I may have an opportunity to purchase from a friend a very nice Purdey 12 bore bar in wood hammer gun. Gun was restored in the UK by some well known craftsman. It comes in an oak and leather case.
I think at the price he is talking about it could be a bargain. But I have never been crazy about BIW guns.

History and craftsmanship it's
A purdey

I’m sure you have the factory records available, but many bar-in-wood hammer guns are conversions.

Be absolutely certain of sound woodwork on it. Bit of a nightmare to find a good stocker willing to undertake re-stocking biws.

I am not sure how true a statement that is as I have seen very few 'conversions' BiW guns. I assume you are talking about a ML to BL. For the makers that specialised in BiW guns like Purdey, Westley Richards and Horsley, BiW was the norm during certain periods of production.

There are a number of versions of Purdey Bar in Wood guns with some of the first versions having back action locks with a snap action thumb leaver opening. Other early Purdey Bar in wood guns have a rather strange top rib arrangement rather detracting from the guns looks. Also Purdey did build two distinct opening methods the early snap action guns where fitted with a thumb leaver opening while the later versions were top leaver opening. The later guns where built with bar actions having rebounding locks. Now here I will say that I do have a vested interest in Purdey Bar in Wood guns because I have used one continually for the last fifty plus years without fault. The gun I have is a second patent model thumb opening snap action fitted with rebounding locks and a bar action, this model Richard Beaumont did say had one of the smoothest lines and one of the most pleasing looking guns Purdey made if you would like to own one they would still build you one but no price was mentioned.

Talked to my friend, it was made in 1882. Has Whitworth steel barrels. Case is not original but is period.
Asking 16k

The latest vintage Purdey hammer gun is the "bar in iron" modern style, rarely made in pigeon gun configuration with Whitworth barrels proved for 1 1/4 ounce loads, and marked as such. These guns sell for the high dollar, but are worth searching for. They are the best Purdey hammer guns ever made and are suitable for all modern loads, as are the hammer guns made by Purdey today. Unfortunately, the Purdey hammer guns being made today sell for an even higher dollar than the available pigeon guns in the bar in iron style. Like our original poster, I am not too fond of bar in wood guns because of their usual low condition when found. However, some Westleys can sometimes be found in unmolested condition, in which case they may be good buys.

Mike I feel that you should obtain the serial number, having this you can contact Purdey for the guns initial build specification and date of sale. Photograph of the guns barrel flats because they can also give its history though not so important to you folks over there though it will say a lot, the bore diameter 9 inches from the breech if it is a 12 bore any measurement over .740 at 9 inches means it will be out of British proof. Barrel wall thickness that will be your decision, as far as cases go my case is of the correct period but not the guns original though this does not matter a lot to many folks. Purchasing veteran guns can be a money pit but also a joy to own, another member has mentioned the stock I can tell you that a top craftsman made stock for one of these guns the cost will take your breath away by thinking you have purchased a house.

Friend of mine has a Purdey BiW 20 gauge in with CJO. IIRC Claudio has already completed the restock aspect of the restoration.

I just happened to be reading an older Shooting Sportsman and saw a pic of Cyril Adams with a pair of BIW hammer guns, enough said

Toby, I am surprised that you have not noticed bar in wood conversions. I , for the last several years have enjoyed pinfire guns and have shot them with some success. If one looks closely like I have, one can see many Pinfire s converted to center fire. Westley Richards, I have seen a dozen or more, did a fine job of converting to center fire. Some are quite magnificently done. A friend has a Purdey center fire conversion that went through at least muzzle loader and pinfire configuration before becoming a center fire. Actually, I seem to remember that it may have started as a flintlock, but it was years ago, and I’m not sure. A friend enjoys William Powells and their conversions to center fire are not uncommon. Many American conversions were made, too. I have a fine Genez that used Williams and Powell locks, barrels, etc to convert to pinfire. Many makers on all continents advertised that they did conversion work.

sounds wonderful...even if you pay too much, hits still wonderful...

I have a beautiful BiW Lang, but I don't know that I like the BiW style better than any other hammer lock style.

I do like the bar in wood style in a sidelock hammer gun. That being said, I actually prefer the bar in iron look. My boss and Woodward hammer guns are bar in iron sidelocks (1871&1872) and I must say they are sharp. It is amazing how well the Victorian craftsman filed up those early hammer guns. My favourite wood bar guns are most definitely the skeleton round actions.

This is a fine example of classic BIW form, with good pictures, and showcases how much of the action bar, and forend iron, etc., could be "encased" in wood.

http://www.hallowellco.com/bar-in-wood.htm

SRH

When I got out of the military in November of 1969, my first stop was to a local gun shop that I had visited for many years. I spied a cased Westley Richards bar in wood eight gauge with two boxes of Remington shells fitted in the case. The gun was stone mint, never been hunted, with all finish intact, even the buttplate and trigger guard were pristine. The price was $685, a sum that would consume all of my unused leave fund. Oh well, I bit the bullet and still own that wonderful piece. As soon as I got the gun home, I loaded some black powder loads in Winchester paper industrial empties and shot a 25 straight the first time I shot skeet with it. It's hard to miss a skeet target with a chokeless eight gauge.

I have an 1880 Purdey bar-in-wood hammergun with original steel barrels that were nitro proved in the early 1900's. I have taken my share of upland birds with it and an occasional round of skeet. The gun has never never needed a single repair but I have prettied it somewhat. I'm sure it will continue to function flawlessly for many, many years.
Like Eightbore, I have owned my Purdey for nearly 50 years and the initial purchase did indeed hurt the pocket book. But, in hind sight it has given me may years of enjoyment.

I have no doubt you are correct that they are more common than one might think. I was assuming you were talking ML to CF which is considerably less common than PF to CF. I have no doubt that if you are looking for them, PF to CF will pop up a lot. However, as I only have an interest in guns that are proofed for, or reproof-able for, modern nitro loads, anything with pinfire barrels are quickly passed by. I have reproofed a couple successfully in the past but with the stricter proof tests nowadays, it seems a pretty dodgy proposition. As regards the numbers of original CF BiW against PF - CF BiW, I would say that I have probably seen a 10 -1 ratio over the last 20 years. As to the chance of misidentifying a PF - CF conversion as an original CF, I feel there are so many indicators of PF origins that I would be surprised if I wasn't suspicious if not total sure in 99% of cases. Of course the whole gun can be reworked into the 'modern' idiom but you can't 'invent' the chamber walls of a CF from the slim lines of a PF. Only the very earliest CF had such light chamber walls and most were probably destroyed when nitro powder came along.

BiW hammerguns are the apotheosis of shotgun elegance.

Just another place for wood to crack...Geo

At one time I had a Purdey 12 gauge that was built as a pin fire in 1862 and was one of a set of three. It had been converted by the maker to a center fire hammergun. Absolutely incredible workmanship. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of it.

I have a Westly Richards top lever which I enjoy shooting. My Lang, Jones under lever has scary thin barrels and gets very limited use but gets a lot of interest when I take it out skeet shooting. I also have a JSmith, forwards facing, side lever, which has been great shooting clays and might get a few pen raised birds this Winter. BIW hammer guns have great lines. But no sane stocker wants to take on one for a restock.