Diggory is a fine man. He is intelligent, energetic, running several shows simultaneously, evaluating guns for prospective buyers, selling and restoring guns, writing the journal as well as actively shooting his guns. He is knowledgeable. David Trevallion believes he never worked on the benches but also that he has a comprehensive academic knowledge of British guns. Vintagegunjournal.com is probably now the best place to read about SxS's with the demise of DGJ (and he had a couple of very complimentary articles about that DGJ at the time).

He has been extremely helpful to me, publishing the original Reilly history in two parts in August/September 2019 and later the "dating Reilly" chart as well as regularly forwarding queries he receives on Reilly's based on the Vintagegunjournal.com article. He introduced me virtually to Mark Crudgington to research and discuss more questions which later influenced the subsequent Reilly history in the 1850's. His two articles on the life and death of Cyril Adams were well done.

Nevertheless, there remains at times a British condescension towards America. This is inbred apparently. Last February he published a pretty insulting review of a Texas gun show, commenting on everything from the wares to politics to the masks people weren't wearing. I sent him a note saying the article was inappropriate and since I can't find it, it may have been deleted.

This said. It is what it is. Everyone has their prejudices. These are unfortunately wide-spread amongst the British upper-classes (and amongst the Parisian French). It does not diminish the excellence of what he is doing. Just be aware that there will be occasional zingers like this. Don't take them personally. It is an opinion. Gene Williams