"Best work gun" for my system has been defined as best design (with allowance for further development and overlap time), best materials (with allowance for development of more advanced materials), and best workmanship (with allowance for changes in fashion). The "London best work gun" ticks the boxes for "best work" and London fashion: "top tier" London maker, top lever hammerless SLE, stocked to the fences, no through lumps, chopper lump barrels, 75%+ coverage of best engraving, outstanding quality wood usually highly colored and figured (but never sacrifice of quality for color/figure).

There are a number of issue concerning best guns that can/have been debated since back when. Chopper lump barrels are one such issue. "Best work" dovetail barrels are most certainly good enough. Choppers may be a bit better, but not sufficiently to dismiss dovetails as a disqualification from "best work." Design issue.

Steel barrels have supplanted damascus. However, we seem to have accepted that best work damascus is good enough. Damascus barrels does not disqualify a gun from "best work." Materials issue.

Somewhere out there works the poorest quality gunmaker considered capable of best work. While others may do better work, his is still good enough to make the "best work" cut. Sorta like the Dr. who graduated last in his class. Workmanship issue.

If you can accept the "London best work" as a fashion subset of "best work," we can look a bit deeper. Can a hammer gun be "best work?" Yes. Can a flatback SLE be "best work?" Yes (1890's Boss). Can a boxlock be "best work?" Yes (Greener G-gun). Can a non-ejector gun be "best work?" Yes (1880's - 1890's). Can a damascus barrel gun be "best work?" Yes. Can a gun with through lumps be "best work?" Yes. Can an unengraved gun be "best work?" Yes (funeral style guns). Can a plain figured stock be on a "best work gun?" Yes (early 1900's Purdeys). And, of course, a top lever. Oh, yes, can a "best work gun" bare a plebian maker's name? Yes (all makers could get out a best gun via the trade if so commissioned).

One of the things I look for in all (honest) guns is harmony. Do the design, materials, and workmanship all go together?

My system has 405 pigeon holes for guns. I can't say it takes in every gun ever made because I haven't seen every gun ever made. I think it takes in the Lion's share of Brit and Continental guns bade between 1890ish and 1960ish. When you can imagine/picture in you mind a gun for each pigeon hole you will have a jump start on understanding what is really out there.

Questions??

DDA

Last edited by Rocketman; 03/31/16 11:43 PM.