New Purdey acquisitions et. al
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New Purdey acquisitions et. al
I found out about an estate that my music attorney's partner was settling. The widow, after 57 years of marriage said her husband had a safe she had never been in. When the locksmith and construction company arrived with the lawyer, they found a large safe door behind a sliding bookcase. Behind the door was an 1130 square foot ROOM containing 858 long guns, over 100 handguns and many accessories, parts and ammo. Since I was on site with them, I was extended a first right of refusal to make an offer on guns before they were inventoried and liquidated. I was drawn to the Purdey's of course. The one's that were going to appraise in the 6-digit range stayed there as I did not want to lie, cheat or steal but just get a good deal. So, the remaining three are mine. First, a 20 bore BLE "C" Grade from 1899, rebarrelled by Purdey in 1937 with 2.75" chambers and nitro proof for 1 ounce. Second, a J. Purdey and Son's marked Winchester 1873 in 44 WCF with British BP proof marks, and lastly a J. Purdey and with Son's marked Mannlicher-Shoenauer Model 1908 in 8X68mm with British Nitro Proof. (Purdey retailed several other brands in their front room, all of which were refinished or fitted by Purdey as necessary. I did not take home, but put on hold until I can pay cash a J. Purdey and Son's 16 bore stalking rifle, fully rifled damascus barrel with sights proofed for "4/5 ounce ball or minnie with 2 3/4 dram eq. #6 powder" with a single standing rear sight marked 100m and features the Purdey bolt, a Holland and Holland 28b hammergun with steel barrels featuring the peninsula locks, and a William Powell double rifle in 500 Express, "regulated 29g bullet - 600m/s" and reproofed "29g over N-BP 68" (which means Nitro for black powder). Here are the one's that came home so far:
Professional Hunter
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
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NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
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- Advanced Levergunner
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Holy Moly,that gotta be like King Tut's Tomb.Good for You Joe.
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
I'd love to have such a room!
Sincerely,
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
I dream of getting to go through a room like that. Nice grabs!
Eric
Eric
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Ya done good - too bad there wasn't a Wesley Richards Faunetta (my personal fave) in there..........................
.
.
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- Advanced Levergunner
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Joe, those are just wonderful.... and you are great guy for them to belong to. you understand and appreciate them and can even properly maintain or repair them if ever needed.
and i just gotta see that 28 bore hammer gun!!!!
and i just gotta see that 28 bore hammer gun!!!!
cable
- 2ndovc
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Wow!
jb
jb
jasonB " Another Dirty Yankee"
" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
- crs
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Congratulations on the beautiful guns and your good fortune.
CRS, NRA Benefactor Member, TSRA, DRSS, DWWC, Whittington Center
Android Ballistics App at http://www.xplat.net/
Android Ballistics App at http://www.xplat.net/
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
I just love nice SxS shotguns.
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Oh boy, I can just imagine how that room smelled!
At times like that you never seem to have enough cash!
Nath.
At times like that you never seem to have enough cash!
Nath.
Psalm ch8.
Because I wish I could!
Because I wish I could!
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Excellent! Like a dream come true!...
"IT IS MY OPINION, AND I AM CORRECT SO DON'T ARGUE, THE 99 SAVAGE IS THE FINEST RIFLE EVER MADE IN AMERICA."
WIL TERRY
WIL TERRY
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
And I have been wanting a 8x68mm, and in that configuration, wow. Probably too light anyway. Looks like a good haul.
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
WOW! That room was bigger than my first house.
Congratulations Joe. It would be interesting to see the auction list when it comes up.
Congratulations Joe. It would be interesting to see the auction list when it comes up.
If you're gonna be stupid ya gotta be tough-
Isiah 55:8&9
It's easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
Isiah 55:8&9
It's easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled.
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Fantastic Joe. That is awesome
Mike Johnson,
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
A dream come true!!
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
WOW!!!
Dave B
Dave B
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
OUTSTANDING !!!!!!!!!!!!How fortunate you were to be at the right place at the right time.Hard to place a cool factor on those firearms
Model-71's forever !!!!
NRA Patriot Life Member
Endowment level
FOPA #5
GOA,Inc
WVCDL,INC
NRA Patriot Life Member
Endowment level
FOPA #5
GOA,Inc
WVCDL,INC
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Awsome Joe
Just out of curiosity, any Parker's in that collection?
Just out of curiosity, any Parker's in that collection?
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Only English doubles but tons of continental drillings and assorted rifles. Altogether there were about 40 SxS, 15 3b's and 10 singles. The rest were assorted bolt, lever and semi auto rifles.
Professional Hunter
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
That's fantastic! I would enjoy looking through all of that even if I could't take any home.
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Joe, I am envious, but happy for you. God Bless.
Member : NRA
Oklahoma Rifle Assoc.
NPPAS
TRUISM: if guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. So, my advice is: Buy more guns!
Oklahoma Rifle Assoc.
NPPAS
TRUISM: if guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. So, my advice is: Buy more guns!
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
They are very nice! Joe you just made me think of one of my late fathers friends. He told me in Germany during WWII they went house to house with the registration lists from the town halls and placed loads of beautiful drillings in the street and ran them over with a tank! He said it was a sick thing to see but he had been being shot at by Germans for a few years and wanted them harmless.
He also said remember what I told you never never registor a gun its only useful for disarming you. He wasn't politically correct for sure.
He also said remember what I told you never never registor a gun its only useful for disarming you. He wasn't politically correct for sure.
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Wow!
Fantastic Joe, couldn't think of a better person to have them!
Fantastic Joe, couldn't think of a better person to have them!
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
My heart probably wouldn't be a able to take a situation like that.
"The best argument against democracy
is a five minute conversation with the average voter."
- Winston Churchill
is a five minute conversation with the average voter."
- Winston Churchill
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
86er, sounds like you were in the same boat as Howard Carter, the English Egyptologist who discovered Tut's tomb. When he made the first opening on 26 November 1922, his English.45colt wrote:Holy Moly,that gotta be like King Tut's Tomb.Good for You Joe.
patron, Lord Carnavon, asked Carter if he could see anything. He replied:
"Yes! Wonderful things!"
Wonderful things in that vault, and you've acquired some of them. (That Mannlicher is an
interesting gun with that chambering - a cartridge with a 68mm case must be about the maximum length the action/magazine will handle, no?)
Riamh Nar Dhruid O Spairn Lann
- motto on the Irish Regiments' flags
- motto on the Irish Regiments' flags
- Ysabel Kid
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Well - it wasn't all a pot of gold. After closely examining the Purdey boxlock I became suspect of several points. After calling my old supervisors at Purdey's and then checking the gun book I was correct in thinking something was odd about this 20b. Purdey's gun book and sales book indicate this serial # is a 16 bore sidelock. The first hint was the font on the makers name and address that was nothing I recognized regardless of era. Second was the alleged British Proof marks with no proof pressure (BAR) listed and expressed as 2 3/4" instead of 70mm. The stock did not have the stockmakers initials when I removed it. A fraud! And a very good one at that - luckily I had the knowledge to figure it out quickly. I actually made a few bucks selling this gun as a fraud. WARNING - it is now for sale at Cabelas Ft. Worth TX and they have tagged it as Purdey? BLE and want something like $6K for it. The second issue is a shame. A true Purdey 16b fully rifled stalking rifle that checks out with the exception of the pinfire conversion not being done at the factory. That is neither here nor there as the conversion is very common and typically was done by any nearby gunmaker. However, this one was done without true knowledge of the conversion process. Yes it fires, it was accurate at 100 yds with a 2 1/2 dram load of 1 ounce giving around 1500 fps. However, of the three shots I fired, the hammer was cocked after each firing! What I figured out is that the original "pin" hole is still present and was not filled. Escaping gas rushed out the hole upon firing and sends the hammer flying back about 100 miles an hour. Eventually this will break the hammer or mainspring, and could injure a shoot in the hand or face. It is an easy fix but I dont want to put the effort into it. I sold it to a collector that signed a disclosure stating he knows full well the problem it has. Anyway, there were still some good guns out of the deal and I did profit a bit even from the problematic ones without having to hide, lie or rip-off anyone to move them. Kind of heartbreaking about the 20b in particular but oh well, I have other great Purdey's to love even more!
Professional Hunter
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
http://www.TARSPORTING.com
"Worldwide Hunting Adventures"
Professional Hunters Assoc of South Africa
SCI - Life Member
NRA - Life Member
NAHC - Trophy Life Member
DWWC - Member
Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Sorry for the problems Joe. Good you came away with profit and integrity in the dealings. I respect that in you and so many here. Blessings
Mike Johnson,
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
- KirkD
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
Walking into a safe like that would be like walking into a dream.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
+ 1rjohns94 wrote:Sorry for the problems Joe. Good you came away with profit and integrity in the dealings. I respect that in you and so many here. Blessings
I still saw this site is home to some of the most honorable, patriotic gentlemen (and women) in the country - as well as from around the world!
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Re: New Purdey acquisitions et. al
" pinfire conversion not being done at the factory. That is neither here nor there as the conversion is very common and typically was done by any nearby gunmaker. "
Joe, i wound up with a beautiful little [ looks new ] pinfire 20 bore SxS shotgun, that was misdescribed to me [ was told it wasnt a pinfire ]; i was going to find some way to shoot it as a pinfire, but the only reloadable shells i can find are 12 and 16 : (
can you do a conversion, or do you know who could and roughly what it would cost ?
i will drag it out sometime and get pictures...
thanks
Joe, i wound up with a beautiful little [ looks new ] pinfire 20 bore SxS shotgun, that was misdescribed to me [ was told it wasnt a pinfire ]; i was going to find some way to shoot it as a pinfire, but the only reloadable shells i can find are 12 and 16 : (
can you do a conversion, or do you know who could and roughly what it would cost ?
i will drag it out sometime and get pictures...
thanks
cable