doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com BassPro new Webley & Scott 710s?

I was just surfing the Basspro site and noted the new 7xx series W&S sxs guns for mid $2k range. What's the skinny on these guns?

Turkish made. Webley & Scott in name only--similar setup to the "L.C. Smith".

Hi Chuck, Joe is right. These are not by the English maker. They just sold the name to them.

I have also heard that these guns are made in Italy. Can anyone confirm either or?

All the best!

Greg

You would be much better using your money to buy a genuine Birmingham made Webley & Scott 700. You should be able to find a good second hand one for the same money or less; and what's more it is likely to be worth more when you sell it unlike the new 700's. Lagopus.....

They are not Turkish made. I looked at one at the Bass Pro Shops in San Antonio; the only indication of where it was made was a "Made In Italy" mark on either side of the trigger guard on the bottom of the reciever. No clue of the actual maker. Price was about $4500, IIRC.

However, shortly thereafter I wandered out of the Fine Gun Room and over to the gun rack, where I saw some Savage Milano SGs. I asked the guy behind the counter who made them, and he replied "Savage", in a kind of "duh" matter-of-fact retort. I said no, I know Savage sells them, who makes them? "Savage". At that point, I realized it was a non-productive conversation and just looked at the gun. It was marked Made (or Manufactured) by F.A.I.R.

So what does this have to do with your question? The F.A.I.R. made guns have a "Made In Italy" marking, identical to the W&S gun, in exactly the same place. Deductive reasoning tells me the W&S is made by F.A.I.R.

I think FAIR and Fausti are big in the contract manufacturing biz. I was going to say the W&S may be a Fausti built gun, but you're probably right about FAIR. Neither are especially impressive makers from what I've seen. Doesn't Rizzini have a sxs? Could this be simply a variant for the W&S label?

Chuck, the Rizzini sxs is from the OTHER Rizzini (or maybe I should say one of the other Rizzinis): B, not I. Rizzini of FAIR. That's not saying FAIR couldn't use a very similar design. The B. Rizzini and FAIR OU's are certainly quite similar.

If you're looking for a 12ga, you can certainly score an original 700 for under $3,000. Probably one of the better values out there, especially if you're looking for a modern, reliable Brit sxs.

Chuck:
My understanding is the new Webley & Scott model 700 is made by Fausti of Italy. The guns are distributed in the U.S. by Legacy Sports International. I picked this from the Summer 2008 issue of the Upland Almanac. They have an annual review of new offerings for upland guns and this particular review was by Terry Boyer.

He also references "the prestigious English gun makers of Webley and Scott" and as previously mentioned I believe someone has purchased the name.

You might have to revisit that. A quick check of Roy's Auction report for 2007 shows W&S M700, 12ga's, listed as Ex Cond. selling for $3600-$4800. Just in March a composed pair went for $8913.

Woodcock Hill has a 26" version listed for $5250, and I have seen two 28" here in NY in the last 6 months listed at $3950 & $4100.

Granted you can find one in lesser condition for less money but in VG to EX they're up there.

Jeez! Just sold a 26" barrel 12 bore in near perfect condition for £1,150. (A shade over $2,000). I though that I had done well too. Lagopus.....