2010

LOVELY, NEARLY ?AS NEW? ?70?S VINTAGE J. PURDEY

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:12,500.00 USD Estimated At:25,000.00 - 35,000.00 USD
LOVELY, NEARLY ?AS NEW? ?70?S VINTAGE J. PURDEY
LIGHT GAME GUN BY SOME OF THE BEST CRAFTSMEN, WITH CASE. Cal. 12 Ga., 2 1/2" S# 27820. Chopper lump bbls. measure 28" and are fitted with narrow, deeply swamped game rib engraved "J. Purdey & Sons. Audley House. South Audley Street. London, England." Bbl. flats are stamped with 1974 London nitro proofs for 2 1/2" chambers. Bottoms of bbls. are stamped with serial numbers and barrel makers initials "A.H" (Alf Harvey, longtime Purdey craftsman). Tube numbers "72879" and "72880" are on loop. Dark casehardened Beesley patent self-opening sidelock action features automatic safety (SAFE inlaid in gold), bushed strikers, raised rib tumbler end cocking indicators, and double triggers. Action and lockplates are engraved with near full coverage Purdey house style rose and scroll which is very cleanly and attractively executed. Blued trigger guard with usual open scroll on bow has serial number on tang. Dark well-marbled European walnut straight grip buttstock measures 14 1/8" over checkered wood butt, and features typical Purdey drop points and point pattern checkering at grip. Individual silver letters "D J" are inlet into toeline. Factory records indicate that these are original. Matching splinter ejector forend has Anson release. Actioner's initials "T B" (Terry Barrow) are on iron. Action work is crisply filed and finished. Bore diameters: left - .734, right -.735. Restriction: left - .027 (Mod), right - .009 (IC). Minimum wall thickness: left - .032, right - .032. DAH: 2 1/8". DAC: 1 1/2". Cast about 1/2" off. WEIGHT: 6 lbs. 6 oz. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: brown leather motor case with stitched leather corners is embossed "D. J. J." on top. Interior is lined in burgundy cloth and has gold embossed black leather Purdey label in lid along with charge card for this gun and information label. Case contains Purdey marked round oil bottle, 2 piece beech and brass cleaning rod (still in original wrap), broken case extractor, and two keys. CONDITION: exceptionally fine, showing very little wear, and scant evidence of being fired. Bbls. retain approx.. 98% original blue, some high edge wear, and a few very light scratches. Action retains over 95% original casehardening color, thinning on fences and beads. Lockplates retain essentially all of their color. Hinge pin has over 80% temper blue, as does forend iron. Forend tip is considerably silvered. Top lever and trigger guard bow are silvered on sharp edges, blue thinning on tang. Stocks retain nearly all of their original hand rubbed oil finish with some scattered marks and light scratches. Bores are excellent, bright and shiny with no noticeable imperfections. Action is tight. Bbls. are on face. Drop is good. Case leather has a few scattered marks, and a large rub on one corner. Straps and handle are good. Interior cloth is very fine with some compressions. Paper labels are lightly soiled and foxed. A fine handling lightweight gun. A new Purdey side by side retails for over 88,000 pounds. (20-916/MGM75). MODERN. $25,000-35,000.