doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Westley Richards Falling Block -FIELD'S Pat action

Westley Richards Falling Block -FIELD'S Pat action

Hello All,

I had been searching high and low for a Daniel Fraser Single Shot Rifle - unfortunately with little success. However, along the way I came across this unique Westley Richards Single Shot Rifle, and I just couldn't pass it up.

It was built on a Field's Patent action in January of 1882. Caliber is 500/450 1-1/2" case. (aka No.1 WR Carbine)

I was somewhat surprised by the similarity of this action to that of the Winchester Hi-Wall action. The lever is underneath on the Winchester, and the lever is on the side on the Field's action. It is interesting to note that the Field's action was patented in 1877, a full year before John Browning designed his Single Shot Hi-Wall action. I wonder if John Browning may have been influenced by the Field's action and only modified that design, rather than inventing his own action.

Specifications of my rifle are: 25" Full Octagon Barrel with a ramrod underneath - 8 pounds 1 oz - 14" LOP - Ivory Diamond Inlays on each side of the grip - 1 standing & 4 Folding Leaf & Ladder Express Site - Right Hand Push Forward Side Lever - Scroll Engraved Receiver - Steel Engraved Butt Plate w/ Trap. (there is some evidence of a vintage stock repair, but it is minor and can only be seen in bright sunlight)

I have spoken with Wal Winfer ("Westley Richards Single Shot Rifles", author) about this rifle's non-typical lever. This rifle has a "straight-vertical" lever, whereas most others have a "serpentine-angular" lever. It was Wal's opinion that the lever on my rifle was an early design as there was much variation of levers in the beginning. He suggested I remove the lever and see if it had a matching serial number - which it did have, stamped on the back.

Although this cartridge seems small, the factory load was 55g black powder under a 380g paper patch bullet for 1300 fps. I have been shooting a 380g lead bullet at slightly over 1400 fps which yields over 1700 ft/lbs muzzle energy. This loading actually exceeds the 45-70 Trapdoor Springfield Carbine Factory load by 150 fps.

I'm very pleased with this rifle's shooting. Apparently the lead paper-patch bullets give a better seal in the bore than the Hornady jacketed bullets based on the higher velocity with the same powder charge.

The lead bullets shot very well, but this load is at maximum and a little too hot for me. Although the cases gave easy extraction, they expanded ever-so-slightly, so that when I inserted a fired case back into the chamber, it required a lot of thumb pushing on the case head before the action would close. By contrast, the cases that fired the jacketed bullets, could be replaced into the chamber without any pushing, and the action would close freely. Next time I'll try reducing the powder charge by 2 grains for the paper patch bullet load.

My actual target follows.

I've been practicing with the rifle with the expectation of using it to bag a Wisconsin Whitetail Deer this Fall. I am finding that estimating the range in order to use the correct site leaf will take some practice. The standing site is marked "50" and that's the one used shooting at the 50 yard target that follows. The first folding leaf is marked "100", the next "200", the next "300", the 4th leaf is marked "400", and then the "ladder-site" goes up another several hundred yards with the highest mark being "11".

Westley Richards must have had some very good shooters back in 1882, to take advantage of these sites. Or maybe they just wanted to intimidate the competition.

I recently contacted Westley Richards asking about this rifle, and they are sending a Factory Letter - hopefully I'll discover more History about it.

Your comments are welsome.

Very nice little rifle. Are cases available or did you have to modify something else?

I don't admire the extra-large ivory inlays, but they sure make the rifle individual!

That cartridge ought to do a whitetail just fine!

Hello Mike A.

Thanks for the reply.

Bertram Brass cases are available from Buffalo Arms for $110 per 20 pcs.

Yes, the Ivory Inlays do look a little "over-the-top". I'm pretty sure they were a later addition by a former owner, and not Westley Richards.

Although the Ivory looks bright white in the pictures, its the result of the camera flash. They are actually quite old having been done a long time ago, as evidenced by their yellowing, aged patina.

I hope to locate a whitetail deer that will volunteer to test my rifle's effectiveness.

" It is interesting to note that the Field's action was patented in 1877, a full year before John Browning designed his Single Shot Hi-Wall action. I wonder if John Browning may have been influenced by the Field's action and only modified that design, rather than inventing his own action."

Actually John M. Browning was issued U.S. Patent No.220,271 for "An Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms" on October 7, 1879. The accompanying drawing clearly shows that the firearm in question was what would become the Winchester High Wall.

Browning manufactured his rifles himself and sold them in his shop in Ogden, Utah, where they were discovered by a Winchester representative. In 1883 Winchester bought the patent from Browning and manufactured the rifle, beginning in 1885. Browning had manufactured and sold almost 600 of the rifles before selling the patent.

This was the first of many patents obtained by John M. Browning and sold to Winchester. The original patent models are on display in the Browning Museum in Ogden.

It wouldn't surprise me if those ivory inlays were placed to hide a wood or brass pin used to repair a split.

Thanks for showing the nice rifle buckstix. I don't think you need the extra 100fps. That 1115fps 350gr group looks good as is, but I'd guess backing down to 1300fps for your factory load match might cover everything with that fifty yard leaf inside a hundred yards. Best of luck out in the woods this fall, and give it plenty of time to lay. I guess I'm just thinking, it's great to hear a nice classic is being used and is headed back out into the field.

Hello xausa,

Thank you for the reply.

Field's U.S. Patent was granted in February 1878. Although Browning's patent for the hi-wall looks very simlar, Field's actions had a self-cocking hammer feature.

Modern day hi-walls are now available with this self-cocking hammer feature, although Target and Schuetzen shooters have added this modification to their rifles in the past.

Hello Greg G.

Thanks for the reply. You may be correct. Although I can see no evidence of any cracks or splits, in bright sunlight I can see 3 small wooden cross-pins that were added behind the grip area.

I would agree that perhaps the Ivory Inlays are covering some type of similar repair.

Hello craigd.

Thanks for the reply.

Today I tested a slightly reduced load of 42.5g H4895 with 380g paper-patch bullets. Average velocity was 1275 fps with very easy case extraction. Cases fired with this load were also easily re-inserted into the chamber.

At this velocity the bullet has 1425 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle, and retains 1200 ft/pounds out at 100 yds. This should be plenty for the "Wiley Wisconsin Whitetail".

Three years ago I bagged a nice "Button Buck" with my Alex Henry 450-3-1/4 BPE.

I love taking these old wariors for a walk.

All of my original High Walls, except the Schuetzen have the self cocking feature.