A profile of the Proof Master, David Miles

Taking his place as the 28th Proof Master at the Proof House, David Miles is both humbled and honoured to join an organisation which has been at the heart of ensuring firearm safety and quality since 1637.

Between the Proof House in London and the one in Birmingham, which was established in 1813, every firearm made in the UK and imported to the UK is checked to ensure they are safe for use and fit for purpose. While the two organisations operate completely separately, they speak collectively as the British Proof Authority.

From the moment he saw his father open his shotgun cabinet as a youngster and caught a glimpse of the guns inside, David was intrigued. ‘I instantly wanted to hold one and my father said, “When you’re older, you can.”’

Having fired his first air pistol at the age of six and shot his first rabbit with an air rifle by the time he was nine (all under adult supervision of course), and with a family history of cannon making dating back to the 1700s, David’s fascination with guns and outdoor pursuits merely flourished and he began clay pigeon shooting with shotguns before being introduced to game shooting by his father in his early teens.

David went on to complete a law degree at the University of Kent, and with a keen interest in business, he earned an MBA in Business Management from Nottingham University. After a number of years working in the insurance industry, David eventually realised that his passion for guns and shooting was something he wanted to turn into a full-time career. After spotting an advert in a shooting magazine for a position with John Rigby & Co. as a gunroom assistant, which David describes as a ‘unique coincidence’, he was determined to get the job.

(Image courtesy of John Rigby & Co)

Joining an organisation with a history of almost 400 years, David appreciates the significance of his new appointment. ‘The magnitude of its importance is sometimes underrated. The Proof Houses in both London and Birmingham and the proof procedures have increased the standards of the safety of firearms to a point where our armed forces could safely use them to defend the country while sportsmen and women can safely use firearms as part of a recreation sport and hobby. Stepping into something that’s much bigger and older than myself and being given the opportunity to carry out a role that’s been in existence since 1637 is a great honour.’

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