GUN SPRING 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.
WESTLEY RICHARDS HAND DETACHABLE DANGEROUS GAME DOUBLE RIFLE WITH EXTRA FACTORY SET OF MEDIUM GAME BARRELS.WESTLEY RICHARDSDBL RIFLE16243450 NE/ .318WRMODERN; C&R(ca 1902) Cal. .450 3-1/4" NE, and .318 Westley Richards. Two sets of shoe lump bbls. 28" 450 nitro bbls are engraved with Westley Richards New Bond Street address and Whitworth steel info, along with "W. R. High Velocity Nitro Express Rifle 450 Bore" and with load, on tops. Bbls are fitted with full length rib, central portion milled away forming quarter rib and front ramp. Quarter rib holds one standing leaf express sight. Transition to mid rib is scroll engraved. Silver bead front sight has flip-up "Moon" bead. 24" .318 Bbls have same rib treatment, with caliber and load engraved on tops of bbls, and with Conduit Street address, etc. on mid rib. Front sight base with silver and porcelain bead, is fitted with WR patented flip-over sight protector. Bottoms of bbls are stamped with SNs, number on .450 bbls matching rifle, .318 bbls with later factory bbl no. 17927 (Sept 1923). A sling eye is screwed to the bottom rib of .450 bbls and one has been removed from .318 bbls. Action has early hand detachable locks, patent use no. 446, with removable floorplate, and features automatic bolted safety with SAFE and BOLTED in gold. WR patented third fastener and Westley Richards non-selective trigger. Action is engraved with 80% coverage well cut varying sized scroll. "WESTLEY RICHARDS" is in scroll terminated riband on each side of action, and "WESTLEY RICHARDS EJECTOR" is on top in front of top lever. Floorplate has engraved vignette of running stag and a prowling tiger is on trigger guard bow, with SN on tang which extends to steel grip cap. Somewhat marbled and lightly figured dense European walnut capped pistol grip buttstock measures 14-1/4" over Silver type pad over 7/16" ebony extension, and features right hand cheekpiece, checkered side panels, drop points, and point pattern checkering at grip. A large vacant silver oval and sling eye, are on toe line. Matching splinter Deeley ejector forend has Deeley release. .450 Bbls: Drop at heel: approx 2-1/16", drop at comb: approx 1-5/8". Neutral cast. Weight: 10 lbs. 7 oz. LOP: 14-1/4". .318 BBLS: Drop at heel: approx 2", drop at comb: approx 1-5/8". Neutral cast. Weight: 10 lbs. 0 oz. LOP: 14-1/4". PROVENANCE: Factory Letter dated 20 July 2011 which states the rifle was completed as a .450 High Velocity Nitro double barrel hand detachable lock rifle. The original stock measured 14 1/4" to center. It was made for Lyon & Co. in July 1902. Additional .318 barrels were fitted for Major E.G. Howlett in September 1923. CONDITION: Good. Rifle has seen considerable use, and has not been restored, with 20 - 30% orig blue on bbls. Traces of color and blue on action. There is some scattered pitting on bbls and action. Stocks refinished and re-checkered with repair at wrist. Bores of .450 are fine, frosted in grooves. .318 Bores with Metford rifling are also fine, frosted, right bore with considerable erosion in throat. Action is tight. Bbls are on face. Ejectors are in time. Trigger works. 51700-1 MGM140 (7,000-10,000)