Canvasback, I certainly agree with some of your choices. You're going to need to hurry with David MacKay Brown though, he's winding down his business. I've given this some thought a few times ( dreaming) and I always get bogged down, mainly because I haven't actually seen and handled most of them. How to define? Best from each country? Best of each basic type? Best for each purpose? Best designs? New or vintage? My poor old mind gets bogged down because my tastes and desires change over time. At any given point in time I could make a half dozen or more different lists based on different parameters but I can see where there would be some duplication. It's an interesting excercise but until I win a lottery I just make do with the best that I can afford, which is normally vintage best guns by best makers whose products I could never afford when new. I gave up waiting for my ship to come in, it sailed a long time ago and it doesn't look like it's coming back. J.
Top makers and best quality guns
- Thread starter brybenn
- Start date
There is perfect, and there is perfect. But I can’t desire a gun that is the best a computer and CNC machine can do. I realize the sporting gun industry, since at least the 1600s, has always sought ways to diminish costs for the sake of competitiveness. It started with jigs, patterns, and water power, then on to steam power, electricity, modern hydraulics, automated milling machines, etc. I get it; manufacturing changes with the times. But in appreciating what makes a ‘best’ gun, for me, it has to be handwork by craftsmen, where actions were made and finished with chisels and files, and preferably where gun barrels were hammered, filed and polished by hand. Yeah, a ‘best’ gun is the best a gunmaker can make, but I don’t put technicians in white coats pressing buttons in the same category.
A James Purdey pinfire tops my wish list because I don’t have one. I also crave pinfires by William Pape, James MacNaughton, John Perrins, and John Rigby, as their hands would have made these, not their successors.
My shooting days are mostly behind me, which is why I don’t yearn for anything shootable beyond what I already have. If money were no object, I wouldn’t hesitate to build a collection of scent-bottles, tube-locks, patch-locks, punch-locks, pill-locks, pellet-locks, needle-fires, base-fires, and other early inventions.
A James Purdey pinfire tops my wish list because I don’t have one. I also crave pinfires by William Pape, James MacNaughton, John Perrins, and John Rigby, as their hands would have made these, not their successors.
My shooting days are mostly behind me, which is why I don’t yearn for anything shootable beyond what I already have. If money were no object, I wouldn’t hesitate to build a collection of scent-bottles, tube-locks, patch-locks, punch-locks, pill-locks, pellet-locks, needle-fires, base-fires, and other early inventions.
I'll leave you to Google "Forsyth's scent-bottle."
The Reverend Alexander John Forsyth of Belhelvie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, developed a detonating gun lock in 1805. It had a priming system that dispensed a mixture of mercury fulminate, potassium chlorate (Berthollet’s Salt), sulphur and charcoal into a pan. The hammer struck the mixture, and the resultant flame connected to the main charge via a touch-hole. The characteristic shape of the fulminate-mixture dispenser earned the lock its name, ‘Forsyth’s Scent-bottle,’ and it was patented in 1807. This was the first viable move away from friction ignition (flint) to chemical ignition (percussion).
Epps has a nice Third Model scent-bottle rifle, which I can't afford. Like everyone else in this thread, I'm waiting for the big lottery win!
The Reverend Alexander John Forsyth of Belhelvie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, developed a detonating gun lock in 1805. It had a priming system that dispensed a mixture of mercury fulminate, potassium chlorate (Berthollet’s Salt), sulphur and charcoal into a pan. The hammer struck the mixture, and the resultant flame connected to the main charge via a touch-hole. The characteristic shape of the fulminate-mixture dispenser earned the lock its name, ‘Forsyth’s Scent-bottle,’ and it was patented in 1807. This was the first viable move away from friction ignition (flint) to chemical ignition (percussion).
Epps has a nice Third Model scent-bottle rifle, which I can't afford. Like everyone else in this thread, I'm waiting for the big lottery win!
I couldn’t agree more with most of your points. My list changes regularly. Partly through learning. Partly through exposure. I buy the tickets but I’m not waiting to win to get started. I have my game plan and we’ll see what comes along. Was just saying to VictoryXC this morning......spectacular guns come along if you can recognize them. I’m still kicking myself for not taking action on the Remington 1894 EE 16 gauge two barrel set I discovered.
A lot of craftsmen made and make best work guns. Not always successful but I try to put more importance on the work than the name.
Maritime Storm
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Riverview, NB
One of these in a sporting configuration, would be nice.
h ttps://www.longthorneguns.com/the-range/sidelock-over-and-under/
h ttps://www.longthorneguns.com/the-range/sidelock-over-and-under/
Londonshooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
I drive a 13 year old vehicle. Nothing fancy. Bought it 8 years ago and plan to drive it for another 5 or until necessary repairs force it to retire.
What was the question again?
Thats awesome. I did not know that. And if i win that 70 mil lottomax ill have epps send that baby to you.
Well it started as a conversation with a friend over craftsmanship in shotguns. He was for made in america and i stated that i thought majority of american craftsmanship has died as they race to the bottom compared to english and Itialian and spanish markets
Im not slamming the american trade i know there is still a few high end makers but the market also demands cheap pump and semi autos where as in other places double gubs are still held in higher esteem. I figured a thread on here would give an idea of what others thought about best grade guns and from the list i could narrow down the origin. Plus its fun to dream and ppl may learn new about new things.
But now that you mention it my truck is getting up there in age. Its still purring right along though. Waiting for the trip to the next sxs classic
Londonshooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
Just hard for me to think in terms of money not being a concern. Skimping on my transportation budget has let me afford some fine guns.
Ok, to play:
There's the big four: Boss & Co., Holland and Holland, Purdey and Sons, and James Woodward. I would go vintage and hand made. Then Stephen Grant.
Ok, to play:
There's the big four: Boss & Co., Holland and Holland, Purdey and Sons, and James Woodward. I would go vintage and hand made. Then Stephen Grant.
sillymike
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If I had $$ to spend on best-shotgun, I think my biggest concern would be with the stock maker/fitting.
Not sure if it would qualify as a "best" gun, but one pretty-darn-nice SxS I had the chance to play with was a MTs-110
Not sure if it would qualify as a "best" gun, but one pretty-darn-nice SxS I had the chance to play with was a MTs-110
if money was no concern....
I love seeing old guns brought back to life so much, I'd love to find something high-end (British or German perhaps) that needed some love. Having it restored mechanically in every way, engraved with images of my choice, and having it stocked to my dimensions with wood that I chose would be a dream. Two or maybe three barrel sets. One set in damascus.....fitted case....mmmm
I love seeing old guns brought back to life so much, I'd love to find something high-end (British or German perhaps) that needed some love. Having it restored mechanically in every way, engraved with images of my choice, and having it stocked to my dimensions with wood that I chose would be a dream. Two or maybe three barrel sets. One set in damascus.....fitted case....mmmm
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If you read between the lines and follow the news by the smaller media, it appears that BASC has financial incentives to push for a lead ban.
EU export laws are going to be super strict with Brexit Britain. There thrives within the food industry a commercial market for red grouse to Europe and elsewhere.
Both Iceland and mostly Scotland and Faroe Islands it's a big export industry. At the drop of hat EU would find an excuse ban UK red grouse if shot with lead versus non-toxic. If only just to feck with the UK market.
EU export laws are going to be super strict with Brexit Britain. There thrives within the food industry a commercial market for red grouse to Europe and elsewhere.
Both Iceland and mostly Scotland and Faroe Islands it's a big export industry. At the drop of hat EU would find an excuse ban UK red grouse if shot with lead versus non-toxic. If only just to feck with the UK market.
They've already done it. Don't know when it takes or did take effect.
It is a nice one for sure
Ashcroft has an entire collection of "If I could have one......".
I do Victory XC and some are spoken for but expect to start seeing some of them on Equipment Exchange over the next year or two.
