For those looking to own a piece of Purdey heritage, look no further than our pre-owned guns and rifles. The second hand arm of Purdey is a key part of what we do, albeit not one that everybody is aware of. Step into the Long Room at Audley House, and you’ll be able to explore our range of new guns displayed to the left, as well as the second hand guns available to the right; both equally good ways to start or add to your Purdey collection.
We also welcome additions to our second hand collection. There are a few ways to do this, we sell on consignment or buy back directly, and we are always on the lookout for second hand guns in excellent condition. Generally, these come our way via those who are either retiring from shooting or who have decided to replace their existing guns with something newer or different.
“As we are guaranteeing every gun we sell, we’re looking for the highest quality of pre-owned guns” explains Andrew Ambrose, Director of Gun Sales on sourcing second hand. “It’s a little like a classic car; sometimes when you open the bonnet it can be fraught with problems. With a gun, once we strip it down, we’re immediately aware of how much work is needed, which can vary greatly. Additionally, the value and life of a gun is highly dependent on the wall thickness and bore diameters of the barrels. To guarantee longevity, we primarily focus on post-World War Two second hand guns and rifles, from the period immediately after 1945.”
Every pre-owned gun undergoes a rigorous inspection, first by the Gun Sales team before being sent to the factory for a full review, which allows Purdey to offer a two-year mechanical warranty (longer than anyone else in the trade). “It’s both a written guarantee and a guarantee of our knowledge and expertise,” Ambrose confirms. “Buying a second hand gun from the original maker makes sense and carries a lot of weight. We’re best placed to spot any issues and restore each gun to the best quality Purdey standard.”
When a client purchases a second hand gun, it passes through the skilled hands of the same craftsmen who work on our new guns, and occasionally through the same people who built the gun originally. “We encourage new owners of second hand guns to have a gun fitting, so we can adjust it to their measurements. We can get very close when retrospectively adjusting a stock to ensure as good a fit as possible. It’s then rebalanced to retain that hallmark Purdey handling, before being delivered.”
Currently, our second hand range is made up of Sidelocks as it is still relatively early to see the resale market develop on our Sporter and Purdey Trigger Plate models. “The pre-owned collection highlights the longevity of our guns and illustrates their increase in value. For example, I just sold a 50-year-old pair of Purdeys for significantly more than when they were new – even allowing for inflation. This not only demonstrates their resale potential but also the investment value of our guns,” Ambrose highlights.
