Fletchedpair thank you for that information. Only two thosuand makes the DRA a very rare gun, I should feel lucky to have handled a half dozen of them.
Frederick Beesley made less than 2000 guns, so Beesley's are very rare too! And his best are very fine, though that is my biased opinion!
Many Beesley guns mention Phillipson & Nephew as a supplier. This is what I have found out about them, so far:
William Phillipson claimed he established his business as an action maker in 1840 in Birmingham, but no address is known. One report states that his address was 91 Upper Priory in 1876, and another report states that in about 1878 he was at 78 Weaman Street. Neither address has been confirmed. In 1911 the firm of Phillipson & Nephew, gun and action makers, was recorded at 78 Weaman Street. In 1949 the firm became Phillipson & Nephew (Gunmakers) Ltd. In 1958 the company moved to Unit 47, 41 Richard Street. Reportedly the company closed in 1974, but others state that between 1960 and 1997 the company moved to Wesham Road, Honeyburne, Nr. Evesham, Worcestershire, where they may continue to trade. The company supplied sidelock and boxlock actions to the trade, and may have produced a few guns undr their own name. They supplied boxlock actions to Churchill Atkin Grant & Lang Ltd from late 1972.Herbert Beesley after his father's death was going to turn over, and costed out, Standard Grade SLE work to them, according to Don Masters. They also made complete guns for Harrods according to Nigel Brown.
Tim
