselves and command respect and prices accordingly. I also very respectfully submit that today, even in SXS they are challenged by a number of like-priced builders on the Continent who are too well known to be listed here but who turn out a SXS DR that will match that built in Great Britain today when placed side by side and we remove the 'its the name' factor.

O/Us? I have stated my thoughts above and will now jump behind the parapet with Mike -- if he will have me there.

Dave