By Terry Wieland
Hard Cover 310 pages
Available from Rowman & Littlefield
1-800-462-6920
$50 + $5 shipping
This is an important book tracing the development of the modern British shotgun.
Just as America is a nation of riflemen, Britain is a nation of shotgunners. The British gentry, fueled by the economic prosperity at the height of the British Empire, were used to the finest things that money could buy and that also applied to their shotguns.
The term “Best Quality Shotgun” means just that. The best that money can buy at any price. The workmen at the bench of the British gun trade were and are among the most skilled the world has ever seen. Not only did they produce a gun that lasted into many millions of rounds fired they also perfected the art of making a gun stocked to fit the owner come alive in the hands.
A properly fitted Best Quality side by side double from the British Isles seems to mount effortlessly while pointing exactly where you are looking so that it can be precisely on target when fired the moment that it is cheeked without the shooter ever seeing the barrels. It is no wonder that it is often said that only the British can make a shotgun.
While the over and under is the latest fashion it cannot compete with the side by side when it comes to hitting birds. This book attempts to tell the story of those side by side doubles in one book which is a massive undertaking as this subject could easily fill a large multi volume encyclopedia size set. There are few errors which is remarkable considering the scope of this work and that the author is not a member of the British gun making trade. I was glad to see the contributions of my old friend Jack Rowe, one of the greatest workmen at the bench ever to make a Best Quality gun in the British Isles.
The book opens with the history of the British game gun then goes on to fathom what makes a game gun and why a Best Quality gun is really the best that money can buy. Hammer guns are covered in all their glory and the sidelock and boxlock guns are given equal coverage The intricacies of the various bolting systems as well as other parts are explored in all their diversity. The British method of keeping a gun Best Quality while altering it to fit its current owner and restoring it to new condition are shown and this should be an eye opener to those who think a buffing wheel and bluing tanks are the way to go. This is why a Best Quality gun should only be serviced by someone in the Best Quality gunmaking trade and not your local gunsmith.
The second part of the book is a partial listing of the great gun makers of the British isles. There were far too many in total to expect a complete listing but this should give the reader a good idea of the field.
I have enjoyed this book more than any in recent memory and highly recommend it. The subject of stocked to fit Best Quality side by side game guns is a very deep one and the almost magical way they seem to come alive in your hands and unerringly hit the birds is something that has to be experienced to believe. It is the greatest thrill in the shooting sports provided by the greatest shotguns possible. I think that the author has done an excellent job of introducing the American reader to this fascinating and almost mystical world.—Jim Dickson
