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Westley Richards 425 Login/Join
 
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posted 19 July 2006 06:19
 
Posts: 1374 | Location: New Zealand | Registered: 10 February 2005Reply With Quote
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Picture of 404WJJeffery
posted 19 July 2006 06:35Hide Post
Nice. There are a lot of these around- some are lesser expensive utility rifles, but this one looks like the nicer version. Cabelas has had one for quite a while, http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/content/community/gun...386044_wr425_dun.jsp

and there is one that has been on gunsamerica for a long time.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976421146.htm

I have seen a few more around, I don't recall where- I was looking to buy one.

I am sure there are many here more knowledgeable than me on this rifle.

Good caliber.


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Posts: 1489 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: 19 July 2005Reply With Quote
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Picture of ozhunter
posted 19 July 2006 11:30Hide Post
I was fortunate to play with a similar one on my last trip to Zim. It had a flush mag and was a beautiful rifle. For 7KUS I could have taken it home.
ozhunter
 
Posts: 5886 | Location: Sydney,Australia  | Registered: 03 July 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 19 July 2006 21:55Hide Post
Despite some of the issues mentioned about the rifles feeding, and the often long (28") barrels on some, I love these WR .425's! I played around with one a few yearts ago. Thye are kinda odd and full of nostalgia!

As I am sure you have read, the 'White Hunter' models (I think that was from WR, the most affordable versions they made) are apparently fraught with feeding and reliabilty issues?
 
Posts: 1274 | Location: Alberta (and RSA) | Registered: 16 October 2005Reply With Quote
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Picture of Gibbs505
posted 22 July 2006 02:28Hide Post
I would just love one of these!! cheers


So I can't spell, so what!!!
Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Those who beat their swords into ploughshares, will plough for those who don't!
 
Posts: 130 | Location: BC, Canada | Registered: 05 August 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 22 July 2006 04:03Hide Post
I bought one from a friend in RSA ,I dont have it yet cos Im still in portugal. He tells me it cycles like a dream and, I trust him, but I still wonder about woodleigh softs on buff....only bullets I can find. Love these colonial calibres though, good luck with yours.
 
Posts: 205 | Location: Sweden | Registered: 07 June 2006Reply With Quote
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posted 22 July 2006 22:39Hide Post
I have had several of the 425 Westleys when I was dealing in guns and they are very nice. You do not want to buy one without the special clips in the rear of the receiver as they will no feed!! Westley did a great job by addding the spring loaded clips and I never experienced a problem with feeding.
 
Posts: 104 | Location: Chile | Registered: 21 February 2006Reply With Quote
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posted 23 July 2006 04:08Hide Post
rolexfan
mine doesnt have clips. Ive shot them before and seen them shot. The only trouble Ive seen came from one with the extended mag.I cant remember how they sorted it out. Ive heard talk about mag springs, mag followers, clips, even misaligned mag boxes.....doesnt seem to be any rule though. Maybe they were just thrown together in a hurry and some bad ones ruined the rep of all of them?
Waddaya think?
boet
 
Posts: 205 | Location: Sweden | Registered: 07 June 2006Reply With Quote
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posted 23 July 2006 05:05Hide Post
Hello Boet,

The only one's I had were the extended mag version and all of them were pre-war. There has been some attempts to make this cartridge up on an FN mauser action with the regular type magazine. Those that i handled were God awful and I would not really trust one to actively hunt dangerous game. The old guns(with the little clips) fed flawlessly. You could very well be right regarding problems with gun smiths throwing them together and not knowing what they were doing!! There are so many of those wankers out there that it is scary. How long have you been in Portugal? We moved to South America 26 months ago and live in Chile. Africa is our favorite place on earth but I would not move there. We were close in 1995 but our friends in CApe Town warned against it.
 
Posts: 104 | Location: Chile | Registered: 21 February 2006Reply With Quote
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posted 23 July 2006 16:30Hide Post
Been in portugal for 5 years now. Africa is wonderful, if you can come and go.To live there....well..how can you learn a new game if the rules keep changeing. Anyhow,saw on the net a while back...cant find it again....a PH in oz necked up a 375 h&h to 435. He calls it the 425 PH. He says its fantastic. Greater frontal area than a 416 and shoots flatter than a 458 in the same weight.He says performance on all kinds of game is awesome. 425WR ballistics with no case problems! No doubt though ,someones gonna bitch about the belt....seems to be fashionable.

Enjoy Chile, latinos live with passion
boet
 
Posts: 205 | Location: Sweden | Registered: 07 June 2006Reply With Quote
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posted 09 February 2007 16:53Hide Post
Hi.
Im in the process of re-building a 425 WR. If anyone is interested in information, pictures or want to follow the process of this custom rifle project - let me know.

From the original archive in WR i have got this information: "Westley Richards Best Quality .425 Bolt Action Rifle, Regular Barrel (25''), Regular Sighting (Westley Combination Foresight). Stock Lenght 14 3/4, Ordinary Bend, Cast Off 1/8, Regular Weight (10-11 lbs). Completed Desember 1920 and sold to JG Gamble".

The rifle was built in 1920 and had 25'' barrel - not all were made with 28'' Smiler

Here is the stock blank:

Here is the action:



And here is a picture as one of the models WR made:

[URL=http://www.hyperlinkto.com/rolf/private/425_prosjekt.jpg

And here is a picture og the "fingers" - You know this project Fossdal Wink



Rolf
 
Posts: 9 | Location: Norway | Registered: 03 January 2007Reply With Quote
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posted 09 February 2007 17:06Hide Post
Why not just have NEW one made up in a caliber you really want by say Empire Rifles? That way you will not stuck with something goofy like .425 rebated absurdity! bewildered
 
Posts: 1126 | Registered: 03 June 2005Reply With Quote
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Picture of Bent Fossdal
posted 09 February 2007 17:21Hide Post
Paulo, this action has the "fingers" to guide the cartridge during feeding, so it feeds flawless. In an action like that, .425WR is a super cartridge.

rrisnes, you would not by any chance have a photo that shows the "fingers"? Smiler


Bent Fossdal
Reiso
5685 Uggdal
Norway

 
Posts: 1711 | Location: Norway | Registered: 21 April 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 09 February 2007 17:38Hide Post
I have attached a picture showing the "fingers" Smiler

Rolf
 
Posts: 9 | Location: Norway | Registered: 03 January 2007Reply With Quote
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posted 11 February 2007 19:49Hide Post
Rolf

I would be interested in updates of your 425 re-build with pictures.
I would be interested in closeup pictures and physical measurements on action, magazine and fingers if possible.
Thanks

James
 
Posts: 658 | Location: W.Va | Registered: 20 August 2002Reply With Quote
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posted 12 February 2007 01:40Hide Post
I think I speak for us as a group when i say that we would all be interested in project progress updates and pictures. It's way better than playboy.

Red


My rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them.
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Posts: 4742 | Location: Fresno, CA | Registered: 21 March 2003Reply With Quote
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posted 12 February 2007 09:00Hide Post
what Dago Red said...except the part about Playboy!
Even at your age Red, if you can't cut the mustard, you can still lick the jar!!
jumping jumping jumping jumping

Rich
DRSS
 
Posts: 23062 | Location: SW Idaho | Registered: 19 December 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 01 February 2009 17:22Hide Post
Hi,
Long time - no updates, but here are some photos of the rifle.



























 
Posts: 9 | Location: Norway | Registered: 03 January 2007Reply With Quote
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posted 01 February 2009 21:41Hide Post
How are those little fingers fastened to the action? Any chance of a picture of that and measurements of the fingers?
 
Posts: 1700 | Location: USA | Registered: 04 January 2005Reply With Quote
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Picture of Masterifleman
posted 02 February 2009 00:37Hide Post
A friend in Colorado has one, an original Westley Richards. I don't know which model it is (White Hunter, PH, etc.) but it is made on a standard model 98, has no "fingers", no "spring clips" and feeds like a dream. Have used Bertram brass, an original Kynoch round and cases made from heavily modified .375 RUM cases and it feeds flawlessly. Shoots good too, I can rapid fire four rounds and keep them on a 6" sqaure steel plate at 50 yards.


"I ask, sir, what is the Militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effective way to enslave them" - George Mason, co-author of the Second Amendment during the Virginia convention to ratify the Constitution
 
Posts: 1699 | Location: San Antonio, TX | Registered: 14 April 2004Reply With Quote
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posted 02 February 2009 12:02Hide Post
I'l take som pictures and measures later today.

If You have a standard action i think You are lucky if it feeds nicely.
 
Posts: 9 | Location: Norway | Registered: 03 January 2007Reply With Quote
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Picture of ozhunter
posted 02 February 2009 14:07Hide Post
How does it shoot?
I have been loading 74grns of AR2208 (Varget) with Hornerber cases, Fed mag primers and Woodleigh bullets for around 2200fps from a 24" barrel.
I'm very happy with the way my one shoots but will try to get the MV up around 2250fps .
 
Posts: 5886 | Location: Sydney,Australia  | Registered: 03 July 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 02 February 2009 15:20Hide Post
Hi OZhunter,
Mine is shooting very nice. I'm using 72 gr N150 and that gives med 2170 fps. Im using Bertram cases and Woodleigh bullets (dont know of any other supplier). I love this rifle Smiler
 
Posts: 9 | Location: Norway | Registered: 03 January 2007Reply With Quote
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posted 02 February 2009 21:51Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Masterifleman:
A friend in Colorado has one, an original Westley Richards. I don't know which model it is (White Hunter, PH, etc.) but it is made on a standard model 98, has no "fingers", no "spring clips" and feeds like a dream. Have used Bertram brass, an original Kynoch round and cases made from heavily modified .375 RUM cases and it feeds flawlessly. Shoots good too, I can rapid fire four rounds and keep them on a 6" sqaure steel plate at 50 yards.


I would think it's the "White Hunter" Model. And your right, with proper gunsmithing it can be done. I have one put together by the old Apex Rifle Co., with no fingers, staggerred magazine and it feeds flawlessly and slick. I heavily modify .404 brass as that is what I had and its's no headstamped. If I remember correctly a guy name Sam May ran the old Apex Co.
 
Posts: 1700 | Location: USA | Registered: 04 January 2005Reply With Quote
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Picture of Bent Fossdal
posted 02 February 2009 22:03Hide Post
Rolf,

when showing pic's like that, you should start a new thread! Smiler

Q about the checkering, are those square diamonds the way WR did it, or the way it ended up?


Bent Fossdal
Reiso
5685 Uggdal
Norway

 
Posts: 1711 | Location: Norway | Registered: 21 April 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 02 February 2009 22:07Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by rrisnes:
Hi OZhunter,
Mine is shooting very nice. I'm using 72 gr N150 and that gives med 2170 fps. Im using Bertram cases and Woodleigh bullets (dont know of any other supplier). I love this rifle Smiler


I have been using 73.5 gr. Varget with old original steel jacket Kynoch (because I have them! From years ago.) and Woodleigh softs. Years ago i was using 4895, but don't recall off hand how much. I probably could find the records.
I see I got 2202 fps ave. on the 73.5 load at 13 deg F. last Feb with the steel jacket kynoch. I also tried 76.1 grains a couple of days later, also 13 degrees, for 2245 fps, very little gain so I backed off to 73.5 for the trip, but the 76.1 showed no pressure signs in the Apex rifle

Hawk makes bullets, but they are just as high as Woodleigh the last time I checked.
 
Posts: 1700 | Location: USA | Registered: 04 January 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 02 February 2009 22:16Hide Post
Hi Bent,
Not been posting here for a long time, but i did a search and found out that i not had done what i had promised (post pics) - so i did yesterday..lol

U have seen this project on Kammeret (and SL) before Smiler

By the way: i dont know if WR did the checkering like this so i guess u could say it just ended up like this.

The next project (after the 30-06 Oberndorf) is most likely .318 WR. Im an WR fan..lol
 
Posts: 9 | Location: Norway | Registered: 03 January 2007Reply With Quote
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Picture of ozhunter
posted 03 February 2009 13:30Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by AfricanHunter:
quote:
Originally posted by rrisnes:
Hi OZhunter,
Mine is shooting very nice. I'm using 72 gr N150 and that gives med 2170 fps. Im using Bertram cases and Woodleigh bullets (dont know of any other supplier). I love this rifle Smiler


I have been using 73.5 gr. Varget with old original steel jacket Kynoch (because I have them! From years ago.) and Woodleigh softs. Years ago i was using 4895, but don't recall off hand how much. I probably could find the records.
I see I got 2202 fps ave. on the 73.5 load at 13 deg F. last Feb with the steel jacket kynoch. I also tried 76.1 grains a couple of days later, also 13 degrees, for 2245 fps, very little gain so I backed off to 73.5 for the trip, but the 76.1 showed no pressure signs in the Apex rifle

Hawk makes bullets, but they are just as high as Woodleigh the last time I checked.

Any particular reason for going to VARGET from 4895?
The German HORNERBER cases are another good option.
 
Posts: 5886 | Location: Sydney,Australia  | Registered: 03 July 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 04 February 2009 05:33Hide Post
No I don't know the reason for going to Varget. Somewhere I got the load, tried it and I was using it in the .458, so I just switched over.
I am not aware of anyone in the USA bringing in the HORNERBERS in .425, but haven't looked around for some time either.
 
Posts: 1700 | Location: USA | Registered: 04 January 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 04 February 2009 14:48Hide Post
quote:
I am not aware of anyone in the USA bringing in the HORNERBERS in .425


Horneber ships right to my door. Just email them an order; he'll send you the cost and bank wire info and once that is taken care of they'll be sitting at your door 4 weeks later.
 
Posts: 49 | Location: Plymouth, MA | Registered: 14 October 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 04 February 2009 20:17Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Joshua W. Rich:
quote:
I am not aware of anyone in the USA bringing in the HORNERBERS in .425


Horneber ships right to my door. Just email them an order; he'll send you the cost and bank wire info and once that is taken care of they'll be sitting at your door 4 weeks later.


Wow, like the odd ball, but the wire transfer cost really adds up, but making them out of 404's on the lathe is a pain as well. Cost of nastolgia I guess.

Does you have their email address?
 
Posts: 1700 | Location: USA | Registered: 04 January 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 05 February 2009 02:44Hide Post
Varget is an "Extreme" powder...meaning that it is temperature insensitive....should work fine in hot and cold. I'm not sure they clasify 4895 in that same category. Both work well in the 425...and the 500 Jeff.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC
 
Posts: 1977 | Location: NE Georgia, USA | Registered: 21 March 2002Reply With Quote
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posted 05 February 2009 06:44Hide Post
quote:
Does you have their email address?


DHorneber@aol.com

or

info@huelsen-horneber.de
 
Posts: 49 | Location: Plymouth, MA | Registered: 14 October 2005Reply With Quote
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Picture of ozhunter
posted 05 February 2009 12:44Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by GarBy:
Varget is an "Extreme" powder...meaning that it is temperature insensitive....should work fine in hot and cold. I'm not sure they clasify 4895 in that same category.
Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC


Gary, as far as I'm aware, the HOGDEN4895 is re packed ADI AR2206H Aus powder which is great for extreme temperature.
The AR2206H is also great for 9.3x62, 458win and the Lott. thumb
 
Posts: 5886 | Location: Sydney,Australia  | Registered: 03 July 2005Reply With Quote
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posted 05 February 2009 13:24Hide Post
Im using vihtavuori powder (N-150).

http://www.lapua.com/index.php?id=851
 
Posts: 9 | Location: Norway | Registered: 03 January 2007Reply With Quote
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Picture of ozhunter
posted 05 February 2009 15:28Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by rrisnes:
Im using vihtavuori powder (N-150).

http://www.lapua.com/index.php?id=851

What made you decide on V N150 in stead of say V N135, N53O or N133?
N133 is suppose to be similar to Varget.
 
Posts: 5886 | Location: Sydney,Australia  | Registered: 03 July 2005Reply With Quote
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