I suspect that most non-shooters view gun trading as some sort of mental or emotional deviance. Gun trading isn’t universal, but it does appear in enough humans to be readily recognizable to those who are not afflicted with the malady. I think it’s kind of like a philandering man. Or the reverse, I suppose. No matter how lovely the woman he has at home, the philanderer is still likely to be “struck” by the appeal of another woman. It might be the cherubic look of her face. It might be her voice, her hair or perhaps other parts of her physiology that catch his attention. Even if he’s already determined that the one at home is perfect, a guy who is truly afflicted is still likely to run into another who is also “perfect,” perhaps in some other way.
It’s sad but true, and gun trading is a little like that. And I can testify to the truth of the matter from my own experience. I’ve owned several “perfect” guns over the past few decades, and I know in my heart that my custom-made William Evans 12-gauge that Todd Ramirez custom-built is as close to perfect for me as I’ll ever find.
Todd took a very nice old gun and “made it new” for me—inside and out. It’s light and nimble. The stock is made of Turkish walnut that is, by any standard, “exhibition grade” and custom made to fit me perfectly. If I shoulder the gun and pull the trigger, something with feathers dies! The gun, taken as a whole, is as pleasing to the eye as one could ever ask. In a single word, the gun is PERFECT!
Yet, on the other hand, I have this irresistible compulsion to constantly peruse the internet. I go to gun shows, gun shops, pawn shops and hardware stores that carry guns. I keep my ears tuned in for any rumor of a gun for sale. Additionally, thousands of readers and everybody who lives within a hundred miles knows that I’m a sucker for a nice old gun—particularly if it’s a bargain. You’d be amazed how often my phone rings and the person on the other end starts out with, “Bob, I hear that you like old guns, and I’ve got a beautiful old ‘this-or-that’ that I’d like to sell.” Most of the time, it turns out to be a ratty, rusty old junker but, every once in a while, it turns out to be a gem, and my ears prick up like cropped ears on a Doberman.
When that happens, I simply have to tell you about it. I can’t help myself, which I suppose may be a good thing for a gun writer, so here I go again. Not too long ago, just after I acquired my F. Beesley that I described in this column a couple of issues ago, I happened upon an advertisement for an old Rowland Watson double 12-gauge. There aren’t a lot of folks who are familiar with the maker, so I’ll fill in some of the blanks. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s the Birmingham-based company was a maker of side-bys in the “good” to “very good” category that were sold under both the Rowland Watson and Thomas Wild names. Years ago, I had a Thomas Wild double hammer gun, and it was a good, solid piece. Not fancy, mind you, but solid, and I put it to good use for several years before some other compulsive talked me out of it. It was a helluva pheasant gun, and I’d bet it still is.
The prospective seller made the shortest sales pitch in gun-trading history because, when I saw the pictures and heard the price, I “caved” without even negotiating. As it turned out, the gun was made in 1924, which was right in the middle of the “Golden Age” of English guns and remained in extremely good condition. It met all the mandatory conditions. It was still as tight as when it left the factory and had seen very little use. According to the fellow on the phone, the 30-inch Whitworth steel barrels rang well and were choked full and full, which would allow me the option of opening them up to whatever I chose. From the photos, it was clearly made on a very small action for a 12-gauge and was as slender as a riding crop. According to my brand-new “best friend,” the barrels had 2 1/2-inch chambers and plenty of wall thickness. He claimed that it was “light as a feather” and would make a fabulous grouse gun if the chokes were opened up.
Of course, you know what happened next and, as soon as the gun arrived, I hung it on the scales in the gun shop where I had it sent and it came in at a meager 6 pounds, 2 ounces. Since the barrels are plenty hefty, I can only guess that the slim action and English straight-hand stock account for its minimal weight. Since the action and stock are quite slim, the robust barrels make it really well balanced, and the slight weight makes it really nimble in the hands. In a rare bit of good fortune, the stock is very close to my personal dimensions, and the slightest adjustment by a competent stock bender will make it just right.
Of course, handling and shooting characteristics are paramount in a double gun, but it certainly doesn’t detract from its desirability if it’s drop-dead gorgeous. Far from being a mundane Anson & Deeley pattern boxlock, it’s built on the voluptuously rounded Westley Richards A&D receiver that they used for their justly famous “drop locks” and a few especially nice boxlocks that don’t have the hand-replaceable lockwork. The receiver, top and bottom tangs, as well as Westley Richards’ trademark top-lever are totally covered with well-executed, deeply incised scrollwork punctuated with cameos of birds and dogs in a style that’s totally period correct.
The general appearance of the gun literally screams “QUALITY!” The wood-to-metal and metal-to-metal joints are extremely precise, including the elaborately scalloped rear face of the action. The same can be said of the incredibly precise inletting of the forend metal, which is often a tell-tale about the quality of the gun as a whole.
To me, it seems clear that the gun is in fact a nicely presented Westley Richards. That esteemed company was known at that time to produce actions for use by other makers, and on occasion to produce complete guns for other makers to sell under their own names. I guess I’ll never know for sure, but the overall quality of the gun suggests to me that the latter occurred in this instance. Whatever the case, the Watson is a reminder that you should never, ever overlook the lesser-known names of the British trade when looking for a nice double. Just check out the photo of this one, if you’re in doubt.
The “little 12” shoots spectacularly with light, 1-ounce or less loads in 2 1/2-inch cases, and it should make a superb grouse and woodcock gun. And yes, I promise to prove it this fall!