Auction alert: a nice looking 12g Westley Richards Droplock shotgun…

12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun

Quinn & Farmer Auctions in Charlottesville, VA has this nice looking double barrel shotgun coming up tomorrow at their a 2/8 sale. I know there’s a lot of vital information missing from the listing, but if you live within driving distance, you may be able to make it over today to see the gun for yourself.

Here are the details on it. This info comes from the actioneer. And BTW, according to the pics the auctioneer provided, at least one of the sets of bbls was made in or after 1954.

12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun: 90-95% original condition, true droplock. Two-barrel set, 28″ & 30″, marked 2 3/4″. Gun made between 1901-1908. Strong traces of case hardening on frame, checkered stock grip. Serial number 16967. Gold oval inlay on underside of stock with intials, “RD.” Top of frame marked with numeral “1” in gold. The shotgun is accompanied by its original leather case with name plate “ROBERT W. DANIEL/BRANDON,” with the name Brandon referring to Brandon Plantation.  Serial # 16967.

12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards & Co. Ltd Double Barrel Droplock Shotgun

What’s this 20 gauge Westley Richard’s little secret?

20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun
20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun

Droplock Westley Richards shotguns are nice doubles, and they’re very collectible, especially in the smaller gauges. Most of the time, a 20 gauge will cost you at least $15,000 if it has any kind of condition.

20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun
20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun

So when I saw this little 20 gauge Westley Richards double barrel droplock shotgun on Gunbroker.com, I thought WOW – a deal! But after I took a longer look at the pics, I figured out why it’s priced so low.

Take a look at all the images. Then let me know if you can figure out what’s up with it:

20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock with a single trigger, straight-gripped stock, and 15″ LOP.

20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun
20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun
20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun
20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun
20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun
20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun
20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun
20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun
20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun
20 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Shotgun

On Gunbroker.com now: a nice Westley Richards droplock side-by-side…

12 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Double Barrel Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Double Barrel Shotgun

In 1812, William Westley Richards founded the firm that bears his name today. In the firm’s 200 year history, they’ve invented everything from Monkey Tail Carbines and shotgun toplevers to solid drawn, brass rifle cartridges and the Anson & Deeley shotgun.

12 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Double Barrel Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Double Barrel Shotgun

In 1897, Leslie B Taylor, Westley Richards’s Managing Director, created the company’s famous Detachable Lock Action. A few years later, the company made the shotgun you see here. This Westley Richards is a 12 gauge and it appears to be in excellent original condition.

BTW: if double triggers are more your style, check out this Westley.

12 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Double Barrel Shotgun
12 gauge Westley Richards Droplock Double Barrel Shotgun