Cutting edge technology shotguns - opposite of Purdey
Discussion
Boxall and Edmiston (now defunct) were interesting (albeit producing a very traditional product). They used CAD/CAM and CNC on state-of-the-art, multi-axis milling machines (even on the wooden stocks).
They then used laser engraving to finish the guns.
It was set up by Peter Boxall, who was head of engineering for Holland and Holland. He was previously at Jaguar. He could see the potential for CAD/CAM and suggested H&H take it up. They decided it wasn't for them, so he went his own way.
When I went to see the production, there were still a lot of very traditional crafts involved - especially in the finishing of the stocks.
They then used laser engraving to finish the guns.
It was set up by Peter Boxall, who was head of engineering for Holland and Holland. He was previously at Jaguar. He could see the potential for CAD/CAM and suggested H&H take it up. They decided it wasn't for them, so he went his own way.
When I went to see the production, there were still a lot of very traditional crafts involved - especially in the finishing of the stocks.
2 barrels side by side with a lovely hunk of walnut used to be the norm for expensive days shooting game
Then we all went over and under for (sometimes) even more expensive days shooting game. £50/bird anyone?
Then the Turkish gun manufacturers did a "Lidl" and undercut the whole system with solid cheap guns.
In the meantime the users who wanted lighter and more robust guns to drop in salt marshes, went to single barreled semi Autos with synthetic stocks and full camo. Piccy!
Then bespoke gun measurement came down to the sub £10k budget , and in the meantime a banker spending his bonus on Grouse shooting could still buy a pair of "Rolex" guns from a shop on a London street for £89,000 and fire 30 cartridges before hitting anything.
Only one person in my syndicate has a side by side now, people have £3k to £10k guns but the chap with the best hit rate shoots a £600 Turkish gun and I can't bring my Hatsan Arms 3 shot semi in full camo because its not the done thing.
The users didn't ask for exotic materials, beyond exotic walnut, and the big money still goes into "Rolex" guns whilst the rest of us look on in bemusement.
I'm also bemused by posh branded carriages costing 2x the price, Ultra Power High Pheasant Extreme etc etc
Want more power? Just buy a 36g load not a flashy box!
Then we all went over and under for (sometimes) even more expensive days shooting game. £50/bird anyone?
Then the Turkish gun manufacturers did a "Lidl" and undercut the whole system with solid cheap guns.
In the meantime the users who wanted lighter and more robust guns to drop in salt marshes, went to single barreled semi Autos with synthetic stocks and full camo. Piccy!
Then bespoke gun measurement came down to the sub £10k budget , and in the meantime a banker spending his bonus on Grouse shooting could still buy a pair of "Rolex" guns from a shop on a London street for £89,000 and fire 30 cartridges before hitting anything.
Only one person in my syndicate has a side by side now, people have £3k to £10k guns but the chap with the best hit rate shoots a £600 Turkish gun and I can't bring my Hatsan Arms 3 shot semi in full camo because its not the done thing.
The users didn't ask for exotic materials, beyond exotic walnut, and the big money still goes into "Rolex" guns whilst the rest of us look on in bemusement.
I'm also bemused by posh branded carriages costing 2x the price, Ultra Power High Pheasant Extreme etc etc
Want more power? Just buy a 36g load not a flashy box!
Tango13 said:
WelshRich said:
As I understand it, F1 teams still Blueprint their engines rather than relying solely on precision manufacturing so are not so different to the likes of Purdey 
Modern CNC manufacturing is so accurate the engines are blueprinted but instead of a skilled fitter weighing and measuring each part to ensure the correct fit the manufacturing process eliminates any variation in size so each engine will be exactly the same as the next. See my comment about Rolls Royce Vs Packard above. RR used highly skilled craftsmen to make sure each part of each engine was individually 'fitted' which was an incredibly slow process
It took Packard the best part of a year to re-draw thousands of parts to the correct tolerances and after they got up and running the engine assembly could be completed by seni-skilled workers in less time
The_Doc said:
2 barrels side by side with a lovely hunk of walnut used to be the norm for expensive days shooting game
Then we all went over and under for (sometimes) even more expensive days shooting game. £50/bird anyone?
Then the Turkish gun manufacturers did a "Lidl" and undercut the whole system with solid cheap guns.
In the meantime the users who wanted lighter and more robust guns to drop in salt marshes, went to single barreled semi Autos with synthetic stocks and full camo. Piccy!
Then bespoke gun measurement came down to the sub £10k budget , and in the meantime a banker spending his bonus on Grouse shooting could still buy a pair of "Rolex" guns from a shop on a London street for £89,000 and fire 30 cartridges before hitting anything.
Only one person in my syndicate has a side by side now, people have £3k to £10k guns but the chap with the best hit rate shoots a £600 Turkish gun and I can't bring my Hatsan Arms 3 shot semi in full camo because its not the done thing.
The users didn't ask for exotic materials, beyond exotic walnut, and the big money still goes into "Rolex" guns whilst the rest of us look on in bemusement.
I'm also bemused by posh branded carriages costing 2x the price, Ultra Power High Pheasant Extreme etc etc
Want more power? Just buy a 36g load not a flashy box!
True story. My first gun was a second hand Miroku OU that I put millions of cartridges through. Years later I treated myself to a lovely new Beretta with a beautiful walnut stock and my shooting went to sThen we all went over and under for (sometimes) even more expensive days shooting game. £50/bird anyone?
Then the Turkish gun manufacturers did a "Lidl" and undercut the whole system with solid cheap guns.
In the meantime the users who wanted lighter and more robust guns to drop in salt marshes, went to single barreled semi Autos with synthetic stocks and full camo. Piccy!
Then bespoke gun measurement came down to the sub £10k budget , and in the meantime a banker spending his bonus on Grouse shooting could still buy a pair of "Rolex" guns from a shop on a London street for £89,000 and fire 30 cartridges before hitting anything.
Only one person in my syndicate has a side by side now, people have £3k to £10k guns but the chap with the best hit rate shoots a £600 Turkish gun and I can't bring my Hatsan Arms 3 shot semi in full camo because its not the done thing.
The users didn't ask for exotic materials, beyond exotic walnut, and the big money still goes into "Rolex" guns whilst the rest of us look on in bemusement.
I'm also bemused by posh branded carriages costing 2x the price, Ultra Power High Pheasant Extreme etc etc
Want more power? Just buy a 36g load not a flashy box!
t. I paid £3500 (and this was about 20 years ago - felt like a lot). Obviously didn’t fit me well but it looked lovely 
In the meantime I picked up a £300 Hatsan Escort semi and I never shot so well as with that thing. Got some disapproving looks from the Range Rover tweed w
kers. Sold the beretta to one of them and still use my old Miroku and the cheap black gun. Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff