We have priced this Purdey extremely attractively and if you see one of our competitors has one for 10K more know there is a 90% chance ours is as good a gun or better than theirs.

*The photo's for some reason (the bright harsh lights I think) make the sidelocks look polished and super bright. In person they are not that way at all. We will attempt so new pictures soon.

Records show the barrels were reduced to 26" in the Purdey shop and choked for close game shooting. Light and well balanced this one you will never let go of once you get your hands on it.

*If the stock extension is not to your style, we can easily remove it replace it with a best English style leather covered pad. This takes three to four weeks is all and allows one to adjust the gun to their favorite length of pull in the process.

The choking is Ben's preferred constrictions, by coincidence (or maybe not as Ben has had a huge influence on my hunting )the same as mine for upland!

My esteemed close friend and helper Jason Bartel at the Great Northern shoot a few weeks ago picked this gun off the table there and shot the main event, putting over a case and a half shells through it. He proclaimed it did not even have one hickup and gave him a very high score. He would like to have the gun but alas he has four children which are not even near college age yet so is not a place to purchase it. If you would like to buy this for Jason, I am sure he would forever be in your debt or perhaps if you purchase you could let him use it once in a while.

All kidding aside, this is a very nice vintage Purdey with great providence and proof of present and excellent reference for future reliability in the field. There is a story from a past issue of Covey Rise which features this fine double. I am in the process of getting a copy.

*In the interest in disclosing all information on this gun, when we got it there was a hairline crack going with the grain on the left side mid-stock. It stopped after about 3". We successfully invisibly repaired it and it obviously is holding up as with Jasons 300 plus shells through it, it is holding strong.

In its original makers case this fine shotgun would make a superb upland gun. I personally would open the right barrel to skeet and it would be ready to go! We can get this done for only $85.00 and quickly.

*See the gold crown on the bottom of the receiver. This indicates the gun is their high "Imperial" grade.

*The gun is set up for Skeet with its very straight stock and skeet chokes. The LOP could be made up to 14 1/2" if a pad were added.

*We have priced this gun based only on the gun's features, so we are not charging a dime for the verbal history that goes with it. If you believe you could help me document the story, I would really appreciate it as I am a huge Sinatra fan and would keep the gun and use it for myself! I keep an autographed fan photo of Sinatra in my office which is by me now as I am writing about this gun.

*This gun was made in 1887 so we can ship direct!

The barrels were reproofed at 2 3/4"at a later date in London, probably when the barrels were shortened.

Having open chokes, this would make an outstanding close in bird gun for shooting over point. With modern wads Cylinder bore is capable of perfect patterns out to 25 yards and more.

Own a London BEST Royal at a super price.

This LOP may be to long for some but we can easily arrange for a pad or checkered butt to your LOP.

*Note the rolled trigger guard and the locks featuring cocking indicators. This gun obviously has not seen a lot of use in its life and is a super value for a true between the wars London sidelock.

This Powell has exceptional engraving and wood. The trigger pulls are crisp, the gun tight, and the auto ejectors are timed perfectly. The bores are excellent. I particularly like the nitro proofed 29" barrels which ring perfectly, like the bells of Saint Mary's.

*The makers case is being cleaned and some light restoration done. When finished we will include a photo of it inside and out with this gun.

*This gun pairs well in weight and dimensions with another Powell SLE in our inventory, our number 5660. Put this number in the search box at the top of the page and hit GO and you will be taken right to it. If one wanted to make a composed pair, we do have vintage English pair cases with correct labels that would be great for this.

The stock dimensions are great for many, being quite modern for a vintage gun. The gun having been built before 1899 qualifies as antique so it can be shipped directly to you with no ffl required.

*This gun pairs well in weight and dimensions with another Powell SLE in our inventory, our number 5661. Put this number in the search box at the top of the page and hit GO and you will be taken right to it. If one wanted to make a composed pair, we do have vintage English pair cases with correct labels that would be great for this.

If a longer length of pull is needed we can arrange for a leather covered pad to be installed for up to an inch increase in LOP.

Normally this gun would be in the 6-8K range but due to some very minor surface pitting in places on the action (see the pictures, super minor) we can offer this beauty for only 4600.00. A super London high grade sidelock at almost a boxlock price. For the hunter that wants a high-quality gun that he or she is not afraid to take in the field this is a super opportunity. The gun is super tight and field ready.

After seeing my write up on this gun received this email from our famous hunting/naturalist gun writer friend concerning this gun:

"Wow Kirby, What a beautiful gun. I love Lang guns. You forgot to mention in the write up that it is stocked to the fences and has absolutely perfect chokes for a game gun. Cheers, George"

*At the recent Great Northern SxS event in WI, Travis, our gun photographer used this gun in the main event. He fired 375 rounds through the gun with out even the slightest hiccup. He said the gun felt deceptively light for its weight due to its exceptional balance and shot extremely well.

The leather cheek piece is authentic and in very good condition. No,10183. - John Brigg 11 December 1896

The condition of this gun is very nice. It features a Purdey style hidden third bite and also the slender Churchill rib which I particularly like.

*Note the great modern stock dimensions.

*I love the elegant wood on this gun.

*Completed in 1899.

Completed in England in 1912, the peak of some of England's best gun making.

Overall, this gun is ready to use as is or with some light restoration could be a real showstopper. We are pricing it very attractively in the as is condition. Most Evans sidelocks are in the 4-8K range.

The gold initial shield has a very or special family crest that would worth researching! See photograph of it .

This is a very nice example of an English sidelock. It is well balanced and feels great between the hands as any well made gun should.

I did not know much of this maker so I did some sleuthing on internet and actually found quite a lot:

Built between 1901 and 1905 by address's on rib William Atkinson was the son of Joseph Atkinson of Lancaster. He was born in 1851. By 1871 William had joined his father in the business in Lancaster, but in about 1874 he opened his own business at 52 Stricklandgate, Kendal, Westmoreland; in about 1878 this moved to 8 All Hallows Lane. There may have been a branch of the firm in Preston. In 1874 William and his wife (Eleanor b. 1850) had a son, Joseph Harvey Atkinson, and in 1876 another, Arthur Falder Atkinson (both born in Kendal), they both worked in the business as gunmaker's assistants, there were also had two daughters born in Kendal, Edith (b.1873) and Maud (b.1878) who appear to have worked in the business. In 1881 Joseph Atkinson retired and William took over the business in Lancaster re-naming it William Atkinson. In about 1885 the firm moved to 20 Market Street, between 1890 and 1901 they took over the adjoining premises at 18 Market Street. Between 1890 and 1894 the business in Kendal moved to 58 Highgate. Joseph Atkinson died in the late 1890s, and in 1900 the firm Lancaster business was re-named William Atkinson & Sons. By this time the firm had a substantial trade in bicycles. In about 1901 a branch was opened at 11 Skipton Street, Morecambe, Lancashire. This was probably run by one of the sons, it appears to have closed in about 1905. Between 1901 and 1905 the Kendal business became known as Atkinson & Griffin, it appears to have ceased trading in 1925. Between about 1905 and 1909 the firm in Lancaster occupied premises in North Road. In about 1935 the firm moved to 26 Market Street, Lancaster, but the Lancaster business appears to have closed in 1940. In 1955 Thomas Atkinson & Sons was recorded at 19a Stricklandgate, Kendal. Thomas Atkinson was certainly related, perhaps only distantly. The firm appears to have closed in about 1985.

*You know this old girl has seen plenty of service and she does show some scars in handling marks in the wood and blue thinning in places. She would be a great candidate for a light restoration or used and appreciated as is. This gun I noted when first operated did not have auto ejectors. I really like this as having auto ejectors is really one more thing to go wrong and truly in the upland field unnecessary. I will get some flack over this, I am sure! I will agree to disagree.

*You may note the minimum wall thickness is on the thin side but this is found where there is little pressure near the muzzle as demonstrated by its fairly recent reproof in London in 2005. The bores have not been modified since that reproof.

This gun dates from 1907.

* I am really pleased to offer this great little 16 as I am finding it very hard of late to find them in the UK. They seem to be drying up!

You many not think you have heard of this English maker, but chances are you have if you know your WWI history. The Vickers machine gun helped win that war and our gun is by the same maker.