Sporting Notes

purdey gun
Fantasy engraving by Aristide Barre, unusual for 1912. Courtesy Rock Island Auction Company

Rock Island Preview

Rock Island’s second premier auction to be held at its new premises in Texas is…
Volume One, Issue 1 (left) with a painting by Chet Reneson on the cover, and our November, 2023 issue, sporting a painting by Brett James Smith. If that cover is not timeless, what is?

Timeless (II)

According to Oxford, the definition of elegance, dating from 1797, is “refined tastefulness.”
audley house
The home of James Purdey & Sons since the 1880s, Audley House, on South Audley Street—at one time, Beau Brummell lived on that street in Mayfair.

Timeless (I)

It is a truth universally acknowledged—at least among those who have it—that you can’t buy…
The Smith & Wesson M350, with some of its .350 Legend ammunition, beside the (truly) legendary Walker Colt. For years, the Walker was the biggest and most powerful revolver ever made, which gives an idea of the size of the M350. It’s a brute.

A Dismal Failure…

A while back, in a fit of guilt over not paying sufficient attention to new…
Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph—smaller than a box of ammunition, a third the weight, and usable under all conditions. What more could you ask?

Another Garmin Breakthrough

As a general rule, new technology is not at the top of my list to…
Gray’s shooting editor, looking the part at least.

Obsession

Obsession is one of that sad list of words, along with paranoid and amazing, which…
Not bad for 75 bucks, huh? And Miss Ellie loves the warm spot under the antique library lamp.

Antiquation Infatuation

In 1997, I had my first encounter with something about which, previously, I had only…
James Woodward & Sons double rifle (.450 Express 3¼) probably made for Woodward by Alexander Henry, around 1874.

Image. Imagery. Imagine…

One of my favorite times of year is the week between Christmas and New Year’s. …
To put a Frenchman on the label of a bottle of South African wine may get a mixed reception, but we are assured the wine (from limited production by Ivan Volschenk in the Cape) is excellent.

APHA Mail

This just in, as we used to say in radio when an urgent bulletin landed…
This boxlock shotgun by John Graham & Co., of Inverness, is about as plain as a British boxlock can be, and its engraving is minimal, to say the least. But it may owe its continued existence to that little bit of adornment, and it is a good, solid gun.

Aesthetics

Show the average person a Walker Colt—none of which were engraved, most of which were…
Wieland’s old friend, George Calef, in the Yukon in 2008. George was then in his mid-60s, and strolled around with a heavy pack like it was nothing. Those twigs you see sticking out of the pack were firewood to fuel our little ‘ZZ’ stove.

Take the Long Way ‘Round

We’ve posted here several pieces on physical fitness for various types of hunting, with specialized…
The Adolph-Weber single-shot .22 target pistol as displayed in the Rock Island catalogue. Now really, who could resist?

Pistols & Mysteries

The name “Fred Adolph” prompted the vaguest of memories:  A custom gunmaker?  Gunsmith?  What?  As…