A friend called me this week to see if would be interested in buying a Purdey that came into his shop. It's on consignment, the owner is asking $6900.00 for it. A bargain, right ,well, the mechanics are great. The gun is tight. The ejectors, triggers,and safety are fine. The chambers are still 2 1/2 inches. I didn't see any pitting in the barrels.
But,
The stock is broken and very rough.
The barrels have a few minor dents and need reblued.
The engraving needs picked up.
The case color is gone.
What be be an approximate cost for a total redo here in the states ?
Since it is a Purdey should the renovation be done by Purdey ?
I walked away from it but am now having second thoughts.
opinions would be appreciated.
Thanks, Dave

$7500 for a beater with a broken stock and dented barrels
SURE, go for it

Then another $7500 for stock and refurb

I'd buy it...Geo

Sounds like a viable project providing:
the MWT's are above the low 20's,
the engraving is worn on soft metal, not hardened,
you are prepared to spend a LOT of money getting the work done right.

No, do not give it to Purdey, they will charge you a fee 5x what it would cost you through the best of the US restorers.
However, I would consider sending it to the UK for the work but I appreciate that this is a whole shed load of work.

Not sure who lets a Purdey get into that kind of shape to begin with - has to have been neglected for years or decades.

Offer him $3500 and see if he calls you back in a few months.

Agree with Dan. These projects tend to get completely out of hand. Pictures would be helpful.

I may be able to take a few cell phone pics next week.
I'm sure the price is negotiable. The owner actually bought it at a yard sale this summer.

Couple things here.

First, more about the gun, gauge, barrels, chokes, era, etc. Is it still in proof? Just the name Purdey on it doesn't mean it worth the money.

This was my experience which turned out well.

I was offered this gun about 4 years ago.







It was built in 1894 for this guy, Howard Fitzwilliam. It's No.2 of a pair.





Surprisingly all was as it left Purdeys 122 years before except the bores were about 0.001-0.002 over from honing and the pad added about an ounce to the weight. MWT was .025-6" 9" from muzzle, mid 50 thousandths 9" from breech. Everything else was the same and it was returned to Purdey in 1924 for Nitro Proof.

I brought it to the Orvis Gamefair at Sandanona and showed it to Steve Murray, Purdey's Project Manager to get an evaluation. He told me it was "as tight as the day it was made" but very tired looking and that it would cost $15,000 plus cost of wood for Purdey's to restock and make it right. He told me it would probably sell for around $5000 as is. I then went and showed it to Barnett and Hoyt who were there. They confirmed that price was right about what they'd pay for it, if they were buying, but they weren't.

I decide to buy the gun and sent it to Abe Chaber. Abe was able to rejuvenate the stock (he was quite surprised at the figure he found under the grime), add the leather pad and clean up the metal.
I'm very happy, especially as the original dimensions are extremely close to my own.











Purdey was also kind enough to send a shot of the book original entry.



I ended up with a nice game gun for well under $10K. But this gun was still in proof.

You might want to call around and see if any dealers have something like it in their stock. Maybe mechanically sound but too raggy to sell and they don't want to sink money in in this market. From my experience the gun you are contemplating is over priced, especially in the current climate.

Terc;

Broken stock and all the other issues wrong with that Purdey leads to the decision that it is worth what used Purdey assisted opening mainsprings are worth today along with the other action, barrel and fore end parts. Therefore it is worth $1,500.00 to $2,500.00



Recoil Rob;

Abe really did turn a sow's ear into a silk purse for you. Beautiful vintage Purdey now.

Thanks Bushveld.

This is the cautionary tale of my first restoration project many years ago. I post it here from time to time as a warning to the unwary. The gun also came out beautiful but it's a BLNE.


https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=226517

if you go for it, have turnbull do the work, get a receipt and then one day, sell it for profit or loss...people pay for turnbull's fine work, if you have that receipt...realistically, i would budget around ten grand for the project...keeping in mind that demand for this sort of thing is dying, quite literally...

https://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com/as...2&saletype=

https://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com/as...8&saletype=

Any Purdey is worth saving.
Recoil Rob, am I to believe that is the same gun?

Turnbull would be my last resort to have any work done on an English best gun.

Agree. But I recommend a pass on this money pit.
JR

Mike,

Abe does great work!

On one hand,the Holt's links say nothing about selling prices, which are easily found. On the other hand, the OP says nothing about wall thickness. We have seen perfectly acceptable Purdeys sell for less than the price of this gun, within the last month or two. Stocks can be fixed, barrel walls can't.

I would ask for a 14 day inspection send the gun to Aaron Little for a estimate for the restoration. jmho

My point of the Holts links were to show that you could import one a lot less expensive than this money pit. Usually the estimated range are very close to realized purchases.

The first gun you linked to is a non ejector, with a cracked stock. I’m just guessing, but a non ejector Purdey might be like a tattoo-you better like it because you have to pay to get rid of it.

Best,
Ted

dont know bout the udder guys, but people will pay for turnbull's work come resale time...long as you got duh receipt...

here is an example of what turnbull can do for shotguns...

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-f...un_id=101467003

You should check again. What’s that old carpenter saying... measure twice cut once???
Anyway their ad says ejector, both.

The title states "ejector", the copy and specs state "non-ejector".

Wonder how much more Barnett could get for the AAH matched pair if they had ejectors?? RWTF

Here is a retail quality Purdey that Diggory Hadoke apparently sold for approx. 7K (in pounds).

https://www.vintageguns.co.uk/gun-sales/purdey-12-bore

Would be very hard to do the work this one needs and come in at that price point even after factoring import cost, etc.

You may want to check with some of the dealers either in the states or UK and see what they have on offer before taking the plunge on this one.

I believe the ad copy has changed since I first read it. It now states “self opener converted from non ejector”. I tried, but, can’t see the crack in the wood they are talking about.

I actually liked it better when it was a non ejector. That said, there is little to promise that it wouldn’t end up a money pit. If you know it going in, that is one thing.

Best,
Ted

I haven't bought all of Diggory's books, but "How in hell can we tell if 'rebarrelled by maker' or any other statement stamped on a set of worn Brit barrels is the truth?" Holt seems to take such stampings as gospel truth, but I have my doubts. What is the real story?

The estimated prices on Holt's tend to be real low for just about every gun I take an interest in. Most go for two or tree times the low estimate, except for one which went for 24,000 pounds instead of the 2-3,000 pounds estimate. Funny thing is that others guns I had a mild interest in seem to go for the estimate range. I have eleven bids submitted in the next two auctions but would be amazed if I win one or two. In fact I will watch and perhaps raise my bid online in real time on a couple.

The one other auction house over there I also look at seems to be less inclined to have guns sell for multiple of the estimate. But any runaway auction just take two bidders with determination and a checkbook.

Shed load-- wow, what is that in Limey speak, Toby- about like a Schmidt load--?? I had a older Purdey hammer gun island locks, Whitworth barrels with the "Sheaf of Wheat" stamps 12 bore-many years ago had the late Bill Jaqua of Findlay, OH sell it for me-have no idea what it would fetch today--almost wish I had kept it, although my chances to shoot it on a grouse moor in Scotland are about the same as me becoming the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court-- Foxy--

If I had doubts I'd email Purdey's with the serial number, rebarreling would be on record.