Purdey Sidelock Double Rifle
James Purdey & Sons Ltd · Rifle · In Production · 1880
Also known as: Purdey Best Double Rifle, Purdey Express Double Rifle
Overview
The Purdey Sidelock Double Rifle is a bespoke side-by-side double rifle built by James Purdey & Sons of London for dangerous-game hunting. Constructed on Purdey's patented self-opening Beesley action with hand-detachable sidelocks, intercepting sears, and automatic ejectors, it is regulated so that both barrels place their shots to a common point of impact at close range. Chambered in heavy dangerous-game cartridges such as the .500 Nitro Express, each rifle is made to order with a hand-finished figured walnut stock and full house engraving, and is regarded as one of the finest express double rifles ever produced.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 5635 g (198.8 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 5705 g (201.2 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1080 mm (42.52") |
| Barrel Length | 610 mm (24.02") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Trigger |
| Magazine Capacity | 2 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 640 m/s (2100 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 7108 J (5243 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1000 m (1094 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Case Hardened |
Calibers
- .500 Nitro Express · primary — also known as .500 NE, .500 3" Nitro Express
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Break Open Double Barrel
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Intercepting Sears
- Features: Sidelock Action, Self Opening Beesley Action, Automatic Ejectors, Hand Engraving, Regulated Barrels, Express Sights
Service history
Operators
- Big-game hunters and safari sportsmen
Production
Production years: 1880-present
Bespoke, made to individual order in very small numbers each year
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: James Purdey & Sons (Beesley self-opening action patented by Frederick Beesley, 1880)
Notes
Each rifle is a bespoke commission; the two barrels are individually regulated by hand so their point of impact converges, a labour-intensive process that can take many months.
Background
Purdey's double rifles trace back to the mid-19th-century 'Express' rifles, named for the newly introduced express trains to evoke their high velocity. The sidelock double rifle remains the classic tool for hunters facing dangerous game, where the instant availability of a second, independently locked shot can be a matter of life or death.