We spoke with Bill Blacker & Son about a lifetime in traditional gunmaking — from his early apprenticeship to working with some of London’s most respected houses, and the craft of barrel making at the highest level. With decades of experience behind him, his work reflects a deep understanding of precision, form, and the enduring traditions of the trade.
1. Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your background in gunmaking? What first drew you to the craft?
My name is Bill Blacker. I was born 2 miles from the Holland & Holland factory and came from a one parent family. I left school in 1975 and saw a job being advertised at my local careers office for an apprentice position at Holland & Holland and, to be honest, I had never heard of Holland & Holland nor what they made until I attended an interview with them which was verbal and a written test, which I passed. It was the careers office who encouraged me to apply for a position as I was good at metal work. I was offered an apprenticeship and started there in 1976 at the age of 16. It was at this time I left home so my wage and job were very important to me.
2. You spent time working with James Purdey & Sons and Holland & Holland — what did those experiences teach you, and how have they shaped your approach today?
When I started at Holland & Holland as an apprentice, the first year I was taught making tools for the craft, teaching me hand filing and machining. One day a week was spent at college learning mechanical craft studies, City & Guilds. After that first year I went into my chosen shop, the barrel shop, and I have never looked back.
I enjoyed every minute of it, learning to repair and make barrels including shotgun and double rifle barrels. I was also taught how to renovate antique barrels which had come in from India. I finished my apprenticeship in 1981.
I worked at Holland & Holland for 7 years, after which I was offered a job at James Purdey & Sons in 1983.
The Purdey way of barrel making was quite different to that of Holland & Holland, but this enhanced my skills as a barrel maker considerably. Amongst other things I was taught to make over & unders and how to regulate and pattern shotgun and double rifles.
The camaraderie at Purdeys was great as everyone worked on the same floor, whereas at Holland & Holland each shop was on a different floor. At Purdeys everyone could see each department master their crafts.
After a year at Purdeys I was given apprentices to train which I found very satisfying as I was passing my skills on for the future of gunmaking.
After 2 years at Purdeys I built a workshop at home and was given work by Purdeys to do there of an evening and weekends, for which I was very grateful as I now had a mortgage and was getting married to my wife Joanne.
I left Purdeys after 3 years and worked for myself. All the experience I had gained carved in stone my skills for the future of London Barrel Maker, my own company.
3. At this level, gunmaking is as much about feel as it is about precision — what, for you, defines a truly exceptional rifle?
In gunmaking and barrel making it is very important to have a good eye for forming and sculpturing the shape of a barrel, combined with the feel for working with a striker and file, planning off thousandths of an inch lengthways along a shotgun barrel which is measured on a wall thickness gauge for concentricity.
It is very different on a double rifle. It is important to get both barrels shooting at the same point of aim with the right convergence and perfectly on parallel.
The double rifle is filed and carved into a beautiful shape, some having a knots form to cover the round for strength and stability. The sight blocks and quarter rib are filed and formed from solid metal. The double barrel is regulated by a nose end wedge which is pushed in and out to transport the round to the correct position on the target.
4. You’ve spoken about your enjoyment of building larger calibre rifles — what is it about these that appeals to you as a craftsman?
The big calibre doubles are a passion of ours to make. They are heavy and exaggerated in shape to soak up recoil. There are many more parts than that of a shotgun. There is lots of carving of shapes that are fitting into the barrel which makes it more challenging.
In the 416, 450, 470, 500, 577, 600 and 700 we need to get the convergence and point of aim correct at the bench because they are aggressive to put rounds through.
5. Many of your pieces are made to commission — how closely do you work with clients, and how much does their intended use influence the final build?
We have a great rapport with our customers so we can replicate their thoughts and requirements on the bench to produce their perfect dream. In some cases our customers request the maker and we make the barrels accordingly.
6. Have there been any particular builds or commissions that have stayed with you, either for their complexity or the story behind them?
We have had special commissions from very important, influential and celebrity customers but our policy is to keep this confidential. On all the barrels we make are the initials ‘BB’.
To be honest all our jobs are special as they are individual and we have made barrels for most of the biggest names in the gun trade, including Purdeys, Holland & Holland, Rigbys, Boss, Hartmann & Weiss and Peter Nelson to name but a few.
Some of our special jobs over the years have been a double barrel 4 bore, 42”, replacement barrels for inline 3 barrel JDS & Boss, renovation of a Damascus 8 foot punt gun barrel and re-browning it, new and replacement double rifle barrels, and a 20 bore JPS with extra interchangeable 32” 28 bore barrels.
We get great pleasure in repairing barrels which the customer has been told are non-repairable by others.
7. Traditional gunmaking is increasingly rare — how do you see the future of the craft in the UK, and are you seeing a new generation coming through?
My aim in the later years of gunmaking is to mentor the younger generation in the old ways of handmade, bench gunmaking.
At the moment I am mentoring a young blacksmith who has turned his hand to reproducing Damascus the old traditional way and he is succeeding. His talents are amazing and I am helping turn his work from a tube into a barrel.
My legacy, knowledge and experience is also being passed on to my two sons to make and repair barrels in the traditional way.
8. For someone looking to pursue gunmaking today, what advice would you give starting out?
Leave school with some woodwork or metalwork experience. Be prepared for hard work, which will be very rewarding in the future, and a satisfying and massively proud job to have.
9. Away from the workshop, you’re also a judge of Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Bull Terriers, including at Crufts — how did that come about, and what does that side of your life bring to you?
My life is trying to be the best Dad, Grandad, Husband and Brother anyone could have. I have been judging, breeding and showing Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Bull Terriers for some 45 years now along with my wife Jo.
Jo and I have both dog and bitch breed record holders in showing, 10 UK champions, and have won Crufts 6 times in SBTs. We are both members of the Royal Kennel Club. Judging at Crufts is a bit like gunmaking, in reaching the pinnacle of your career.
The process of judging or breeding dogs is a bit like barrel making, you need a good eye for both. Judging dogs is like barrel making, you start at the beginning.
10. Do you attend any events or demonstrate your craft during the year?
I run a stand at the Game Fair and the British Shooting Show where I, along with a team of other Master Gunmakers and apprentices, demonstrate the art and craft of gunmaking. I also demonstrate at the World Gunmakers Evening and other events.
I now sit on the Court for the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers and am the Chairman for their Certification Panel, where I feel I am giving something back. The panel awards apprentices, Master Gunmakers and Lifetime Achievement Awards, recognising the craftsmen and women who have made the best guns in the world.
11. You mentioned passing your knowledge on to your sons, tell us more about them and also your daughter.
My sons James and Matt are both barrel makers trained by me. I trained them the way I was trained, the old fashioned way whilst combining modern techniques. As youngsters both were in and out of the workshop asking questions and at times touching things they shouldn't but this held them in good stead as by the time they had left school they were very familiar with the materials, tools and terminology in barrel making, repairing and gunmaking which was good for us all.
As well as working with me both James and Matt now have their own businesses - James, G.H. Daw. He also browns and blacks barrels and Matt - Bespoke Sporting Guns as well as helping me in the workshop. I think being creative and gifted with our hands runs in the family. My wife Jo is great on a sewing machine, making items of clothing and soft furnishings and has a City & Guilds in embroidery and my daughter, Hayley is a diamond setter and artist.
At school Hayley excelled in art and did her work experience for a company who set diamonds and hand engraved for the jewellery insustry as well as bespoke jewellery manufacturing. She did well as they offered her an apprenticeship. Years on her passion was still art. She now has her own one off collections and We'ar Art Company, where her artwork is transferred onto items of clothing.
I’m extremely proud of my family who have always supported me and will carry on my legacy in the future.
You can follow more of Bill Blacker & Sons work on Instagram at @londonbarrelmaker
Also you can find more about Hayley, James and Matt below:
@hayley_gell_art
@ghdawgunmakers_est1780
@bespoke_sporting_guns
@wearartclub
@blackers_cars