John Knott

A member of the Worplesdon Rifle Club in the early-1950s, John Knott was regarded as one of the best shots in England at the time, and in 1953 won the Surrey County Small-bore Rifle Association title for the fourth consecutive year. He also won the West of Scotland aggregate in 1953. Knott was, however, better known for manufacturing rifles, and it is reported he made the centre-fire high power rifle used by the British team at the 1948 Olympics, at which Knott took part in the free rifle three positions event.

Knott’s business, John C.J Knott Ltd., was established in Kingston-upon-Thames, not far from his Surrey birthplace. His rifles were very successful, and because of that, he gained a significant reputation. He also had a reputation for being a “ladies’ man” and enjoyed the social life. As a shooter, he had a varied career and, while he enjoyed game shooting, he was something of an expert at small-bore target competition. He represented Great Britain many times, including at the 1947 World Championships in Stockholm. He also competed in the Dewar Cup four times, 1947, 1951-53.

In 1950, Knott published a short-lived monthly magazine called The Marksman. He moved to the United States in 1954 and became manager of a sporting goods company in Tucson, Arizona, where he died of a heart attack in 1965, at the age of 51. At the time of his death, Knott was a Pima County Auxiliary Deputy Sheriff. He was also a member of the Tucson Trap and Skeet Club, the Tucson Rifle Club and the Pima Pistol Club.