For an insight into the workings of Purdey, we’re speaking to the people at the heart of the manufacturing. Our machine team – Kenny McCormick, Mark Sheppard, Barry Brown and Norbi Szoboszlai – expertly balance their technical approach with the design and handcraft elements of gunmaking, sharing a camaraderie that makes the job a joy to do. Here, Kenny, Mark and Barry explain the intricacies of their skillset, taking us behind the scenes in the Purdey machine room.
How long have you all worked for Purdey and what brought you to the job?
Kenny: I’ve been here for 12 years, I did engineering in college and then got an apprenticeship with Purdey and have been here ever since.
Mark: I’ve been here nearly 10 years now. I first came to Purdey when I was introduced by someone who worked here. I previously worked in aerospace, making rockets and things like that – and then fell into gunmaking.
Barry: I’ve got a total of 22 years in the gun trade, starting with Purdey for five years, then working elsewhere for a few years, before returning here about 13 years ago. Like Mark, I’m from an engineering background – there’s very little in terms of factory engineering jobs in central London, so when I found Purdey, I thought great, I can cycle to work along the river.
Did you start in machining or elsewhere in the factory?
Barry: Myself and Mark had a different entry point to Kenny, who came via the Apprenticeship Scheme. Whereas we have a more diverse background and experience – before I moved into gunmaking I had about 12 jobs in engineering companies, where I’ve picked up the processes and skills we use here today.
Kenny: I started with a two week trial, starting with a week stocking – after about a day I decided that it definitely wasn’t for me and moved to the machine shop where I loved it.
What do you like about this particular discipline?
Kenny: The precision. It’s nice when you’re making things that fit together, I enjoy that side of it. With what we do, technology is always advancing, so we’re constantly learning and developing skills, which is really cool.
Mark: I’ve always liked engineering, the way machines work and working with them. I like working to engineered drawings, because it defines the part you’re making. If a part matches the drawing, I know that it’s right — it’s not right by my eye, or how I think it should be, it’s a correctly engineered part.
How has the technology and innovation you work with evolved over the years at Purdey?
Kenny: The biggest thing we’ve seen is the implementation of the five-axis CNC mills – before we only had three-axis mills, which required us to do lots of fixturing. Now, with the five-axis, we can achieve a far more accurate and better product.
Mark: Certainly in the last 10 years, we’ve really invested in technology.
Barry: With the kit we’ve got, we utilise it to the best of our and the machines ability.
Mark: Often, people who aren’t in the engineering trade will see the type of equipment we’ve got and think that the machines do it all, that we press the magic green button and sit back. They don’t see the development behind it all.
Talk me through your typical day?
Kenny: Every day has a degree of similarity, but they’re really all very different. We all start at 6am, look at the admin, then work on what we’ve got that day.
Barry: I work on different projects to see them through, so I can have days if not weeks in front of the computer deciding how we’re going to do it and programming, then a week or two proving it out.
Mark: Our days do change, driven by the client and what gun is most urgent. We will also be working to replenish the stores, engineering the specific parts that the craft team can then select from to build the guns.
What’s the most challenging part of the job?
Barry: For us, it’s not just about being an engineer, you’ve got to know how to deal with the world of craft. We learn how they work, and vice versa, and we make it work well.
Mark: The ideal is that the gun is engineered to work perfectly inside, crafted so the aesthetic is perfect on the outside, that’s the artistic part. So, the customer has a handmade gun that never goes wrong. Engineering ensures that reliability, but the marriage between the different elements is hard to get right.
Kenny: No two guns are the same, because of the extent of bespoke options. Depending on the order, it will take a different amount of time to engineer compared to if we built with standardised parts: you’ve got development time, programming time, design, manufacturing and fitting time that’s all different to what would be a standard. Those timings can change a lot in engineering, gun to gun.
What’s the most rewarding part of the job?
Kenny: The camaraderie, the morale that we have, and the good work that we do.
Mark: I see a finished gun and I know that it’s been crafted well and that we’ve had a massive part in making it – they do look stunning. We all like doing good work, we keep ourselves in check. We’re also good at problem solving; an old gun could come in that’s nothing like what we make today, and we take it apart and put our heads together to figure out how to make it work for today.
We’re now welcoming applications for our Purdey Apprenticeship Scheme, until 21st October 2025; followed by our Open Day on 25th November 2025, where there's the chance to test your hand-craft skills, tour the London factory, ask any questions and get to know the team. Send your CV and cover letter letting us know why you're interested to apprenticeship@purdey.com – all ages and qualifications welcome, though a background in engineering is often useful – and we'll be in touch.