doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Question for those that know Purdey hammerguns.

I wonder why someone would sleeve damascus to damascus? I have a restored Purdey for sale at Steve Barnet's web site that was sleeved invisible with a pigeon rib.
It's a bar action and fully restored in England.
From what I see it looks really nice. Not an Island Lock though but still looks rather nice.

The "BNP" = "Birmingham Nitro Proof" - they're Birmingham proofs.

Gentlemen, I believe the barrel flats have both London and Birmingham proof marks. The four original proof marks from London on the inner row of each barrel and the Birmingham re-proof marks in the outer row.



I do not have a pic showing the action flat stamps and I have not yet heard back from Purdey's.

Toby, isn't there about the same amount of reveal from the rib to the top of the breech face on this subject gun and the b-i-w gun from Drake's that skeettx posted the pic of?

Look away and don't look back...

Wild Skies, the gun does have London black powder proof marks but when reproofed the original marks are no longer valid. They only tell you that the barrels were originally proofed in London.

Flychamps, the fact is the barrels have London preliminary and final black powder proof stamps, as well as the gauge and inspection proof marks. I only mentioned it because you, OH Osthaus and Bushveld didn't acknowledge these London proof marks in previous posts to this thread.

Correct. I at least was concentrating on the reproof and missed the originals completely

Wild Skies: I have gone back to your pictures and, for what it is worth, yes, I agree. There is no significant difference between the set up in skeettx's picture and yours. The rib is simply a 'swamped rib' but I would repeat that judging by the style of the shield, it is likely a re-barrelled or re-ribbed barrel set.
I have in stock a 16g H&H Royal with a swamped rib that was a retro-fit. On that gun the rib has been merged into the breech profile, only sinking away from line of sight after an inch or so.

I also have a 12g baraction Blanch hammergun which has the same shield as the Blanch you posted and this was obviously originally made as a swamped rib.
Bushveld: As to the style of the gun, I have restored several Purdeys from this era with standard backlocks, peninsular as you describe them. Certainly Purdey produced many island locks but it was not their only style. It is difficult to be definitive without handling the gun but the overall style and engraving looks like a Purdey. However the rib engraving doesn't look right: too bold and not laid out quite right. I would guess it was put on by an outworker who was not really familiar with the Purdey top rib engraving style or simply found the small lettering too difficult to reproduce.

Let's hope Purdey's will sort it out. My suspicion is that the barrels could easily be original. It has London Black Powder proof marks of the correct period and later Birmingham Nitro Re-proof marks. I have an 1869 Purdey with the same swamped rib that is stepped down from the action. I think the best clue for Purdey's is the CO with the crown above at the breech end of the barrels. If this matches one of their workmen's marks; probably the barrel filer. I don't think they were having hammer guns made in Birmingham of that quality at the time. As for Island locks or normal back action locks that would be no indicator other than customer preference. Lagopus.....

Wild;

After reading your reply, I viewed again the photo of the barrel flats and what I thought at a quick look was strikeovers with a tool by the proof house are indeed original London proof marks. My apologies.

I also wondered who "C.O." was. Dallas (book) does not list a Purdey employee with those initials in his 1875 list, however the list he viewed at Purdey's is not likely complete; and they could also be the initials of one of Purdey's barrels testers. Dallas also says that Purdey's barrel list is available for the time frame of the gun under discussion; and I would suggest that you ask Purdey to view the barrel book as well.

BV