The barrel flats touching the action flats when the barrels are closed and locked is improper and if Jack Rowe was still alive he would tell you that the "trade" refers to this condition as "banging on the flats".
Our colleague on this BBS, Vic Vinters discussed this very issue in his book GUN CRAFT beginning on page 11 --the chapter titled "Jointing & the Circle. I am going to ask Dustin to post page 13 of this book which outlines how a proper fitting double gun should clear the action flats/barrel flats.
Also for those of you interested in the entire process of Joining a Purdey, you can review the other 4 episodes of the video that I posted above.
To believe that the barrel flats should touch the action flats is counter intuitive to physical science and gunmaking basic principles.
Stephen Howell
Last edited by bushveld; 05/03/23 02:46 PM.
