Purdey

Purdey, formally James Purdey & Sons Ltd, is a British sporting-gun and country-sport brand founded in London by James Purdey in 1814. The company began as a gunmaking business at 4 Princes Street, where its founder made single and double guns, rifles and pistols. Its identity remains closely associated with bespoke sporting firearms, traditional English craftsmanship and the heritage of game shooting. The company describes its guns as being crafted in London and presents them as individually made objects with a continuing connection to its history. The brand’s principal offerings are bespoke shotguns and rifles. Its range includes over-and-under guns, including the design developed by the Lawrence brothers from the Woodward action, and the Trigger Plate over-and-under, which combines traditional gunmaking stages with modern manufacturing techniques. The Damascus Gun is a modern recreation using Damasteel to produce patterned barrels and actions. Purdey also sells clothing and accessories, including traditional shooting outfits, a sporting collection, field luggage and performance-oriented apparel. Its broader offering includes shooting experiences at Purdey at The Royal Berkshire, shooting instruction and a sporting agency that arranges shooting holidays. Purdey positions itself around British sporting excellence, bespoke service and a combination of heritage craftsmanship and technical refinement. Its London gunmaking heritage is central to its presentation, while its apparel and accessories extend the brand into a broader sporting lifestyle. The company’s website presents collections and services for both men and women and promotes the brand to customers interested in shooting and country pursuits. Purdey is part of the Richemont group. The available official material emphasizes the company’s history and products rather than providing detail about its current leadership or geographic sales footprint.

James Purdey’s route into gunmaking began with an apprenticeship. According to the company’s account, he was 14 when he began training under his brother-in-law, gunmaker Thomas Keck Hutchinson. He completed the apprenticeship in 1805 and joined Joseph Manton, a leading gunmaker of the period. Purdey rose to become Head Stocker at Manton’s within three years. In 1808 he left to work for Reverend Alexander Forsyth, whose waterproof lock design was an important innovation in firearms. Purdey spent four years there as a stocker and lock-filer and became Forsyth’s foreman. In 1814, after developing his trade in these workshops, Purdey established his own business at 4 Princes Street, just off Leicester Square in London. The early business made single and double guns, rifles and pistols. London remained central to the company’s identity: its official history says Purdey guns have always been crafted in London, and that the original workshop and showroom were combined in one location. The company’s later history includes the acquisition of James Woodward & Sons in 1949. The Woodward over-and-under design, patented in 1913, provided the basis for the modern Purdey over-and-under. Purdey workers Ernest and Harry Lawrence adapted the Woodward ejector mechanism and redesigned firing pins, among other refinements. The company says those changes established the appearance and design that remain at the heart of its over-and-under guns. This legacy continues to inform current offerings, including the Sidelock Over-and-Under and the Trigger Plate model. Purdey continues to present itself as a maker of bespoke firearms, combining traditional handcraft with selected modern techniques. The Trigger Plate is described as being made entirely in the company’s London factory and passing through seven traditional stages of gunmaking. The Damascus Gun applies modern Damasteel to recreate the patterned appearance associated with Damascus metal. Alongside firearms, the contemporary brand offers clothing, accessories, shooting experiences, instruction and sporting travel services. Its website features traditional shooting outfits for men and women, a sporting collection, field luggage and a performance range. Purdey is part of the Richemont group.

• 1949

  Purdey acquires James Woodward & Sons

• 1913

  Woodward over-and-under design is patented

• 1814

  James Purdey establishes his own business in London

• 1808

  Joins Reverend Alexander Forsyth

• 1805

  Completes apprenticeship and joins Joseph Manton

• 1798

  James Purdey begins his gunmaking apprenticeship

A premium British sporting brand centered on bespoke firearms, London gunmaking craftsmanship and heritage, with apparel, accessories and services for shooting and country pursuits.

• Purdey Over-and-Under

  A signature over-and-under design developed from the Woodward action and refined by Purdey workers Ernest and Harry Lawrence.

• Trigger Plate Over-and-Under

  A modern over-and-under made in Purdey's London factory, combining traditional gunmaking stages with modern manufacturing techniques.

• Damascus Gun

  A modern recreation of patterned Damascus material using Damasteel in the barrels and actions.

• Sporting Collection

  A clothing collection presented through imagery of sporting landscapes and field-sport traditions.

• Modernizing the over-and-under designOther

1. 1James Purdey & Sons Ltd | Guns & Rifles | Clothing & Accessories – Purdey Guns & Riflespurdey.com
2. 2About Purdey | James Purdey & Sons Ltd – Purdey Guns & Riflespurdey.com
3. 3Damascus Gun – Purdey Guns & Riflespurdey.com
4. 4Trigger Plate – Purdey Guns & Riflespurdey.com