A Damascus sidelock from London, a hand-detachable lock from Birmingham, a three-barrelled .410 from Austria and the Italian over-and-unders on every sporting layout: Fieldsports Journal has picked 11 of the world’s finest shotguns, running from Purdey’s Damascus model sidelock at £249,600 down to an £890 Mossberg pump-action, taking in Holland & Holland, Westley Richards, John Rigby & Co., Karl Hauptmann, Beretta, Perazzi, Rizzini, Caesar Guerini and Fabarm along the way.
For the show visitor the list doubles as a walking route. Holland & Holland, Caesar Guerini, GMK, which brings Beretta to the UK, and ASI, which imports Rizzini, are all listed in the Great British Shooting Show’s shotguns exhibitor directory, and Purdey, Westley Richards, Beretta, Perazzi, Rizzini, Fabarm and Mossberg all appear in the show’s brands directory. That is nine of the 11 makers here, or the firms that bring them to Britain, and the names to look for in the exhibitor list for the NEC Birmingham, 12 – 14 February 2027, as it is confirmed. Only Rigby and Karl Hauptmann sit outside the show’s directories.
The 11 guns are the Fieldsports Journal team’s selection rather than the results of a test. Each is listed with its price and its maker or UK distributor. Prices are those supplied at the time of publication and may since have changed; note that some are quoted inclusive of VAT and some exclusive.
Bespoke Best guns from Purdey, Holland & Holland, Westley Richards, Rigby and Hauptmann
Purdey The Damascus model Sidelock s/s
A side-by-side sidelock from Purdey, and the gun that sets the ceiling for the list.
RRP: From £249,600 inc VAT
Holland & Holland Royal Over & Under
An over-and-under from Holland & Holland, the only bespoke over-and-under among the five best guns here.
RRP: From £175,000 exc VAT
Westley Richards Hand-detachable lock shotgun
A side-by-side from Westley Richards, built to order and quoted to the customer’s own specification.
RRP: POA
John Rigby & Co. The Rigby Rising Bite shotgun
A side-by-side from John Rigby & Co., the only one of the four British best guns listed at a fixed figure.
RRP: £137,310 inc VAT
Karl Hauptmann Triple shotgun s/s/s .410
A three-barrelled .410 from Karl Hauptmann, the one break-action in the guide that is neither a conventional side-by-side nor an over-and-under.
RRP: €120,000 exc VAT
That is the bespoke tier: four British houses and one Austrian, and only Rigby, of the British houses, puts a fixed figure on its gun; the Hauptmann is a flat €120,000 before VAT. Three of the five, Purdey, Holland & Holland and Westley Richards, are names the show visitor will find in the directories, and Holland & Holland is a listed shotguns exhibitor.
Over-and-unders, side-by-sides and a pump-action from £890 to £19,181
Beretta DT11 EELL
An over-and-under from Beretta, the top of the Italian tier in this guide.
RRP: £19,181 inc VAT
Perazzi High Tech Game
An over-and-under from Perazzi, listed through Perazzi UK.
RRP: From £13,273 inc VAT
Rizzini BR552 ‘de Luxe’ Special
A side-by-side from Rizzini, the one traditional side-by-side in the guide below five figures.
RRP: £7,866 inc VAT
Caesar Guerini Invictus ArtCo SG Specialist
An over-and-under from Caesar Guerini, one of three Italian guns here between £5,950 and £7,866.
RRP: £6,895 inc VAT
Fabarm Grade IV Sporting
An over-and-under from Fabarm, and the entry point to the over-and-unders in this guide.
RRP: £5,950 inc VAT
Mossberg 590 Mariner
A pump-action from Mossberg, the cheapest gun in the list and the only one that is not a break-action.
RRP: From £890 inc VAT
For the visitor planning February, the guide sorts into a route. Start with the Italian over-and-unders and side-by-sides, where Caesar Guerini and GMK for Beretta are listed exhibitors and Perazzi, Rizzini and Fabarm appear in the brands directory, then go looking for the London and Birmingham names. Five of the 11 guns are over-and-unders, four are side-by-sides, one is a pump-action, and the Hauptmann, one of the two makers not in the show’s directories, sets three .410 barrels side by side. Which guns each exhibitor brings is settled nearer the time, so check the 2027 exhibitor list as it is confirmed; the directories are the place to start.
Top tier shotguns at a glance
| Gun | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Purdey The Damascus model Sidelock s/s | Side-by-side sidelock | From £249,600 inc VAT |
| Holland & Holland Royal Over & Under | Over-and-under | From £175,000 exc VAT |
| Westley Richards Hand-detachable lock shotgun | Side-by-side | POA |
| John Rigby & Co. The Rigby Rising Bite shotgun | Side-by-side | £137,310 inc VAT |
| Karl Hauptmann Triple shotgun s/s/s .410 | Three-barrel .410 | €120,000 exc VAT |
| Beretta DT11 EELL | Over-and-under | £19,181 inc VAT |
| Perazzi High Tech Game | Over-and-under | From £13,273 inc VAT |
| Rizzini BR552 ‘de Luxe’ Special | Side-by-side | £7,866 inc VAT |
| Caesar Guerini Invictus ArtCo SG Specialist | Over-and-under | £6,895 inc VAT |
| Fabarm Grade IV Sporting | Over-and-under | £5,950 inc VAT |
| Mossberg 590 Mariner | Pump-action | From £890 inc VAT |
Frequently asked questions
What is the most expensive shotgun in this guide?
The Purdey Damascus model sidelock side-by-side, from £249,600 including VAT, followed by the Holland & Holland Royal Over & Under from £175,000 excluding VAT. The Westley Richards hand-detachable lock shotgun is price on application. All three makers appear in the show’s directories.
What is the least expensive shotgun in this guide?
The Mossberg 590 Mariner pump-action, from £890 including VAT, listed through vikingshoot.com; Mossberg appears in the show’s brands directory. The least expensive over-and-under is the Fabarm Grade IV Sporting at £5,950 including VAT.
Which side-by-side shotguns are in the guide?
The Purdey Damascus model sidelock, the Westley Richards hand-detachable lock shotgun, the John Rigby & Co. Rising Bite and the Rizzini BR552 ‘de Luxe’ Special, plus the Karl Hauptmann triple shotgun, whose three .410 barrels sit side by side.
Do the prices include VAT?
Not all of them. Most prices are quoted inclusive of VAT, but the Holland & Holland (from £175,000) and the Karl Hauptmann (€120,000) are quoted exclusive of VAT, and the Westley Richards is price on application.
Related articles
Shotguns exhibitors – the show’s shotguns exhibitor directory, including Holland & Holland, Caesar Guerini, GMK and ASI
Brands at the show – the brands directory, where Purdey, Westley Richards, Perazzi, Rizzini, Fabarm and Mossberg appear
Show guide – planning a visit to the NEC Birmingham