A Break in the Action

American Bests

When people hear the phrase American Best, it’s natural to think of a comparison— specifically to the traditional best guns of the London trade.And in some ways, that comparison makes sense. The British defined the term. They built the guns that set the standard, and their influence still shapes how we think about fine sporting arms today.But the more time you spend studying American doubles, the more you realize that comparison only goes so far.American gunmakers weren’t working in the same world.  They built for different customers, different markets, and different expectations. Their guns came from factories, not small London shops. They were sold from catalogs, not fitting rooms. And they were designed to be used hard in the field—not just admired for their craftsmanship.And yet, when those same makers set out to build their very best—when they pushed their designs, their materials, and their workmanship to the highest level—they produced shotguns that stand with anything made in their time.Not copies of London best guns or substitutes for them, but distinctly American answers to the same challenge.In this episode, we explore what American Best really means through the lens of five legendary makers: L.C. Smith, Parker Brothers, A.H. Fox, Ithaca, and Lefever—and the different paths each one took to define excellence in their own way.Our Sponsors:The Beretta GalleriesHouse of BruarB&P ShotshellsDelaney & SonsNegrini CasesGuyette and DeeterGriffin and HoweCastellani USAHave a comment or suggestion? Text Ryan now! (please note: this messenger does not allow for replies)Support the show

Forgotten British Gunmakers with Simon Reinhold

In this episode of A Break in the Action, I sit down with Simon Reinhold of Holt’s Auctioneers for a deep dive into the history of the British gun trade and the remarkable craftsmen whose names have faded from common conversation. While makers like Purdey, Holland & Holland, and Boss are widely recognized today, the development of the modern sporting shotgun was shaped by dozens of inventors, provincial makers, and trade specialists whose work laid the foundation for everything that followed. Together, Simon and I discuss the extraordinary burst of innovation that took place in the second half of the nineteenth century.Along the way, the conversation turns to the enduring appeal of these lesser-known guns, how to recognize quality craftsmanship even when the name on the rib isn’t familiar, and why many of these makers deserve a second look from modern shooters and collectors. This episode is both a historical overview and a reminder that the story of fine gunmaking is far bigger than the handful of famous names most of us know.In this episode:Holt's AuctioneersOur Sponsors:The Beretta GalleriesHouse of BruarB&P ShotshellsDelaney & SonsNegrini CasesGuyette and DeeterGriffin and HoweCastellani USAHave a comment or suggestion? Text Ryan now! (please note: this messenger does not allow for replies)Support the show

Reviving a London Gunmaking Legend: Frederick Beesley

In this episode, I sit down with Bradley Davis of The London Gun Company to explore the legacy and revival of Frederick Beesley—one of the most influential yet often overlooked figures in British gunmaking. From Beesley’s groundbreaking self-opening action to the careful resurrection of his name in a new line of bespoke shotguns, this conversation examines heritage, craftsmanship, and what it means to carry a historic London gunmaking tradition forward today. In this episode:Frederick BeesleyOur Sponsors:The Beretta GalleriesB&P ShotshellsDelaney & SonsNegrini CasesGuyette and DeeterGriffin and HoweCastellani USAHave a comment or suggestion? Text Ryan now! (please note: this messenger does not allow for replies)Support the show

The Story behind the Stories: Shooting Sportsman magazine

I’ve been reading Shooting Sportsman for more than twenty years. For a long time, I assumed the magazine was the product of careful planning by fully staffed departments and committees responsible for long-range strategies mapped decades into the future. But the more I’ve learned about the people behind it, the more I’ve realized something else entirely.What exists between the covers of Shooting Sportsman today is the result of good judgment and of restraint. Of primarily two individuals willing to move slowly, trust their instincts, and protect a standard—even when faster, louder options were available.Today, I’m joined by those two individuals: Ralph Stuart and Thierry Bombeke. Between them, they’ve seen the magazine grow, thrive, struggle as the digital age emerged, recover, and then hold its ground and grow again while nearly everything around it changed.This episode won’t be a highlight reel but instead a rare look behind the curtain. A conversation about how decisions get made when taste and business might not always agree. About what it means to care for something long enough that it becomes less about ownership—and more about stewardship.In this episode:Shooting SportsmanOur Sponsors:The Beretta GalleriesB&P ShotshellsDelaney & SonsNegrini CasesGuyette and DeeterGriffin and HoweCastellani USAHave a comment or suggestion? Text Ryan now! (please note: this messenger does not allow for replies)Support the show

Safe Queens (and why they’re OK)

There’s a tendency—especially among hunters—to feel a little uncomfortable about the guns we own but don’t use, as if a shotgun that isn’t carried in the field is somehow failing its purpose. Or worse, that we’re failing it.I like to think that January has a way of softening that self-accusation.  Because when the season is over, and the pressure to choose is gone, you realize something important: not every gun is meant to earn its place through miles walked or birds taken. Some earn it by staying exactly where they are.Some shotguns live in the safe because they’re tied to a person rather than a pursuit. A father’s gun. A grandfather’s gun. A piece that carries more memory than practicality. You don’t leave those behind because they don’t work—you leave them behind because they already have... they’ve done their job.Our Sponsors:The Beretta GalleriesB&P ShotshellsDelaney & SonsNegrini CasesGuyette and DeeterGriffin and HoweCastellani USAHave a comment or suggestion? Text Ryan now! (please note: this messenger does not allow for replies)Support the show