ya i was looking at the Kodiak Express looks nice. but they look "to low end"
Sir - in double rifle circles anything below $25,000 is considered an economy stop-gap until your REAL double arrives...
Conversation at the Newark gun and allied traders association hooley last February - on the Holland & Holland stand..
Person [PUSA]from the lower 48: 'Sir, I'm here aimin' to find me a nice double rifle in, maybe, .375 H&H or .416 Rigby. Y'got anything around $20000 or so. Got cash! [winks at salesman].'
Salesman [SM]: 'Sir, I'm afraid that we have nothing here today that satisfies your requirement for an
economy gun of that nature. If you ever find such a piece, please let us know instanter, even stet, so we can beat you to it, as we will buy all we can at that price to cater for those who are not yet willing or able to stump up the readies for a 'proper' gun'.
PUSA: 'Wojja mean? I thought I'd get m'self somethin' pretty spiffy for big bucks like that!'
SM: 'Alas and woe, Sir, that Sir thas been seriously misled as to the nature of such guns as these [waves languidly over the stand, on which there is a display of approximately $15 million worth of wood and steel, crafted by hand to look like guns]. I'm sure that Sir, having handled the real deal, so to speak, will find it in himself to sell his home and one of his kidneys, maybe even a child or two, to lay his as yet impecunious paws on one of OUR fine doubles. But alas, the waiting list is long....'
PUSA: 'Hmmmmmmmmm. Not sayin' I would, mind, but what kinda stash are we lookin' at, here, and how long the hold-up?'
SM: 'Sir, there are a few very fine guns right here and now, ready for your close examination and in a variety of calibres that might serve to assuage your requirements - this fine gun here [picks up a pretty plain-looking double from a case] was formerly owned by the Wali of Swat, for whom we built it in 1923. It can be yours for £48,000/$76,800.'
PUSA: 'Holy ****!'
SM: 'On the other hand, we are more than happy to build you such a gun which will, in time be passed down to any children you may still have that you did not sell to a while-slave trader in order to buy it in the first place.'
PUSA: 'Okaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. So what's the length of the line for one of these,er, pieces?'
SM: 'Well, Sir, after a discussion and fitting visit to our gun-room in London next week, you could reliably expect to hear something about a possible delivery date [consults diary]..........ah yes, keep Tuesday 23rd May free, it you would.'
PUSA, still stunned: 'Uh, that's uh, pretty quick - less than three months for a hand-built gun....'
SM: 'Aaaaah, Sir will have his little jest [chuckles to himself], I meant, of course, May 23rd 2012.....'
tac
