What is a visit to Edinburgh for a shooter when Dickson is gone?
Donald Dallas says the doors closed last week.
More here:http://www.scotsman.com/business/edinburgh-gunmaker-john-dickson-son-closes-after-200-years-1-4338240
While it is good the name and business will continue, it is overall sad commentary on the state of fine-gun making nowadays. There will be more closures coming in what remains of the trade worldwide.
Condolences to those who have lost their jobs.
(Sorry if this has been posted before.)

Very sad. Was looking forward to another visit this year

Wow! I'm saddened, but I agree, Vic. A terrible shame.

Very sad news indeed.

I am really saddened. I have a McNaughton ' Edinburgh 'skeleton action trigger plate with top leaver cocking and damascus barrels. One of a very few ever made and very unique with a truly iconic mechanism. I was out with it mid-last week on planted pheasants and shot 2 at over 50 yards. An amazingly fluid gun. I have been in the market for one of their round action trigger plate guns. I could never purchase a new one but a century old gun just might be with in my means.

And now the only craftmen in the world that can build a trigger plated action and fit a stock to it may be out of work and those skill sets will be lost.

I am lost for words.

As I read the article Dickson's is not out of business but just closed their showroom in Edinburgh. Sounds like they're ready to build just the right gun for you.

Another sad case of disappearing quality and the end of a line.
Jeremy

very sad news indeed.i hope another individual who cant stand to see it close picks up the name, and mfg.

A very thoughtful & thorough reader, our friend Joe Wood.

Keeping a showroom open may have become an added expense.. and a burden, in today's market.

Please don't read this thread and think they have gone; they have not. It is only the retail outlet that has closed. The workshop remains and they are still turning out their iconic guns.

Tim

I agree with Joe, they are not done making guns, just closed the retail store. I'm sure that for those with the ￡'s they would be happy to measure you after some haggis and Highland Park...

Probably for the best, whenever I have been in the shop the three sales people were surprised to see someone.Still want a skeleton action MacNaughton 28 ga. before I die.
Best,
Craig

Why not just visit them at their shop and place where the guns are made out at Dunkeld http://www.dicksonandmacnaughton.com/locations/dunkeld.aspx Saves having to go into the city and much nicer scenery with loads to do in that area. When I called in I had no problem with being shown around the workshops.

Don't forget that David McKay Brown also makes round action guns too. Lagopus.....

Well that's good and makes business sense, frankly. I'm a little surprised that the Bruton St operation stays where it is as I've experienced a similar ratio of sales staff to non-existent customers when popping my head in there. However, I guess that the size of the firm and it's aura of a London name demand a presence.

Jeremy

In the UK, city centres are dying. The local taxation (business rates) based on the premises has become enormously expensive and travel into cities more time consuming and expensive. Parking is both very expensive and inconvenient - and more and more cities are having/considering 'congestion charges' and 'environmental charges' on vehicles. This can be upwards of GBP 10 per day on top of any other charges.

I suspect (and very much hope) that the Dickson operation will continue 'out of town' as indeed William Powell have done after closing their Birmingham home where they had been for about 200 years.

Businesses (especially those with perceived 'rich' clients) have been treated as cash cows - and the effects are being felt.

Many old established businesses (a local example was a tailors that had been in the same premises for over 100 years) have given up under the onslaught, and either moved out of town, to mail order only, or quietly retired altogether. A great shame.

I visited Dicksons retail store in Edinburgh about 12 years ago and was very disappointed. What I found was basically a clothing store with a gun room that could better be called a gun closet. However, I will say that the staff was very pleasant and helpful, which helped make up for what the store lacked in the way of guns. I ended up purchasing a nice wood cleaning rod.

Steve

You can drive right up to the Dunkeld shop and park outside for free. Just out of the village and past the golf club and clay shooting range. Lagopus.....