Originally Posted By: jack maloney
Originally Posted By: rabbit
I gather from the advertisements that Cogswell & Harrison was well-known for the "keeper" gun and exports to the "overseers" of the colonial Empire--and certainly with their name on them. How is the "best gun" germaine to the question here. I don't believe it is.

jack

I'd be interested to know the source of your information, jack. Over the years, C&H produced a wide range of firearms, from London Best guns like the Extra Quality Victors, and bespoke SLEs and Avant Tout boxlocks, to plain jane Moorgreys, rifles and even (gulp) Sten guns - but I don't believe they were particularly known for 'keeper' guns or exports to the Empire, as were Army & Navy and some of the Brummie gunmakers.


Army & Navy is pretty much a case unto itself in the British trade. They never made guns themselves. Rather, they might be compared to Abercrombie & Fitch--but for military officers only (originally at least)--back when A&F was selling guns. Like A&F, A&N would supply the buyer with anything from a "keeper" gun (which A&F called a "knockabout") up to a first quality sidelock ejector. But I don't think there's any evidence that the "keeper" guns constituted a majority of A&N sales--as, for instance, the Sterlingworth did for AH Fox. Because they supplied guns (and other related equipment) to military officers, they did indeed do a good bit of exporting to various corners of the empire. BSA, on the other hand, was certainly a firm known for very inexpensive (and machine-made) guns--most of which would fit the "keeper" category.