doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Thoughts on purchasing a 1889 Purdey 12 gauge

My dreams of owning a Purdey have been crushed today. The gun has failed the inspection. I was really looking forward taking the Purdey home with me tomorrow. This is the 3rd or 4th gun that has failed inspection.

Is it possible to find a nice gun for about $15K? Based on my research I would say no, but everyone keeps telling me to continue my search and that I will find a gun. Again, if anyone knows of a nice Purdey or Boss for sale please let me know. At this point I really would prefer to deal with a private party. I really do not want to deal with gun dealers any more.

Ken

Just maybe, you expect too much?
You said it, 15k is about the lower limit for an old decent Purdey, and dreamland stuff for a Boss.
Look for a James Woodward, or one of the second tier London makers like - Atkin, Beesley and Grant.
Wm. Evans and Charles Boswell too!
They'd fit your needs, and your price.

You, folks, remind me I own Purdey Best 1906. I have to say there is nothing special. When I bought it a decade ago I used it a lot, then it became boring and I allmost forgot about this gun.
Month ago I got a chance to handle H&H Royal DR .375Fl about 1900...
Now I want H&H DR

Your not expecting to much IMO.What do you think the dealers are paying for some of them?
Besides part of the fun is in the hunt !
Why did this one fail inspection ?

Yeah, I would like to hear specific results of the inspection.

Why is a man with a Ferrari in his garage so parsimonious about a shotgun? At $15k for a vintage Purdey you expect to pass a stringent "white-glove" inspection you will torment yourself for quite a while. You are shopping for a top maker with a budget for middlin' at best.

Curl

You lose very little with the top of the second tier London makers. The boys "from Purdey," work was top-rate thru and thru.
The Beesley, or Atkin was no stranger to invited shoots.

At 15 large, and for everyday use, a hammerless Purdey should, by all means, have some warts. That way, "neither sleet, nor snow, nor poacher's light" and all that rot. If it was in proof, and with a stock that wasn't cracked, just about all else could have been forgiven. What was up?
That said, I've seen a few "bests" over the years that were 'sorta ho-hum. Not sure if they left the plant that way, were worked on by gun stooges, or what. And, then there was Henry Ford IIs matched pair of single trigger, pistol grip Purdeys. Not good. Not good at all.
Best,
Ted

A Purdey used to be what Purdey thought it should be - when those Yanks with all the money came over asking for pistol grips and beaver tail forends, single triggers and raised ventilated ribs, the old boys in the factory did not like it much - but he who pays the piper.....

Decades later we blame the men who made it - blame the philistine who specified it!

SB - probably fair to blame USA for beaver tails (after all, the beaver being a USA rodent, Europe had no model) and vent ribs. But, you all are going to have to stand up to single triggers. Shoot, I doubt if theyada even been thunk up here until yourallz gunmakers figgered 'em out in the 1890's. And, you all were putting pistol grips on shotguns long before the first rich American showed up for a proper gun.

kd - why did the Purdey not pass muster? $15K should get you a basic working model. It will likely need some blacking, maybe so back on-face, maybe a touch-up to the lever work, a spring or two, etc. But, basically a first-run working gun. It won't get you one with a lot of original finish.

Rocketman:

I am meeting Alfred in about an hour to review the gun with him. As of now I do not have an exact reason as to why the gun failed.

As I have previously stated, I do not want a perfect gun. I want a shooter that I can use guilt free out in the field. My budget does not allow for a perfect gun and I realize any gun I get will have warts that I will have to deal with. However, I still think for $15K I should be able to get a shooter that is original and in proof. The gun may not have any case color, the barrels and trim may not be black, the wood may be faded and have lots of dents, but this is OK. What I do expect is a gun in proof, good original barrels and a gun that has not been hacked by botched repairs.

Ken