Heritage Guns Update 19th February 2018
Now a month on from the Beinfeld Las Vegas show and I am making headway with new stock guns destined for North Carolina’s Deep River Sporting Clays event, the Southern Side by Side Spring Classic. More of them later.
As some of you will know, my Las Vegas trip was dogged with excitements that I really could have done without ranging from an export licence glitch that had me running for my flight with only 4 minutes to spare, all the way to my cell phone left in the taxi to McCarran International and only finally catching up with me almost a month later. My eternal thanks go to Bob Nay of MacNab Fine Firearms for helping me to recover the phone and Greg Morleysmith of Chordline Import Export for sorting out the export licence with minutes to spare. I should also mention all my many friends, colleagues and customers who provided me with much needed support before, during and after the trip!
The weather since my return has been very mixed: lots of rain (what a surprise!), a few frosts and some beautiful crisp sunny days which make you feel good to be alive. The amount of rain this winter has been spectacular and our garden has flooded at least half a dozen times. Not a huge problem except that it dumps silt into the dog pen and Tilly has to be brought into the house! I think she must have a hand in it!
I had one final day’s shooting on the last Saturday of January at the local estate where I pick up with Tilly. Not a big day but hugely enjoyable: I shot pretty well and Tilly did some brilliant retrieves. Two cock pheasants will remain long in my memory: both shot whilst a walking gun on the 3rd drive, sneaking back over the beaters heads, high over a small wood, I dropped both deep in the wood and Tilly found each in short order and brought them out to me. No one saw it but I was quietly delighted by our joint effort!
Locally the farmers have been suffering the predations of huge flocks of wood pigeons, attacking the rape fields along with large flocks of jackdaws and rooks. I really haven’t had time to get out with the decoys and fear that they will have moved on before a chance presents itself.
Anyway, to business:
I have left several guns behind in the USA for Bob Nay of MacNab Fine Firearms to market on my behalf and the inventory includes the following.
A lovely 12g 1890’s Underlever SLE by James Woodward and Sons, the ‘Automatic’ model. Complete with its original 29” chopperlump barrels and replacement 15” stock, this gun has been reproofed for 2 ¾” ammunition and is a real joy to handle, cased in an oak lined case with some accessories.
An 1893 12g roundaction ejector by John Dickson & Son TIG sleeved 28” with beautiful, original French walnut stock. 2 ¾” reproofed.
An 1890’s 12g backaction SLE by J Blanch & Son. 28” x 2 ¾” TIG sleeved barrels, 15” replacement stock make this a gun for a serious shooter, not a closet queen!
Also with MacNab Fine Firearms are:
16g
SLE by Henry Clarke, 30” TIG sleeved;
12g
30” damascus barrelled roundaction ejector by J
Dickson & Son, cased with some accessories;
Beautiful 16g SLNE by Holland & Holland, cased;
12g
Leech SLE, 28” x 2 ¾” rebarrelled by the makers;
T
Murcott 12g 30” damascus hammergun;
Lovely
1884 12g J Purdey & Sons Self-opening SLE, cased on oak & leather;
Fascinating 12g 30” damascus early BLE by AJ Russell with grip safety!
As I mentioned earlier, I have been working steadily to get the new stock guns ready for April. All being well these will include:
Joseph Harkom 20g hammergun, 28” TIG sleeved, lovely original stock, canvas case;
A pair of cased 12g H&H Royal SLE’s, available singly or as a pair;
Two TIG sleeved Grant hammerguns: a RUL 28” and a sidelever 30”;
And one or more 12g hammerguns, which ever get there first: a WR Pape or a Westley Richards BiW both with original 30” Damascus barrels.
Not going to be ready for April but well on their way are 2 pairs of Woodward 12g SLE’S and a 16g Joseph Lang Hammergun.
Joining the restoration queue shortly are a Purdey 12g Thumblever hammergun, William Powell 12g SLE with NON-FUNCTIONAL HAMMERS (how weird is that?!), an 1880’s Beesley 12g SLE, another 12g H&H Royal with original 30” barrels, an 1896 toplever Woodward 12g SLE, 12g Purdey B Grade self-opening SLE from 1897 with lots of original colour, a 30” sidelever Stephen Grant hammergun and last but not least, a Boss & Co 12g sidelever SLE.
Well I think that just about wraps up my news for the time being. Enjoy the spring flowers when they arrive and hopefully see you in NC in April.