Todd E

PS If you like very friendly service, you won't go wrong in contacting my good friend Hannes Fanzoj, manager at Johann Fanzoj. I'm no expert on the comparative quality of guns in this price range since I don't own any, but you might find dealing with non British gunmakers a better experience overall.

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Mehul Kamdar

For a used gun pick the one that fits and looks/feels like you want.

It's like asking if Penthouse or Playboy has the best looking women.

Dealing with any of them today is not an experience usually enjoyed by Americans. *Rude* is sometimes the best you can expect.

I would not buy a single one of them as new guns. Perhaps as used. My favorites are BOSS, WR, Rigby, Woodward, Dickson

I have seen guns built during the 1970- 1998 and none of them has impressed me.

I think that Central Europe has much more to offer for a better price and quality. Austria is one good place and soo is Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain.

I would have called Hartman und Weiss in Germany.

In fact many of the "best guns" are only assembled at the shop and much is bought from sub contractors. I don't like the idea of buying things for alot of $$ when the quality is poor and the service is bad and you can get something better for half of the price.

Most of the "gun stores" looks like a clothing store and sells almost everything, but guns.BOSS & CO are the only that have been kind to me.

/ JOHAN

Me 'hello, I'd like to see your cartridge pouches please'

him 'Our what?'

me 'your cartridge pouches, you know the leather things that hold rifle cartridges on your belt'

him in exceedingly condescending tone 'oh you mean metallics a pouch for metallics'

me getting pissed off 'well I call them rifle cartridges but yes that's what I mean'

him 'no we haven't got any of those'

I told someone at Rigby about this. They said that if I ever wanted to get even I should ask about what rifle was used to bag the 2 big trophies in Purdey's long room - the true answer is apparently a Rigby double!

There are some individuals in places like Purdey, Asprey etc who think that because they speak with an educated voice and work in a fine establishment that they are better than those who they serve. Pride is a sin, I do hope St Peter was watching.

The thing I've picked up on when I've visited with some of those snooty characters at hunting conmventions is that many of them are extremely limited when it comes to actual big game hunting experience. I suspect that some of them have done no hunting whatsoever, and very little shooting.

Their real talent lies in a penchant for posturing and faking everyone out (trying to, anyway!) with an arrogant, aloof sales approach, complete with fancy clothes, flippant phrasing, a better-than-thou attitude, etc. - all of the bullshit that doen't mean anything in the bush. I've always resented this phony playacting, even though I love studying the guns these firms produce.

I'd like to place some of these drugstore cowboys (suit and all!) on a western cowpony, haul 'em up a trail, and make 'em climb a mountain or two on foot from there....

AD

After browsing around the various displays, I remember asking one of the sales people if a double rifle marked as ".375" was for the standard or "flanged" round...His face was a picture and he went off to ask someone else.
I got the distinct impression it was staffed by yuppies for yuppies..Their only saving grace is their excellent book department. the staff down there were much more friendly and helpfull.

J Roberts & Sons were completely different.
The could not have been more friendly and helpfull and the staff were first class.
A very big thumbs up for them!

[This message has been edited by Pete E (edited 05-01-2002).]

[This message has been edited by JoeZ (edited 05-02-2002).]

Saad

None of them make a left handed bolt rifle.

[This message has been edited by JoeZ (edited 05-05-2002).]

Useful information about Holland & Holland and Purdey can be gotten from their websites; go there and then click on the history option:

www.hollandandholland.com
www.purdey.com

I think that both of these gun houses -- and probably all the great British ones -- went through lean times sometimes and had to do things other than building new guns to survive. Purdey, I think, got by at one time by reconditioning service rifles for the British government, and H&H went to India and bought up used guns there and brought them back to England for reselling.

About the snooty attitude and behavior: This comes, I think, mostly from wannabees, people who aspire to a social/economic/achievement status they don't have, and who try to bridge that gap with attitude. True achievers are often gracious. Such snootiness is found frequently in auction houses and art dealers (Christies, Sothebys), in academics who haven't quite arrived, and in shop employees who identify with the shop name (e.g. BMW and Lexus mechanics or salesmen) instead of the customers.

[This message has been edited by LE270 (edited 05-04-2002).]

quote:

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Originally posted by Deerdogs:
If money were no object I would buy shotguns from Purdey, and double rifles from Westley Richards.

None of them make a left handed bolt rifle.

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Holland & Holland shows a picture of a left handed bolt rifle on their webpage.

quote:

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Originally posted by JoeZ:
... The venerable firm once sold boxlocks, outsourced guns that many could argue fell short of being best guns. That leaves three.

[This message has been edited by JoeZ (edited 05-05-2002).]

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Interesting information. Any idea who made those boxlocks.

Anyway that still leaves Purdey as best maker, because they did not build those guns just sold them.

Saad

[This message has been edited by JoeZ (edited 05-06-2002).]