doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Handling of the Purdey Sporter

Purdey BLE O/U Sporter 12 bore, 30" bbls, 15" LOP, 7# 10 1/2 oz, 4 1/2" balance (teeter-totter point to trigger), 1.79 unmounted swing (comparison number), 8.06 mounted swing (comparison number), 10.42 compactness of weight(comparison number).

Pirazzi Mirage Pigeon 12 bore, 27 1/2" bbls, 14 3/8" LOP, 7# 14 1/2 oz, 4 1/8" balance, 1.82 unmounted swong, 7.66 mounted swing, 10.32 compactness.

W-W M-101 O/U BLE 12 bore, 27" bbls, 14 1/8" LOP, 7# 12 1/2 oz, 4 3/4" balance, 1.75 unmounted swing, 7.73 mounted swing, 10.21 compactness.

W. Powell BLE pigeon 12 bore, 30" bbls, 14 1/2" LOP, 7# 9 oz, 5" balance, 1.8 unmounted swing, 8.00 mounted swing, 10.51 compactness.

A & S TLHE Castore #1 12 bore, 26" bbls, 14 3/4" LOP, 7# 10 oz, 3 3/8" balance, 1.55 unmounted swing, 6.95 mounted swing, 9.71 compactness.

Perazzi MX8 O/U BLE 20 bore, 29 1/2" bbls, 14 1/2" LOP,7# 10 1/2 oz, 4 1/2" balance, 1.74 unmounted swing, 7.73 mounted swing, 10.24 compactness.


Kriegoff K-20 BLE O/U 20 bore, 30" ct bbls, 14 5/8" LOP, 7# 9 1/2 oz, 5 3/4" balance, 2.20 unmounted swing, 8.99 mounted swing, 11.59 compactness.

The Purdey Sporter is a new design boxlock ejector O/U aimed at the top end sporter gun niche. It is primarly an “off-the-peg” gun and not available with the customization of the SLE O/U gun from Purdey’s. I was curious as to what handling characteristics it would have and jumped at a chance to measure one. In the data above, I have presented the handling characteristics of the Purdey Sporter, along with six other guns to compare and illustrate the handling numbers. Note that the range of lightest to heaviest of the seven guns is 5 ¼ oz while balance has a range of 2 3/8 inches; close in weight but diverse in balance. Unmounted swing effort varies by some 40% and mounted swing effort varies by about 14%; both spreads being quite noticeable amounts.
The Purdey matches well in the grouping of a modern O/U pigeon, a modern skeet O/U, and a vintage SXS pigeon, all these guns recognized as potential sporters. The A&S Castore top lever hammer gun is included to illustrate that weight is not definitive of gun handling. At the same weight level, it is more compact and, as a consequence, requires lower swing efforts. The two 20 bores were included to illustrate that while the P-Gun and K-Gun are widely extolled as prime sporters, they do have very different handling. The Purdey 12 bore and the P-Gun 20 bore are, in fact, very similar.

Any shooter in the market for a top drawer sporter would do well to consider the Purdey. The factory might be willing to shade handling by the range of barrel weight and stock blank density. The one I spun was a genuinely beautiful gun.

How much does Purdey charge for the new gun, Don? Question 2 would be "Who makes the new Purdey?" Purdey is a good seven or ten years behind Holland and Hollard's entry into the low end sporter business. I wonder how the Holland venture is coming along.

8bore-

It's made in Italy, delivered to Purdey's in the white for stocking and finishing. I think A & S makes it.

OWD

It's made by Perugini & Visini.

i was looking at beretta dt10 ble with so-style bolting system, 32" tubes with latest extended choke system. would this make good all around sport gun requiring little maintenance besides regular cleaning and sporadic lubrication? would it go 80,000+ rounds w/o failure assuming appropriate ammo of excellent quality was used. thanks.

8-b, early on I heard $30,000 mentioned, but that may be old news, considering the current exchange rate. The discussion on customization of handling led me to believe that the Purdey's factory had a significant hand in the making of the Sporter. It isn't going to be for the guy buying the basic sporter. However, when you consider the price for SO Berettas, Custom Shop Brownings, top drawer "P" and "K" guns, etc., the new Purdey seems to fit, both as to purpose and price.

Twenty year old SO4 Trap in new condition, under nine grand. The bargain of the century in a high quality sporting gun.

A&S (a.k.a. FAMARS), who makes a fine gun, is also making a gun for William Evans if my memory serves me correctly.

I hope these high end makers can survive the current economic situation.

The William Evams over & under is made by Cesar Guerini. It is stocked with wood chosen by William Evans and the final finishing of barrels, woodwork and furniture and the blacking is all done in England. the engraving is custom designed and based on that of a William Evans gun made for teh Duke of Connaught at the turn of the last century.

As has been said, the Purdey is based on a Perugini & Visini action but much of the barrel work and all the finishing is done in London.

8-b, I thought the SO4 was intended for a target gun. The samples I've seen were rather Spartan in embellishment. Is there a sporter version of the SO4? I agree that it is a very good bargain at $9K, if you are shopping target guns.