Founded in 1821 by Joseph Lang

Atkin Grant and Lang is an amalgamation of three of the best and most prolific shotgun and rifle makers in the world. 

Established in 1821, the Atkin Grant & Lang history started with Joseph Lang. Gun maker, retailer and innovator, Lang made a huge impact in the development of breech loading shotguns as well as establishing the .470 Nitro Express rifle.

In 1925 Lang merged with Stephen Grant, formerly managing partner of Boss & Co. Grant set up his own business in St James, London in 1866 and quickly become well known for his exceptionally elegant, beautifully made shotguns. Earning Royal Warrants from the Prince of Wales, Queen Victoria, the Czar of Russia and The Sultan of Turkey, Grant was famed for keeping his guns mechanically simple and reliable, focusing on quality of finish and handling.

The final part of the famous trio was amalgamated in 1960. After working for James Purdey & Sons, Henry Atkin began building guns under his own name in 1875 and in 1877 opened his first premises in Haymarket, London using the name ‘Henry Atkin’ (from Purdey’s). Atkin is best known for his Beesley style ‘self-opening’ sidelock and his renowned Gough Thomas gun, made for Shooting Times writer Godfrey Thomas Garwood. Gough Thomas was famously hard to please, but was highly complementary of Atkin’s work stating in a letter that "I am particularly pleased with the smoothness of opening ... and the uniformity of the effort required to close it”.

The trio of gun making names lives on as Atkin Grant & Lang, continuing to build best quality shotguns and rifles to this day.

Do you own an Atkin, Grant or Lang?

The beauty of an old English gun is it’s pasts. Atkin Grant & Lang still hold the original sales ledgers for Henry Atkin, Stephen Grant and Joseph Lang. These records can offer an insight into the history of your gun and who it was originally made for.

If you have the serial number of your gun we can easily find the year of manufacture. Please contact us on the email address at the bottom of the page.

If you would like a more in-depth history, please let us know. A certificate of origin, complete with an image of the original ledger entry and an Atkin Grant & Lang cleaning cloth is charged at £85.00.

Please note, although our history archives are extensive, they are not 100% complete. Some of the ledgers have been lost or damaged over the years.