Here’s something I’ve never seen before: it’s a Peter V. Nelson shotgun for sale on the open market.
Peter Nelson is one of the world’s greatest gunmakers. He also a gunmaker few people know anything about.
Nelson started his career in the 1950s as an actioner at James Purdey & Sons. From there, he worked on guns for Hartmann & Weiss. In 1989, he went out on his own and built guns under his own name. I think he retired from gunmaking in 2012. This Queen’s Golden Jubilee Gun was one of the last firearms he built.
According to Vic Venters, Nelson built around 84 guns in all. Nine clients commissioned these guns; two clients ordered around 60 of them. I believe a few of these guns have changed hands over the years, but it was always done with just a phone call. These guns were not advertised anywhere or on display at a gunshow or in a gunshop. Take a look at the craftsmanship of the SXS show here, you can see why.
P.V. NELSON BEST SIDELOCK SXS 20 GAUGE WITH EXTRA BARRELS: KEITH THOMAS ENGRAVED, MADE 1991, ROUNDED ACTION, 28″ 006 AND 006 2 3/4″, 26″ 009 AND 009 2 3/4″, SINGLE TRIGGER, EJECTORS, BEAVERTAIL FOREARM, ENGLISH GRIP, CHECKERED BUTT, EXCELLENT WITH HANDLING MARKS IN THE WOOD, 5LBS 10 OZ, 2 1/2″ DAH,1 1/2″ DAC, 14 1/4″ LOP. Price: $57,500
