doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Major players in Birmingham?

Who were the major players in Birmingham who supplied trade guns to other makers for rebranding? Is there anyway to tell who made what for the trade guns, any tell tale signs or nuances to reveal the maker?

What period are you interested in? Before the 1870s and the wider use of steam powered machinery, parts and/or whole guns were hand-made and supplied by hundreds of small operations and individual outworkers, mostly operating in Birmingham�s gunmaking quarter. Several makers there became quite large operations, with hundreds of workers operating more and more machinery. By the end of the century several large firms supplied a great many guns to be re-branded. However, my knowledge gets spotty after 1870, so someone else will have to chime in.

In some cases the inside of locks, actions, and barrels may be signed or have makers� marks that can identify firms or individual craftsmen. Some makers� record books, if they have survived, identify the individuals that supplied various parts. Do you have a specific gun in mind that you are trying to trace?

It would be basically 1900 to about the second world war. It's on a Scottish double I suspect is a trade gun that has been rebranded.

A good place to start is with Webley & Scott. A good way to start with them is to buy some/all of the reprint catalogs now available and study, study, study the mid-grade guns. Originals cataogs are collector items and are pricy. When you can identify a W&S at a few paces you are on your way.

There is plenty more, but this will get you rolling.

DDA

Probably exaggerated but I wouldn�t be surprised to find Webley & Scott had a hand in 60-75% of the guns built not only in Birmingham but also throughout the UK, excepting London where for the sake of illustration I�d guess 25% to 40% had some W & S work.

I have several Birmingham boxlocks that were originally proof marked in the mid-1930s with barrels and actions that I believe were supplied to the trade by Joseph Asbury. They are all marked under the barrels with a small "J.A."

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=458496

Here is a link to the A.A. Brown firm history.

There is a reference to Joseph Asbury in the paragraph just above the photo of the A.A. Brown cricket team.

https://www.aabrownandsons.com/history.html

I agree on the Webley and Scott guns

Was Midland gun co and Holloway and Naughton involved in the trade guns? The gun doesnt look like a Webley, but more like the later mentioned, with the three pins on the frame.

Holloway and Naughton was a maker of other guns for others. I have a James Kirk sle made by them. Also, Bentley and Playfair , later with Hollis, made the majority of their guns for others.