I am considering the purchase of J. Purdey #96XX (c.1876). This is a 12-ga. toplever back-action hammergun with 30" damascus barrels. All numbers match. There are no "Quality E" etc. stampings on the water table or elsewhere. The seller is saying that he believes, but isn't positive, that the barrels have been rebarreled by Purdey using a set of barrels from an earlier underlever gun because the top rib is not on the same plane as the top of the action when closed--the top rib is actually close to 1/8" lower. So here's the question:

Should the top rib be on the same plane as the top of the action at the standing breech on all original Purdey hammerguns from this period?

Wild Skies
Since 1951