Westley Richards, 170 New Bond Street, London
12 bore Bar in Wood, 'Crab Jointed'
Bar action hammer gun
No. B4966
No. 1 of Pair.
Year of production: 1876
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Click on these images for more detail.
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Heritage Guns' Comment This gun represents a fine condition
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. 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;
Transitionally shaped hammers acting on patent, 2-part strikers;
'Deeley' forend catch.
Gun weight 6lb 12oz
Engraving style Border.
Trigger pulls measure approximately: Front trigger 3lbs Rear
trigger 4lbs
The sleeved damascus/steel barrels are 28" 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.
Birmingham reproof for 65mm nitro powder cartridges in 1977.
Approximate barrel measurements at date of publication:
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Nominal Proof Size
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Bore Diameter 9"
from Breech |
Minimum Wall Thickness
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Choke Constriction
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0.729"
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0.731"
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0.036"
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0.006"
(Tight Skeet) |
Left Barrel |
0.729"
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0.730"
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0.040"
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0.010" (IC)
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The replacement Straight Hand Stock and original
Splinter Forend are crafted from well figured walnut. The stock
is lightly cast-off for a right-handed shot, features a vacant white
metal oval and is finished with a blued steel butt plate and screws.
The 'Deeley' catch forend carries a horn tip and has an inlet repair
to the 'crab-joint' at the knuckle.
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Well Figured Walnut
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The approx. 16 lines per inch chequering has
been refreshed to its original 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:
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Pull to Heel
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Pull to Bump
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Pull to Centre
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Pull to Toe
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15"
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15 1/4"
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15"
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15 3/8"
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Drop at Comb
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Drop at Face
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Drop at Heel
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1 1/2"
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1 11/16"
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2 1/4"
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Cast-off at Comb
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Cast-off at Heel
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Negligible
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Negligible
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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:
Westley Richards's bolting patent no. 1572 of 1871;
Westley Richards's striker patent no. 1960 of 1866;
Deeley's forend fastener patent no. 1422 of 1873.