About double guns or is he just a salesman? After viewing this clip and the mish-mash muddled "history" of Reilly related disinformation (go to 40min 25 seconds) (probably distilled and half-remembered from our article published by Diggory 8 years ago) no he doesn't. And that opinion seems to be held by some UK experts. He seems to read other's articles then regurgitates what he vaguely recalls.
He’s an “influencer.” He’s paid to influence a certain segment of the shooting population, sell guns, destinations and other kit. Some of his stuff is entertaining, but I don’t take him too seriously.
I really don't expect him to know the often complex history of gunmakers and their various models and designs. I'm a Greener guy and I see people muck up the various models and grades all the time, here and elsewhere, but I let it go.
What I do like is that he seems to really appreciate the old guns and the incredible craftsmanship of the gunmakers. If that helps Holt's sell a few guns I'm good with that. His videos are entertaining and I enjoy them.
TGS allows me to see and hear about places and things I can’t afford and will never go to. It’s that other part of the world beyond my reach. If I need researched data about a British maker I turn to Boothroyd. If I want a modern expression of traditional shooting I turn to Carter. He doesn’t appear elitist or pontificating. He looks as if he is enjoying what he does. I envy his youth and vitality and celebrate his entrepreneurial abilities.
You spent a lot of time and effort on Reilly history. Johnny and Simon use available information to them to discuss the guns coming up at the auction. For the main sale they had a 3-4 minute on Charles Gordon’s guns. They just used the information from Donald Dallas’s book on Charles Gordon. It is interesting to see some of the guns up for sale in a video. The videos provide something you may not get from looking at the online catalog.
I watch his Holt's videos. Usually after the auction. But I skip through most of the video just watching the firearms that I'm interested in. SXS mostly. Simon seems to know his stuff. If you think about it there's just too many maker's, models and other stuff to know everything about British gunmaking and to be knowledgeable enough to not use other's work to pass on some knowledge. JMO but I think he used to cover more SXS's than O/U's, his latest videos seem to be going the other way now. And of the O/Us that he's covering by far the most aren't even British made. But, as other's have mentioned he's really trying to sell firearms for Holt's not delve deeply into the history of British firearm maker's unfortunately.
Unless his videos are heavily edited, he seems to know which end the shot comes out. Of course, we know the shooting sequences are heavily edited. His picks off the Holt's gun racks aren't the same as mine, but interesting. By the way, his name is Jonny, not Johnny. Misspelling a person's name is the worst form of disrepect.
The Holt's videos I feel like he is being swayed to comment on the guns he highlights in the video. He does guns that particular will be more of a hard sell. He commented video before last he feels he does not have to feature Purdey's, Holland's and Boss guns as they speak for themselves. So (my opinion) he highlights guns that Nick Holt wants him to as they are ones that are less condition, well known. You may find it hard to believe that some people listen to his sell pitch and maybe bid on that gun because Jonny made so much fuss over it.
Having imported Darne guns for two decades, I can assure you this is, at most, low level “not knowing of that which you speak”, with little to no fraud or malice intended.
There is a Darne on GunsInternational and Gunbroker at the moment that is advertised as higher grade than it is, and, the seller has had that rubbed in his face, by me, as well. His response? Removing the photo of the flats that would document that from his ad.
That right there, is malice, I don’t care who you are.
The thing that struck me about the video, is just how over the whole sport shooting thing really is in the UK. All those doubles, selling for pence instead of pounds, had an owner, and now, they don’t. Some of them won’t sell, and will end up in a scrap metal bin.
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