Historically speaking, the first 'Ovundo' patents were registered in 1914 as the scramble among British gunmakers for something new and exciting in the world of guns, took Westley Richards, Boss, Woodward, Edwinson Green and others in the direction of the over and under shotgun. The concept itself of the over and under was not a particularly new one as British makers had been making over and under pistols and rifles since the flintlock era.
During the next two decades the Westley Richards over and under was driven to its own level of perfection with models based around the two key actions associated with the company, namely the 'boxlock' and 'hand detachable lock'. Looking to the under hook barrel design for the rotation of the barrels on the action Westley Richards 'ovundo' was unquestionably a deep actioned gun compared to the Boss design of 1909. However the depth of the action allowed for the fitting of components based around the boxlock and hand detachable lock design and it has to be noted that making the 'ovundo' a hand detachable lock really took some doing. The gun really is a mechanical masterpiece.
Variants on these two actions included double and single triggers, non-ejector and ejector, scroll back, side plated and availability in both shotgun and rifle calibres as well as the 'Faunetta' and 'Explora' rifle choked formats. These variations make the 'ovundo' genuinely collectable as you never quite know what might turn up in the market.
Vivid case colour hardening adds impact to the bold etched scroll design. The gold lettering stands out crisply against the colours. The 'ovundo' features Westley Richards signature top lever shape and safety button.
Vintage Westley Richards promotional material showing the exact format of gun as built today. Whilst the 'ovundo' project has been a long one it highlights the level of skill required to build a gun that has unique features in the over and under market.
The side opening ports on the dummy lock plates are a unique feature of the 'Ovundo'. Simple maintenance of the single trigger was achieved through these ports, whilst also adding a little novelty to the design. Westley Richards has always had a knack of outdoing itself!!!!
The etched background to the elaborate 'acanthus' engraving design adds a sharpness to the engraved coverage.
A beautiful green goat skin lined lightweight leather case complements this modern 'ovundo'.Whether for the discerning collector or the avid sportsman, Westley Richards firearms represent the epitome of excellence in the world of bespoke gunmaking. Known for the droplock shotgun, over and under shotgun, double barrel rifle and bolt action rifle, the company has achieved an illustrious 200 year history of innovation, craftmanship and artistry. As part of our best gun build, clients can choose from three levels of gun engraving: the house scroll; signature game scenes; and exhibition grade masterpieces. All Westley Richards sporting arms are built at their factory in Birmingham, England. Discover more about the gunmaking journey at our custom rifles and bespoke guns pages.
The Old Git. on November 23, 2019 at 1:25 pm
The Vintage Westley Richards promotional material states;
“A Masterpiece of modern Gunnery”, very appropriate today don’t you think!!
“One Trigger” There’s only one Trigger!
The Old Git.
Marty Mayo on November 24, 2019 at 9:17 pm
Absolutely gorgeous gun. The color case hardening is literally the best I have ever seen.
To my mind though, the single trigger limits the gun’s usefulness. Having hunted for the past 40+ years I can say that, for me at least, it is near impossible to flip the safety switch between barrels to choose a different choke in the midst of a flurry of wings. For me, it is much easier to instantly fire the front trigger for close shots (more open choke) and rear trigger (tighter choke) for farther shots.
I would order the gun with dual triggers and detachable locks.
Wonderful example of the pinnacle of gun making.
Christopher Sarpy on November 27, 2019 at 6:16 pm
Stunning!