Westley | Dogs and Doubles

See this week’s 5 doubles you don’t want to miss …

May 14, 2023May 12, 2023 by Gregg

Charles Hellis Pair of 12 gauge Feather Weight Model Sidelock Ejector Shotguns with 26 inch barrels:
A Pre-Owned Pair of Charles Hellis 12 gauge Feather Weight Model Sidelock Ejector Shotguns with 26 inch barrels. Calibre: 12 gauge Action: Sidelock Ejector Triggers: Double Safety: Automatic Barrel Length: 26 inch Chamber: 2 1/2 inch Rib: Game concaved Chokes: 1/4 & 1/2 Type: Deluxe Length: 14 1/2 inches Grip: Classic striaght hand Butt End Finish: Chequred Forend: Game Style Description: Traditional Scroll Finish: Case colour Weight: 6 lbs – 4 oz Case: Double leather Moter-Case Date of Manufacture: 1934 Price: $19,500

LC Smith 4E (16 Gauge) SxS Shotgun: Curio/Relic: Yes Manufacturer: LC Smith Model: 4E (16 Gauge) Serial Number: 211678 Ejectors: Yes Barrels: 28 inches Triggers: Hunter One Single Trigger Gauge: 16 Gauge Stock Comb: 1 5/8 inches Stock Heel: 2 3/4 inches Fore End: Splinter LOP: 14 1/4 inches Weight: 6 lbs. 14 oz. Price: $24,500

WESTLEY RICHARDS BEST 12G Best Grade Droplock in very good condition. Includes original leather motor case.

WESTLEY RICHARDS BEST 12G DROPLOCK SXS SHOTGUN: Description: Best Grade Droplock in very good condition. Includes original leather motor case. Shotgun Gauge: 12 Gauge Manufacturer: Westley Richards Model: Best Droplock Caliber Info: 12 Gauge Ejectors: Yes Condition: Preowned Metal Condition: Very Good Barrels: 26″ Action: Droplock : Side by Side Triggers: Double Gauge: 12 Gauge Stock Comb: 1 1/2″ Stock Heel: 2″ Stock Cast: On Fore End: Splinter LOP: 15 1/8″ Rib: Raised Rib Weight: 6.250000 Chokes: IC/M Case: Leather Motor Case. Price: $13,750

L C SMITH, HUNTER ARMS, SPECIALTY GRADE 20 GAUGE – 100% ORIGINAL FINISH: L C SMITH, HUNTER ARMS, SPECIALTY GRADE 20 GAUGE. 28″ NITRO STEEL BARRELS, MODIFIED (.010) AND FULL (.025), 2 1/2″ CHAMBERS. VERY GOOD BLUE, MIRROR-PERFECT BORES, NO DINGS OR DENTS, SINGLE BEAD SIGHT, AUTOMATIC EJECTORS, BARRELS RING LIKE A BELL. FEATHERWEIGHT FRAME, TYPICAL ENGRAVING WITH A DUCK IN FLIGHT ON THE RIGHT LOCKPLATE, A PAIR OF SITTING QUAIL ON THE LEFT, PLUS ACANTHUS SCROLLWORK AND FINE BORDERS. EXCELLENT ENGRAVED SCREWS, LIGHT CASE COLOR OVER MOST OF THE FRAME, EXCELLENT TRIGGERGUARD BLUE, TOP LEVER IS TO THE FAR RIGHT, TIGHT ON FACE, STRONG EJECTORS. PISTOL GRIP STOCK, SPLINTER FOREARM, VERY GOOD WOOD AND CHECKERING, NO CRACKS OR PROBLEMS. ORIGINAL GRIP CAP AND BUTTPLATE, 1 1/2″ X 2 1/2″ X 14″, 6 POUNDS 4 OUNCES. THE GUN HAD SLING SWIVELS, WHICH ARE INCLUDED, ALONG WITH A 1930 HUNTER ARMS PARTS AND REPAIR LIST SHOWING SLING STRAP EYES INSTALLED FOR A PRICE OF $1.00. MADE IN 1923. ONLY 450 GUNS WERE MADE IN THIS CONFIGURATION. 100% ORIGINAL FINISH. Price: $5,500

Winchester Model 21 12 GA 30″ #172: Offered for sale is a used, very early Win Model 21 ser. #172 . 30″ marked M/F measures (.010/.035) Here is a chance to own a first or second week of production Model 21. Gun has been stashed in the back of a safe for 35 years. Project never happened . Has normal use/ wear marks on wood and metal for an old classic sxs shotgun. Bluing wear in all the usual places . Gun has been used for its intended purpose. 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2 ” 14″ lop to original butt plate . Gun functions as it should . We shot 5 stand with it last week. Vaporizes targets . Included with gun is a bonus semi inletted Fajen wood set from back in the day. Price: $3,350

See this week’s 5 doubles you don’t want to miss …

July 3, 2022July 3, 2022 by Gregg

C.S. ROSSON BEST “THUMB BREAK” SIDELOCK SXS 28 GAUGE: SN# 3359, MADE 1931, 27″ SWAMPED RIB BARRELS (.005 AND .016 CONSTRICTIONS) 2 3/4″ CHAMBERS, NP 5/8 OZ, DOUBLE TRIGGERS, EJECTORS, SPLINTER FOREARM, ENGLISH GRIP, BUTT PLATE, EXCELLENT AS NEW CONDITION, MAKERS OAK AND LEATHER CASE, 4LBS 9 OZ, 2 1/2″ DAH, 1 3/4″ DAC, 14 5/8″ LOP. Price: $32,500

PERUGINI & VISINI CLASSIC 20GA. EJECTOR SIDELOCK DOUBLEGUN CIRCA 1980’S WITH CASE: 28” barrels with 2 ¾” chambers choked modified and improved modified. Classic Holland and Holland type hand detachable side locks, single trigger automatic ejector side by side in near new condition. Best Quality Holland and Holland style Celtic scroll engraving with full coverage. Maker’s name on barrels and lock plates. Blued barrels and coin finished locks, frame and mounts with all the finish remaining. Deluxe walnut checkered forend and stock with 14 5/8th inch pull and 2 ¼”-1 ½” drop. Diamond checkered butt. Weight 6 ¼ pounds. Mint bore and perfect working order. Original factory Brady full leather luggage case with brass corner mounts and original Perugini Visini & Co. label. Price: $22,500

Westley Richards – Boxlock, 16ga. 26″ Barrels Choked IC/M: Barrels choked IC/Mod, beautiful circassian Turkish walnut capped pistol grip stock, checkered butt, beavertail forend, double triggers, automatic ejectors, solid game rib, crossbolt lockup, side clips, drop points on stock, absolutely gorgeous deep scroll engraving with WESTLEY RICHARDS & CO in ribbons, wedges engraved on breeches of barrels, wood and checkering in excellent condition, perfect and sharp engraving, strong case coloring, a great 16ga. lightweight game gun, available for immediate delivery. 5 lbs. 14 oz. 14 1/8” x 1 ½” x 2 ½” Price: $12,995

Beautiful and desirable Parker Repro DHE 28ga – 28″ PG, DT, BTFE, Long LOP with killer wood & case: The hardest of the 28ga guns to find, the 28″ barrel double trigger, beavertail forend, pistol grip with 14-3/4″ LOP. Gun appears near mint in the case. Canvas cover is missing. Virtually all original finishes remaining on wood and metal surfaces. Mechanics are crisp, bores are brilliant and shiny. Price: $7,795

JEFFERY 12 BOXLOCK EJECT- MADE in 1938- 30″ Bbls.- DOUBLE TRIGGERS- SPLINTER- STRAIGHT HAND- ORIG PIECE- CYL. & FULL- 2 1/2″- 14 1/2″: #37976, W.J. Jeffery & Co. Ltd, 9 Golden Square Regent St. London W1, 12 Bore Boxlock Ejector Game Gun Made in 1938, 30″ Dovetail Lump barrels at .727 .000 & .036 (Cyl. & Full), 2 1/2″ chambers, Double triggers, Splinter forend, Straight hand stock at 14 1/2 x 1 9/16 x 2 7/8″ over a grooved horn buttplate, Slight cast-off for the right hand, 6 lbs. 15 oz., 20% coverage of scroll & border engraving, Solid wood with decent color & contrast, The piece retains 70% original case colors, The original barrel blue is at 85%, The wood with the original oil finish is at 83-85% with scattered handling & hunting marks, The checkering still at 90%, Both the forend & buttstock is solid in every respect. The bores are excellent plus with one very small ding in the right barrel that is pinhead in size. All the screws are in excellent shape and the gun is totally original since built except the right barrel choke. A light 2 1/2″ game gun that has a lot of mechanical life left for many years of upland sport. Price: $2,850

FYI: The accuracy of these listings has not been verified by Dogs and Doubles. All information has been provided by the seller. Buyers are responsible for verifying the physical condition and all specifications of listed items. Dogs and Doubles recommends you and a qualified gunsmith physically inspect an item before purchasing.

What do you think of these insane double rifles?

July 26, 2019 by Gregg

Over the last few months, William Larkin Moore & Sons has posted some of the finest vintage double rifles I’ve ever seen. There’s quite a range of them, including these two droplock Westley Richards with a ton of killer original condition:

From the massive, like this side-by-side .577 Nitro Express WESTLEY RICHARDS Deluxe Droplock Ejector, Mfg 1903. An elephant stomper like this can generate 7,010 Ft-lbf of punch with a 750-gr bullet — KABoom! Compare that to a .30-06, which generates 2,981Ft-lbf of smack with a 220-gr bullet.

To the mid-size, like this WESTLEY RICHARDS Deluxe Droplock Express .303 Savage Cased in Orig O&L case, Mfg 1907 Near new all original condition. With it’s lightweight, his double rifle would be perfect for deer hunting here in the States. And since it’s not a dangerous-game gun, the single trigger is just fine.

The collection WLM is selling also contains stuff like super rare SxS rifle: JOHN DICKSON & SON Round Body Sidelever Express .577 3″ BPE Cased. To date, Dickson has made around 2,000 Round Action guns. Of these, fifteen have been double rifles and two have been .577s. And the one you see here is in fantastic condition. Special? You bet.

And this ‘friggin oddball OU. It’s a WW GREENER O/U Hammer Express 12bore rifle Cased in O&L Mfg 1886 Very rare and very nice condition. This rifle is just weird, and I can’t imagine why it was ever built. No one I know has seen another like it, and I bet it’s a one-off. On top of that, it looks new. So whoever ordered in back in 1886 never bothered to hunt with it. Maybe once they got it they realized how odd it was and decided they would take something else to Africa.

Auction alert: 12g Westley Richards droplock with hidden value…

April 28, 2018April 27, 2018 by Gregg

WESTLEY RICHARDS Gold NAME 12 gauge DROPLOCK SXS SHOTGUN

There are 4 things I love about this classy, little Best-Quality Westley Richards boxlock ejector droplock shotgun coming to auction May 7, 2018 at Poulin’s Antiques in Fairfield, ME.

1. It’s an Anson & Deeley-style boxlock. This is one of the classic British shotgun designs. Reliable & rugged, it’s been around since 1875 and is still used by Westley Richards today (those guns start at £54,500).

2. Droplocks (or”detachable locks,” as the Brits call them). Invented in 1897, droplocks are durable, easy to maintain, and just plain cool. Gunwriter Vice Venters wrote “Westley Richards hand detachable…are nothing short of a stroke of genius.”

3. Newish barrels by Westley Richards in 1954. They’re this gun’s hidden value–and a huge benefit. Even though this gun is 100+ year old, it has modern, 2 3/4″ chambers nitro-proofed for 1 1/4 ounce loads (and perfect upland chokes). That means it can shoot most easy-to-find, modern, 12-gauge ammo (just stick to light loads and lead shot).

4. Its estimate. With a low range of $3,000, it could go cheap. And if it goes anywhere with the $3-5,000 range, it’s a deal.

Lot 1014: WESTLEY RICHARDS DROPLOCK SXS SHOTGUN: Cal. 12 Ga., 2 3/4″. S# 9004. Bbls. 26″ Fluid steel w/ Nitro proofs for 1 1/4 oz. loads were new from Westley Richards in 1954. “Westley Richards” gold name model. Scalloped drop lock action having Case colored finish w/ blue floorplate & trigger guard. Removable locks have fully jeweled surfaces. Single selective trigger. Auto ejectors. Horn-tipped splinter forearm & straight hand stock of hand checkered fine English walnut w/ silver nameplate in toeline. LOP: 14 5/16″ over Universal solid red pad. DAC: 1 5/8″. DAH: 2 1/4″. Cast off. Bore diameter: right – .729, left – .029. Bore restriction: right – .010, left – .020. Wall thickness: right – .033, left – .030. Weight: 6 lbs. 5.9 oz CONDITION: 70% blue w/ fading along sides. Frame retains 30% lightly visible case colors. Floorplate shows 80% blue. Trigger guard has good blue on bow w/ silvering along grip. Stocks have lightly worn finish w/ scattered scratches & handling marks. Very good bright bores. (17-3919/DS). CURIO. $3,000-5,000.

WESTLEY RICHARDS Gold NAME 12 gauge DROPLOCK SXS SHOTGUN

Peculiar Purdeys: Two of their odder SxS shotguns…

March 3, 2016 by Gregg

James Purdey & Sons, 12g with detachable lockplates, by Harry Lawrence

Since James Purdey & Sons adopted the Beesley hammerless action in 1880, the company has done a remarkable job of building pretty much the same sidelock, side-by-side shotguns, over and over again. While modest updates and changes have been made, the guns have pretty much stayed the same. To see what I mean, compare this one from 1883 to this one 2006.

But every now and then Purdey did something unique. These are two side-by-side are a couple of those oddballs.

This first one looks pretty standard– until you see the hand-detachable locks. As far as I know, the first shotguns with easy-to-remove locks were droplock Westley Richards, introduced in 1897. But these were boxlocks. Holland & Holland was the first company to build sidelocks with hand-detachable locks, introduced in 1908.

(BTW: If you go here, you see how to remove Holland-style hand detachable locks.)

Whoever ordered this Purdey must have admired Holland’s idea and asked for it in his gun. Why? No idea. And even though I’m sure the request left the guys at the factory scratching their heads, they went about doing what the customer wanted (and could be billed more money for).

Unlike H&H-style actions, the locks on Purdey’s are not held together by a single pin running plate to plate. Instead, they’re attached to top, fronts of the action by separate screws. So to make the locks hand detachable, you have to build quick-release levers for of them. You can see them on either side of this shotgun. Not too very looking, but they do the job.

James Purdey & Sons Extra Finish SxS shotgun with W.W. Greener-style crossbolt

The next Purdey is one of the oddest hammerless Purdey’s I’ve seen, and the only one I’ve come across with a W.W. Greener-style crossbolt.

W.W. Greener introduced his rounded crossbolt in 1880 as part of his patent for the Facile Princips action. It’s not the most elegant way to secure a pair of bbls to an action, and with double underbites, it’s largely superfluous. But I guess no one told the guy who ordered this Purdey.

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

February 7, 2014February 7, 2014 by Gregg

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.

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

January 13, 2014 by Gregg

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.

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.

The 14 gauge: no one ever loved it…

February 20, 2013 by Gregg

100 Winchester 14 gauge paper shotgun shells

The history of the shotgun is littered with innovations that never went anywhere. From designs like this 10 gauge from Ethan Allen to the American Arms Co.’s Fox-patent Side Opener, some ideas sounded good, but never really caught on. The 14 gauge was another of ideas that never went anywhere.

Fourteen gauge shotguns used to be popular in the percussion era, and Parker, Lefever and several British & German makers built 14s at the end of the 19th century and into the twentieth. Winchester even tried to revive this oddball gauge in 1960s with a line of Model 50/59 semi-autos.

But no matter what makers have done, the 14 gauge has never caught on. That’s what makes this case of 14 gauge paper shells by Winchester so rare. I’m sure some cartridge collector will snap these up. I’m sure the price will be pretty high, too.