Stan, I'll answer your question--I'm familiar with the gun. Mike,s Purdey began life in 1847 as a 14 gauge muzzleloader. In the mid-1880's it was returned to Purdey to be converted to a 16 gauge breechloader. Since the bore was rather large Purdey decided the best way to go was to chamber it for brass 16 gauge thin walled hulls and load oversize wads in it. (This is all in the Purdey records). In other words, it was the only way they could find to make the conversion work.
Incidently, I find the gun very interesting. In the conversion Purdey saved the barrels, locks, buttplate, and triggerguard. They literally whittled out an action to fit the barrels--and it's a beautiful piece of work, though heavily used. Can we imagine in today's world someone finding it cost effective to completely hand make an action to save a set of barrels? I can't even comprehend what a different world it was 120 years ago.
