doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Westley Richards "Lightweight" shotguns

Hi All,

I finally bit the bullet and bought a Westley Richards hand-detachable double. In a perfect world, I'd have the resources to buy a WR drop lock double rifle, but I'm quite grateful to have been able to get this shotgun.

Per Westley Richards, it was made in September of 1950 for a C.H. Rhoden of Kansas. It has 28" barrels chambered in 12 bore 2 3/4". Their letter said it was a "Lightweight", which I guess means no rib extension. Does that sound right? Single trigger, selective with a scalloped frame, in its maker's case.

Anyone familiar with the Lightweight version, versus the usual model 'C'? I don't have a dedicated book on WR (yet).

Thanks,
Chris

Auction: https://hibid.com/lot/275281615/westley-richards-side-by-side-shotgun?ref=catalog

Beautiful gun. I’ve never handled a hand detachable lock, but I assume the engineering on one must be meticulous. Enjoy!

If I understand correctly a hand detachable sidelock is not really any more meticulously engineered than a regular high quality sidelock. The difference being that on a regular sidelock a pin (screw) with a slot secures it, and on a hand detachable sidelock the pin has a "handle" lever that doesn't require a screwdriver.

Agree re sidelocks with hand detachable levers added to their retaining screws.

I'm referring to a boxlock with hand detachable locks. You take the forearm and barrels off, exposing a button on the bottom of the floorplate that when pressed, caused the front of the floor plate to hinge down, exposing the lockwork, You can then remove the left and right locks (hammer/sear/mainspring) as they are mounted to their own internal plate, which is why drop locks have not external pins on the side of the action.

I have to say I was amazed at how dainty the lockwork was. I expected something much more substantial, but I guess these give up some width to allow for the frame that carries the lock components...basically two internal sideplates within the boxlock.

C.H. could be Dr. Curtis Harley Rhoden, a long time Internist in Wichita. He graduated from Medical School in 1959 so the gun may have been purchased by his father as a High School graduation (1951) present.

I don’t think lightweight means the gun didn’t have the WR C-bolt. What does the gun weigh? I remember an explora blog post written by Simon Clode on a pair of lightweight droplocks he used. Those guns had the C-bolt. Unfortunately, I can’t search the WR explora website because they updated it and for some reason I can’t find the search function.

Ken

Btw: nice looking shotgun!

CJF,
That's a wonderful find! Enjoy it in good health. A shooting buddy has a detachable one such as yours, it's great to shoot.
Karl

This is an Explora blog article on the WR lightweight guns. These guns are you 6 lbs 3 oz and a little over 6 lbs. Both have the WR C-bolt.

WR Lightweights

Ken

Thanks Ken. And I agree with your thinking after that piece by WR on the pair of lightweight guns with rib extensions. I need to get the gun out and weigh it.