BritinBritain
Per Ardua Ad Astra
The gun trade and I have a love hate relationship It never ceases to amaze me how much crap people come out with, according to them, their clapped out junk is always worth more then the brand new guns I have in stock
I had a chap walk into the shop stating he had a very rare collectors piece he wanted to sell, had never been fired in brand new condition and not a mark on it. He dragged a 6.35mm/25ACP Baby Browning out of his pocket. The blue had all but worn off, obviously been well used and the grips were cracked. He got most upset when I told him that “his collectors piece” wasn't even fit for spares.
Sometimes however, I do get to see amazing treasures. One day I had an elderly chap come in with a cased shotgun and asked me for a valuation. I opened the case and inside the lid was the legend “Holland and Holland London.” I mounted the barrels and the forearm, the gun had been well used, but in beautiful condition and locked tight. I began to examine the gun closely and saw it was a Paradox. I nearly wet myself with excitement lol.
The chap was an ex Indian Army Officer, who's father (also an ex Indian Army Officer) purchased the gun second hand in India in 1912. The gun was frequently used on tiger hunts, during one such hunt an elephant stood on the stock, breaking it. The gun was sent to a gunsmith in India and a new stock fitted to the same quality as the original. The gun was passed to the son on the owners death and again frequently used. The chap then moved to South Africa sometime after WW2 and continued to use his Holland and Holland for bird shooting. Even though the gun hadn't been proofed for modern nitro ammunition, black powder proofed only, it handled modern ammunition without problem.
The sad part of the story is, the chap was sending his gun to a nephew living in England who from what was said “Didn't know what he's getting.” I asked him if he wanted to adopt me as a nephew and give me the gun. (He thought I was kidding lol)
I had a chap walk into the shop stating he had a very rare collectors piece he wanted to sell, had never been fired in brand new condition and not a mark on it. He dragged a 6.35mm/25ACP Baby Browning out of his pocket. The blue had all but worn off, obviously been well used and the grips were cracked. He got most upset when I told him that “his collectors piece” wasn't even fit for spares.
Sometimes however, I do get to see amazing treasures. One day I had an elderly chap come in with a cased shotgun and asked me for a valuation. I opened the case and inside the lid was the legend “Holland and Holland London.” I mounted the barrels and the forearm, the gun had been well used, but in beautiful condition and locked tight. I began to examine the gun closely and saw it was a Paradox. I nearly wet myself with excitement lol.
The chap was an ex Indian Army Officer, who's father (also an ex Indian Army Officer) purchased the gun second hand in India in 1912. The gun was frequently used on tiger hunts, during one such hunt an elephant stood on the stock, breaking it. The gun was sent to a gunsmith in India and a new stock fitted to the same quality as the original. The gun was passed to the son on the owners death and again frequently used. The chap then moved to South Africa sometime after WW2 and continued to use his Holland and Holland for bird shooting. Even though the gun hadn't been proofed for modern nitro ammunition, black powder proofed only, it handled modern ammunition without problem.
The sad part of the story is, the chap was sending his gun to a nephew living in England who from what was said “Didn't know what he's getting.” I asked him if he wanted to adopt me as a nephew and give me the gun. (He thought I was kidding lol)