many say the classic english sbs's cant handle the stress of a typical competition year held in the states.
ive always been drawn to westley richards shotguns but hesitate because of this. i know WR guns have been used in olympic matches, but did they hold up?
so, what is the main issue with english guns? is it the lock up? the triggers? all the little hand made parts breaking?
help me undo this fear of owning one.....and shooting it a lot.
Typical off the shelf American ammunition is unsuitable for older English double guns. This is amplified when the age of the English double is pre war, or, older. Many old English guns that ended up here had the chambers lengthened to 2 3/4” or, 3”, without another thought, and were used up. Just because an English gun has a 2 3/4” chamber does not mean it has been proofed for 1 1/4oz loads, either.
Old guns, like old dogs in the field, bring their own issues to the game. Expecting an English gun built about the same time as the Titanic to be your ATA gun for a year might be an expensive decision. While you do run into English fowlers intended for geese, ducks and swans, the light game gun configuration is far more common. Intended to be carried more, and shot, some.
For serious competition shooting, there are better choices.
Best,
Ted
