Guns aren’t always a great financial investment (though they can be), but this is one firearm purchase you can definitely feel good about.
Lot 1 at the Rock Island Auction on December 5th is a one-of-a-kind set of five Purdey & Sons side-by-side shotguns. Valued at a whopping $800,000, the proceeds from the sale will benefit five conservation organizations: Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, National Wild Turkey Federation, and Pheasants/Quail Forever.
The guns are currently owned by legendary hunter and turkey caller, Will Primos. As he explained to Steve and the crew on a recent episode of The MeatEater Podcast, this set of guns isn’t just rare: you’ll never see another like it anywhere in the world.
“There will never be another set. It’s one of a kind,” he explained, adding that he hopes others will consider selling valuable items to benefit conservation. “Hopefully this will start a ripple effect.”
In 2012, Primos asked Purdey & Sons to create a bespoke set of hammer/ejector shotguns with consecutive serial numbers in five different gauges and calibers: 12, 16, 20, 28, and .410. In its 200-year history, Purdey has never produced a consecutively-numbered set of hammer/ejector guns in all five gauges, making this collection incredibly valuable despite its relatively young age.
They’re also pretty easy on the eyes. The sides of the actions feature a brushed bright finish with traditional English scrollwork, and the bottoms depict various wildlife scenes, including a rock pigeon perched on a desert cliff with two more pigeons in flight behind it, three drake mallards, and a Mearn’s quail.
The auction is set to take place on December 5th. Bids can be made at the Rock Island Auction facility in Bedford, Texas, online, or over the phone. For more information and images, check out the Lot listing here.
Of course, Will’s shotguns aren’t the only interesting firearms being sold at the auction this weekend. Also on tap is a Deluxe Evans lever-action rifle that may have been owned by Buffalo Bill.
This Transition Model lever gun was manufactured by Evans Repeating Rifle Company of Mechanic Falls, Maine. This one is chambered in 44 Evans and features a walnut stock. The Evans rifle was one of the more novel repeating arms of the 19th century and had the largest capacity of any repeating rifle ever mass-produced. Various famous western figures used Evans repeating rifles, including Texas Jack and Buffalo Bill.
True to form, this rifle features a presentation plaque on the left side of the forearm that reads, “This Rifle Presented to/William F. Cody/May 12, 1877/By the Evans Rifle Co./Mechanic Falls, Me.”
You might think that’s enough evidence to prove this rifle’s provenance, but forgeries abound when it comes to Buffalo Bill. Rock Island notes that there isn’t any official documentation to prove that the western showman once owned this Evans, but that doesn’t mean it’s a fake.
In fact, author Dwight Demeritt, Jr. wrote in his 1973 book, “Maine Made Guns and Their Makers,” that the Evans company would often present specially made rifles to famous personalities (not unlike the five-shotgun set presented to Will Primos).
“One such presentation made by the Evans Company was to William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) on May 12, 1877. A rifle, allegedly the rifle that was presented to Cody, still exists and is what the author has described as the transitional model gun. It has the old model action with the two-piece buttstock,” Demeritt wrote.
That description matches the Evans rifle in this auction, so it’s not unreasonable to believe this rifle is the real deal.
Whether or not this is a genuine Buffalo Bill rifle, it’s still valuable as an antique firearm. Rock Island estimates this rifle will sell for $70,000 to $110,000, so get on the phone with your financial advisor today to discuss ways to empty your 401K! (Just kidding, don’t do that.)
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