doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com AYA Bournbrook

I own a Bournbrook which I purchased from MW Reynolds. I am very happy with it. I am the fellow who asked earlier about a 30 inch barreled 20 gauge SxS. I must have looked at every 20 gauge for sale on the internet, probably several thousand. Most had 28" to 25" barrels, not what I wanted. Sorry but most "classic" American guns just don't interest me. The Bournbrook ticked everything on my list: very well-struck, long barrels, fixed chokes, ejectors, fully hand engraved with a very nice pattern, really nice wood, fine checkering, modern dimensions, modern steel, no "issues". Hard to find any hand-made gun under $10k, most ran about $20k. The only guns that came close in price were lightly engraved American guns with uninteresting wood. I'm happy. Hand-made anything will only go up in price.

Muchatrucha,

Thank you for giving that thoughtful answer. I, too, think it is a gun that is still worth the money, for all the reasons you stated. Past bargain prices on guns are just that, past prices, unlikely to ever be seen again.

I am considering purchasing one from M. W. Reynolds also. I think the Bournbrook fits a niche for some of us and offers a lot of attributes for a relatively modest price.

Halifax

I suppose some might not consider Ugartechea a "big name", but they're still in the boxlock business.

Uggies are decent guns. I had a very petite Lion Country Supply Grade 3 28-gauge for a few years and even shot some grouse with it. My only minor complaints (other than being that it didn't fit me very well) were that the wood on the gun desperately needed more oil finnish (which I went ahead and did with a Purdey's Warthog kit) and, just about everytime I shot it, the action-body screws wouldn't stay indexed and would need to be tightened. Nothing that some Loc-Tite wouldn't have helped.

Did a quick search of Cabela's AyA inventory. Found a new round action #2 sidelock 20ga for $5300; a new 4/53 Classic boxlock 20ga for $4,000. 29" barrels in both cases. MW Reynolds, in the current issue of Shooting Sportsman, lists the Bournbrook at $6500. Maybe it has enough features to merit the price difference in comparison to a sidelock or another boxlock from the same maker. You pays your money, and you takes your chances.

Larry you're getting off topic. The question posed "does anyone have any comments or own a Bournbrook", not what other boxlocks are available.
The Bournbrook offered by M.W. Reynolds are very nice guns for the money. I know, I own one. The barrels are well struck and finished, the other metal parts are hand engraved not rolled or laser engraved and the wood that Mark offers is well beyond that found on standard Spanish guns. These are all elements I'm willing to pay a premium for. At about $6.5K they are a fair value to me. Yes, Ugartechea, Arietta and AyA make lower-cost models. Are they in the same league? Not in my opinion.
I guess that a Porsche is rather pricey for a two-door car.

Some points for consideration.

"Bournbrook" is the name under which M. W. Reynolds has chosen to market the AyA rounded action # 4 box lock. See here:

http://www.aya-fineguns.com/detalles_en.php?wgo=61&wval=305&main=PROGRAM

Reynolds makes the claims, "Each gun is engraved entirely by hand with a best and 100% coverage foliate and scroll pattern. It is a very bold pattern that shows beautiful depth and was specially designed for this gun by AYA Master Engraver Juan Luis Guenaga."

The "very bold pattern" that was "specially designed for this gun by AYA Master Engraver Juan Luis Guenaga" has been around for decades and can be found on any number of Spanish guns made by various makers. The claim of hand engraved should also be viewed with suspicion.

Whether or not this gun is worth any particular price is an individual judgment and I have no comment on the price/value here. Caveat emptor on the description of the gun.

Kylie:
Have you held this particular gun or looked closely at the engraving under magnification?
I'm not trying to sell anything for Mr. Reynolds, but there seems to be some unsubstantiated opinions out there that are expressed as facts.

The market tells us that sidelocks cost more than boxlocks. Of course you can make the boxlock more expensive via upgraded wood, hand engraving vs machine (maybe "hand-chased"), etc. Just putting up some other options, and offering a price comparison--from the same Spanish maker. The obvious conclusion is that the Bournbrook is very pricey, by Spanish boxlock standards. Whether it will appeal to many buyers at that price . . . perhaps we should look to the AyA 4 Deluxe. Per my 23rd Edition Blue Book, the then-current MSRP for a 4 Deluxe was $6900; for a #2 sidelock, $5700. Lots of #2 sidelocks sold in this country, while you'll look long and hard to find a new 4 Deluxe for sale.

It�s interesting that as of July 2012, the last AyA retail prices in Canada reflected a large increase to some models, but not so in the United States. Maybe you are lucky there is still a lot of older new inventory working its way through the stores. In Canada, as of July 2012, the base model Aya boxlock was priced at $5300 (in 2011 it was $3700), the No. 4 with foliate engraving (assumed the Churchill model) was $5800 (in 2011 it was $4300), the No. 4 round body (assumed �Bournbrook�) was $6300, the No. 4 Deluxe was $7600 (in 2011 it was $5500). A No. 2 round body was listing at $6800 (in 2011 it was $6400). If the AyA prices are going to jump another 30-40%, I would say now would be the best time to buy one from the existing inventory.

The Bournbrook does look like a very beautiful gun. I wonder if the �Bournbrook� name is emulating a historical connection to Westley Richards, as Bournbrook was their old factory location in Birmingham, England.

I bought a new AyA Cabelas Classic 4/53 with full foliate engraving in 2012, and can say that they are very nice guns, with some really great wood. I did look at its engraving under a 10x loop and to me it does look hand engraved, the patterns aren�t even, and I could definitely see the odd mistake, not so evident with the naked eye though.

Tim