James Purdey & Sons, Hammerless Toplever Boxlock Double Rifle   .450 3 1/4" Black Powder Express

Note the remarkable state of preservation. The engraver's stadia lines are still visible from the layout for the engraved letters of the maker's name---after 120 years

 

Description: 28" SxS barrels of Siemens fluid steel with full flat file-cut rib, bead front sight, 1 standing and 2 folding platinum-lined express sights engraved for 100, 200 and 250 yards. 14 5/8"pull from front trigger to Silvers recoil pad. 1/4" cast-off. Figured walnut stock with Anson-pushbutton-release splinter forend (and so marked with Anson's patent), long-tang pistol grip, engraved steel pistol grip cap, beaded pancake cheekpiece, sling eyes, teardrops, fine classic point-pattern checkering and silver oval bearing a crest. Fine scroll engraved boxlock action with intercepting sears, double Purdey underbites, Scott's spindle intercepting a doll's head third bite and automatic top tang safety with SAFE in gold. Weight: 8lbs, 2oz. In maker's oak & leather case with maker's label, loading label, brass capper/de-capper, powder measure, two shell extractors and vacant lid escutcheon. Maker's name engraved on both top rib and sides of action. London black powder proofed and with Purdey's trademarks: crossed bullets and star. Built 1890. Condition: Casehardening colors original and almost 100%. Triggerguard blue original and nearly 100%; the stadia lines the engraver used as a guide when chiseling the serial number still being visible. Action locks up dead tight---even with the forend removed. In battery, toplever is well to the right. Bores are simply perfect. Safety works. Firing pins impact a snapping block properly. Barrels retain 99%+ of proper old reblue and ring like chimes---as much as they ever do on a double rifle---indicating sound jointing. Stock heads up to the receiver dead tight. No cracks, chips or gouges in the wood. Both wood-to-metal fit and metal-to-metal fit are excellent. Engraving is of very refined quality.

From the Purdey record book as reported by David Maynard: "28-inch barrels, 3 1/4" chambers, black powder express. "C" quality Anson & Deeley action rifle, between 1880 & 1917 Purdey's produced 5 qualities of gun best, B, C, D & E quality. Dolls head 3rd bite. Stock length 14 9/16" mid, with pistol grip & cheek piece. Sling swivels. Original weight of the rifle 8lb 2oz. The record at the bottom left hand corner has the initials S B A i. e. Samuel Blackmore Allport. There are no other names of workman recorded for this gun, therefore I would conclude that it was fully made & finished by Allport's."

Provenance: Completed in July 1890 for Major General Wynne.

General Sir Arthur Singleton Wynne GCB (5 March 1846 – 6 February 1936) was a senior British Army officer who went on to be Military Secretary (Chief of Personnel for the British Army). In 1885 he was decorated for service in Sudan and served in The Second Afghan War. By 1889, he was Deputy Assistant Adjutant General at Army Headquarters. He served in the Boer War in South Africa and was given command of the 11th infantry brigade. He was appointed General Officer Commanding 10th Division in 1904 and 6th Division in 1905 and Military Secretary in 1906.

 

 

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