Aston Martins of the gun world

The Best British gun was born when Britain ruled the land and the seas, in a time when engineers like Robert Stephenson, James Watt and Isambard Kingdom Brunel were pushing technological boundaries and stoking the fires of the empire. In the 19th century, British engineers were the best in the world, and the UK was a prolific manufacturer of guns. 

In 1868 in Birmingham’s Gun Quarter and the surrounding area, there were 578 gunmaking firms employing almost 3,000 people. At the start of the 21st century barely 20 gunmakers remained across the whole country. 

Those who still trade are the best of the best, producing precision products using the very latest technology, but still within a sustaining aura of heritage and traditional craftsmanship. Best British gunmakers operate in a historic sector and those that continue to trade are the few that have been successful in their scramble to adapt to the times. Whether that involves making the most of foreign markets, focusing attention on exhibition-grade guns, or cleverly utilising modern manufacturing techniques, those that remain are survivors. 

For most, a Best British gun is a wish list item that we will probably never own. So why should we take notice of them, or even bother aspiring to buy one? Why does this relatively niche offshoot of a larger industry deserve to survive, and what makes a pair of Holland & Holland Royal over-and-unders worth more than £250,000? 

Ingenuity 

The chances of ever owning a Bugatti Chiron are relatively slim, yet children still hanker for them. Coveting something special is not all about possession, it is about marvelling at the technological ingenuity that these creations embody. It is thrilling to know what goes on at the very peak of an industry. In addition to basking in the warming glow of the beauty of a Boss or a Purdey, it is a pleasant thought that some of the innovations introduced by these industry pioneers might eventually trickle down to a more attainable gun. 

A WW Greener gun might be too expensive to ever realistically buy, but it’s nice to know that you could one day wield a more affordable gun that has credibly copied some of its glorious features. 

Purchasing a best British gun is also in part membership to an exclusive club of royals, tycoons and icons. In 1838 Queen Victoria purchased a pair of Purdey pistols and soon after Prince Albert bought a pair of Purdey shotguns. Their son, King Edward VII, owned a Westley Richards gun, as did the Maharaja of Alwar, and Ernest Hemingway, who was the proud owner of a .577 double-barrelled Nitro Express. Part of what makes a side-by-side sidelock ejector double rifle from Westley Richards worth the £99,500 for which it retails is the historical continuity it represents. 

Pinnacle 

I asked the managing director of Westley Richards, Anthony Alborough-Tregear, why he thought it was worth investing in a gun of this quality. Anthony said their guns “represent the pinnacle of their type and that those who can afford to buy the best come to us for just that”. He invited the question: “if you had the means to enjoy the best of everything — Patek Philippe watches, Edward Green shoes and Aston Martins — why wouldn’t you want to purchase a gun of a similar quality?” 

Anthony also extolled the benefits to your shooting that such a gun can make: “A properly made bespoke shotgun or rifle from Westley Richards will fit you, be built specifically for the kind of shooting you do, and look, handle and operate exactly as you specify. Anything else is a compromise.” This is an excellent point. If you have the financial means to afford not to compromise on any aspect of your gun, why would you? 

Today, Westley Richards has its factory and showroom on Pritchett Street in Birmingham, the spiritual home of British gunmaking. To continue to push the company forward, Westley Richards has invested in highly advanced Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology. It says it uses it in a complementary manner that assists manufacture, rather than governs it. Anthony is passionate about the importance of maintaining traditional gunsmithing skills. 

He laments the loss of the art of damascus barrel-making and says: “We think it would be a great shame if the skills and knowledge passed from one generation to the next, over 200 years of Westley Richards gun and riflemaking, were lost. Once the chain is broken, it is very hard, if not impossible, to mend it.” 

Westley Richards says it is helping to ensure the longevity of the industry in the UK by continuing to train apprentices in all the traditional gunmaking crafts. Anthony comments: “Technology has changed gunmaking in many respects but we, more than most, are still creating largely bench-made guns and rifles; each one unique.” 

Thriving 

Tom Peachy, gunroom manager at William Powell, agrees that, although there are fewer Best guns used in Britain today than even 30 years ago, it is essential to keep the craft of gunmaking going. “It’s hugely important to keep this art alive and thriving, even though the market for Best quality English guns isn’t as good as it has been in the past. 

“There are still a good number being used day in and day out throughout the season and throughout the close season. These guns need master craftsmen who have refined their trade to work on them. They will typically need parts to be handmade to repair them, not an off-the-shelf quick and easy fix.” 

While some suggest that the market for Best British guns is contracting, Adam Anthony, co-director of Gallyon Gun & Rifle Makers, seems to be experiencing a different trend: “The health of the gun market in the UK and abroad appears to be quite buoyant. With a full order book for the next two years, it indicates strong demand and confidence in our products. The influx of international orders is particularly encouraging, showcasing a robust global interest in British craftsmanship and quality.” 

To emphasise this Wesley Richards says it has over four years of orders lined up, so demand clearly remains for bespoke guns. 

Adam Anthony says of Best guns: “Owning one connects you to a legacy of craftsmanship. The meticulous expertise involved in creating Best British shotguns is almost unparalleled. Each piece is handmade by skilled artisans, ensuring a level of quality and attention to detail that mass-produced firearms simply cannot match. The hand time that goes into a Best gun is upwards from 400 hours, with several taking over 1,000 hours.” 

He explains that each gun has a story, which adds to its allure. They make fascinating conversation pieces and serve as symbols of status among enthusiasts. Adam summarises: “A British shotgun is not just a tool for shooting; it represents a blend of history, artistry and performance.” 

Although a connection to tradition and legacy is a crucial motivator in buying a Best gun, relative newcomer Longthorne has flourished since its launch in 2010 through its relentless pursuit of quality. Longthorne does not have the history of other brands but it has carved out a space in the market through innovation. 

The majority of gun barrels are constructed from two barrel tubes soldered together. At Longthorne, however, makers take a single piece of steel weighing some 27kg and machine a single pair of barrels out of it, the finished pair weighing 1.3kg. So the resulting barrels are not only very strong but light, too. Although by no means cheap at around £12,000, Longthorne’s side-by-side boxlock ejector is not so far out of reach as to be demoralising. 

Acquiring a Best British gun is a practical decision to buy something that is as good as it can be. Adam at Gallyon talks of the aggregation of marginal gains to improve accuracy, reliability and performance. He says the industry combines state-of-the-art precision engineering and artisan craftsmanship, comparing the standard of their machining to those in nuclear energy or the aerospace industry. On the flip side of the coin, buying a Best gun is something of an emotional decision. 

Westley Richards says it is often called upon to create works of “high art”, involving the carving and the inlay of precious metals to its guns by the world’s foremost engravers. Most of these products become family heirlooms. Many of the firms that produce these guns now do so sustainably, planting walnut trees to more than replace those used in the production of their stocks. 

Buying a Best gun promotes British engineering and heritage crafts; it creates legacy, gains the buyer access to an exclusive set, satisfies their artistic and aesthetic needs, and helps them shoot a bit straighter. 

With this multitude of functions considered, such a gun begins to look like a bargain.