doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com W R Leeson, Ashford, Kent & London

Many thanks Marc for the two W. R. Leeson links, not seen the Gavin Gardiner sale gun in April 2010, will place on site very soon, thanks again,

Regards Adrian

Was Leeson known for their smaller bore shotguns?

Was smaller bore shotguns considered their specialty?

Thanks!

Hi 1cdog

Many thanks for your question about W R Leeson and whether he specialised in smaller bore guns.

The simple answer would be "Yes, he did". He tended to make more 20-bore guns than would be considered the norm. He made quite a lot of guns that were exported to India and the likes, probably I guess for jungle type bird shooting, either for sport or the Victorian Bird researcher/collector. He also made quite a few 28-bore as well as 16-bore but 20-bore tended to be made in quite reasonable numbers after the normal 12-bore.

May I ask your interest in Leeson? Do you own one? Should like to hear from you. Many thanks for your enquiry, not sure if you looked at my website which contains for info on his guns. site is www.wrleeson.co.uk.

All the best for now.

I have seen at least one Leeson double 8 bore some years ago. I guess with a Kent outlet Wildfowling guns would have been made and sold too.

Will you be bringing a book out on Leeson history in the future? If so I would be interested. Lagopus.....

Hi Lagopus

Thanks for info, always looking for any Leeson related information, gun whereabouts and so on.

I very much intend to write a book, some of the information has been posted on my website but I would very much like to develop it and write a "historical" type book on this maker, having the time of course is the big issue!

I will certainly let you know as and when!

All the best for now

I came fairly close to buying a Leeson hammergun that was on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. (At the first Upper Peninsula SxS shoot.) It was a lovely gun, but I did not have the cash to pull it off at the time.

The owner, who was pretty knowledgeable, believed that Leesom was an accomplished shooter.

Hi Lorne

Shame you were unable to acquire the hammergun, I have 4 of them and they are very nicely made.

The owner was very correct in his statement, William Leeson was a very accomplished rifle shooter and won various small bore competitions, the details I am still researching.

His youngest son, Archie Leeson was also a good shot, having been a member of the IBSA (Inanimate Bird Shooting Association) shooting team, he may well have shot in some of the early competitions that took place between the UK and the USA in the early days before clay pigeon shooting was formalized as it is today.

Many thanks for your posting, much appreciated.

Thanks. You can put me down for a copy. I can recall the Leeson 8, which was also cased, and was for sale at a gun shop that is now no longer in business; that was about 15 years ago. I wonder where it got to. I was interested in it myself at the time but had just bought one double 8 and funds were a bit low. Nice gun though. Lagopus.....

Screwgrip,
My friend the late Geoffrey Boothroyd published two excellent articles on W.R.Leeson both published in the," Shooting Times & Country Magazine", March 21-27 1985 and Jan 28-Feb 3 1993.
These excellent articles include photographs of the Leeson shop in Ashford a family picture and illustrations from a Leeson catalogue. Send me a P.M. if you would like copies of same.

Certainly will, you might have to wait for a while though!!!

Yes, I wonder where that 8-bore is now, Oh well we live in hope that it turns up. By any chance do you remember if it was broken through the hand and had, as a result, brass plates screwed either side of the break point?? If so it may well be the 8-bore sold in its case by Gavin Gardiner in 2006. If it was this gun, then I know of the it and have seen it, serial number 2020 on my website. Be interested to hear if you think it was the same gun, has been fully repaired now so the brass plates have long been removed.

best regards Adrian Macer