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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,088 Likes: 82
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,088 Likes: 82 |
I recently acquired a 1897 Purdey SLE. It seems in good order mechanically. It cocks, fires and ejects properly and Very smoothly. It even closes easily. It snaps itelf open when right side up ejecting the hulls together impacting next to each other five feet away.
I find it a little hard to believe how well it works given the age, but dumb luck is better than no luck.
My question is while right side up it operates properly, it does not do the same upside down. Is this normal or is it just a little old and tired or Am I expecting too much?
Michael Dittamo
Topeka, KS
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,045 Likes: 139
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,045 Likes: 139 |
Think about it......upside down the self opener would have to fight gravity acting upon the barrels to open the action. Right side up, Gravity assists the self opener. I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. It sounds like your gun is functioning properly.
Socialism is almost the worst.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,743 |
"WHY" would one want to open it upside down??
Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,600 Likes: 423
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 6,600 Likes: 423 |
2 piper, laying on one's back, shooting overhead geese.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,726 Likes: 129
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7,726 Likes: 129 |
2 piper, laying on one's back, shooting overhead geese. With a Purdey?...Geo
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 7,634 Likes: 875
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 7,634 Likes: 875 |
and 16 bore to boot.....that is some classy goose shootin'
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,021
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 5,021 |
2 piper, laying on one's back, shooting overhead geese. With a Purdey?...Geo I've seen that lots of times. 
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,088 Likes: 82
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,088 Likes: 82 |
Thanks for the response, it is not that I wanted to open it upside down, it was whether the gun is normal not to spring open that way.
After all the talk of how hard they were to close and how easy to close I found it, I wondered if it was weakly sprung with age.
Michael Dittamo
Topeka, KS
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,045 Likes: 139
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 3,045 Likes: 139 |
OC; I wonder if our main springs will work as well as your Purdey's main spring when we are 119 years old? ;-)
Socialism is almost the worst.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 14,583 Likes: 2347
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 14,583 Likes: 2347 |
In 56 years of double-gunning, I don't believe I have ever opened a double upside-down ......... or even tho't about doing so. Might try it sometime, while hanging on my inversion table.
SRH
May God bless America and those who defend her.
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