1n the 1960's I had the opportunity to purchase a Purdey hammer gun, damascus barrels, looked good but missing one hammer. I decided to look into the cost of replacing the missing hammer. Took the gun into Powell's in Birmingham. There I met with Mr Powell [Peters, father],Who examined the gun, removed the barrels, took a pen knife from his pocket. ran the blade down the joint of top rib to the barrel, gave the knife a shove half way down the barrel, Handed the barrels back to me, a glance down the barrels showed the knife blade protruding into the bore!. The advice given was; "Young man take the gun and it and throw it the canal." The gun was returned to the seller! I leaned a valuable lesson, buyer be ware!
