doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Perrins Owners and Vintagers day at South Worceste

Hi Everyone � it has been a while. Yesterday we held our Perrins Owners Club meet and Vintagers Day here at South Worcester. It is always a worry about what will turn up � but we certainly weren�t disappointed.
David Baker and Lew Potter were on hand to cast an expert eye over the guns and give the owners as much information as they could. Several of the owners had a go at some of the clays so we had flint locks, percussion, pin fire and centre being used � no matchlocks this year! As usual we ran out of table space!
This 16 bore Perrins had just been bought the previous week by one of the members.

It is an exceptionally pretty semi or false hammer gun. Essentially it is a side lock hammerless gun with hammers attached to the tumblers to cock and un-cock the mechanism. I�m afraid my photograph doesn�t really do it justice.
Another fascinating find was this pin fire, again a 16 bore.

While we have seen several pin fires converted to centre fire this is the first Perrins that we have found that was originally a muzzle loader which was converted to pin fire. The owner had it in the loft but now he knows a little more about it he is having it completely restored and I am sure it will be a talking point on various pheasant days he takes it on next winter.
This was another very unusual gun if not unique. The owner thinks it was a one off gun made as a prototype which didn�t go into production � but perhaps you know differently? He still uses the gun regularly so the action has stood the test of time. You just push the button in to slide the bolt across to open the gun.




As soon as I get chance I will add a few more of the more interesting guns.
John

Here are a few more of the interesting guns�
The first is a tube lock by Fuller � obviously cutting edge at the time but doomed.



The second is a �pill lock� by Charles Moor � a wonderfully engineered mechanism and this one was in superb condition.







This is a 12 bore double rifle by Erskine

Here are a few more of the interesting guns�
The first is a tube lock by Fuller � obviously cutting edge at the time but doomed.



The second is a �pill lock� by Charles Moor � a wonderfully engineered mechanism and this one was in superb condition.







This is a 12 bore double rifle by Erskine

These are the last of the �very special� photos from the day. There were tables full of fascinating old guns in wonderful condition that were all �very special� to their owners. Unfortunately the day rushed by and all I could do was snap a few photos.

John Leighton, one of our earliest members, acquired this old Perrins in a very poor state � I think it must have been an early attempt at �ported� barrels � or it could have been a combination of less than diligent cleaning and corrosive black powder residues.
Well John decided to give the old gun a new lease of life and commissioned Graham Banks to sleeve the gun and generally give it a make over. If any of you know Graham, or know about Graham, he is somewhat of a perfectionist. He spent most of his working life with Chris Ashthorpe in Severn Stoke. I am sure that most of you will know that Chris was the �inventor� of sleeving, well at least he was here in the UK, getting it accepted by the proof house. When chris passed away a few years back Graham moved back to his house in Worcester and set up a workshop at the bottom of the garden. It seems entirely appropriate that Graham is now working his magic on a Worcester gun at the bottom of his garden in Worcester
I am sure you will agree that it is a lovely job and the old gun, rather than being consigned to the skip, is now ready for another 100+ years of faithful service



John with his gun � watch out pheasants!



Graham checking his work.



A lovely �flinter� by Davison



A percussion Purdey





I hope you have enjoyed the photos as much as I did taking them.

Thanks for posting those. Great guns.

I know I said the above were the last photos on this thread - but that was a bit of an untruth. Well at the time it was the truth - then this came along and I felt I had to share it. I know I have published photos of my punt gun being fired before and I also know it isn't a double - mores the pity!!! But hopefully you will forgive me and enjoy the spectacle - note the shot string coming out of the front of the cloud of smoke - almost cut the 40 gallon oil drum in half!! Thanks to Becky who took the photo - she is quicker on the shutter button than I am!!
John

Now THATS a gun......!

Looks like a captured German 88.