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A J. Purdey & Sons 20g Extra Finish Hammerless Ejector gun featuring game scene engraving by K.C. Hunt, completed March of 1964 for Mr. Richard A. Buck.

Based on Beesley’s patented self-opening action of 1880, the scaled action has a beautifully shaped square bar, is brushed bright in what was described in the ledgers as “old silver finish” and features game scenes engraved and signed by “K.C. Hunt” in the Kell style with fine English on action body and legs of the lock plates giving way to Ruffed grouse in wooded scenes on each lock plate and a flushing woodcock in a wooded scene on the bottom of the action.  Fences, top lever, bottom of the action, and guard bow engraved with rose bouquets and the serial number engraved on the guard tang. “J. Purdey & Sons” and “London” are engraved on each side of the action body and “SAFE” is inlaid in gold. Gun also fitted with automatic-safety raised rib cocking indicators, and Purdey’s single non-selective “gate” trigger that is swept for a right-hand shooter and the guard bow’s edge also rolled for a right-hand shooter. The ejector forend is initialed “T.B.” (T. Barrows) as the actioner.

Nicely figured stock has a high gloss Slacum oil finish in what is known as Purdey’s “extra” finish with a rounded semi-pistol grip, drop points, and a 14 ¼" LOP over a checkered horn heel plate. The splinter forend has a push rod forend latch and Wem ejectors. The hand and forend are checkered in kind with Mullered borders on the front and borderless on the back. The stocker was Harold Delay and the finisher was Peter Chapman.

The beautifully struck, 26” chopper lump barrels are initialed “J.A.” (J. Aldous) and have original London proofs for 2 ¾" chambers, and each barrel measuring precisely at .615” and choked Improved Cylinder (.005”) and Modified (.020”) with a fast tapered rib often seen on 26” barrel guns of this era. The barrels (tube #’s 67679/67680) are engraved “J. Purdey & Sons” and “Audley House, South Audley Street, London, England”.

Weighing a scant 5 lbs. 6.2 oz., this gun is a delight to handle, and it remains in its original condition. The barrel black is a bit thin and there a but a few, small handling marks on the stock, otherwise the gun remains in excellent condition and is housed in its original lightweight leather “V.C.” case with Maker’s leather trade label (ca. 1955 to 1981) and original charge card, Purdey snap caps, oil pot, two-piece cleaning rod, and leather pouch with J/M/B, Selvyt cloth, and original “PURDEY GUNS INSTRUCTION” maroon leatherette booklet first printed in 1929.

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