The making of a bespoke English Gun

I want a double rifle chambered for .303!

... And a 20 bore ... And a 12 bore! ... And...

George P

Thanks for the videos! Both were very informative and featured outstanding videography of the entire process from start to finish. It is simply amazing the amount of hand fitting and craftsmanship that go into making these incredible shotguns and rifles!

There’s a fella named A. M. Little in Texas that does bespoke guns, and is known for his large bore double rifles.

Dude is seriously talented and has posted photo essays on making a complete rifle from barstock and blanks. Should look him up. Quite a read.

No, not armorers, not gunsmiths... rather, master craftsmen.

While at the SHOT Show one year, I found that the Las Vegas Antique Arms Show was going on separately down the street. So I spent half a day there.
Holland's had a display there, not at SHOT. They showed a SxS and Under-Over that were mechanically complete but otherwise unfinished. Stocks were just inletted blocks of walnut. Give your dimensions. Metal was in the white. Pick your engraving pattern and coverage. I didn't learn the time to complete. Or the price.

Don't forget Butch Searcy if you want to buy American.

Here is the thread I’m thinking of. He originally worked for Bailey Bradshaw and then started his own shop. On page 10 he converts a 10 ga side by side to a double rifle in .577NE.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=241178&start=140

Excellent videos and thanks for sharing.

I think it worth noting that this isn't one person we're talking about making a gun, but rather a group all with different skills.

As an example, from what I saw in both vids I'd feel pretty qualified to do a lot of the woodwork you see there, but beyond that forgetaboutit.

Always been a fan of those high end guns. I used a British double to hunt grouse, still have it. Nothing like H&H or Purdey, mines a Birmingham gun built by independent jobbers. Grenner, Lewis and Webley were some of the companies that used to build guns this way. Nothing wrong with them, just not as fancy as the high end guns.

Gun making is a lost art in this country. You have to go to Italy, Spain, UK or Germany for the good stuff now. Companies there can still build you one however you want it.

I don't think it's a lost art at all. Some of the finest hand-built firearms the world has ever known are still made right here in the US. They just happen to load from the front end.

Not to mention craftsmen like D`Arcy Echols.

Jack Huntington and Hamilton Bowen turn out equally fine revolvers.

There are nice guns that I stretch to buy and then there are really nice guns that exceed my “fear” to release that kind of cash (because I live in a world of financial comfort but I do not fall into the “rich” category). The ability to purchase life’s top tier stuff is a function of cash-flow excess. I live vicariously thru those that have that kind of cash volume and will always wonder what that world feels like.

CoalTrain49 said:

Always been a fan of those high end guns.

Click to expand...

Hey, me too!!

Beautiful. I'm too pedestrian to aspire to such a thing. Never had a hankerin' for a Ferrari, either. But that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the art.