w jeffery & son/wj jeffery & co

24 August 2003, 02:17

Anyone have a short description of the difference between the gunmakers, W Jeffery & Son, Plymouth and WJ Jeffery & Co. , London?

[ 08-23-2003, 17:24: Message edited by: hkyhunter ]

24 August 2003, 02:48

ALF

24 August 2003, 04:18

carcano91

quote:
Originally posted by ALF:
The 500 jeffery for instance of which there are only 21 in the world was finnished by Lenord, 3 more were built by Lenord for Gibbs giving a total of only 24 known 500 Jeffery rifles. ( they are all built on imported Mauser barreled actions)

Not to forget the German originals, under their proper name :-).

Carcano

24 August 2003, 04:31

urdubob

Alf:
I have done this with my Holland and Holland had the gun numbers checked and a copy of the companies log with the specifics for my rifle photo copied. Do you know who owns the jeffery books...Holland has sold them [Frown]

. I would like to find out who my rifle was built for.

Thanks urdubob

24 August 2003, 11:55

<400 Nitro Express>

Urdubob:

Paul Roberts (J. Roberts & Sons, Gunmakers, Ltd.) bought W. J. Jeffery & Co. and, I presume, their records, from Holland & Holland in 2000. Paul was previously owner and managing director of John Rigby & Co. which he sold in 1997.

They have a web site. Go to Google and do a search for "W. J. Jeffery & Co." or "J. Roberts & Son, Gunmakers, Ltd."
---------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

24 August 2003, 12:06

mbogo375

Paul Roberts does indeed have some (but not all) of the Jeffery records, as they helped date two Jeffery rifles that I bought in Zimbabwe (a 333 from 1908, and a 375 from 1952).

Jim

25 August 2003, 09:58

Marrakai

The Jeffery company is owned by a US individual from whom Paul Roberts is licensed to make Jeffery guns. Paul does not have the company records, they are in the US. He will however forward enquiries to the owner bi-annually. Regrettably, the records do not show the original owner.

25 August 2003, 04:28

ALF

27 August 2003, 07:55

fla3006

It's too bad that much of the history and records of great companies like Jeffery seems to get lost with time. Worse, often people have knowledge of important information which they don't or won't share, sometimes because no one is interested at the time, and it eventually goes to the grave with them.

30 August 2003, 14:59

Marrakai

fla3006:
Regrettably what you say is only too true. However, there has been considerable light shed on the British single-shots by Wal Winfer in his marvellous series of books (Vol.3 covers Jeffery's contribution, including all known serial numbers). If only someone with Wally's drive would tackle the British doubles!

I don't yet have a copy of 'Birmingham Gunmakers..', which I understand goes some way towards unravelling the mysteries of the trade. Its high on my list!

[ 08-30-2003, 13:40: Message edited by: Marrakai ]

30 August 2003, 15:54

ALF

03 September 2003, 11:31

BFaucett

Here's their web site:
http://www.jroberts-gunmakers.co.uk/

From the web site [I added the bold emphasis]:

quote:
The Company was founded in 1950 by my father, Joseph Roberts. I joined the firm in 1959 and by the mid 1970s as well as dealing in second-hand guns and rifles, we started producing fine new shotguns and rifles. In 1984 we amalgamated with John Rigby & Co, Britain's longest established gun and rifle makers and assembled our own team of gunsmiths.

By 1990 we were producing 40 guns per year, specialising in large calibre double-barrelled and bolt action rifles, some stalking rifles and 'best' shotguns. In 1997 the Rigby name was sold to a US gunmaker whilst we continued to produce fine guns under the J Roberts & Son brand for our traditional big-game hunting and game shooting market. In 2000 we acquired the sole manufacturing rights for WJ Jeffery & Co, one of Britain's most innovative gunmakers, having introduced the most popular big-game calibres such as .404 and .500 Jeffery.
Paul Roberts
Chairman
J. Roberts & Son (Gunmakers) Ltd