Watson brothers Shotgun

[Sakobav]

Link for Watson brothers they make really expensive shotguns and double rifles. Located in London
http://www.watsonbrosgunmakers.com/Home.htm

[mehulkamdar]

Navdeep,

The new Watson Brothers company only has the name of the old one and is not the old Watson Brothers company in continuation. They have, though, concentrated on making high grade small bore shotguns on a proprietary action that derives from traditional bar action sidelocks but is somewhat different.

They also built a 700 NE double rifle designed to fire lower powered ammunition than the standard 1000 grain at 2000 fps loading for a leading African PH who used it to make a few videos and then promptly sold it off.

[Mack The Knife]

They also built a 700 NE double rifle designed to fire lower powered ammunition than the standard 1000 grain at 2000 fps loading for a leading African PH who used it to make a few videos and then promptly sold it off.

The one who let's the animal choose it's destiny?

[mehulkamdar]

Mack The Knife,

Yes, the same so and so. He's selling the gun asking for a premium on what he paid because it has been featured in several of his videos. What a clown!

Mehul

[Mack The Knife]

What a clown!

What an ego, is probably more like it. Anyway, let's not digress otherwise masterji will have me sitting in the corner.

Mack The Knife

[mundaire]

Anyway, let's not digress otherwise masterji will have me sitting in the corner.

Oye! Whose side are you on?!?!

[Grumpy]

Navi and I have just been talking about Watson Bros. Very nice guns ...... and at a bargain price compared to Boss/Purdey/H&H.
The O/U is particularly nice.
Watson Bros have been in the same ownership for several years now and as for them having no relationship to the original owners - well which British gunmaker does ? The only one that I can think of is A.A.Brown & Sons - and even they have the advantage of only being founded in the 1930s.

[mehulkamdar]

The O/U is particularly nice.
Watson Bros have been in the same ownership for several years now and as for them having no relationship to the original owners - well which British gunmaker does ? The only one that I can think of is A.A.Brown & Sons - and even they have the advantage of only being founded in the 1930s.

Grumpy,

Very true. It does not matter who owns the name as long as they stick to tradition and build beautiful guns. One of our popular members visited them and had a very nice time at the factory. He is otherwise busy at the moment, but I hope that when he is done with his work, we shall see a report as he has promised. This is a cue to the gentleman in question.

Cheers!

[Grumpy]

The last I heard - this morning - he had 3,500 words to go......and his deadline is tomorrow.

[Mack The Knife]

Oye! Whose side are you on?!?!

This has got to be a trick question. If I answer, I'm banished to the naughty corner and if I don't, I am accused of batting for the other side.

[Sakobav]

Thesis are best written and defended close to deadlines. All the best ..

Grumpy and Mehul the Watsons still are pricey for my taste. Another smart investment owner Louca made was he bought the workshop building in London prior to the real estate boom.

Rgds

[mehulkamdar]

Navdeep,

Michael Louca is a brilliant man - he would have made money and not just from the appreciation in real estate prices. His redesign of the sidelock action is very significant and it is a development comparable to T R White's redesign of the boxlock action and of the Fratelli Rizzini, Renato Gamba, Dumoulin and Famars variations on the sidelock action. I do think this is a new golden age of gun design that we live in, one that is comparable to the fierce competition between the British gunmakers in the 19th century and leading upto WW-2.

Cheers!

[Grumpy]

I don`t deny that Michael Loucas` redesign of the English O/U is significant as regards the compactness of size and the hefty weight saving but I can`t get too excited about it - the Italians have been producing similar guns for years. I`d be more excited if the guns didn`t cost so much. Whilst ?38,000 is considerably less expensive than any of the other British O/Us ( except perhaps for David McKay Browns` round action O/U ) it is still a heck of a lot of money. Both are beautiful guns though.

[mehulkamdar]

Grumpy,

I hope this is not too off topic, but, after the great designs of the 19th century, aren't almost all new designs only minor refinements and improvements? Michael Louca or Tony White may improve the sidelock and boxlock action respectively, but there is little room for a pathbreaking improvement like the invention of the original Anson and Deeley lock etc? In any case, when one desires the ultimate product, then these improvements, minor as they are over the original designs, are still desirable in the race to build the "ultimate" gun...

As far as price is concerned, I guess gunmakers would charge what the market can bear. If people order ? 100,000 double rifles from Holland and Holland without batting an eyelid, why shouldn't the gunmakers charge that much? It is probably the same with the Watson shotguns and several other top of the line products. My Ford Focus gets me wherever I want to go without any trouble, but if I could afford an Aston Martin Vantage, and if I desired one badly, why not? That I most certainly never will be able to buy one is a different matter. It doesn't hurt to dream...

[Grumpy]

I think that you`re right Mehul - it seems that the sporting SxS shotgun was pretty well perfected in the 1890s and the O/U a few years later. Since then nothing much of significance has occurred. I have this feeling of Deja Vu - you and I have had this conversation before.
I don`t deny that hand built guns can be beautiful and desirable objects and that, as such, the price is irrelevent. Does seem crazy though that you can buy an Aston Martin for less than the price of a new gun.........
It occurs to me that a new E.J.Churchill Imperial O/U costs ?19950 - significantly less expensive again - and a lovely gun.