What guns did you see you liked but didn't buy?

Sounds as vendors sold quite well.

There were lot's of fine guns there for sure. I spent my allowance there on a 1906 Purdey pigeon gun.
But the best deal was a pair of Atkins for 12,500K.
I had already done my deal or they would be in my safe now. As I have been buying English guns now for awhile I have started coming around again to wanting a Parker 20 gauge or a Model 21, 20 gauge. There were many to choose from.

What really caught my eye was the beautifully engraved pair of Holland & Holland 20ga guns for $225,000. Would have to win the lottery twice to buy that!

Found this one heartily looking for a new home and picked it up yesterday after getting it moved across the state line from NC on Sunday. Gave it a good cleaning today. So looking forward to following around some dogs with it in the fall.

spring, That will work. That will DEFINITELY work. Congratulations.

Spring;

Lovely looking Purdey. Tell us about it's heritage and it's specifications.

Regards;
Stephen Howell

Damn Vic, that's one pretty Purdey. It was good to see you again in Sanford.

Wow that is a beauty. My pass was hard at first, but easy in the end. I imported a gun in about 2016 from England and it was #2 of a pair including the original double case. Then, wandering around late Sunday afternoon, I spotted its twin. I haggled the vendor down to 49.5K and after a brief internal struggle made the rational decision and offered to sell mine alongside his if the new buyer wanted the pair and case. If it sells it will be a 2.5x return in 6 years and it will definitely justify some further purchases to celebrate my success.

Thank you, Stephen, I'm really excited that it worked out. Started looking at this gun when at the Southern last year. Found them a bit more motivated to sell this time.
It's a pretty basic 20 gauge with a splinter forearm, double triggers, and ejectors. 2 1/4 DAH, 1 9/16 DAC, and 14 9/16 LOP.
I have yet to figure out whose initials are on it. The dealer never learned though I believe did try to find out. In fact, I've seen some correspondence from Nick Harlow, the Gun Room manager at Purdey, that indicates that will not release that tidbit until a gun is 50 years old. Have a suggestion on all that?

Ask Purdey to contact the original owners (if extant) and give them your name and contacts. Perhaps you can work it from the other end, so to speak. A truly awesome gun.

[ "...that indicates they will not release that tidbit until a gun is 50 years old. Have a suggestion on all that?" Spring]

I obtained the original buyer's identity on a Boss gun I once owned by purchasing a copy of the original build sheet on the gun which indicated by whom the order was made.
Might work on your new Purdey. Really beautiful gun by the way...Geo

Thank you, George. I just received an email from Purdey a few minutes ago after asking about the purchase of the gun's original certificate. In it is said, "I am afraid that, although the certificate would include a photograph of the Dimension Book entry, the buyer’s name would be redacted."

I guess I can understand privacy.

Ugh.

What year was the Purdey made?

George, I thought you got the information from the Burpee's Seed Catalog, Tomato section. "Boss gun I once owned." That's a great line for a cocktail party, but we know the rest of the story. Gil
"

Bwahahaha!

That story lives on in infamy! Good one Gil.

I saw at least two Purdey pigeon guns that interested me. I guess waiting until next year isn't the best strategy. One had a $24,000 price tag and looked pretty nice. Was that a gun that is being discussed here?

It was completed in October 1991. Interestingly, through another contact, I have found a dealer in New England that had the gun briefly as it sold quickly about 16 or 17 years ago. Not that many small bore Purdeys floating around it seems. We've been chatting and comparing notes to be sure we're talking about the same gun. So far the original owner's name remains a mystery; just have his initials. He's now waiting to see if the fellow he sold it for those years ago, who's about 90 now, knows anything about all this. Sort of feeling like a detective at the moment.

I picked up a nice Purdey 20 bore a couple of years ago from a friend. It has three sets of barrels. The original 29" set and a 28" set added in 1928. Mine was made in 1921 and delivered to it's owner Christmas week of that year. #2 of a pair. He sent it back in 1928 for the second set of barrels and to have a single trigger installed. Purdey's second variant of their single trigger.
Somewhere around that time he had a third set of barrels made, a set of 25" from Westly Richards and so marked with their address and addressing the King at that time. I would only guess for driven grouse as the choking is open in one barrel and tight in the second.
The little Purdey has third bite, clip face as well.
When I asked Purdey about the gun I got all kinds of answers. I think most of the ones you deal with are just salesmen up front. I did get a letter though but the first letter was incorrect so I had to email them to get the correct information on the second email.
Cheers, Mike Proctor

I did buy a Purdey pigeon gun at the Southern. Mine has been re-stocked and very well done (except it has that damn glossy finish I despise). It was a pigeon gun owned by two pigeon shooters, As it has had some features done to the gun in the past

That is special, Mike, and clearly knowing the history of a gun brings along a level of respect and appreciation. I guess that's why I'm trying to sort out this bit of a loose end, even though I've heard that a couple of its previous owners struck out in their search. You wouldn't think that tracking down a gun made somewhat recently would be that tough, but when you factor in the apparent secrecy that Purdey employs, it's taking some effort!
Got some pics of your gun?

I did see some nice guns at the Southern but I spent most of my time there standing in line to shoot on the sporting clay course! They could not get enough volunteers to run the course so they combine the big bore and small bore stations together. Resulted in long lines to shoot and nobody was happy about that! Standing in line for fifteen minutes to shoot two pair on a station and then going to the next station and repeating the same. Many people swore they would not be back next year. I will not drive the 1054 miles(each way) again myself for this event. My collectors club has their annual meeting there and we are seriously looking elsewhere for the future.

This venue has definitely run its course.
JR

If you would definitely give them a call or drop them an email and let them know. It takes knowing the good and bad to make something a success. The last thing this hobby needs is something else going away right now.

The venue, not the event. Deep River is a very cramped site for parking and just overall space, They never change the targets either. Plenty of other nicer venues across the South to have this event. Providence Hill Farm in the Jackson< MS area, is a super venue, but the promoters may not be willing to pay their fee:

https://www.providencehillfarm.com/

JR

John, while I’m sure that is a nice venue, and it would be pretty handy to you, a location near the bottom of MS may not be an ideal spot to locate the event. It makes the drive for a lot of people who have been attending regularly much longer. I know it would be shorter for some but, conceptually one wants it to be in the centre of the largest possible population from which to draw.

Rick Hemingway's Backwoods Quail Club is another one, where the Fall Classic S X S is held in October. There is no better host club than Rick's. His attention to detail will not be exceeded, maybe even unmatched. The issue, again, is the location. There is just a certain amount of driving that people are willing to do. I understand that. It blows me away that some will drive over a thousand miles each way to attend the spring Southern S X S.

Good point, Stan. They should just move it to Backwoods and have the Spring and Fall event there. Rick is one of the best and bends over backwards to make any event great. Food is always special as well. Georgetown is a really neat little place itself.
JR

A friend of mine attended the fall southern side by side at backwoods quail club Interested in purchasing his first side-by-side. Unfortunately, when he arrived, there were no gun vendors present and it was impossible for him to achieve his goal in attending. For some reason the vendors do not value the fall event.Perhaps it is the time of year or the location, but it was a little embarrassing to me that I was not even a single vendor present for my friend.

The Fall SSxS is up against too much competition from other things, college football being one of the main contributors, but hunting seasons also. I think it's time for it to go. Jmo.
JR

Rick Hemingway is in the business of throwing targets. When/if the Fall event fails to make money for him it will stop. Until then it’s a great place to shoot and I hope it continues. Vendors would be a plus but it’s not as well attended

My wife and I like the Fall Southern because we go to shoot and socialize with our SxS friends. The Fall shooting is better than the Spring because Rick has more land on which to set a better variety of targets.

If you want to drool over beautiful guns and accessories that the vendors bring go to the Spring Southern. If you want to shoot go to the Fall Southern. We attend and shoot at both and enjoy each for what it offers.

I hope both continue until I'm too old to shoot.

Stanton, tried this on IMGUR. hope it works. I have all the photos. Unfortunately the gun historians don't.

https://imgur.com/a/nXJ9XTS