So what about the other English gunmakers? Watson, Cogswell, Army Navy

[CZDiesel]

I’ve personally been looking at William Evans rifles for a coupe 6ears now. I let a Evans Mauser Actioned 404 Jeffery slip through my hands and I really regret it!

 

[franzfmdavis]

I am frequently impressed by the amount of detailed information ya’ll have rattling around in your heads; if I had a fraction of that information accessible in my head I could just stay at home and ponder interesting thoughts!

 

[cm76]

Army & Navy CSL certainly retailed some pretty rifles as well as the plainer examples. I recently picked up this little A&N CSL 360 2 1/4 BPE for my collection.

 

[grand veneur]

Webley & Scott / 577 Nitro Express / PHV-1 action / built 1909

 

[Altitude sickness]

Nice gun bag also

 

[grand veneur]

Nice gun bag also

Off topic for a short time:

The bag is made of Moose deer leather and was a good opportunity to buy in Strasbourg/France. It was displayed as a decoration in the window of a fashion store that had from far no relation with hunting. I asked if they would sell it and they did.

 

[Dakota Hunter]

Wasn’t Woodward a maker also of fine doubles ?

 

[rookhawk]

Wasn’t Woodward a maker also of fine doubles ?

Woodward is one of the most expensive, finest made shotguns in the world. In fact, in the "old money" uber shotgun world, the true collectors and aficionados prefer Woodwards, MacNaughtons, and Dicksons to the "big 4" of Boss, Purdey, Holland, and Westley.

I don't recall seeing any Woodward double rifles over the years so if they did make some, they surely made very few. Woodward was most famous for a lightweight over/under game gun when SxS was a hundred fold more popular.

To the other points in the thread, everyone is wisely pointing out that there were a lot more retailers than actual makers with a gun works. Holland didn't even have a gun factory until 1898 yet people pay ridiculous money for Scott Dominions and Climaxes that say "H&H" on the rib. Manton was dead and buried by around 1850 and the name was used on working quality guns for sale in India in the 20th century. Almost every maker has a similar story pointing to them being merely a retailer (or stocker/finisher).

 

[JvW]

Woodward is one of the most expensive, finest made shotguns in the world. In fact, in the "old money" uber shotgun world, the true collectors and aficionados prefer Woodwards, MacNaughtons, and Dicksons to the "big 4" of Boss, Purdey, Holland, and Westley.

I don't recall seeing any Woodward double rifles over the years so if they did make some, they surely made very few. Woodward was most famous for a lightweight over/under game gun when SxS was a hundred fold more popular.

To the other points in the thread, everyone is wisely pointing out that there were a lot more retailers than actual makers with a gun works. Holland didn't even have a gun factory until 1898 yet people pay ridiculous money for Scott Dominions and Climaxes that say "H&H" on the rib. Manton was dead and buried by around 1850 and the name was used on working quality guns for sale in India in the 20th century. Almost every maker has a similar story pointing to them being merely a retailer (or stocker/finisher).

Woodward surely made double rifles, but not many. Winston Churchill owned a Woodward .500 NE with which he shot, inter alia, his Rowland Ward entry black rhino. If it would ever make it to an auction, it would raise the bar, price-wise, I suspect. This is a Woodward Automatic .450/400 (3,25") BPE, once owned by PK van der Byl, former Rhodesian defence minister.

 

[Piet-Vis]

Woodward surely made double rifles, but not many. Winston Churchill owned a Woodward .500 NE with which he shot, inter alia, his Rowland Ward entry black rhino. If it would ever make it to an auction, it would raise the bar, price-wise, I suspect. This is a Woodward Automatic .450/400 (3,25") BPE, once owned by PK van der Byl, former Rhodesian defence minister.

View attachment 660679

Did he not take a pot shot or two at terrorists with that gun in the Rhodesian Bush War?

 

[JvW]

Did he not take a pot shot or two at terrorists with that gun in the Rhodesian Bush War?

No idea!

 

[Sarg]

Strangely I have a Mannlicher M88 straight pull Sporter by Woodward !

 

[PerH]

Winston Churchills Woodward Guns Go On Redaksjonelt arkivfotografi – Arkivbilde | Shutterstock Editorial

Finn det redaksjonelle arkivfotografiet av Winston Churchills Woodward Guns Go On og flere fotografier i Shutterstock-samlingen til redaksjonelt fotografi. Tusenvis av nye fotografier legges til daglig.

www.shutterstock.com

Here is a couple of pictures of his Woodward rifle , not good pictures , would liked to see it together

 

[Pondoro]

My ca. WW1 .475 3.25 /Straight) outwork from John Wilkes to Midland Gun Co. Wilkes had a workshop in Birm. until 1930.

I took it to Botswana and shot elephant with it.. 480 grain Woodleigh in 2158fps.. 23" barrels, short and handy in the bush.

 

[AZDAVE]

@cm76 Love that little hammer double!!!

Woodward built a few double rifles. I had on in 500 BPE (REGRET trading it) It shot great but had it when I first started shooting double rifles and just didn't do my research into the maker like I should have.

There are several booked written on English gunmakers and their creations.

 

[Brian Rothhammer]

Strangely I have a Mannlicher M88 straight pull Sporter by Woodward !

_Ruck - zuck!_

 

[Kdgj]

Don’t forget about one of the better makers in the UK—Daniel Fraser. He wasn’t in business for long, but built some of the finest single shots, Mauser and Mannlicher Shoenauer bolt guns, and double rifles. Unfortunately, the guns were mostly BPEs, along with 303, etc.

Ken

 

[KJE81]

Don’t forget about one of the better makers in the UK—Daniel Fraser. He wasn’t in business for long, but built some of the finest single shots, Mauser and Mannlicher Shoenauer bolt guns, and double rifles. Unfortunately, the guns were mostly BPEs, along with 303, etc.

Ken

It seems that there are Daniel Fraser rifles being built yet again, John Dickson seems to be owning the name: https://www.john-dickson.com/available-gun/new-daniel-fraser-velox-ms-rifle

They do look a bit weird around the magazine bottom but I guess that is like they looked before? Judging from the bolt handle it seems to be a Mannlicher inspired design.

 

[Sika98k]

It seems that there are Daniel Fraser rifles being built yet again, John Dickson seems to be owning the name: https://www.john-dickson.com/available-gun/new-daniel-fraser-velox-ms-rifle

They do look a bit weird around the magazine bottom but I guess that is like they looked before? Judging from the bolt handle it seems to be a Mannlicher inspired design.

I would suggest that these are original Mannlicher Schonauer actions that have been overhauled and rebarreled.
In the first picture is a bipod in the case mistakenly left there by someone. I cannot imagine anyone of taste attaching a bipod to a fine rifle like that.

 

[Kdgj]

If I remember correctly, these are new M&S actions. I don’t know who Dickson is using to build their rifles.

Ken