I love how William Evans signed his pieces "from Purdey's". I too shoot an early English boxlock (circa 1905) on game. For the money, they are an unbeatable value. Long, light and lovely! Lethal, beautiful and highly effective, in the early 20th century, boxlocks were marketed as "best" guns and received lots of attention from their makers. Engraving and wood were top-notch and many were made as pairs. By the 30s their "best" status devolved a bit (folks figured out how little time it took to create them, as compared to sidelocks) and they became more utilitarian. Still....for weight and balance, fit and finish, ease of carry afield, and dependable function you'll be hard pressed to find anything better to actually hunt with. The thin and beautiful wrists on many of these guns are a concern, so proper ammunition is a must (I'm a huge RST fan). Properly repaired and then reasonably cared for, I should think that it will outlast several owners after you. The screws on the back of the action near the top of the stock are indicative of intercepting sears. Later versions dispensed with this feature as the added time and cost (& genuine necessity) weren't considered reasonable (because of the substantial nature of the action sears, boxlocks seldom jar loose enough to accidently fire). You didn't mention weight or chambering, so I'm assuming 28 tubes, ~6 1/2 lbs and 2 1/2 chambers. Many that have found themselves over here (from "Old Blighty") have been opened to 2 3/4-inch (my 16 has and was even proofed for that). However, don't be tempted to use it with over-the-counter 2 3/4-inch ammo, or even high-volume shooting. These are game guns, period. Hunt with it and treasure it for what it is, 100-plus year old art that is still doing the job it was designed to do.
Last edited by Lloyd3; 07/01/21 11:44 AM.
