Hi, some very interesting and diverse opinions here, fun to read that's for sure. Again, my 2c worth. I agree with Dig that for the $$ you want to spend a good Brit BLE might be the route to go. SLE are nice, good triggers as a rule,racy looking and a bit of a prestige gun, but mechanically they can be a problem, especially with a vintage gun. BLE's are for the most part bomb proof and are easily fixed by any good Smith. The price range you stated should get you a good decent BLE by a good maker. Something to consider.
Buy the gun and not the name is often said, but lets be honest, name does play a big part in reselling a gun or buying for that matter. A name does mean something. Sure you can find a gun that was made by John Doe that is just as good or better than a H&H Royal, but what one are you going to buy? You will pay for the name regardless of quality. For those who know doubles well, it may not be a huge issue, but for your average guy, he'll take the name before anything else.
One other thing to consider, you may want to check into a 16ga. There are plenty of 29" bbl 16ga guns out there. You can do a search on any of the auction/selling sites and find a lightly used AyA, Arreta or Grullla for your price range. I like 16ga guns and have killed a lot of wild pheasants with them. The difference between a 12ga and 16ga for your average hunter is slight. You can get loads from 1oz up to 1 1/4oz. And if you reload, plenty more.
Fun post!
Good Luck!
Greg
