Hi, Trying to figure out who made this Westley Richards marked boxlock. A & D action, 33" barrels, 2-3/4" chambers, non Westley top lever. Almost no marks on the barrel flats. With a "T" prefix serial number, I assume it was made for export to the US. Seems like nicer wood than a normal duck gun would have, assuming that is what it is.

Can anyone help identify it? Thanks

Do you have a picture of the front of the action where the hinge pin is

As you mention duck gun, are you aware that this gun does not exhibit Nitro proof marks?

Yes, of course,that's why I mentioned minimal marks, adds to the question, what was it intended for? Was nitro proofing required for guns sent to the US in the period? BTW, it is choked IM and IM. I'm certainly not going to shoot duck loads through it, even with Whitworth steel barrels, it is still an old 1880's - 90s gun.

Does it have cocking levers on the front of the action

Nitro proofing not required to exit the UK. As you note the readable proof marks indicate 1887 to 1904

What is it choked?

it has birmingham proofs...could it have been made by westley richards...most definitely not...as there is no makers address on the top rib...

a likely scenario...birmingham wholesaler had a quanity made up per order with no makers name...guns shipped somewhere, where a makers name was engraved on lock plates...rube buyer sees famous name, fairly decent workmanship, probably bargain priced...wa la a deal is done...all parties happy...

cool old gun...lots of case color...outstanding wood...32" fluid tubes...watts not to like...enjoy...

If there are no cocking levers on the action knuckle it could be a 1884 westly Richards

Edd do you have a picture of the toprib?

dont need one...top tier british gun makers like wr etc, always engraved their name and address on the top rib...pride an advertising, don ja no...

Just because it doesn’t have “the Westley top lever” doesn’t mean it wasn’t made by WR. As far as I’ve seen, all sidelock WR’s don’t have “the Westley top lever”. WR has the ability to make boxlocks without “the Westley top lever”.

I have a double rifle, confirmed by WR that they made it, that has the same style of top lever as this one. I was told that some have this style top lever.

Edd There is a gold name westly richards on gunsinternatonal with no rib marking.

I have a 1960s era WR 12 gauge BLE with that style of top lever. It has the name engraved on the top rib and in gold letters on each side of the action. When I contacted WR about the gun, they confirmed that it was manufactured in house.

sounds like 1960's wr guns no longer have an address on the rib...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westley_Richards

i would venture to say that post war wr guns like others, no longer have what the pre war guns..had...

Photo of top rib marked "Westley Richards & Co. London Made of Whitworth Fluid Compressed Steel" Also, a photo of the action knuckle as requested. It is chocked IM/IM. Did Westley have a sales outlet in London?

upload image anonymous

It's an 1884 pat wr some speculation francotte made them but no proof it uses a yoke to cock both tumblers at once the piece that cocks it is right on the edge of the forend and action really nicely made guns same action as gold name wr

Have you contacted Westley Richards for more information? Guns for export from Britain are required by law to be 'In Proof'. Nitro Proof here only became compulsory from 1925; prior to that it was optional. Unusual in that it doesn't cock like a convention Anson & Deeley action to say that it was a Westley Richards development. Any Patent information on the gun? Interesting! Lagopus.....

I have a lovely Westley fancy back ble with the C bolt top lever, it utilizes the cocking plate the same way this one does. Yours looks like a Westley to me.

In diggory hadokes book British box lock gun and rifles page 147 is a photo of the action with the trigger and bottom plate off you can clearly see the cocking arrangement.i have a francotte with London pat.engraved on the action if I remember correctly it is 1884 westly Richards pat.there is also a bonehill gun on guns international built on this action