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Westley Richards & Co. .470 3 1/4” NE Best Quality Double Rifle completed around the year 2000, in its original Maker’s O&L case and coming to market for the first time.  

Based on Westley’s iconic droplock action with the firm’s distinctive Snap Lever and Doll’s Head extension, two triggers and manual safety, and disk-set strikers. The action, triggers, grip cap, and forend iron are color hardened and the guard bow and cover plate are black. Engraved in the traditional Best Quality motif with the House’s traditional scroll on the action body with the Maker’s name in flowing banners and a game scene on the cover plate of an animal hunt with such a rifle. This rifle features a very done and highly detailed vignette of an angry bull elephant. The rifle has supporting scroll on the other metal parts. The word “SAFE” and the serial number are inlaid in gold. Engraving is top level but was not signed and, unfortunately, these details were not recorded in the ledgers of the time.  

The rifle has 24” chopper lump barrels with Westley Richards’ patented automatic ejectors and “Doll’s Head” rib extension, and Westley’s pattern quarter rib with 1 Standing Express sight, inlaid with a Gold Triangle and engraved “50 YDS”. The foresight is Westley’s patented combination brass bead/flip-up night sight and rear folding sight protector. The Maker’s name is engraved in the middle of the top rib and the quarter rib has an engraved line border and is hand stippled.  

The highly figured walnut stock has a tight grain and good contrast with a full pistol grip, traditional RH beaded cheekpiece and a 14 1/2” LOP over a leather covered pad. The stock oval are on the toe line, the stock oval engraved with the initials of the original owner.  

The rifle was ordered with no provisions for a sling, as many hunters opt for no sling in fear it may become a hindrance when the rifle is most needed.  

The rifle is complete in its Maker’s O&L case with canvas cover and cased Extra Pair of Locks. 

The rifle is on a dedicated frame size and weighs 10 lbs. 9.6 oz and remains in excellent overall condition. A small blemish on the barrels at the breech and few handling marks on the stock, but rifle was never hunted and shot very little, if ever, outside of the factory.  

Modern Westley Richards double rifles, rifles made in the last 20 or 30 years, rarely come up for sale and even rarer is to see one that has not been hunted.  

This rifle is coming to market for the first time and is available for immediate delivery. 

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