Longthorne guns

[Will Hewland]

I do like the look and concept of these. They have one piece barrels; the barrels, ribs everything, from one piece of steel. Modern machinery used with a fresh approach.

Anybody know an owner? Any reputation about them?

 

[Will Hewland]

Sorry, meant to add image..

http://www.longthorneguns.com/cgi-bin/scribe?showinfo=Traditional-English-Shotgun-photographs-images

 

[evoracer]

I spoke to someone who's paid and had one on order for over 15 months!
 

Beautiful looking not sure I deal with the lead time Oh and they're out of my price range!!

 

[Jaykaysea]

Will, one of my best friends has one, won it in the BASC raffle...can arrange a meet up and have a go if you like? He has been to the factory a few times and it is all custom built for him.

Lovely gun, very pretty and nice to shoot....even a pleasure to clean....

 

[Hamster]

I do like the look and concept of these. They have one piece barrels; that the barrels ribs everything, from one piece of steel. Modern machinery used with a fresh approach.

Anybody know an owner? Any reputation about them?

I really like the idea behind these as well, cheap for what you get. It does beg the question though, if you can have handmade ordered to spec for £13k why are London makers charging ten times that ?

 

[Will Hewland]

Will, one of my best friends has one, won it in the BASC raffle...can arrange a meet up and have a go if you like? He has been to the factory a few times and it is all custom built for him.

Lovely gun, very pretty and nice to shoot....even a pleasure to clean....

Oooh! Love to see one. I'm sure if I had one it would be made differently to what they appear to make standard.. But love to see it.

 

[evoracer]

I really like the idea behind these as well, cheap for what you get. It does beg the question though, if you can have handmade ordered to spec for £13k why are London makers charging ten times that ?

London weighting gone mad!!

 

[Will Hewland]

I really like the idea behind these as well, cheap for what you get. It does beg the question though, if you can have handmade ordered to spec for £13k why are London makers charging ten times that ?

If you use antiquated methods (some old boy in a leather apron, hand fiddling with tools like they had to in 1890) then it will be a hugely long manufacturing process. And these days, nobody will work for a shilling per day. Longthorne appear to get the best out of modern machinery. If you insisted that your TV was made like it was in 1950 it would likely be £5000, not £500.

 

[Hamster]

If you use antiquated methods (some old boy in a leather apron, hand fiddling with tools like they had to in 1890) then it will be a hugely long manufacturing process. And these days, nobody will work for a shilling per day. Longthorne appear to get the best out of modern machinery. If you insisted that your TV was made like it was in 1950 it would likely be £5000, not £500.

You're right, only I don't for a moment believe Purdey, Hollands, David Mckay Brown, Boss etc, do it long hand as in those days. They must use modern machinery for the vast majority of the work, tis the marketing folklore I tells ya.

 

[Jaykaysea]

From what my friend said everything done with very high tech state of the art machinery...some finishing then done by hand...

Will I will see when I can get him out to play...or failing that see if I can get the gun...which he might not be so keen on as it is his pride and joy...

 

[Will Hewland]

Market forces will prevail. If some tweed-clad guffawing loon is prepared to stump up £100k, then I'm sure they are glad to relieve him of it.

At £13k, its right there with the replacement value of my gun..

 

[evoracer]

You're right, only I don't for a moment believe Purdey, Hollands, David Mckay Brown, Boss etc, do it long hand as in those days. They must use modern machinery for the vast majority of the work, tis the marketing folklore I tells ya.

along them lines I don't actually believe 1 company makes all of it? all subbed out and supplied then put together!

 

[Jaykaysea]

You're right, only I don't for a moment believe Purdey, Hollands, David Mckay Brown, Boss etc, do it long hand as in those days. They must use modern machinery for the vast majority of the work, tis the marketing folklore I tells ya.

Been to the Holland and Holland workshop, they make everything 'wrong' by machine and then finish it by hand...strange to me but I can see the craftsmanship required to be able to do so. My tour round H & H was one of the most enjoyable days I have ever spent...cartridge factory next on the list....

 

[Jaykaysea]

along them lines I don't actually believe 1 company makes all of it? all subbed out and supplied then put together!

Nope he makes it all at Longthorne, H & h make everything except the barrels

 

[Will Hewland]

Guns are very basic and agricultural things in modern terms. There is no hand finishing on F1 / Le Mans level gearbox parts..

 

[Jaykaysea]

Just realised I actually sound like I know what I am talking about....

Normal service to be resumed soon...

 

[RobertBeard]

...cartridge factory next on the list....

Elf & Safety might not allow that nowadays!

Eley is extremely restricted since they moved factories and I imagine that others are similar.

I was talking to some guys on Saturday who did a private tour of the proof house in Birmingham recently which was evidently fascinating.

 

[ips]

Like hammy says very cheap for bespoke. If i didn't have the eell i would commission one for sure, and there only 15 miles from me

 

[Les53]

A few things would bother me with these guns I'm afraid! Yes they are cheap for hand made guns but they are still a lot of money. The weight of the guns seems to be 7lb which I would feel was at least 1lb too light for a clay gun. The company has no track record in making clay bashing guns,so would they take the sort of punishment that a clay gun has to take? For a lot less money you could get a gun with a known track record and have a custom stock made for it. Yes they are lovely guns to be sure,but I doubt if I would part with such money for a gun that is basically an unknown quantity. Sorry but there it is.