Westley Richards, 170 New Bond Street, London
12 bore Bar in Wood, 'Crab Jointed' Bar action hammer gun
No. 5587.

Year of production: pre-1887.

 

Click on these images for more detail.

Heritage Guns' Comment

This gun represents is a beautiful example of the very individual hammerguns that Westley Richard became famous for in the last quarter of the 19th Century. Their trade mark style was the use of 'bar-in-wood' stocking combined with a 'crab joint', and a testament to their highly skilled stockers was that they used the same skills to produce every quality of gun. With its simple border engraving, this gun was never intended to represent their very best quality but even so, the finishing is to a very high standard and no effort has been spared in the construction and finish of the gun’s internal workings. The gun action and locks have suffered some internal corrosion damage which has been passivated and cleaned off and with reasonable precautions, should not cause further problems. The stock has been bedded to the action.
This coupled with the sensitive restoration makes it a very individual and highly 'shootable' gun for either game or clays.
WE REGRET THAT THIS GUN IS NOW SOLD. IF YOU ARE SEARCHING FOR A SIMILAR GUN, PLEASE CONTACT US.

 

 The action is of Westley Richards' patented design and features:
Top lever opening, operating the famous Westley Richards patented single bolt, engaging a 'Doll's Head' top extension;
Bar-in-wood stock with 'crab joint';
Double triggers;
Bar action, rebounding locks;
High level ‘Hare’s Ear’ transitionally shaped hammers;
Patent, 2-part strikers;
 'Deeley' forend catch.
Gun weight 6lb 10oz
Engraving style Border.
Toplever engraved ‘WESTLEY RICHARDS PATENT’
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 4lbs Rear trigger 4lbs
The damascus barrels are 30" in length, chambered for 2 ½ " (65mm) cartridges and are of brazed 'dovetail' lump construction with soft soldered ribs.
Top rib
is of the smooth, concave, game type.
The bores are essentially clean but retain a few small vestigial pits, left in to maintain wall thicknesses.
Birmingham reproof for 2 ½” nitro powder cartridges in 1925-54.

Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:

 
Nominal Proof Size
Bore Diameter 9"
from Breech
Minimum Wall Thickness
Choke Constriction


Right Barrel

0.729"
0.736"
0.030"
0.005" (Skeet)

Left Barrel

0.729"
0.735+"
0.028+"
0.005" (Skeet)

The original Straight Hand Stock and replacement Splinter Forend are crafted from highly figured walnut. The stock is cast-off for a right-handed shot, features a vacant, white metal, rectangular oval and is finished with a blued steel butt plate and engraved screws. This is the original butt plate, stamped WR and ‘5587’ internally, but has suffered some corrosion damage and repairs.
The replacement forend features a 'Deeley' catch and carved horn tip.

Highly Figured Walnut

The 16 (approx) lines per inch chequering is refreshed to a normal sidelock pattern.
The stock is finished with a traditional linseed oil based preparation as used on best guns by one of the top English makers. This finish uses no grain fillers to achieve its deep, smooth lustre, only many hours of alternate build and flatting off of the surface.

Approximate stock measurements at date of publication:

Pull to Heel
Pull to Bump
Pull to Centre
Pull to Toe
14 1/4"
14 3/8"
14 3/8"
14 3/4"
Drop at Comb
Drop at Face
Drop at Heel
1 11/16"
1 7/8"
2 3/8"
Cast-off at Comb
Cast-off at Heel
1/8" (approximate)
1/4" (approximate)

For the purposes of these measurements, 'Drop at Face' is the 'drop' measurement taken on a line perpendicular to the
line joining the trigger and centre of the butt at approximately 8" from the trigger (front trigger on a double trigger gun).

Patents Exhibited include:
 
Stanton's rebounding lock patent no. 367 of 1867,
Westley Richards's bolting patent no. 1572 of 1871 and striker patent no. 1960 of 1866,
Deeley & Edge forend fastener patent no. 1422 of 1873
.