doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com An ugly Purdey?

I didn't get any pictures so...sorry. The rib and the barrel flats tell me the gun was probably real. It was clearly a Beasley action, the wood and checkering were fine. Even the weight and balance was pretty decent so....I just don't know what to say? I think the gun is going to auction so, I suspect it will be online in the near-term.

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

Maybe he was being overly dramatic. I saw the pics of the guns. Other than the configuration...they didn�t look that bad. They were starting over in 45�, but the guys building the guns were older men, not of war age. Be that as it may...Purdey always had a good qc department. The gun would�ve never made it past the directors final inspection if it was as bad as it was described.
Arguably the best stock maker in the U.S right now was trained and apprenticed in the early to mid 70�s...they guys he apprenticed under were all old brown shoes types. No lack of quality there.

I saw pictures also, but, Dig had 'em in hand-at the time he was shopping auctions for customers, and if he could have sold them, he likely would have made money on them.
He didn't. Said he wouldn't. Also said he wouldn't be interested in owning them.
I didn't have any reason to doubt him.
It wasn't just war age men who died in London. All the gunmakers had war time production contracts, and were legitimate targets in the eyes of the nazis. I don't think Audley House was hit hard, but, it would surprise me if the staff remained the same from 1937-1947.

Best,
Ted

I love the Purdey action and most of their guns, but their QC was lacking in certain time periods. Recall a article from DGJ I believe where a gentleman fro Cleveland took delivery of a O/U in the 60's. First time out no bang, back to the factory. Then they tried to charge him for multiple visits to their own range to sort it out. This after he had already paid numerous escalations on the original agreed purchase price. I would still probably trade all my guns for the right Purdey

I believe that at some point the purchase price for a fine double offers a point of diminishing return. That price point is of course vastly different for everyone.
The right Purdey from the "good time period", of course. However, someone here advises to "buy the gun and not the name", good advice indeed!
Karl