Barrel selection

What am I missing in Roger Field’s column (Under the Hammer, August issue), referring to the Teague-choked Purdey coming up for auction at the Gleneagles Hotel? Surely a gun of that era, and most sideby-side’s, benefit from having double triggers allowing the user to select which barrel they fire first. So if you want the left barrel first simply use the rear trigger and vice versa. Saves all that “north-south” choke swapping and considerable expense.

Don’t misunderstand me, I have Teague chokes fitted to a favourite Browning O/U. They are lovely examples of excellent engineering but can I remember the last time I changed the configuration? No!

Buying a 1950s William

Powell side-by-side earlier in the year for the coming game season, part of the decision was wanting a lightweight field gun, part the quality of a good English sidelock and then, yes, depending on the bird and range the tight or open barrel can be selected – perfect.

John Dunk, by email