Mr. Brown: You're right, I overlooked your Crudgington, my bad.

I've always wanted a lightweight double from an American maker, but I could never find one that either fit me or that I could reasonably afford. The few Foxes and Parkers that could have worked were priced astronomically high here then (roughly 30-years ago) and the few affordable Ithaca's that might have worked were simply too-small & short for me. I ran across a few "beaters" here and there that could have sufficed but... I wanted something a little better. Damascus steel was still very-much a mystery to me then as well and I wasn't prepared to venture my hard-earned money on something that was potentially "risky". We were selling lots of nice and even nicer British boxlocks through MW Reynolds in the early 2000s and that's when my eyes were opened to them as being a solution to my "problem".

I had purchased my 1st "good" gun in ~1997 (a lefty 557 Arrieta, which I still have) but it was and is a fairly conventional 12-bore and I wanted something much quicker (i.e., much lighter) and in 2008 I found my solution. I had been lusting after a 2-inch 12 for a long-while but the economics (and the feeding of it) were just too-much to deal with then. An early Boss 12 and this William Richards 16 walked into the shop as consigned pair on a fine late-summer day and I immediately seized upon the little Richards. It almost fit me perfectly (but only for a mild cast-on which I resolved immediately), the weight was right (5lbs14) 28-tubes w/good chokes and even 2 3/4 re-proof(!). It wasn't exactly "cheap" but it was everything I had been looking for. I could have continued to wait and look but I knew this one wouldn't last very long. I happened to be cash-flush then as well (having recently sold several other "almost" guns) and I knew that economic situation couldn't last for very long (some household calamity would likely claim it) so I ponied-up for it. The rest, of course, is history.

My Richards has accounted for many fine days afield and a significant number of birds since that time. I can't imagine hunting ruffed grouse without it.

Last edited by Lloyd3; 08/27/25 04:26 PM.