When you are waiting for the first covey to break, admiring this wood-and-steel masterpiece is all you need to while away the time. For most, it is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, instantly elevated to heirloom status to be enjoyed by multiple generations and never to be sold.

1. Fabbri: Bespoke O/U sidelock

Fabbri shotgun

From £150,000

calvertsporting.co.uk/fabbri 

2. James Purdey & Sons: The Best

James Purdey and Sons 12 bore shotgun

12-Bore s/s Sidelock ejector

From £122,000 exec VAT

purdey.com

3. Beretta: SO10 EELL

Beretta over under shotgun

Bespoke O/U hand-detachable, pinless sidelock

From £88,000 inc VAT

berettagallery.com/london

4. Westley Richards: Best Quality

Westley richards 20 bore shotgun

Bespoke 20-bore S/S hand detachable lock shotgun

From £64,500 exc VAT

westleyrichards.com

5. William Powell: The Viscount

William Powell side by side shotgun

Bespoke S/S sidelock

From £11,995 inc VAT

williampowell.com

6. Zoli: Pernice 

Zoli pernice shotgun

Bespoke O/U round-bodied boxlock

From £4,900 inc VAT

edgarbrothers.com

7. AYA: Nº 2 de Luxe

Aya bespoke side by side shotgun

Bespoke S/S hammerless sidelock 

From £11,505 inc VAT

a-s-i.co.uk

8. Holland & Holland: Royal Deluxe

Holland and Holland 12 bore shotgun

12-bore S/S with 28” barrels

£188,645 exc VAT

hollandholland.com

9. Perazzi: MX12 SC3

Perazzi over under shotgun

Bespoke O/U boxlock

From £16,860 inc VAT

ruag.co.uk

10. John Rigby & Co: The Rising Bite

Rigby rising bite shotgun

Bespoke S/S sidelock ejector

From £79,000 exc VAT

johnrigbyandco.com

11. Frederick Beesley: Fenice

Frederick Beesley black action over under shotgun

Black Action O/U

From £16,000 inc VAT

frederickbeesley.co.uk

12. Browning: B525 The Crown

Browning shotgun

Bespoke O/U boxlock

From £4,750 inc VAT

browning.eu