Binko - the answer is Ignorance.
For what it is worth, You will find a lot of holland & Holland guns that are not of best quality - especially hammer guns.
Their boxlocks can be dreadful 'Cavalier' models were a development of the old Webley 700 that actually made it worse.
Boss guns were expensive and Woodwards likewise. Woodward made far fewer guns and few could afford them, perhaps fewer appreciated their finesse. Woodward also sole cheaper boxlocks but their sidelock production was very high quality.
The Purdey system sidelock is a proven design that set the standard and proved rightly popular. Purdey did sell some cheaper ggrade guns 'B-grade' hammer guns and well as 'D' and 'E' grade boxlock shotguns and rifles for a limited period.
Once you get into the 20th Century, Boss had a sidelock design and ejector system that was refined and dependable and beautiful quality, the reliable single trigger was quickly added.
Holland & Holland had the 'royal' pretty much sorted by 1900, later adding the 1922 self-opening system. They also patented and used areliable single trigger, which differs from the Boss.
Purdey had the sidelock perfected by 1880, adding ejectors later and single triggers, both these went through some developments and changes, so early Purdey ejectors and single triggers can be abit iffy.
Quality in all the models listed above is 'best'. so, just take your pick according to what you liek and can afford.
Last edited by Small Bore; 01/13/09 08:25 AM.
