doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Palm Beach Purdey

Looks like a good example of an early Beesley patent Purdey hammerless; The first was in the 10,600 range I believe. Early features are the foliate carved fences, striker bushing retaining screws[pins] at outer radius of fences, and [unphotographed] cloverleaf shaped trigger plate finial. Barrel brown and case color look good in photos, but should be assessed in person. Stock looks to be refinished with sharp edges rounded and some color washed from wood. checkering hard to see in photos. Old case may or may not be original to gun as it looks to be relined. Worth taking a look at! Bring along your choke and wall thickness guages. Original chokes should be about .020. [10bore, 11 bore at muzzels]

Good luck and all the best, Mal

Mal - What reference are you consulting that tells you this is a 12 bore? From the barrel flats it appears to be a 10 bore(?)

Also, I garee with you about the case being re-lined. As far as the snap caps go, are they horn?

Thanks gunman.

OK, now wait a gosh darn minute! Mr Mac Gregor, didn't your original post, the one to which I responded, say in the closing parentheses that this was a 12 bore, 14 bore at the muzzle?

I know I'm getting old, but I SWEAR that's what I saw, which was the impetus for my response. C'mon, help me from going crazy - isn't that what you originally said? I saw that your post was edited, it must have been this, no? Help me, I ain't ready for the rubber room!

It's both of us because after reading Mal's post I kept going back to the barrel flat picture looking for 12 and 14 and all I could find was 10 and 11.

Mike

The 10 gauge gun weighs 7 lbs 3 ounces. I have heard of upland ten gauges before. I saw on the internet another 10 gauge Purdey this light, first Cabelas had it and then it showed up on Champlin's website. Unfortunately the chambers on that one had been lengthened to 3-1/2"

Best,

Mike

I wish I was closer (its probably a wee bit warmer down there and not as much snow I bet),as there are a couple other guns in that auction too (nice engraved Colt 1849)

If anyone goes,let us know how Purdey looks like,most important,as Mal says the barrels !Goodness know the auctioneer has no clue,he couldn't spell Purdey correctly when every thing in the case has it on it !

Dave - I've also been entertaining the notion of bidding on that Purdey, thinking that the lack of nitro proofs might be a turn-off for a lot of other potential buyers.

But, like you, I would feel more than a little uneasy about bidding a nice pile of dinero on a gun I've only seen a couple of snapshots of.

Also, forgot to thank Amarillo Mike for the confirmation on my eyesight/sanity!

Yup, I miswrote, but edited my post within a minute of posting; I can't believe you and Mike were both able to catch me!

I wouldn't worry about the lack of nitro proofs as long as all other things[chamber length, walls, and bore condition] are OK.

It looks as if the snapcaps are indeed horn with German silver or plated "brass" I have a number of similar caps with other makers names on them along with a patent date etc. stamped into the horn. They are quite scarce, and IMHO classy.

Mal

As I mentioned in my first post,I don't like to post auctions and ruin it for someone here by adding bidders,but figured this was interesting enough to put up.

Most of the antique dealers,like this one, that sell a gun every once and while have no clue.A call to ask about choke or chamber will bring a laugh but no info,forget about barrel thickness.Many times you lucky if they get gauge correct (bought more then one 12 that was a 16 even once a 20-they said it "looked a bit small").
Grandma's silver sure, but guns you roll the dice.

Pleased so many thought it was interesting as well,not often you see a damascus 10 ga Purdey in the case,and hope someone gets to go to the auction and finds a deal-my usual 15% finder fee will be fine )