The irritation runs both ways, as some fans of antique British guns would have us believe that the new guns are junk (even though they are stronger and more reliable than the vintage guns), and that the antique guns somehow are better quality or handle better than the newer guns. As to quality, there are current production guns that beat anything made 100 years ago. Now if you are comparing a London best quality rifle of 1910 to a new $8k double, there will probably be something in the fit and feel of the old best quality gun lacking in the new $8K rifle. But if you compare apples to apples, which I have done, it will be quite a task to justify an antique gun unless you are getting a good price on it or if you just happen to prefer antique rifles (which is fine too).

There are plenty of vintage British rifles out there that are heavier than current production guns and not particularly well made. And there are some out there that were well made but which have been so ill used that they are not good for much. So it is really a clear minority of antique British guns that should even be considered by the discerning sportsman. And most of those come at such a dear price that a new London best quality gun competes with it but has the advantages of modern steel and 100 years more experience and design improvement worked into the rifle.