doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Westley Richards Pictures

John Frank was going to take some pictures of what I needed. The next night. BUT I think he had a fast sale of the rifle. So no pictures. I am sure if he had not soold it he would have done it.
Yes I can see how the front of the magazine is retained but the rear? and the trigger guard setup.?? I am sure the magazine etc will have to be hand made etc. And that is fine but I would like things made as orginal as possible. With out haveing to modify that beatifull stock wood. Whitey

Whitey,

I have no better idea than you, on the rear latch. However, after studying the pic with the back of the magazine showing, it appears to me that there is a rectangular mortise across it. As well, what appears to be the magazine lever, might conceivably be for another application here: that of latching the mortise on the back of the magazine assembly, to some sort of lug on the front of trigger guard.

I note that the 'slant' of the magazine & the front b'll lug are oriented for the unit to slide to the rear as it is inserted into the stock. That would tally with some sort of hoizontal acting lug/mortise interface at the rear.

All just deduction, of course. Mebbe some other contributer can pick up where Frank left off, with detail pics.

John you and I are pertty much on the same page except. I would hate to guess wrong. Smile HOpefully some one will Know even WR can not give me much info Just a sales broucher.And that they had made very few of this model they figured less than 200. Whitey

Whitey, do you have any of the metalwork at all, or just the bare wood? Regards, Joe

HI Joe. A FRIEND gave me this old stock that he has had for so may years about 30.I don't think it has a scratch on it. He done it just to drive me crazy. Smile And I would just like to do it as close as possible to the orginal style. You know me I have acumalated parts etc. To help get started soon. And I am sure I will get you involved before it is done.
PS the Fields paten Martini is great thanks. Whitey

Just found this thread (mostly lurk up on the SxS forum, AR and nitroexpress). Anyway, I was the buyer for Frank's WR 318 being discussed.
I won't have the gun in hand for another couple of weeks, but when I do I'll be happy to take some studied pics of the stock inletting, trigger guard bow, etc. I'm as curious as everyone else to see how this all fits together and hasn't managed to tear up the inletting in recoil.
I haven't contacted the Bozeman WR shop, but did request info from the UK--a very nice couple of email exchanges, but I really don't know any more than what has already been said. Sadly, the ledger records were lost in a fire so we can't date it thru them. If I understand correctly however, it may be serial #d at Oberndorf allowing at least a date for production of the action. Concensus seems to point to the 20s though. I picked up a repro catalogue from Cornell Publications (the 1812-1912 Centennial) and they describe it as such on p 104:
"The .318 'Light Model,' with Detachable Stock for Portability. . .In add'n to our ordinary model magazine .318 rifle with fixed barrel or with detachable barrel we now make a Lightweight .318 Magazine Rifle, weighing only about 7 lbs., 5-shot clip loader. Total length of rifle 42.75 inches. Extremely handy for snap shots in hill shooting. Only those experienced in hill shooting or shooting in a hot climate can appreciate the boon that this light rifle confers. The .318 Bore Rifle has been used with conspicuous success in every corner of the world and at all kinds of game. . . This rifle may be had fitted with Lyman Peep Sight on bolt or Flip-up Peep Sight on grip as illustrated. . ."

Cheers,
Bill