Crossed chissels is right that many modern time-saving practices have changed the nature of some of the wrk inolved and reduced man-hours. I think this has implications for the rpair of odd models from old 'non-standard' guns in the future. Old gunmakers can make parts from scratch - soem of those skills are being reduced and may be lost.
However, reading this thread you would think London gumaking has vanished and that the big firms are selling foriegn made junk as 'best' London output
Perhaps some wish it to be so - out of whateever devilment and petty jealousy that may drive them but there is NO evidence that this is so. In fact it is not so.
British gunmakers are still producing better guns than any other gunmakers if a well-made, well designed and superlative quality gun make from the best materials available is what you want. You pay accordingly.
So Asprey or William Evans may have had a gun action filed up by Gary Hibbert, barreled by Bill Blacker and stocked by David Becker (all time-served London trained gunsmiths of the highest order) - that is not an indication that they would as happily have it done by Hoo-Flung Dung in Beijing!
Some London firms are offering cheaper grade guns in the £20,000 - £30,000 range in the same way that they offered Birmingham made and london finished 'B' 'C' and 'D' grade guns in the past. These are not made entirely in-house and that keeps costs down - and sale price lower.
The latter is a risky strategy because the lazy minded or trouble-making bore will suggest that because a cheaper gun is offered, then all their 'best' output is tainted. It is not so but you can't stop the gossip.
The London gun trade goes on much as before and you stll get a better gun out of London than out of anywhere else. I know Italian stuff looks nice but they are still pretty immitations of Lndon work and they do not 'shoot' as well, nor do the shapes (ofthe stocks in particular)work so well.
One plus one does not equal five and the fact that some London makers put some of their work out to the London trade does not mean that suddenly London gunmaking has fallen to bits and everyting is now made from cheese in Turkey! Rant over.
Last edited by Small Bore; 05/01/08 06:12 AM.
