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Westley Richards & Co. .30/06 Springfield Best Quality Magazine Rifle with Patented Detachable Barrel. According to factory ledgers, serial number 42064 was made in 1929 as a Best quality rifle with WR Detachable Barrel. Built on a standard length commercial Mauser action with modified front ring for the patented solid lug “bayonet” take down system, steel bolt knob with flat checkered bottom, factory set or “hair” trigger, flag safety and fitted with a period correct “patent applied for” single lever G&H scope mount and a Carl Zeiss Zielklein fixed 4x scope. The hinged floor plate has a checkered lever release, the top of the action is stippled and the serial number and caliber are engraved on the left side of the front ring of the action.

The 24” barrel (23” out of action when assembled) is fitted with a factory original full length, engine turned, flat rib with platinum lined rear sights 1 standing/4 folding leaves (100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 yds), and WR combination front sight with patented hinged sight hood. The barrel is marked: “Westley Richards & Co. London Sighted for Winchester Cartridge 180 Grains Bullet” and “W.R. Detachable Barrel”.

The nicely figured stock has WR raised side panels with drop points, a beaded RH cheekpiece, traditional wrap pattern point checkering with a trap grip cap, smooth trap butt and horn forend tip. Original large sling eyes in on the toe line of the butt stock and the front one mounted on the barrel. The original stock oval includes, what appears to be, the original owner’s initials: “J.M.D”

The rifle features all of the Best quality features, as listed in our 1928 catalog…plus a few extras!

Excerpt from Westley Richards 1929 Print Catalog.

No. 513—Westley Richards Special Colonial Quality Sporting Magazine Rifle, full pistol hand stock, standard and 2 leaf sights to 500 yards, i.e. 100, 300, and 500 yards or standard to leaves and tangents to 1,200 yards, full pistol hand stock with horn cap, trap heel-plate with jointed rod and sling.

No. 514—As 513, Best quality, with cheekpiece, flat engine-turned rib, spring leaf sights and combination day and nights sights, extra foresight in trap box in pistol grip, and registered hinged fore-sight protector.

A-      Either of the above fitted with Hair Trigger

B-      Detachable Barrel, with solid locking lugs, convenient for packing

C-      If barrel and action made to detach from stock by removing pin through fore-end, ditto

With 26 in barrel.              B. Packs in 26”.                 C. in 34 ¼” inches.

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The same Rifle as above made for the following Cartridges at the same prices. .25/3000 High Power Savage Cartridge, .30/06 U.S. Cartridge 220 grain, 180 grain, or 150 grain Bullets, .270 Winchester 130 grain Cartridge.

Overall, this rifle remains in superb condition. The metal retains about 80% of its original black, most of the color on the grip cap and strong original bright blue on the bolt release. The original stock has an old refinish and checkering has been re-cut, but remains crack and repair free. The rifle’s barrel locks up tight in the action and has a perfect bore.

The action is fitted with a “Patent Applied For” Griffin & Howe single lever quick detachable scope mount with .875” rings, neatly and correctly fitted to the action’s side wall. This mount was first introduced by G&H in the late 1920’s (1928/29), the later model marked with a 1932 patent. Being this rifle was produced during the same small window that this iconic mount carried the “Patent Applied For” mark, and considering the high quality workmanship to install the mount, there is no doubt in my mind this was done by G&H when the rifle was first brought to the U.S. and is, for all intents and purposes, the “correct” scope and mount for the rifle.  

Also notable and worthy of mention, is the very rare chambering (for WR at least) of an American cartridge. The fact it is chambered in the .30-06 Springfield, one of the greatest rifle cartridges ever invented, is certainly a plus as well.  

Finally, the rifle and scope are neatly housed in the original O&L case making this an outstanding example of a between the Wars Best quality Westley Richards rifle in the very rare "American" caliber.

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