OptiOn 3

Cogswell & Harrison Windsor

This is the option for you if your performance in the Lottery is the same as mine, in that you occasionally match two numbers which earn you a free lucky dip the following week. New, it costs around £1,250, so a second-hand example is likely to cost around £1,000.

In the days when Britain made value-for-money guns, “Coggies” were always reasonably priced. In its day, the company made shotguns, rifles and pistols, and it is thought that more than 100,000 guns were made. The uncertainty is because the company suffered two disastrous fires which destroyed machinery as well as records.

The company is now owned by the Brennan family from Ireland, but they have an office in Hatfield and the gun is made in Italy. And that’s it – it’s a typical Italian value-formoney gun with a shallow action and barrels hinged on stub pins. It is made in 12, 20 and 28-bore, with 28 or 30in barrels. Chambers are 3in, and the gun carries steel-shot proof.

Stocks, in rather plain walnut, are available in right and left-hand configurations, and each gun comes with a set of multichoke tubes.

Finally, not all modern Cogswell & Harrison guns are aimed at the “starter” end of the market, so if your numbers win you millions this week, you may consider one of their bespoke guns costing £59,800.