James Purdey & Sons: Gunmaker To The Royals

by
posted on February 8, 2023
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
Purdeylogo

At the age of 14, James Purdey began an apprenticeship under his gun-making brother-in-law. For the next seven years he learned the craft, mastered the skills and by 1805 landed a job with a gunsmith renowned in England as the “King of Gunmakers,” Joseph Manton.

For the next seven years, he came to understand how firearms can be art, timeless in looks without sacrificing reliability and function. He rose through the firm’s ranks but was ultimately hired by another well-known company where he rose to become shop foreman.

The experience armed him with the knowledge and experience to produce exquisite guns with enviable performance. In 1814, James Purdey & Sons was born when he officially opened his own business in London. Double guns, rifles and pistols were soon coming out of his modest shop, and word of the quality quickly spread.

In 1858, his son, also named James, took over the reins and oversaw expansion during a challenging period in which firearm design changed rapidly. Athol Purdey took over in 1900 and remained true to the tradition that launched the business—timeless craftsmanship and longevity to match.

After 132 years of family ownership, Hugh Seely purchased the company in 1946. In 1994, it sold again to Compagnie Financière Richemont SA—a holding company based in Switzerland that, befittingly, specializes in luxury, high-end watches and jewelry, among other things. Quality was never compromised, a fact proudly on display by the fact that Richard Purdey—the sixth generation of the family at the helm—remained chairman of the board until he officially retired in 2014.

The company’s guns have been purchased by variety of celebrities and high-ranking government officials through the decades. The firm has held a variety of coveted Royal Warrants from British royalty and continue to attract the attention of enthusiasts across the globe. Despite the company's fame and standing, James Purdey & Sons remains unwavering in its dedication to offering apprenticeships, affording those who excel in the craft of gunmaking an opportunity to move into and up in a company renowned for its craftsmanship for the last 219 years.

Today, James Purdey & Sons, still based in London, offers sidelock side-by-side and over-under shotguns, some with Damascene steel. Double rifles, bolt actions and much more, each exquisitely finished, are also produced by the company.

Latest

Stuart 45 Pistol Pre War Manuevers Web Main
Stuart 45 Pistol Pre War Manuevers Web Main

Guns Of The U.S. Tankers In World War II

Since the end of World War II, debates have raged about the effectiveness of American armored fighting vehicles in that conflict. Despite all the Monday morning armored quarterbacking, American AFVs were war-winners, driven to victory by some the finest fighting men our nation has ever produced.

MidwayUSA Foundation Awards Over $14 Million In Cash Grants In 2025

In honor of National Shooting Sports Month—held annually in August—along with the growing popularity of the sport with new participants, MidwayUSA Foundation announced it has distributed more than $14.2 million in cash grants to support youth shooting sports in 2025.

Making The KelTec PR57 In Wyoming

To make its PR57 handgun, KelTec invested in an entirely new manufacturing facility located in Rock Springs, Wyo. "American Rifleman Television" headed out for an inside look at the company's efficient production process.

Taurus 66 Combat: A New "Fighting Revolver"

First introduced in the 1970s, the Taurus 66 Combat is a medium-frame revolver that has seen several evolutions in its lifetime, and the latest update creates what the company considers "the final word in fighting revolvers."

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.