Hi 1cdog

As I suggested I have done a quick bit of analysis of my W R LEESON register and I have been quite surprised with the results concerning the percentages of small bore guns he made. Currently I have just under 300 guns listed and just under 30% are 12-bore but what really surprised me was that currently 27% of the guns in my register are 20-bore. I know this calculation is not too scientific since my register is not complete by a long stretch but it does give you an idea that he did make more small bore guns than might be considered the norm.

Please drop me a line if I can help at all with your potential offers you are considering. I am interested to know more about the guns and there whereabouts (not in the market to but!)

Cheers for now.

Originally Posted By: 1cdog
Originally Posted By: screwgrip
Hi 1cdog

Many thanks for your question about W R Leeson and whether he specialised in smaller bore guns.

The simple answer would be "Yes, he did". He tended to make more 20-bore guns than would be considered the norm. He made quite a lot of guns that were exported to India and the likes, probably I guess for jungle type bird shooting, either for sport or the Victorian Bird researcher/collector. He also made quite a few 28-bore as well as 16-bore but 20-bore tended to be made in quite reasonable numbers after the normal 12-bore.

May I ask your interest in Leeson? Do you own one? Should like to hear from you. Many thanks for your enquiry, not sure if you looked at my website which contains for info on his guns. site is www.wrleeson.co.uk.

All the best for now.


Screwgrip,

Thank you for the info. Yes, I have looked at your website and it is very impressive.

I was interested in several points.

Leeson was a London gun maker making his own boxlock guns - not having them made in Birmingham.

He seemed to specialize in smaller bores at a time when no other British gun maker was doing so.

And lastly, I have been looking at a couple of Leeson's that I was thinking of making an offer on.

Thanks!