With so many different brands and models on the maket, finding a gun at the right price is tough. So, we’ve given Mike George the hard task of listing his top 20 new and used guns for under a grand
The Yildiz Wildfowler Extreme is a great choice if you’re looking for a gun that will do everything
Yildiz Wildfowler Extreme
Country of origin: Turkey
Price: £925 for non-ejector; discounted prices of under £1,000 for ejector model.
This gun is a pretty rare creature: an elegant-looking 12-bore O/U with 3½in chambers and steel shot proof. It is extremely welcome in a scene dominated by strictly functional, camouflaged semi-autos and pump-actions, in spite of the fact some shooters may think it is a bit too posh to take on the marshes.
Mechanically, the gun is a pretty ordinary O/U, with a shallow action and barrels hinged on stub pins. What is unusual is the availability of a non-ejector model, which must save a lot of grovelling around in the mud to retrieve spent cartridge cases, and the fact that it comes with no less than seven choke tubes – five of which are of flush-fitting design, and the other two of extended half-choke design, intended for use with the heaviest steel-shot cartridges.
One advantage the gun has is that it can be used for game or clay shooting with cartridges as light as 21g. At 8lb it’s a little heavy, but only by a few ounces, and the woodwork is particularly good.