James Purdey & Sons, 314 ½ Oxford Street, London.
12 bore Back-action Hammergun
No. 7545, No 1 of a Pair
Year of manufacture: 1867

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Heritage Guns' Comment


 This gun represents an unusually fine condition example of the early centrefire hammerguns made by this illustrious Maker. It is lovely to find a gun of this age which still bear its original damascus barrels and although we are not totally convinced it is the original, the stock is of totally the right style for the age of the gun and the inletting is of the very finest quality. The engraving is still crisp on the locks and action and this coupled with the sensitive restoration, fresh reproof, excellent wall thicknesses and good stock dimensions makes it a very pretty and highly 'shootable' gun for either game or clays.
Presented in its relined ‘Maker’s Oak & Leather case with reproduction Maker’s trade label and some accessories.

WE REGRET THAT THIS GUN IS NOW SOLD. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A SIMILAR GUN, PLEASE CONTACT US.

The action is James Purdey’s famous ‘2nd Patent Thumb Hole’ design and features:
Double triggers;
Back action ‘Island’, rebounding locks;
High ‘Dolphin’ hammers;
Sprung strikers;
Percussion fences;
Bolstered junction between breech face and action bar;
‘Thumb hole’ lever operating a 'Purdey Bolt';
Cross bolt, or ‘wedge’, forend fastener.
Gun weight 6lb 15oz
Engraving style Best bold foliate scroll.
Top tang engraved ‘PATENT’ and under-bar engraved ‘PURDEY’S PATENT’.
Top rib engraved ‘1’ and action flats engraved ‘No. 1’. Forend iron stamped ‘1’.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3 ½ lbs Rear trigger 4 lbs.
The rebrowned damascus barrels are 29" in length, chambered for 2 ¾" (70mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs.
Top rib is of the smooth, concave, game type.
Birmingham reproof for 70mm nitro powder cartridges in 2019.

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

 
Nominal Proof Size
Bore Diameter 9"
from Breech
Minimum Wall Thickness
Choke Constriction

RH Barrel
18.8mm (0.740")
0.742"
0.025"
0.006” (Skeet)

LH Barrel
18.8mm (0.740")
0.741"
0.026"
0.006” (Skeet)

Straight Hand Stock and Splinter Forend are crafted from highly figured walnut. The stock is cast-off for a right handed shooter, features a vacant white metal oval and is finished with a 7/8” horn extension secured with engraved screws.
The forend is retained by a cross-bolt, or wedge, fastener and is fitted with a finely engraved metal tip.

 Highly Figured Walnut

The 20 lines per inch chequering has been cut to a traditional back lock design.
The stock is finished with a traditional linseed oil based preparation as used on best guns by one of the top English makers. This finish uses no grain fillers to achieve its deep, smooth lustre, only many hours of alternate build and flatting off of the surface.

Approximate stock measurements at date of publication:

Pull to Heel
Pull to Bump
Pull to Centre
Pull to Toe
14"
14 1/4"
14 3/16"
14 1/2"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 5/8"
1 3/4"
2 1/8"
Cast-off at Comb
Cast-off at Heel
1/8" (approximate)
3/8" (approximate)

For the purposes of these measurements, 'Drop at Face' is the 'drop' measurement taken on a line perpendicular to the
line joining the trigger and centre of the butt at approximately 8" from the trigger (front trigger on a double trigger gun).

Patents Exhibited include:
 'Purdey; Bolt' patent no. 1104 of 1863;
Stanton's rebounding lock patent no. 367 of 1867.