Forums.NitroExpress.com

Sorry Gentlemen to hear of your losses.

The first I knew of any problems was when Colin first mentioned difficulties with his order.

It is a pity the new Webley production has not succeeded. The prototype A-W Mk VII, I think it was called, looked very nice and useful in the modern .357 Magnum. I only saw the images displayed here on NE and elsewhere, no attending any USA gunshows. The price being asked was considerable for a revolver and outside my wallet's range. I would have loved to order one otherwise. Happy now to not to be able to .

I do not know how the prototype was made, but handmade or substantially is probably a good guess. Per Stuart A-W's comments it was to be made in the UK when production started..

I did visit Stuart in London. Arrived a bit late, and Stuart had some tax accounting meetings or something, so it turned into a very unsatisfying visit. A quick walk around the shop. Then met Stuart at a pub that evening where Micheal Yardley was as well. And that was that. Not happy to travel to the UK where one person to visit was quite inadequate.

However I did speak to Stuart A-W about every year or so on the phone for an hour or so each time.

Stuart Anderson-Wheeler is or was working as a PH and safari outfitter, I presume, in Tanzania and Africa. His family I believe owned the A-W "Gunmaker" in the UK. With a shop in the West End of London. The shop also sold skins, trophies, assorted high end hunting paraphenalia, wine or whiskey custom made bottle carriers etc. And also sold guns, I assume as a gun dealer. They had racks of guns in the basement.

At the time Anderson-Wheeler were selling a double rifle substantially made by Verney-Carron, as many people could see from the design of the rifle. This .500 NE appeared in the James Bond movie "Skyfall".

Later the ambitious plan to create the Anderson-Wheeler Mk VII (Webley styled) revolver in .357 Magnum appeared.

I was keen to see more of it, and Stuart promised me early exclusive access to promotion images etc of it. BTW that never happened. It took a while for them to get started on it, and the first I knew they were selling, was when they were at the gun shows and people were ordering.

So what happened?

To my knowledge, or was told, at some point the A-W family SOLD the business to a I believe US based person. Stuart A-W continued in some capacity. The new owner closed the West End shop and the premises was moved to country or country town area, anyway, not in expensive Central London. Also Stuart said they had trouble with antis at the shop window, I assume periodic vandalism. A full mounted lion in the window and other stuff probably does attract all the hunt saboteurs and wannabe types. Most London gunshops have very little display and mainly signage.

The new owners, per Stuart had ambitious plans to create a range of rifles and shotguns, in addition to the Webley style revolver. I never was told details of exactly what this range would include.

The A-W facebook page was taken down, and Stuart's own disappeared. He said he did not have the time for fb. Others in the established guntrade have done this, so it is not unusual. FB in particular is full of wannabes and people with such a basic knowledge only it can be frustrating at times. As well as people very knowledgeable and experienced, the grain with lots of chaff. The A-W webpage also eventually went down.

A year or so later I was still interested in how the plans were going and got in touch with Stuart. It took a month for him to call back, and I missed the call. I never followed up. At some point I think Stuart was no longer connected to the business, an impression I got.

Now was this brand a fake? They had a real shopfront, with real stock, and employees including one knowledgeable guy. They arranged a Verney-Carron A-W branded double rifle as their own, used in a movie and I believe sold and delivered some (?). A prototype Webley was created. It was promoted and orders and deposits taken.

My guess is cashflow and working capital was a problem, if an outside investor/purchaser of the business came in. The ambitious range of rifles and shotguns never appeared. It might also be difficult to manufacture and especially SELL and MARKET handguns in the UK where ownership of handguns is banned.

Having worked for an insolvency practitioner when in University, I can guess somethings. It is a pity customers having paid deposits can't at least get an explanation.

Unlike a Danish "gunmaker" where people made losses from dr deposits and there was little to backup the orders, A-W did have real premises, a real business, did make and deliver real sales. Including guns drs, knives, other stuff.

I have NO idea who the outside owner who came in was, assuming that was true? A corporate search on company records in the UK would confirm this for anyone interested.

That is what I know for those interested.

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John aka NitroX

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Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"