H&H, Rigby....worth a visit??

14 March 2009, 00:53

FN in Montana

I'll be in London for a few days mid September. Would anyone recommend visiting Rigby, H&H, or any of the other great old time British gunmakers?

Years back a visit to Abecrombie & Fitch in NYC was amazing! Now it's a clothes store. Considering the anti gun attitude in GB are the shops worth a visit?

I'd like some reliable information from someone in the area.

Thank You,

FN in MT

14 March 2009, 02:03

peterdk

purdey and holland & holland are both worth the visit, you wont get into the rigby london shop yet anyways, so dont worry about them.

best regards

peter

14 March 2009, 02:41

asti

I`ve only been to HoH, but it was surely worth it. Recommended!

14 March 2009, 04:10

RobinOLocksley

Both H&H and Purdey are well worth the visit.And Boss are just a street corner away from Purdey. Not very far away are William Evans and the Beretta Gallery.You will have fun.

Best-
Locksley,R

14 March 2009, 04:43

SIKA98K

Put it in with that list of things to do before you die !
Has anyone ever had a BAD visit to a gunshop ?
Its not like a trip to your dentist or oncologist now is it?

14 March 2009, 23:49

enfieldspares

If you can also try the Powell-Cotton museum at Quex Park and the Imperial War Museum at Lambeth.

15 March 2009, 03:59

FN in Montana

quote:
Originally posted by enfieldspares:
If you can also try the Powell-Cotton museum at Quex Park and the Imperial War Museum at Lambeth.

The Imperial Was Museum is already on my list. Whats the Powell-Cotton??

FN in MT

15 March 2009, 04:12

Pete E

Take a look at: http://www.quexmuseum.org/

Click on "Museum" and then "Animals"

The only trouble is that its well outside London so getting there might be a problem for you..

Edited to add it says the following on the site:

"By rail: The journey from London Victoria to Birchington-on-Sea takes around one and three quarter hours. The pleasant one-mile walk along Station Road and Park Lane takes about twenty minutes, although taxis are available."

15 March 2009, 19:28

enfieldspares

Also try a visit to the National Army Museum next to Chelsea Hospital. This is not just conflicts from WW1 on as is the Imperial War Museum but the British Army from early times.

The RAF Museum at hendon is also interesting. And despite the fact that you've more and bigger and better in the USA maybe the cruiser HMS Belfast just down from Tower Bridge?

17 March 2009, 11:41

Richard E

quote:
Originally posted by Pete E:
Take a look at: http://www.quexmuseum.org/

Click on "Museum" and then "Animals"

The only trouble is that its well outside London so getting there might be a problem for you..

Edited to add it says the following on the site:

"By rail: The journey from London Victoria to Birchington-on-Sea takes around one and three quarter hours. The pleasant one-mile walk along Station Road and Park Lane takes about twenty minutes, although taxis are available."

A trip to Quex is trully a fantastic experience
here are a few pics from inside the museum, apologies for the bad photos ,
as i was not used to taking photos in such conditions

and yes there is more to see
well worth the extra effort to get there if you can
ATB

17 March 2009, 13:04

londonhunter

Hi my two pence worth

Boss have closed their showroom for some time now in central London. (inormation from previous poster is wrong) They operate from their workshop in Kew. If you have not ordered anything and is just browsing you will not be able to see much. Your contact there is Roy Lau. He runs the sales department and is like a general manager.

Holland is well worth going and your contact there is Patrick Murphy. Even you have not ordered anything you will be able to browse and handle stuff. Discretly there is a private collection downstairs. If Patrick feel you can be a potential customer then he will let you in. Higlight at the moment is a double rifle ROYALE in 700 nitro.... enough said. There are plenty of clothing and paraphenalia to buy from Holland

Purdey is a different story. They can work about your intention within a few seconds of you walking in. They have been doing it for over 100 years. there is not a lot to see and to handle guns you have to name a few contacts....know what I mean...your contact there

I would say the best way to see a lot of london guns now is to co-incide with an aunction.

I know all these people very well and is difficult to pull a fast one on them unless you really want to order something.

I must say I have fallen victim to all of them.........its a disease

I would strongly suggest you to look at

Holts' website for next auction
Pactrick Hawes' auction of Coy's

Dont forget William Evans out of town showroom in Bisley who's new manager is Richard Hawes. You wil be able to handle quite a few nice sticks there..... and to do some shooting as well...........

Another good one is to contact Kynock - David Little there. you will be able to shoot some gran old calibers..

I would not waste a journey to Rigby. unless you want to buy a CZ............in 416 rigby

theres a few names to throw about in London and this scene is all about connections - who you know ..................

Have a nice trip

also

There is a very very informative museum in Bisley camp.

If you PM me I will carrying on throwing a few more names to make you trip worthwhile.....

17 March 2009, 13:11

londonhunter

quote:
Originally posted by londonhunter:
Hi my two pence worth

Boss have closed their showroom for some time now in central London. (information from previous poster is inaccurate and out of date) They operate from their existing workshop in Kew. If you have not ordered anything and is just browsing you will not be able to see much. Your contact there is Roy Lau. He runs the sales department and is like a general manager.

Holland is well worth going and your contact there is Patrick Murphy. Even you have not ordered anything you will be able to browse and handle stuff. Discretly there is a private collection downstairs. If Patrick feel you can be a potential customer then he will let you in. Higlight at the moment is a double rifle ROYALE in 700 nitro.... enough said. There are plenty of clothing and paraphenalia to buy from Holland

Purdey is a different story. They can out your intention and ability to buy within a few seconds of you walking in. Dont forget they have been doing it for over 100 years. There is not a lot to see or to handle. To do so you really have to name a few contacts that they recon is worth their while everything is beespoke....unless you consider the new sporter worth playuing around, know what I mean...PM me and I will give you a contact there.

I would say the best way to see a lot of london guns now is to co-incide with a forthcoming aunction. If you can arrange a private viewing thats good. All the good stuff are sold before they are listed in catalogues. To be honest all the auction stuff are what the collectors don't want.................

I know all these people very well and is difficult to pull a fast one on them unless you really want to order something.

I must say I have fallen victim to all of them.........its a pathology without a cure

I would strongly suggest you to look at

Holts' website for next auction

Pactrick Hawes' auction of Coy's

Dont forget William Evans out of town showroom in Bisley who's new manager is Richard Hawes. You wil be able to handle quite a few nice sticks there..... and to do some shooting as well...........

Theres a few more names to throw about in London and this scene is all about connections -who you know ..................then doors will open for you to see things that do not exist

Have a nice trip

also

There is a very very informative museum in Bisley camp.

If you PM me I will carrying on throwing a few more names to make you trip worthwhile.....

17 March 2009, 13:25

Fallow Buck

FN,

You could always book a day on the pigeons in September and actually shoot a few of those old English guns instead of just waving them about in a show room.

Rgds,
FB

17 March 2009, 14:25

enfieldspares

Does this mean William Evans no longer have their premises in St James's across the road from Lock's and Lobb's near St James's Palace?

And I though Rigby were now long sold by Paul Roberts and based in California, USA?

19 March 2009, 16:36

londonhunter

Evans still have their showeroom in St. James' and Paul is still around if he is not hunting however production of rifles can be counted with fingers..............other than so call blue printed cz's

21 March 2009, 06:21

RobinOLocksley

quote:
Originally posted by londonhunter:

Boss have closed their showroom for some time now in central London. (inormation from previous poster is wrong) They operate from their workshop in Kew.

Thanks for the correction.It's been a couple of years since I visited Boss.I wasn't aware that they moved.

Best-
Locksley,R