doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Westley RIchards Explora - 12 G - Question

Hi Forum,

Curious if anyone can recommend ammo for this Westley? I was told Federal rifled?

Any help really appreciated.

Thanks,

Kevin

Judging by the proofmarks, Kevin, you have an "ordinary" WR Explora, rather than the Super Magnum Express, the magnum version. As you may know, Holland & Holland, that acquired Lt. Col. Fosberry's patent for the original version of the rifled choke gun, has resurrected their "Paradox" and is making it and the ammo to go with it. As I recall it fires a 735 grain conical projectile. Suggest you buy some and try them, hoping they regulate. Not sure who sells it, but Lewis Drake has much of the Holland ammunition, as I recall.

Otherwise, you are going to have to try a number of commercial sabot and slug rounds and hope they are a) not too much pressure for your old gun; and b) that one of them regulates. Alternative is to see what works well enough to use the double as a single shot...

Regards, Tim

Check Holland & Holland site or someone that sells ammo loaded for them. They make 2&3/4 & 3" 'Paradox' guns therefore one would hope they offer ammo for them. I could be wrong but I think Wolfgang Romey? in EU rolls it for them.

Of course, check the bore and projectile diameters for a fit or not.

I don't have a picture or any more Explora rounds but you can see what the bullet looks like, it on the far right. If I remember correctly it had a brass jacket.

A really old X-ray that does not scan very well.

Thanks all for the replies. I called Westley Richards in MT today and kevin was a big help. It appears that a number of individuals are trying to work loads for Explora's. I will continue to search...

The Westley round was slightly different to the H&H but I should think they would interchange. Westley's would confirm but they may not exactly regulate. Note that it has 2 1/2" chambers. The early Holland paradoxes also had 2 1/2" chambers too. Holland have their ammo loaded for them by either Gamebore or Hull Cartridge Co.; I think the latter, but it will be expensive. Did some experimenting with a friend's paradox and found that it shot perfectly with Sellier & Bellot stuff which come in packs of five. It comes in a 67.5mm. case which is o.k. for 2 1/2" chambers and uses a 32 gram. (1 1/8th. ounce) Brenneke slug. All at a fraction of the cost of Holland's ammo. May be worth a try if you can source some. Lagopus.....

Wow! Thats great information! I will look for the S&B stuff.

It's called Special Slug and is in a green and silver/grey box with a sounder of boar on the front. Just looked up on the web; link attached: http://www.sellier-bellot.cz/hunting-shotgun-shells.php?type=slug-sporting-purposes&product=13 Looks like there are a few variants. May be something there that works well. Lagopus.....

Don't use any modern slugs in your rifled choke gun. They are probably too hard. 16 to1 is as hard as you want to go and I usually use 20 to 1.