This is an update of my 2017 review.
I recently received an email from the gunsmith with whom I had arranged to restore my 20 gauge Purdy from the damage caused by Paul Lippold's "restoration." I include it below.
..................................
Hello Peter,
I'm afraid that I do not have good news for you. The damage done during the previous attempt at "restoration" of the gun just isn't able to be rectified to either my standards or in any cost-effective way.
A number of times, I have pulled the gun from the rack to begin work on it and every time the same realization occurs. That being that what I mentioned above. I then put it back in disgust, thinking that maybe it was just my frame of mind, when, in reality, I was simply refusing to accept the reality of the situation.
The primary problem is the amount of material that was removed from the face of the standing breech and the breechface of the barrels, and, the way in which it was removed.
As I had initially determined, both surfaces had apparently suffered significant pitting and were ground and/or filed to remove the pitting. The material removal from the frame's breechface was done wihout first annealing the frame. This resulted in a surface that is not remotely flat, due to varying surface hardness. Correcting this would necessarily involve first annealing the frame and then truing the breechface surface (which means even more material removal). This is going to leave a gap of approximately .015 to .020 inches, meaning that that is how far the barrels will need to be set back. That also means that the new hinge pin will have to be larger in diameter by double that amount (because it is round). Setting the barrels back that far will cause the front of the rear lump to no longer be in contact with the frame (no longer fitted on the circle), which means that the hinge pin will now be the "reaction member" that reacts the forces upon firing. Also, the ornamental ribs of the forend iron will no longer meet their counterparts on the barrel flats, resulting in a visible gap on each side at that point.
Then there is the extent of buffing wheel induced damage to all sharp edges and contours, to say nothing of the vise jaw damage to the frame. This can all be corrected but it will mean material removal to the extent that, when finished, none of the original engraving will have survived. All of the metalwork will be completely bald, including the rib address, meaning that engraving will have to be redone, in its entirety.
Add to that the fact that every single screw must be remade, the gun stocked, checkered, finished, and so on.
As I said, the damage is just too extensive."
......................................
To sum it up, Paul's "restoration" has made a $65,000+ gun worthless. Think cafefully before you give any firearm to this hack. read more