wildfowler.250 Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Does anyone know much about this particular make of shotgun? Are they well made and thought of? I've seen the odd nice one for sale around the £500 - £600 mark but don't know a huge deal about them.. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Wabbitbosher is your guy for this sort of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wisdom Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 I have a Midland o/u double triggered non ejector.Ive had it years it' a great gun for me.Good looking with nice machine engraving.Not worth much nowadays but does what I want it too, game and clays.Very reliable only had a broken firing pin years ago.Nothing else at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danger-Mouse Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Birmingham based company producing guns certainly from around the turn of the 20th century. Also sold guns to other regional gunsmiths, I believe some of the Arthur Turner (Sheffield) guns were produced by them. Decent quality guns afaik, but as said, someone like Wabbitbosher could probably tell you a lot more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panoma1 Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Is that a real English Midland Gun Co gun?.........or a foreign gun with the name Midland Gun Company engraved on it? if it's the latter you can usually tell by the second hand price they command! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham M Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 (edited) Midland Gun Company was established in 1888 at 77 Bath Street, with additional premises in Price Street. The founders of the firm are not known, but their intention was to compete with others, such as BSA, for good quality economically priced machine made guns.By 1902 the company was owned by H Ludlow England who, in that year, bought Holloway's shareholding in Holloway & Naughton.The company left the Price Street works in 1890 and moved to 81 Bath Street, but in 1900 they were recorded back in Price Street. These and some subsequent changes of address may reflect changes of the principal offices of the company rather than actual acquisition and disposal of premises.In 1910 the company was recorded at 77 Bath Street, and by 1930 it had taken over the adjoining property of 76 Bath Street. By this time the factory was called the "Demon Gun Works"; the company had adopted a naked male demon as its logo (engraved on the butt plate), they applied the name "Demon" to their top grades of guns and cartridges.Around about 1930 the company had an office in London, and they sold a wide range of guns, pistols and shooting equipment by British and foreign manufacturers. They had a small wholesale export market, and they made components, such as actions, for the trade.Between 1937 and 1945 the company moved to 74 Whittall Street, but it may have retained the 77 Bath Street premises.In 1952, the company, then a shadow of its former self, was bought by Parker-Hale. Some reports say that the company traded until the early 1960s, other older reports state that Parker-Hale continued to use the Midland name on its guns up to about 1970. Edited February 11, 2018 by Graham M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 (edited) Parker Hale used the name well into the 80s as I had a 30-06 Parker Hale Rifle but labelled Midland Gun Company, I actually selected from the Parker Hale store at Golden Hillock Road in about 1983-4. The over and under your refer to may be a Parker Hale model or as said some weird foriegn derivative. All of the early shotguns I have seen have been solid old guns like my old BSA side by side, looked after they will go on forever. Edited February 11, 2018 by Walker570 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salopian Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Guy N Smith has published a book The Midland Gun Company a short history £19-99 by post . It may be worth your while emailing him to see if he can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfowler.250 Posted February 11, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Cheers gents, plenty info! Appreciate it. What do they normally retail at? I notice they do the odd hammer gun as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Midland made guns from a fairly basic sound quality up to a well finished off very good quality, - in other words covered a large portion of the market. All would originally have been sound guns, but a range of prices and variants were covered. Price now will depend on original quality level and the current condition. Notably whether the gun is 'well in proof with good wall thickness' through to 'almost out of proof with marginal wall thickness'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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