Just a follow up...we just returned from Portsmouth and a visit with Hutton...My buddies gun has been left with him to fix the lever spring and tighten the action. Huttons opinion is that it is not a fake...in fact it is a Purdey AND the stocking is original and was not restocked. He felt the engraving was a Lewis type and that it was always a 20 gage....and never a double rife, explaining the differences in receivers and no pistol grip. The proof marks are not fake...The only mystery is the serial number , but he was only guessing that when the rebarrelling went for proofing they or someone had a need for a serial number...he took the receiver apart and we could not find any other numbers. The rebarrelling had initials of D.J.D. He could not think of anybody with those initials....on our way home he called and said he contacted another Brit gunsmith who thought the initials were of a David Dyshurst....if I have that right and could be a gunsmith who worked or works for W.W. Greener. I was wrong on the WR connection as he pointed out the difference in the dolls head in question and that of a Real WR dolls head...a detailed I missed when comparing it to my WR...he explained the outsourcing deals that were made....at this point he could not determine which Birmingham gun maker made the receiver....so with the stock and receiver....he will get back after he has time for a closer examination of the stock looking for further initials..he felt it could still be considered a Purdey after I mentioned some opinions that felt that it was not.The barrel he think was rebarrelled in the 1980's. so my friend will now contact Graham Greener and follow up on the individual to get further info....so it continues....anyway it was a great deal for $5,000.
He felt that my buddy took a risk because the serial number would have scared a lot of people off. He was right. But it has worked out for him.

Hutton Info:

Brittannia Sporting Arms, Stephen G. Hutton, Gunsmith, Formerly of E. J. Churchill, 895 Sagamore Ave., Portsmouth, NH.

Last edited by Condor; 02/18/13 06:19 PM.