Many who shoot harbour an ambition to own a matched pair of shotguns. Mine began as a kid sneaking into my uncle’s gunroom to lift the oak and leather lid that concealed his vintage side-lever Grants. He was a stylish, traditionally minded sportsman and always had the kit to match (he once instructed his manservant to kick a new cartridge bag about the garden because he considered it looked too new). I loved the look and smell of those guns; though I never had the chance to shoot them, they are burned deep in my memory. (Read: Why you should clean your gun regularly.)

A brace of game-guns

There is a certain magic about a brace of patinated English or Scottish game-guns of the Golden Era – especially in their original labelled and suitably weathered case with all the interesting bits and bobs such as load data, oil bottles, turnscrews, and so on. Surprisingly, some of these guns remain attainable, though if you are just looking for a brace of working guns there are sensible alternatives, not least new and secondhand Spanish sidelock side-by-sides and Italian doubles. (Read: Over and under or side by side?)

Useful

A pair of shotguns is a useful resource as well as an iconic possession. You may not shoot on double-gun days routinely, but many of us are favoured with the odd day at grouse or special occasion at which double guns are either permissible or required. A pair of shotguns also provides an instant spare should your designated or actual No 1 fail (it is often the case with older pairs, by the way, that one will have seen much more service than the other).

When double-gunning was the norm on big estates, many invested in a trio for similar reasons – to have an instant spare. Some of the late-Victorian and Edwardian Big Shots tripled-gunned (though quartets are very rare). Sir Joseph Nickerson used a trio of Purdey 28-bore over-and-unders more recently, and trios are still used occasionally in Spain and South America. (Read our article on game shooting in Spain.)

True matched pair of shotguns

What sort of pairs might one encounter today? A true pair of shotguns will be consecutively numbered and matched in all handling and visual respects. The barrels will be of the same length (though choking may differ), the engraving will be near identical, and the stocks should have similar figure (and, of course, dimensions). The shotguns may not be exactly the same weight but they will feel the same or very similar and be balanced accordingly. Matched pairs will also be encountered where the second gun has been made at a later date to mimic the first and will not have a consecutive number.

Consecutively numbered shotguns are just that – the numbers follow on but they may not be true twins. Machine-made guns – where variations are slighter – are often “paired” in this way. But companies like Beretta and AyA still offer true pairs at a surcharge (usually 10%). Composed pairs are guns that do not have consecutive numbers but are put together to shoot practically as a pair.

Budgets

Let’s now assume that we are in the market and set a potential budget. We know that the sky is the limit: it is quite possible to spend a quarter of million pounds on a new pair of Purdeys or Fabbris if you are minded to indulge yourself. Let us be more realistic, though: £20,000 or thereabouts. What can you get for that sort of money? Well, £20,000 is more than enough to buy a beautiful pair of classic shotguns that should not only give a lifetime’s service but hold their value well, too. Pairs of better quality tend to be a better investment than other guns (as do single guns in original condition by the premier league makers).

A pair of vintage sidelocks by a top London name bought for £20,000 will probably have 30in, not very tightly choked barrels – original choke and barrel dimensions significantly increase value – and might not be that crisp. Pairs by excellent but less valued names will fall well within budget. And you might still get a pair of relatively modern but short-barrelled guns by one of the greats (25in, 26in and 27in guns are not especially favoured by the market). You could also acquire ideal spec, near-mint, 28in guns by a Birmingham or provincial maker. Pairs of best-quality boxlocks should not be discounted (indeed, they can be a great buy), nor quality Spanish or Italian guns (especially if your budget is limited).

Continental shotguns, if bought secondhand but near new in the UK, offer some particular bargains. I bought a superb pair of tight-scroll-engraved Zoli sidelocks some little while back for a lot less than £10,000. They would cost in the region of €30,000 each to buy new.

On the new shotgun front, you cannot go wrong with a pair of Beretta EELLs, AyA No 2s or GMK Arrietas.  EJ Churchill, William Powell and William Evans all offer quality Spanish-made but English-spec’d side-by-sides carrying their own names. The Churchill Continental range (made by Arrieta) has been a great success (and the top-of-the-line Hercules guns cost just over £20,000 excluding VAT for a pair, with two other options within budget). Williams Evans offers the well-made Grullas, which have impressed me with their attention to detail (particularly in barrel making and finish).

A pair of Westley Richards 12-bore shotguns

What do others have to say about pairs? Auctioneer Gavin Gardiner comments, “It is easy to forget that it was not just the famous gunmaking names that built best-quality guns. The market is currently so focused on Purdey, Holland & Holland and Boss that there are many very fine guns slipping below the radar and providing amazing value for money. Pairs by secondary names such as Stephen Grant, Henry Atkin, Joseph Lang and Edwinson Green all provide absolute best quality but often at two thirds of the price. While a best pair of Purdeys may be selling at auction in the region of £30,000, a virtually identical pair by Henry Atkin may sell for £18,000.” It is important to see beyond the famous name engraved on the gun and, instead, judge it purely on its quality, specification and condition.

A spokesperson for Bonhams notes that it is now difficult to buy an original pair of Holland & Hollands, Purdeys or Boss in good, crisp, condition for less than £20,000, unless they have been sleeved or rebarrelled or have problems such as thin barrel walls. But he also notes a “vast range” of pairs available below the £20,000 mark. “There are numerous other makers that represent fantastic value for money and are available for less than £20,000,” he says. “Makers such as Atkin, Grant, Lang and Churchill are the leaders for me.”

Diggory Hadoke of Vintage Guns has a message very similar to that of Gavin Gardiner and Patrick Hawes. By avoiding the “brand value” the market puts on Purdey, Boss and Holland & Holland guns, and concentrating on the most important factors for the canny buyer – original quality and current condition – the sub-£20,000 sector of the market still offers value, even where best sidelock ejectors are concerned.

This article was originally published in 2011 and has been updated.