The Ford Purdeys were no doubt uglier than a hat full of assholes, and odd to boot....but they were still Purdeys, and done that way from the factory. While the guns were unappealing to the eye, they were still built to Purdey standards. The gun the Lloyd is describing sounds like a fugazi.
Dustin,
Dig reported that the checkering, finish of wood, finish of metal, and engraving were all sub par on the Ford Purdeys. The reasons were easy enough to deduce, considering the time frame of the build-all the talent that had been in place to handle those tasks ten years prior, had been scattered and/or lost due to the war.
Pre-war guns are considered better not because of design, but, because of the human talent that had been in place and trained to make the guns what they were.
They were starting over in 1945. And it showed.
As to the guns configuration, only Edsel Ford could likely explain that. They were not typical light game guns. Neither appeared to have been used much.
Best,
Ted
