On 15th January the Countryside Alliance gun draw took place with a very lucky Dr Wilson being named the winner. As you'd expect, Dr Wilson was rather pleased to have won and a visit to the Boxall & Edmiston factory in Shropshire to commission his gun was scheduled. After a factory tour round the engineering plant and craftsmen's workshop, Dr Wilson sat down with proprietor and Managing Director Peter Boxall to discuss his specification.
Configuring a bespoke gun is not something to be rushed. Many elements of a gun affect the user's shooting and the overall aim is to create a configuration that compliments the shooters style, giving them an advantage for their chosen shooting discipline(s).
Dr Wilson mainly shoots game but does enjoy clay pigeon shooting when the opportunity presents itself. With this in mind, a round action, 12 bore over and under, with 30" barrels and a full game rib was chosen, as this is a good choice for most disciplines. An over & under was selected as the client prefers the single line of sight, a 12 bore also gives you the best possible chance on a clay layout (as there are more pellets in each cartridge).
Teague multi-chokes were selected to ensure the chokes can be configured for any occasion. The gun can also be steel proofed if Teague chokes are selected and this is entirely up to the client.
The choice of walnut is arguably one of the most difficult decisions when configuring a gun. At Boxall & Edmiston we have over 50 pieces of walnut in stock at any one time, with the clients able to choose from this selection or they can give us an idea of the kind of wood they prefer and we can find something to match from our suppliers.
The walnut chosen has a dark grain running through with beautiful marbling towards what will be the toe of the stock. The grain is very straight through what will be the neck of the stock, a necessity for a strong and durable gun stock.
The stock style chosen was a Pommel grip as this is similar to the style on the client's current gun, making it easier to migrate across. A traditional forend was also selected for the same reason. This is a good selection as the client has large hands which are more suited to a pommel grip as it's easier to hold.
A weight target of 7lb 4-6oz was desirable but it has been agreed that the balance of the gun is more important than overall weight. At Boxall & Edmiston, we have become fairly good at predicting the gun's weight, but it is worth noting that certain pieces of walnut are far heavier than others due to the density of the wood.
The final piece of the puzzle selected was full scroll engraving. This is a purely an aesthetic choice and colour hardened versions of all models are available.
The gun pictured is taken from the Boxall & Edmiston "gun builder" tool, an online tool used for configuring a bespoke gun. The tool allows users to select from the wide array of bespoke features, with helpful explanations for each one and a generated image of the final gun. You can visit the gun builder at:
www.boxallandedmiston.co.uk/gunbuilder
Dr Wilson's configuration ensures longevity of the product and suitability for most disciplines. With Teague multi-chokes, the gun can be choked to offer the best shot formation for most heights of bird, although the shooter will still need to point it in the right place in the sky!
The delivery time quoted is 14-16 months. The long lead time is due to the number of guns currently in production with each one taking six months to produce, regardless of other orders. The six months it takes is down to the blend of old and new technologies and techniques adopted when crafting a Boxall & Edmiston. For instance, we still apply every coat of oil to the stock by hand which takes months of careful applications whereas the engraving is done using a laser and takes just over a week.
It is Boxall & Edmiston's blending of old and new technologies that has given us an advantage in the production of modern bespoke shotguns; and our aim is for our custom made guns to give our clients every possible advantage in the field.