CptCurl
.450 member
Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5314
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
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Just for fun. They don't make them like they used to. These are absolute treasures from a bygone era.
Top to bottom:
Alexander Henry .577 2.75" BPE
Alexander Henry .450 3.25" BPE
James Purdey & Sons .500 3" BPE
Alexander Henry .450 3.25" BPE
James Woodward & Sons .450/.400 3.25" BPE
Curl
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RoscoeStephenson.com
YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27635
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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Yours, Curl?
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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CptCurl
.450 member
Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5314
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
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Nothing new. You have seen them all before:
Henry .577
Henry .577 and Henry .450 Hammer Doubles
J. Purdey .500
Henry Hammerless .450 and Henry Hammer .450
The Woodward doesn't seem to have its own post on NE.com but has been shown in several threads, and at this link. In fact, the little avatar photo attached to the Double Rifles forum here is a photo of the muzzles of this rifle.
Curl
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JTOMLINSON
.300 member
Reged: 16/02/05
Posts: 188
Loc: York, England
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Curl
I am afraid the laws of equity should prevail and ownership of more than one such treasure be outlawed, with a further amendment to the law that any numbers above one must be shared with fellow forumites!!! 
I am in envy
Best
Jonathan
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Huvius
.416 member
Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3608
Loc: Colorado
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Those hammerless BPE doubles really get my pulse racing!
What a nice grouping. Money well spent IMO.
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He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.
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CptCurl
.450 member
Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5314
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
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It's a shame those makers couldn't find any decent wood to put on their rifles. 
Curl
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RoscoeStephenson.com
YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
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bonanza
.400 member
Reged: 17/05/04
Posts: 2335
Loc: South Carolina
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I can't believe your wife puts up with you. Wait a minute, maybe she is the treasure!
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"Speak Precisely" G. Gordon Liddy.
"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus
"I''m the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."
"Yo! Mr. White"
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bwanabobftw
.375 member
Reged: 29/12/04
Posts: 692
Loc: Texas
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WOW !!!!! Very nice indeed .
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BillfromOregon
.333 member
Reged: 27/10/04
Posts: 254
Loc: Sweetwater, by God Texas
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Curl: Simply lovely. You have perfect taste. I'll bet they all handle beautifully, and are a joy to shoot.
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tinker
.416 member
Reged: 12/03/05
Posts: 4835
Loc: Nevada
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Definitely a great looking pile of hunting rifles.
It's nice to see such great examples, also great to have such complete information and good photography in our archives here on NE!!
Cheers
Tinker
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--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--
"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...
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CptCurl
.450 member
Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5314
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
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Guys,
I appreciate the comments but take no credit. All credit belongs to the marvelous craftsmen who built these works of art so long ago.
I just love seeing them in a group. I took that photo last November. The occasion was a visit by another double enthusiast and a member of NE.com - vagrouser. We actually pulled out all my double guns, both rifles and shotguns, to look them over and fondle. During the session I lined up the black powder rifles on my hassock and snapped this photo. I ran across it yesterday on my computer and enjoyed what I saw. That prompted me to make this post because I thought others might enjoy a comparison of these five rifles of the 1880's and 1890's.
I've spent most of my life chasing after these damn things and it's not over yet!
Curl
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RoscoeStephenson.com
YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
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mehulkamdar
.416 member
Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
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Now don't try to wriggle away from taking credit for the very good work that you have done in giving these guns a home! 
Thank you for the fantastic picture, my friend! I'd rather look at it than at the Mona Lisa all day long!
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The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.
Mehul Kamdar
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TH44
.375 member
Reged: 21/02/09
Posts: 740
Loc: West UK
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F**k me Curl you certainly wheel them out!!!
Many thanks for sharing such quality
TH
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vagrouser
.300 member
Reged: 06/01/09
Posts: 104
Loc: usa
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Hi Curl and others--indeed Curl was very kind to invite me to his home last fall to let me have a gander at his fantastic collection! To put it simply, I could have spent hours looking at just one of these exquisite rifles; being surrounded by all of them at once was simply overwhelming. There are a few occasions in all of our lives when we realize in the moment that we're truly getting to witness something very special. Without a doubt, this was one of those moments--being invited to see and handle the tangible products of another person's studied passion. As an added bonus I got to shoulder all of these beauties and found that the Purdey 500BPE above apparently was made for my twin. Curl took many of his great pictures and transcribed all of the relevant dimensions for me to pass along to the folks at Verney Carron in hopes of replicating this stock for a 500NE I put on order. I can't afford to chase these old treasures yet, but there is nothing to get one scheming like handling these in person!
Curl, haven't moved to Africa yet although have been out of town and dealing with a bunch of things. Did get your message and will give a ring tomorrow to catch up some more.
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Ben
.400 member
Reged: 22/08/08
Posts: 1917
Loc: Northern Territory, Australia
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Absolute gems, Curl!
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rigbymauser
.400 member
Reged: 15/05/05
Posts: 2026
Loc: Denmark
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I have seen them before...and I can keep on seing them over and over. I am glad Curl you had them all rallyed up in one picture. The good thing about these old guns of the victorian period is, if the sportsman wanted more power, he didn`t raise the velocity, he just went bigger. Give me a hammer rifle, with jones underlever with extractor in a big caliber in any day.
Thanks Curl for sharing.
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Chasseur
.375 member
Reged: 18/11/03
Posts: 771
Loc: Hunting classic Indian game!
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Beautiful Curly, simply beautiful. In particular the Purdey and that 450 Henry.
Perfection was reached with the back action hammer BPE express rifle...
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In regards to action he should devote himself to hunting...
-Machiavelli
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kamilaroi
.400 member
Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 1803
Loc: sydney, new south wales, Austr...
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Frankly I lust after the rug. I sense from Isfahan and how many knots?
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CptCurl
.450 member
Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5314
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
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Funny this thread has bubbled to the surface just now. I did an update of this photo just three days ago. Now there are six with the addition of another Purdey .500 BPE. This photo also gives a view of the other side of these rifles for a comparison of the various cheekpiece styles. Enjoy!
The "new" Purdey is in second position from top. It is a best quality rifle with fluid steel barrels, rose & scroll engraving, clipped action, "lever over guard" Jones action with third fastner and Purdey's addition of a spring to snap the action shut. It's a fine one and only very lightly used. Made in 1891 and still has a century or more use left. It was an opportunistic purchase just before Christmas 2011. I will do some photography on it and post in due course.
One interesting feature of this rifle is a mechanical interlock that prevents both triggers from being pulled simultaneously. I've not seen that on any other gun. If the front trigger is pulled, the rear is blocked, and vice versa. That's not something I ever thought I needed, but it certainly is an interesting mechanical feature. The late 19th Century Brit gunmakers were the top of the heap. Their work remains unsurpassed.
Curl
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RoscoeStephenson.com
YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
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CptCurl
.450 member
Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5314
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
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Quote:
Frankly I lust after the rug. I sense from Isfahan and how many knots?
Kamilaroi,
Thanks for the comment on my rug also. I bought that one more than 20 years ago. It is from Pakistan and has a very intricate, tight weave. I once knew the specifics but now have forgotten. The rug has brought pleasure and comfort for a long time.
Curl
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RoscoeStephenson.com
YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
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DarylS
.700 member
Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27635
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
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The bottom hammer gun (3rd rifle up) really gets my blood circulating. I really like the plain stock and the wood.
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Daryl
"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V
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Chasseur
.375 member
Reged: 18/11/03
Posts: 771
Loc: Hunting classic Indian game!
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Great update!
But seeing how its a crime for one man to have two Purdey 500BPE I think during this season of Lent you are going to have do a little sacrifice
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In regards to action he should devote himself to hunting...
-Machiavelli
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Watson577
.300 member
Reged: 05/03/09
Posts: 132
Loc: Fredericksburg, Virginia USA
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Curl,
It looks to me like you're going to need a larger hassock very soon! Very nice rifles indeed. Thank for posting these photos.
Regards,
Jim
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