Monthly Archives: December 2017

Westley Richards ‘Modele de Luxe’ 28g Droplock Shotgun

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Just completed and in time for Christmas delivery is this exquisite little 28g droplock shotgun. Built as a modern version of our ‘Modele de Luxe’ grade gun, it features a specially commissioned elaborate scroll design incorporating beautiful shell motifs on the fences and top lever.

The gun is a special project commissioned by a father for his son and it is always a pleasure for the team here at the factory to bring such a project to fruition, especially for the gift of a life time. As a ‘Modele de Luxe’ gun it features Westley Richards model ‘C’ dolls head fastener, single selective trigger, drop locks, scroll back, exhibition wood, heel/toe plates with a slim horn centre, and a hand painted enamel oval with family crest. Teague multi chokes were fitted from the guns inception to give it real versatility in the field, for a lifetime of use.

Exquisite elaborate scroll design with carved shell features.

Teague multi chokes contained in a hand made pocket case.

The whole package could only be complete with a super bespoke made case, covered in black antique finish alligator skin. The interior has been tastefully lined in blue alcantara, with inset case label and an assortment of functional tooling. The extra drop locks have been French fitted into one of the compartment lids under which sits a hand made choke box.

Merry Christmas from us all here to one very lucky new owner!

British Shooting Show ’10th Anniversary’ February 2018

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In February 2018 the British Shooting Show celebrates its 10th Anniversary. The show has come a long way since its inception, and under the guidance of John Allison and Anne Bertrand has grown from being almost a local show into the pre-eminent gun, rifle and shooting show in the UK.

This coming year the show moves to the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, Westley Richards very own home town. The show promises to be the biggest of its kind in the UK, with prominent manufacturers from the traditional hand built gun market, including Holland and Holland, Boss & Co., Watson Brothers and John Rigby, through to the highly respected Browning, Perazzi, Beretta, Blaser, Mauser and Ceasar Guerini to name but a few.

Access to the show could not be easier with direct links by road, rail and air. Re-locating to the NEC certainly brings a more international accessibility and the show is sure to continue to go from strength to strength. We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Unusual Westley Richards Single Barrel 20 Gauge

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At Westley Richards we take real pleasure in displaying rare and unusual guns for the readers of the Explora and we certainly handle more than most gunmakers. Sadly not all of these guns are for sale and it’s more of a case of ‘you can look, but don’t touch’. Luckily though, from time to time, we do get those rare and interesting guns come through that are for sale and you can by all means look, touch, shoot, own, admire and adore.

One such gun is this very special and neat little single barrel 20g non ejector shotgun, a model we very seldom see. Completed on the 17th of December 1926, built for stock and sold through our Bennetts Hill, Birmingham city centre shop, it features a 28” ribless barrel with a 2 ½” chamber, choked 5/8 and proofed for 7/8oz loads. Built on an Anson & Deeley fixed lock action with a tang top lever, automatic safety, with name and border engraving, it retains some lovely original case colours. A highly figured, straight hand stock measures 14 ¼” to the centre of the chequered butt, complemented with a silver oval, snap forend and horn tip. The gun weighs 5lbs 10oz and is a real beauty to handle.

This gun would bring a different type of enjoyment to hunting. It’s not about how many you can shoot, or how high, it’s the simplistic, no frills, bare roots of the single barrel and action coupled with its rarity, classic looks and quaint demeanour which would make for some very special and memorable hunting.

A similar gun which featured in our pre-war catalogue was the Single Barrel Top Lever Pigeon Gun at a cost of £25.

I couldn’t think of a more fitting Christmas present for your son, daughter, wife or more likely, yourself. The gun will be advertised on our used gun site shortly.

Westley Richards 20g Tallett Engraved Droplock

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Just back from engraving is this very nice little 20g droplock shotgun which as you can see from the pictures is destined for the bird hunting fields of Texas. The engraving of the gun is a collaboration between David and Bradley Tallett who are a father and son engraving duo who have worked on various projects for Westley Richards over the years. Dave who is now semi retired has contributed significantly to the British gun trade having engraved for most of the fine gunmaking houses.

The gun features a fine scroll design executed by Dave, with small rose bouquets set within it. This slightly tighter layout of engraving works very well on the small gauge droplock shotguns that feature prominently in our order book. Bobwhite quail and dove were the choice of bird for the game scenes, which along with the carved fences were executed by Brad. All in all a very nice design for a great little gun.

Flushing Bobwhite quail.

Beautiful fine scroll with rose bouquets.

Flighting dove, a popular quarry in the southern states of the USA.

Pretty W.W.Greener Double Rifle

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Hammerless black powder rifles, particularly in the smaller calibres like this .400 Express are always a pleasure to look at and handle as they are so often more delicate than there nitro express cousins. Double rifles built in the period between the box lock hammerless design of 1875 and the first reliable smokeless powder cartridges of the 1890’s can be some of the most elegant rifles built, with slim action file ups and long gently tapering barrels.

Aesthetics aside, this very nice little double rifle by W.W.Greener has some wonderful game scene engraving depicting animals appropriate to European hunting fields. Retaining lots of its original finish the rifle has clearly been well looked after and was a prized rifle to its former owner. It is great to see dogs featuring in the engraving layout as they have always featured heavily in big game hunting traditions, particularly in Europe. It is easy to picture this rifle on a classic driven hunt, once the sport of Kings, nobility and heads of state.