This discussion was supposed to be about "best guns", so let's get back to that. This includes mostly London makers and one or two others such as Hartman & Weiss and one or two Italian firms.
It generally takes about 450 to 650 hours to build a gun and there are 7 major trades people who work on each gun. In London, average wages for gun trades people is way over %50,000 per year with benefits. Factory overhead, machine tools, materials, WIP parts, inventory, staff personnel, advertising, sales expenses - it adds up fast. It is no wonder that a best gun begins over $100,000 today. Add engraving other than in house rose and scroll, gold embellishments, extra finish, and the price can approach and exceed $200,000. Even at these prices, best gun makers hope to break even or may make a modest profit. Purdey and Holland make more on their clothing lines and accessories than on guns. If it wasn't for the big pockets of their corporate parents, most best gun makers would have gone the way of Woodward, Grant, and so many others.
These guns are for the very few - or are they? How many of us know of others, or posses ourselves, expensive motorcycles, boats, two or three vehicles, a vacation home, etc. A "best" gun is within the realm of availability to more of us than we may think. It just depends of an individual's priorities in life.
