Some Interesting Westley Richards ephemera, curios and other relics.

An original, unopened package of Westley Richards .450 No. 1 Carbine for the Deeley-Edge Model 1869 Carbine. Among his seminal developments such as the doll’s head extension, Westley Richards, the founder’s eldest son, was instrumental in the development of the solid drawn brass case. While metal cases were not a new concept, the Westley Richards patent number 1572 of 1871 introduced a longer, stronger brass case capable of handling higher velocities. This had lasting effects on both military and sporting arms. This is some of the first ammunition to be loaded with such cases. With 55 grains of blackpowder, it shoots a 380gr paper patched soft lead bullet at 1,300 fps.

By LD McCaa

An original, unopened package of Westley Richards .500/.450 No. 1 Black Powder Express. Originally developed by Westley Richard in the 1870’s for deer stalking. The cartridge shot a 260gr paper patched, soft lead bullet just under 2200 fps and generated 1,900 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy.

This box is made with Patent Prime Solid Metal Cartridges, some of the first of their kind.

A partially used can of “Absorbo” Gun and Rifle Barrel Cleaning Fluid from the 1920’s.

The label reads: Westley Richards “Absorbo” Gun and Rifle Barrel Cleaning Fluid. The best cleanser and preservative for the inside of Gun and Rifle Barrels and carries both the 23 Conduit St and 24 Bennet’s Hill addresses.

An original hang tag from before World War I, giving instruction on the proper technique for disassembling the Westley Richards Patent Detachable Barrel bolt action rifles. Patent number 9711 of 1894 was the firm’s first patent for a barrel that detached with what colloquially known as the “bayonet” system.

The Explora Blog is the world’s premier online journal for field sports enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, conservationists and admirers of bespoke gunmaking, fine leather goods and timeless safari clothes. Each month Westley Richards publishes up to 8 blog posts on a range of topics with an avid readership totalling 500,000+ page views per year.

Blog post topics include: Finished custom rifles and bespoke guns leaving the Westley Richards factory; examples of heritage firearms with unique designs and celebrated owners like James Sutherland and Frederick Courtenay Selous; the latest from the company pre-owned guns and rifles collection; interviews with the makers from the gun and leather factory; new season safari wear and country clothing; recent additions to our luxury travel bags and sporting leather goods range; time well spent out in the field; latest news in the sporting world; and key international conservation stories.

By LD McCaa

1 Comments

Joseph Gessner on September 9, 2020 at 3:12 pm

Interesting . I have an unopened package of cartridges marked:
Westly Richards
patent prime
SOLID METAT CARTRIDGES
EXPRESS RIFLE
Case.......... 2 3/4 in. long
Powder......120 grains
Hollow Expanding Bullet, 260 grs.
looks like it is tired with the same twine as the photos in this article

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