doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Baited Breath, Waiting for "Digs" Up-Date.

Diggory Old Chap', We of the Gunmaking Fraternity here in the Colonies are "Holding onto our Ring-Pieces",When someone of your Stature in the Trade, drops a bloody bombshell....London Proofhouse Blows the Hell out of "TWO" Purdeys!!!Nigel Beaumont is Upset"?????Please elaborate. I have Clients that have called, I dont want my Boss, Atkin,Churchill, Purdey,Dickson R/A, To be at "Risk"!!!Legal Point,If you as the contractor(Importer for the Client) for the service to be preformed, ie. Barrel-Work then Re-Proofed for "Longer Cartridges"..and the "Bully-Boys" at the P/House,Find the defect, and "Blow" the tubes or action. Do You as the Contractor for the "Service tobe Proformed" have Any Responsibility to Your Client for any Form of Restitution?....cc/dt

Cockney Rebel, I too am intrigued.If I was asked to carry out ANY test I sure as hell would check the calibration of the test equipment, including any 'outsourced' supplies.I find it very difficult to believe that 'proof' loads had been erroneously loaded.I believe that the Proof Houses absolve themselves of all responsibilty for errors and omissions.In other words 'Bad luck Nige 'Ole Chap'.Never mind 'the boys' may get a few hours overtime out of that one.Look on the bright side that pair could always be sold with a pair of spare barrels by the original maker! ! ! !

Treading quite carefuly on this one. Planning to look into it further - lots of anecdotal evidence emerging from my sources here. Were the proof house under loading before? Are they over-loading now? Has all this new-fangled reliance on CNC machining rather than having action filers do the donkey work led to a tipping of the balace away from the strength of the old guns? Are all proof loads going Pete Tong or is it just Magnum Proof? It it getting better or worse? Since my last post, at least one more such proof failure has been reported to me - not Purdey but another noted maker of best guns.

Much speculation. No official word.

I'll wait a while, see what floats my way and perhaps prod the good Colonel for a quote. If I write the story as a commentary on gun trade gossip, I'll make enemies and if I dig in to the mire to write it as a factual account of what has been going on I'll make enemies.

Either way, the messenger gets shot and the 'authorities' and those with vested interests in keeping us all in the dark go on their complacent little way.

Diggory, I have had the "Slammers" of the British Gun-Trade 'Joyfully'saying, Told you so Those Brits Just Dont Have It Anymore!!It seems there is another "Source" for this Disaster...Back in the days of No 2 Irongate Wharf,the term"Sheet Stirring"(Something like that) Would have fitted this situation! Now that you are at the Forefront'(sort of Spokesman for "All Thats British and goes Bang!), These'Colonial Chappies"..several who at the present time are sitting here in the "Museum of Perpetual Mess"...Snarfing Digestives, and sucking down pots of 'Rosie-Lee"...They are on Page#222 of your"Vintage Guns", the discussion is, of course Two Purdeys Fail at London Proof House'! Three of these'British Gun-Owners" have had their guns Re-Proofed, 2 in London, 1 at the Brm.location. I have a Dickson R/A 12b db.(Poss. 1st Single Trigger built by Dickson) Ready to be submitted to Proof by Highly Respected British Gunmaker, The Client is "All in a Dither" (He has purchased a copy of your book and is Thoroughly Impressed by your"Gained Knowledge" by someeone who is not a "Benched-Trained Gunmaker"(His Words, Not Mine) I belive he shot with"Old Man Churchill"..back when!!Please keep your'Ear-ole'at the Proof-House Door! cc/dt

We all have guns waiting to go to proof and there is a whole queue of us sharing that 'dither' with your friend!

I'm no gunmaker,as you know, and as your old mate Dave Mitchell always tells me 'any fool can criticise'. But the proof houses are a constant bone of contention with everyone over here.

In the past three years it seems to have gone from bad to worse - it is almost as if they don't like the gun trade (but that is paranioa on my part). Very hard to get people to talk openly because we are all tied to them and entrusting thousands of pounds worth of our business to their good offices. Nobody wants to be on their 'sheet list'.

Why guns should be blowing now I have no idea - but it happened to an old double rifle belonging to a well known American dealer too so I very much doubt it is down to the quality of work being turned out.

I think it is Turkish terrorists and a plot to relocate all gun trade to Turkey.

The truth may never be known.One thing is for sure, history shows that there has never been any love lost between London & B'ham Proof Houses.I think I have hoisted my colours on the flag pole and will say once again." I will listen to anyone, and bow to their superior knowledge, but I will always check things out for my self " Proof loads by the very nature of the beast NEED to be varified and calibrated.The articles of proofing procedure lay down very clearly the procedure and if the correct charge was used and the item fails proof, so be it.I do have to say I do take exception to the current procedure of doing repetition proof loads.Even if it now passes proof who is to say it will not fail imminently after having it's elasticity subjected to abuse.I wish William Wellington was still alive he'd sort them out no mistake.
CC/DT,
Digestives? McVities I hope? Tea and Guinness? Methinks I had better fly over to Maine forthwith or fifthwith and sort out those Colonial detractors, please remember you damned Yankees, British is best, London aint bad but B'ham is Bostin.


Boing Boing Baggies Premiership here we come.

( The Last two lines may need translation, ask a Brummie to translate) ( they may be dismayed, but ask someone from 'The Black Country' and they will be overjoyed)

The truth may never be known.One thing is for sure, history shows that there has never been any love lost between London & B'ham Proof Houses.I think I have hoisted my colours on the flag pole and will say once again." I will listen to anyone, and bow to their superior knowledge, but I will always check things out for my self " Proof loads by the very nature of the beast NEED to be varified and calibrated.The articles of proofing procedure lay down very clearly the procedure and if the correct charge was used and the item fails proof, so be it.I do have to say I do take exception to the current procedure of doing repetition proof loads.Even if it now passes proof who is to say it will not fail imminently after having it's elasticity subjected to abuse.I wish William Wellington was still alive he'd sort them out no mistake.
CC/DT,
Digestives? McVities I hope? Tea and Guinness? Methinks I had better fly over to Maine forthwith or fifthwith and sort out those Colonial detractors, please remember you damned Yankees, British is best, London aint bad but B'ham is Bostin.


Boing, Boing, Baggies Premiership here we come.

( The Last two lines may need translation, ask a Brummie to translate) ( they may be dismayed, but ask someone from 'The Black Country' and they will be overjoyed)

salopian - you have posted an over and under. I sincerely hope that is only a misteak and not a Frouidean slip as we'uns are partial to side by sides.

Obviously, the problem is the steel. The bungie has lost it's bounce. Terrible what happens to an empire. Last year in the Evan's shop in St. James I noticed a Chinese lathe. Still, the British empire lasted longer than the American one.
npm