doublegunshop.com - home Forums Thread Like Summary - Hoping to learn about inherited Westley-Richards

Hello all! I'm a long time milsurp gun collector, but not very knowledgeable about high end shotguns. I recently inherited this Westley-Richards side by side and I'm hoping to learn a bit more about it. I'm familiar with the brand, but not a lot of detailed history on the guns. I got it from my uncle, the story is his father, who was an RCAF officer in WW2, brought it back from England. My uncle (and I guess his father) was unfortunately not a gun guy and didn't treat it with the appropriate respect, including cutting down the butt, I imagine for my uncle to use when he was young, and then extending it back out with a piece of another gun. They did a surprisingly decent job but it was still a crime to do that to a Westley-Richards!

What I do know is it's a single inertial trigger boxlock with 29" barrels and 2 1/2" chambers, fairly open chokes (although I haven't figured out the specifics), and according to the serial number search (7266) on their website it was made 1886 - 1896. However the proof marks seem to date it later than that - is there any chance it was sent back and reproofed for nitro powder? It has very little engraving, most examples I see are heavily engraved - would this have been a gun for general market rather than built for a specific customer? Did they do that at the time? The ejectors aren't working but otherwise it functions nicely and I actually took it grouse hunting this weekend.

Can anyone tell me more about it? I can certainly take more pictures if that's helpful.

[img]https://imgur.com/9SnfOwt[/img]
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[img]https://imgur.com/W1RM4vC[/img]
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[img]https://imgur.com/qKjsjp5[/img]
[img]https://imgur.com/t93NSsh[/img]
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[img]https://imgur.com/YynSCAE[/img]
[img]https://imgur.com/mQyFmYz[/img]

An interesting WR article on the gold name guns Gold Name. At the time Simon Clode (WR managing director) thought very highly of them.

Ken

What Bro. Parabola said - the Crown over R indicates the reproof



There is clearly a crolle pattern underneath the blueing, and fingerprints



What load did you use for grouse?
The gun certainly needs to be evaluated by a double gun specialist. Let us know where you are and we might be able to recommend someone nearby.

Thanks all for the replies! I used Challenger 2 1/2” Classic Double target loads. I’m in Winnipeg, Canada - don’t know if there’s anyone around here who knows classic doubles, it’s hard enough finding any gunsmith these days. I’m definitely going to get an archived search from Westley Richards although I don’t think it’s in the budget for a couple months.