doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com My Westley drop lock heavy arrived today.

This was cataloged as a heavy waterfowl gun. In my opinion 1 1/8 oz isn't a heavy load. With the XFull chokes is it possible that it was made as a pigeon gun? Serial looks up to 1909. 12 GA, 2 3/4". S# O9162. Bbl. 30" of fluid steel with 1 1/8 oz. nitro proofs. Steel front and mid bead. Case colored scalloped boxlock action. Double under lug and crossbolt locking with dolls head extension. Sides have gold inlaid markings "WESTLEY RICHARDS & Co.". Single selective trigger. Selective ejectors. Automatic safety. Splinter forearm and straight grip stock of fine English walnut with oval escutcheon on toe line. Point pattern hand checkering. LOP: 14 3/8" over an aftermarket Decelerator pad. DAC: 1 3/4". DAH: 2 3/4". Stock has a slight cast off. Bore Diameter: RT: .739, LT: .742. Choke Constriction: RT: .043 (Extra Full), LT: .045 (Extra Full). Minimum Wall Thickness: RT: .035, LT: .022. Weight: 8lbs. 0.4oz. CONDITION: bbls. retain 95% lightly worn blue. Receiver and forearm iron have 90% bright case colors. Floorplate and trigger guard have good blue showing light carry wear. Wood has lightly worn finish showing scratches and marks. Both sides of forearm have small chips along the bbl. channel forward of the iron. Action is tight and on face with top lever sitting slightly right of center. Bores are generally bright showing spots of light pitting

Probably built for shorebirds (plover, etc) or wood pigeons.

I had a GE LEWIS that was a heavy 2 3/4” chambered gun and only proofed at 1 1/8 Oz. It had shorebirds engraved on it in addition to wood pigeons. Makes sense.

Congrats on the gun. Nice example.

Mike, we are unable to view your images in the UK, apparently!

Never mind though, for what I wished to say is that you can of course, contact Westley Richards directly to confirm the build details, for whom and what extra specification they ordered.

Back in those days, 1 1/8 oz load was considered heavy as was a chamber length of 2 3/4 "; things have moved on a bit in the intervening period, I guess.

Tim

a unique piece of history, very nice double

Heck of a nice gun!




When did the 2.75'', 1.25 oz proofs become the norm? My 1903 Greener is so proofed.

Brent: 1892 standard service charges and pressures, which need an extra 10 - 14% for transducer numbers
https://books.google.com/books?id=inQCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA296



A 1893 William Read & Sons, Boston advertisement for the W&C Scott & Son Monte Carlo B Hammerless Pigeon Gun
“Regulated for 45 to 48 grains (3 1/4 - 3 1/2 Dram) Schultze or similar Nitro powders, and 1 1/4 oz. Shot”

Under the 1896 Rules of Proof 12g 2 1/2” and 2 5/8” chambers (bore .710-.740) maximum service load was 3 1/4 Dram Eq. with 1 1/4 oz. shot. (1220 fps)

The 1904 Revision in The Gun and Its Development, 1907
http://books.google.com/books?id=3HMCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA280
Supplementary Nitro Proof
12g 2 1/2” and 2 5/8” chamber for service load 1 1/8 oz.
12g Extra – 2 3/4” chamber for service load 1 1/4 oz.

In 1925, the 2 1/2” & 2 5/8” 12g maximum service load was reduced to 3 Dr. Eq. with 1 1/8 oz. shot with a mean pressure of 3 1/4 tons by LUP = 9,800 psi by Burrard’s conversion.
The 2 3/4” 12g max. service load was 3 3/8 Dr. Eq. with 1 1/4 oz. shot with a mean pressure of 3 1/2 tons = 10,640 psi by Burrard’s conversion.