Hunter-Habib
AH legend
Today, an English made side by side shotgun is invariably a bespoke sidelock affair, commissioned from one of the heritage British gun houses (James Purdey, Westley Richards, Holland & Holland, Watson Brothers, John Rigby, Joseph Lang, E.J Churchill, John Dickson, A.A Brown, William Moore or Charles Lancaster) and they‘ll set you back a pretty penny. But such was not always the case.
At one time, there was a wide variety of commercially manufactured English side by sides that could easily be found on the gun racks/ gun cabinets of any self respecting gun shop in Great Britain (or any of it’s African or Asian colonies)- B.S.A (Birmingham Small Arms), Isaac Hollis, Charles Osborne, R.B Rodda, Manton, Army & Navy, Lyon & Lyon, W.J Jeffery, Midland Gun Co. or W.W Greener. Unfortunately, both the World Wars (and Great Britain losing all of their colonies in the next two following decades) spelt the end for most (if not all) of these fine establishments. B.S.A built their last side by side in 1939, Isaac Hollis closed down in 1953, W.J Jeffery closed down in 1955, Midland Gun Co. closed down in 1961 & W.W Greener closed down in 1965. By 1965, only one English made side by side graced the shelves of gun stores at a price point accessible for the common man- The Webley & Scott Model 700.
When I was a young man studying Environmental Science in the University of London in 1965, I used to frequently visit local English gun shops during my spare time (sometimes with my dad when he & my mum used to come to visit me from East Pakistan). Almost every gun shop stocked a dozen of these. I was already quite familiar with them. There were quite a few of them which had been imported into East Pakistan (mostly through the fabled Z.H Chancary gun shop at the Old Mosque Road, but also a few which were privately brought in by local hunters as part of their personal baggage when returning from overseas foreign trips). Later, when I studied Principles Of Forestry at the University of Peshawar in 1967, I observed that all of the better gun shops in West Pakistan kept a few Webley & Scott Model 700s on stock. When I went on my life’s first African safari to Kenya in 1974, I observed that the Webley & Scott Model 700 was the only brand new side by side shotgun to grace the shelves of Kenya Bunduki (the fabled British East African gun shop and successor to Shaw & Hunter in Nairobi). During my childhood & teenage years, I hunted with quite a few borrowed Webley & Scott Model 700s and developed a healthy respect for them. Amongst other fine memories, I enjoyed my first driven grouse hunt in Great Britain in 1965 with one of these (loaded with the classic Eley Gas Tight 32 gram #6) and also enjoyed my first quail shoot over hounds in West Pakistan in 1968 with one of them (loaded with Shaheen 32 gram #8). Side by sides were almost universally the upland bird gun of choice, back in those days. An over & under was a rare novelty.
A Borrowed Webley & Scott Model 700 In The Author’s Hands During A Green Pigeon Hunt In Kaptai (1972)
So now, a little about the technical aspects of these grand old guns.
1964 Advertisement For The Webley & Scott Model 700
Built on the classic Anson & Deeley boxlock action, a 12 gauge gauge specimen could be had with 26-30” barrels. Left barrel was fully choked, while the right was an improved cylinder. Depending upon the barrel length, average weight was from 6 LB 8 Oz- 6 LB 10 Oz. The bulk of these were manufactured with the traditional English straight grip stock, although a few were also built with half pistol grip stocks. The early ones (1947-1950) were built with 2.5“ chambers & proofed for 32 grams of shot. After 1950, the chambers were lengthened to 2.75” and the shotguns proofed to take up to a 36 gram load.
Nevertheless, the actions themselves were not bulked up to properly withstand the repeated firing of cartridges with shot weights heavier than 32 grams. Unlike it’s predecessor (the Webley & Scott Model 400), the Model 700 lacked any form of third bite (be it in the form of a W.W Greener style cross bolt or a James Purdey style hidden third bite) which is/was found on most English or Continental side by side shotguns intended for use with heavy shot loads. For this reason, the in-house gunsmiths at Webley & Scott discouraged users from running shot loads stouter than 32 grams through the Model 700s.
The shotguns were absolute gems to hunt upland game with especially driven grouse/partridge hunts over beaters or flushed quail hunts over hounds. But they were not perfect. Ribs were prone to loosening over time and barrels would sometimes split. But there was another more pressing issue. The Model 700 was built with an integral hinge pin which could not be removed/replaced. This was a cost cutting departure from Webley & Scott’s previous Model 400 (manufactured from 1905-1946). After prolonged usage, the integral hinge pin would inevitably wear out and the shotgun would begin to come “Off-Face”. Unlike side by side shotguns with removable hinge pins (like the old B.S.A Wild Fowler model) where one simply needs to replace the hinge pin in order to get the shotgun back into A grade shape once again… this was not possible with the Model 700. Once these shotguns became ”Off-Face”, it was extremely difficult to tighten them up again. Today however, this is not the case. Modern T.I.G welding techniques have made it quite a straightforward affair to repair an “Off-Face” Webley & Scott Model 700 and make them just as good as brand new, once again.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. In 1979, Webley & Scott discontinued the Model 700. They simply could not compete with the lower priced imported Spanish (later Russian & now Turkish) side by side shotguns which were flooding the British shooting market. The over & under was also gaining fast traction amongst a newer generation of wing shooters. Scores of these “Superposed Monstrosities” (according to my father) were being imported from Italy, Germany, Spain & Japan. Gone were the days of the English side by side that could be bought off-the-shelf.
Webley & Scott left behind a good legacy, though. Thousands of Model 700s can still frequently be found on the second hand racks of quite a few gun stores in Great Britain, Pakistan, Bangladesh & Australia. Upon his graduation from engineering university in 2022, I have gifted one fine specimen to my paternal grandson Kamal. Serial Number 141685, it was built in 1970. Much of the bluing has worn off, but the grand old gun still shoots strong & sharp. It locks up tight and the 28” barrels have excellent internal condition. The avid green pigeon hunter that he is, the young man already makes extensive use of it (with Rottweil Red Tiger 32 gram #7s) on the grounds of our family manor in Rangpur.
Today, Webley & Scott once again sells side by side shotguns. Now built in Turkey, two series are currently being offered- The Imperial side plated boxlock ejector series and the Kilworth plain Jane boxlock series. With multi-chokes, single non-selective triggers & 3” Magnum chambers, they offer decent value for the money. But in my opinion, the original English made Webley & Scott Model 700 of my youth still holds an uncontested place in my heart. Of course, I’m an old soul so perhaps it’s just my whimsical side speaking. Isn’t it ironic ? At one time, Webley & Scott used to build firearms for most of the British gun brands back in the good old days. Now, they themselves are having their firearms built for them in Turkey. Indeed, gone are the days.
Do you own a Webley & Scott Model 700 ? If so, never let it go. You have in your hands, perhaps the last of the English side by sides which were built for the common man in mind. And that is truly something beautiful.
The Author’s Grandson’s Webley & Scott Model 700
At one time, there was a wide variety of commercially manufactured English side by sides that could easily be found on the gun racks/ gun cabinets of any self respecting gun shop in Great Britain (or any of it’s African or Asian colonies)- B.S.A (Birmingham Small Arms), Isaac Hollis, Charles Osborne, R.B Rodda, Manton, Army & Navy, Lyon & Lyon, W.J Jeffery, Midland Gun Co. or W.W Greener. Unfortunately, both the World Wars (and Great Britain losing all of their colonies in the next two following decades) spelt the end for most (if not all) of these fine establishments. B.S.A built their last side by side in 1939, Isaac Hollis closed down in 1953, W.J Jeffery closed down in 1955, Midland Gun Co. closed down in 1961 & W.W Greener closed down in 1965. By 1965, only one English made side by side graced the shelves of gun stores at a price point accessible for the common man- The Webley & Scott Model 700.
When I was a young man studying Environmental Science in the University of London in 1965, I used to frequently visit local English gun shops during my spare time (sometimes with my dad when he & my mum used to come to visit me from East Pakistan). Almost every gun shop stocked a dozen of these. I was already quite familiar with them. There were quite a few of them which had been imported into East Pakistan (mostly through the fabled Z.H Chancary gun shop at the Old Mosque Road, but also a few which were privately brought in by local hunters as part of their personal baggage when returning from overseas foreign trips). Later, when I studied Principles Of Forestry at the University of Peshawar in 1967, I observed that all of the better gun shops in West Pakistan kept a few Webley & Scott Model 700s on stock. When I went on my life’s first African safari to Kenya in 1974, I observed that the Webley & Scott Model 700 was the only brand new side by side shotgun to grace the shelves of Kenya Bunduki (the fabled British East African gun shop and successor to Shaw & Hunter in Nairobi). During my childhood & teenage years, I hunted with quite a few borrowed Webley & Scott Model 700s and developed a healthy respect for them. Amongst other fine memories, I enjoyed my first driven grouse hunt in Great Britain in 1965 with one of these (loaded with the classic Eley Gas Tight 32 gram #6) and also enjoyed my first quail shoot over hounds in West Pakistan in 1968 with one of them (loaded with Shaheen 32 gram #8). Side by sides were almost universally the upland bird gun of choice, back in those days. An over & under was a rare novelty.
A Borrowed Webley & Scott Model 700 In The Author’s Hands During A Green Pigeon Hunt In Kaptai (1972)
So now, a little about the technical aspects of these grand old guns.
Built on the classic Anson & Deeley boxlock action, a 12 gauge gauge specimen could be had with 26-30” barrels. Left barrel was fully choked, while the right was an improved cylinder. Depending upon the barrel length, average weight was from 6 LB 8 Oz- 6 LB 10 Oz. The bulk of these were manufactured with the traditional English straight grip stock, although a few were also built with half pistol grip stocks. The early ones (1947-1950) were built with 2.5“ chambers & proofed for 32 grams of shot. After 1950, the chambers were lengthened to 2.75” and the shotguns proofed to take up to a 36 gram load.
Nevertheless, the actions themselves were not bulked up to properly withstand the repeated firing of cartridges with shot weights heavier than 32 grams. Unlike it’s predecessor (the Webley & Scott Model 400), the Model 700 lacked any form of third bite (be it in the form of a W.W Greener style cross bolt or a James Purdey style hidden third bite) which is/was found on most English or Continental side by side shotguns intended for use with heavy shot loads. For this reason, the in-house gunsmiths at Webley & Scott discouraged users from running shot loads stouter than 32 grams through the Model 700s.
The shotguns were absolute gems to hunt upland game with especially driven grouse/partridge hunts over beaters or flushed quail hunts over hounds. But they were not perfect. Ribs were prone to loosening over time and barrels would sometimes split. But there was another more pressing issue. The Model 700 was built with an integral hinge pin which could not be removed/replaced. This was a cost cutting departure from Webley & Scott’s previous Model 400 (manufactured from 1905-1946). After prolonged usage, the integral hinge pin would inevitably wear out and the shotgun would begin to come “Off-Face”. Unlike side by side shotguns with removable hinge pins (like the old B.S.A Wild Fowler model) where one simply needs to replace the hinge pin in order to get the shotgun back into A grade shape once again… this was not possible with the Model 700. Once these shotguns became ”Off-Face”, it was extremely difficult to tighten them up again. Today however, this is not the case. Modern T.I.G welding techniques have made it quite a straightforward affair to repair an “Off-Face” Webley & Scott Model 700 and make them just as good as brand new, once again.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. In 1979, Webley & Scott discontinued the Model 700. They simply could not compete with the lower priced imported Spanish (later Russian & now Turkish) side by side shotguns which were flooding the British shooting market. The over & under was also gaining fast traction amongst a newer generation of wing shooters. Scores of these “Superposed Monstrosities” (according to my father) were being imported from Italy, Germany, Spain & Japan. Gone were the days of the English side by side that could be bought off-the-shelf.
Webley & Scott left behind a good legacy, though. Thousands of Model 700s can still frequently be found on the second hand racks of quite a few gun stores in Great Britain, Pakistan, Bangladesh & Australia. Upon his graduation from engineering university in 2022, I have gifted one fine specimen to my paternal grandson Kamal. Serial Number 141685, it was built in 1970. Much of the bluing has worn off, but the grand old gun still shoots strong & sharp. It locks up tight and the 28” barrels have excellent internal condition. The avid green pigeon hunter that he is, the young man already makes extensive use of it (with Rottweil Red Tiger 32 gram #7s) on the grounds of our family manor in Rangpur.
Today, Webley & Scott once again sells side by side shotguns. Now built in Turkey, two series are currently being offered- The Imperial side plated boxlock ejector series and the Kilworth plain Jane boxlock series. With multi-chokes, single non-selective triggers & 3” Magnum chambers, they offer decent value for the money. But in my opinion, the original English made Webley & Scott Model 700 of my youth still holds an uncontested place in my heart. Of course, I’m an old soul so perhaps it’s just my whimsical side speaking. Isn’t it ironic ? At one time, Webley & Scott used to build firearms for most of the British gun brands back in the good old days. Now, they themselves are having their firearms built for them in Turkey. Indeed, gone are the days.
Do you own a Webley & Scott Model 700 ? If so, never let it go. You have in your hands, perhaps the last of the English side by sides which were built for the common man in mind. And that is truly something beautiful.
The Author’s Grandson’s Webley & Scott Model 700
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