I'll also echo Chorizo... to look at Spanish doubles.
I have, I think, four guns by Victor Sarasqueta. Known as the Spanish Purdey. Not his son's... they did mass-produced and pretty bad junk. But Victor Senior. All hand-made. Beautiful. And not stupid expensive. As upland guns, they are amazing.
On the modern stuff, almost all the Spanish makers who were booming 15 years ago have folded... but there are a LOT of superlative guns out there. For good prices. No, they are not Holland and Holland's. But they are 95 percent there... at 20 percent of the price.
As for not taking a good gun duck hunting. Well... if you are in a nasty blind on a seashore... I'd agree. But for much of it... a case, a gun sock, common sense... I have hunted ducks with a Parker Trojan for decades. A DelGrego restoration. That looks just like it did when I got it back from Larry. Using a gun and abusing it are two different things. And, yes, accidents happen. But can be avoided with proper TLC and handling... to the point that carrying a nice vintage double is a great way to go.
But you can also get bargain English guns. This is my Army Navy 12 ga. London made. Picked it up for $600 on a table covered in black rifles... guy didn't know what he had... and/or didn't care. If it wasn't an AR or an AK or an SKS... make it go away. Superb handling 12 ga. upland gun.
But to echo Chorizo... Spanish guns are definitely worth a look! And if you want to 'educate' yourself on the Spanish guns, there was a great book published about 2000 called "Spanish Best" which gives a history of Basque gunmaking and goes into short pieces on all the makers. There is a wide variety on Spanish guns. The best, however, have always come from Eibar... and from some of the Basque traditions of gunmaking there.
Cheers,
Sirhr
