I am going to be in London the 21 22 and 23 of mars and would like to visit some gun shops. Most of all I would like to find shops for the average hunter where they are selling reloading components and where the English hunter would shop for his hunting material.
So if you got any addresses for my, it would save a lot of time.
Furthermore, are there any hunting museums worth visiting?
In hope of some responds
S�lvi

Hiya Solvi
It�s a pity that your visit is not in April. There is a hunting museum at Birchinton near Ramsgate in Kent. It is called The Powell � Cotton Museum and is situated at Quex House. It was the family home of a Victorian African big game hunter and is filled with all sorts of displays of stuffed wild animals set in the circumstances that they were shot in EG around the water hole. Anyone interested in hunting could spend a lot of time there, it�s very interesting.
If you type. www.juroch.demon.co.uk/museum.html into your browser you will see what one of the displays is like. The museum doesn�t open until April though. (Sorry)!!
There are gun shops in London but some can be very expensive!! What sort of things are you looking for.
Fortune

Solvi,

As Fortune said, most of the guns shops around London (such as H&H in Mayfair) are very expensive. A lot of us "average stalkers" over here get stuff either at the various Game Fairs during the summer or from a relatively small number of decent gunshops most of which advertise in "GunMart"..

Regards,

Peter

Solvi,

If you get the chance and can make the time you must go to the Royal Armouries in Leeds. The hunting stuff shown will only take a day. If you're interested in all the weapons, plan for 2 days, minimum. Displays, demonstrations, craftsmen, etc. combine to make this a must see.

Actually if you are interested in one of a kind old sporting arms you might want to do the tour at Windsor Castle. I found the displays of ornate firearms very interesting.

Gentlemen

Another great place is the pattern room. Row upon row of military goodies.

Has anyone been to the Powell cotton museum? Was it good ?

Cheers
/ JOHAN

Johan
Read my reply to Solvi. It's the first one in this thread.
I have been to this museum as I only live about an hour away. I think that the best display is of a male lion attacking a cape buffalo. The lion is on top of the buffalo and has it by the kneck. The buffalo has turned it's head and gored the lion in it's side. All this is real stuffed animals and inside a big glass display. It takes up all of one room.

solvi,

The Royal Armory is absolutely great! If you can swing a side trip up there, it's well worth the trip.

Johan,

I'm not 100% sure, but I think most if not all of the Pattern Room is now at the Royal Armory in Leeds. I was in the Armory last year at this time and they were just starting to unpack some of the items from the move.

K

Solvi
Have a look at the Imperial war museum. if your into military stuff you'll be there for a long time. Its in London so there isn't a lot of travelling involved. If your into airoplanes The I.W.M. has a big site at Duxford, which is about 40 miles from central London just south of cambridge on the M11. You could spend days at these museums to see everything.
fortune.

The Tower of London has a fine arms collection. I spent an entire afternoon there a few years ago.

Most of the crowds where there to see the Crown Jewels (and to hear the tales of the beheadings of Henry's wives and see these blood-stained spots) so I had a nice relaxed visit in the gun rooms.

jpb

I was thinking that you wanted more sporting arms than military. If you like that as well DON'T miss the Imperial War Museum! Not more than a block from the underground. My son and I went at opening (11:00 I think) and stayed until 4:30 without seeing the same thing twice. I'll say one thing for the Brits, they do darn nice museums.

The Tower is a must see, well, just 'cause. But the weapons collection has been moved to Leeds. Not mentioned was the vignette of the tiger and elephant mounted hunter. Fantastic vignettes. great films, wonderful demonstrations, a magnificent venue and of course you can take the train from London (a big deal to many Americans, who don't have train service! )

JBP, I think that almost all of the tower Armouries, and the stuff from the Pattern Room at Enfield all went to Leeds.

There remains some stuff at the Tower, but not as it was.

The Wallace Collection, mainly an art museum, has some wonderful arms and armour. In particular some of the few complete sets of Gothic armour for both horse and man still existing. Its in central london - can't remember exactly where, but the tourist guides will have it.(Visited a very long time ago)

[ 03-02-2003, 00:20: Message edited by: MG-J ]

I know everyone thinks Leeds is hundreds of miles from London in outer Mongolia, but by the high speed train from Kings Cross its only a couple of hours.

I used to leave in the morning and be in Leeds for 10 o clock meetings, and back by 6-7 in the evening no trouble.

Hi Hobie and MG-J

Thanks for the update. It was indeed several years ago when I was there, so I'm not surprised to hear about the move.

In this case, I can recommend the trip to Leeds then!

jpb

I think I can dig up a photo or two of the Royal Armory if anyone is interested. I'll have to email them to someone to post for me though.....

Thanks for the replies, I have bean in London before and will probably go there this summer and stay longer that time.
I was mostly curios on locating small gun shops to buy bullets and reloading stuff.
Every time I travel I try to locate small shops where locals buy their guns and ammo, and often it torn out to be the best parts of the trip. Hunters love to hang out in them, and often tell great stories.