Purdey Shotgun Lock

mooncoon

mooncoon

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I thought that readers might want to see the inside of a Purdey Percussion lock. Pretty impressive filing for 1834 or 35. The gun has been rode hard and put away wet but still shoots better than I can.

cheers mooncoon





 
What a classy looking old shotgun! Definitely a high grade item, the metal is fantastic. The skills that went into that gun are pretty hard to find these days.
 
What a lovely old Purdey! The internal parts of that lock are cut and finished as carefully and precisely as those found on Purdey guns being built today. A testament to the skill, craftsmanship and dedication to building nothing but "best" guns, that has always been this Gunmaker's hallmark. Still a beauty after all these years.
 
tiriaq said:
Any lockmaker's initials inside the lock?
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I did not see any when I stripped the locks and cleaned them. There is a serial number which corresponds with the one on the barrels and the barrels are stamped JP presumably for James Purdy. The stock appears to have been shortened for perhaps a boy and then a piece added back on again at a later date. There is no writing on the top rib of the barrels and perhaps that was lost during a barrel refinishing in the past. I have refinished the barrels myself because by the time that I got the gun they were more than a little dark with no pattern showing. I am surprised that the barrels are not the figure 8 pattern of damascus but perhaps that had to do with its early date of manufacture (1834 or 35)

cheers mooncoon
 
I have seen a few English doubles of good quality with the butt shortened by a couple inches and the put back to original length of pull. One was done so well you had to look really close to see the joint.
 
mooncoon said:
No, it is a presumably platinum plug to seal the hole drilled when creating the route of the flash onto the powder. It is possibly a screw because both side have a sort of slot in their outer ends

cheers mooncoon
Click to expand...

Huh, interesting. I've never seen that before. A "Purdy" (or other high end makers) technique perhaps that required extra attention?
 
If I made out the serial # off the lock correct the guns was sold Aug 10. 1836 and sold for 57 pounds buy the book The Early Purdeys. And Purdey used platinum plugs with a vertical vent often, this was thought to make better ignition and cleaner burning


My 2 groove rifle is later then sold in 1860 but still have the vented plugs, on the 3rd picture you can see the vent plugs

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