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The AyA No2 is a really good sidelock shotgun for not a lot of money secondhand (at least this side of the Atlantic).

AyA's are good guns all round. My Father bought a No 3 - the boxlock non ejector in the early 1960's - it has seen countless adventures right across Africa and then when we came back in the UK. Its still tight. I have an AyA Coral over and under that I bought 2nd hand in the late 1980's - it dates from the 1950's. It's a bit loose now when opened, but locks tight as a vault and I can't miss with it.

I also have an old Yeoman - this was the basic model and inside is a bit rough, but it still shoots well.

AyA's took over where the British gunmakers left off. They are built in the British style, and indeed what is now ASI actually took several British guns across to them in the Basque country to effectively copy. They were and still are pretty much made in the traditional way from forgings which are then fitted by hand - the lower grades by the apprentices, the higher grades by the masters.

I think the early ones were better built - there was a time in the late 1980's early 1990's when they were trying to churn them out. They now have moved to the top end of the market and built on a much more limited basis, with Boxlocks starting at c £4,000.

There is a lot of variation within models, as you could order them with a quite a number of different styles and features. They were also different for different markets.

Fundamentally though if it checks out and has not been messed with, they are good solid and nice handling guns for not big money. But like all side by sides, make sure it fits well and factor in the cost having it fitted to you into the price. If it doesn't fit, a side by side is much less tolerant than an over and under.

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