Here's a "heads up" for anyone who has been saving for a special English made double. Take a look at the Julia Auctioneers March auction. On the third page of the listings is a very nice and rare Westley Richards in 476. This is a great cartridge and really not a problem to load for. I have only seen one other 476 in the past 20 years. I was told guns in this caliber received a little extra detail when being made since it was a house proprietary cartridge. Someone on AR should own this one!

there is a special at Midway USA on a box of 476 Woodleighs!

Elmer Keith was certainly fond of his 476 Westley. Quite an auction coming up.

The one cart. I've always wanted 520 grain bullet at 2100, I think that is about perfect. The only trouble with it is it will be at least 10,000 out of my price range with that WR out in front of it.

I had a chance to buy a german gun at one time for around 12,000. It was not in great shape but very serciveable.

Good luck to anyone bidding!

505ed

Anyone know the lot # of the WR?

JPK

The Westley Richards is lot number 1386. Here is its description:

*BEAUTIFUL MASSIVE WESTLEY RICHARDS DBL RIFLE. Cal. 476 Nitro Express. SN T8279. Massive dbl dangerous game rifle made in 1923 with 26" bbls having a flat matted rib with pedestal front sight & 5-leaf, platinum line express rear sight marked "100" to "500". Bbls are marked with maker's name & address, cal & loading data (75/520 GRS). It has a doll's head extension with third bite, dbl under lugs, with boxlock, and automatic ejectors & dbl triggers. Receiver has rounded edges with a sgl rib behind each fence & has about 50% coverage beautiful foliate arabesque patterns with feather border engraving. The bottom floorplate finely engraved "Expressly Manufactured for D. N. Biswas & Co Calcutta". It has conventional latching system with "SAFE" in gold on top tang. Bottom tang extends all the way to grip cap. Mounted with straight grain English walnut with heavy checkered splinter forearm with horn insert & pistol grip stock with raised side panels, 14-1/2" over a thin smooth solid red pad. Stock & bbls have sling eyes. This cartridge was developed in early 20th century for African & Indian dangerous game & is suitable for anything up to & including elephant & rhinoceros. Complete in maker’s case with trade label. Accompanied by a pair of Westley Richards snap caps. Drop at heel: 1-5/8", drop at comb: 1-5/8". Weight: 11 lbs. 13.12 oz. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbls retain 75-80% orig blue turning plum, thin over carry point & about forearm. Receiver retains about 90% strong orig case colors, brilliant in sheltered areas. Opening lever & floorplate retain most of their orig blue, somewhat thin on floorplate. Trigger guard retains about 50% thinning orig blue with balance turned silver & with some scattered pitting. Bbl flats, under right bbl, have an area of deep pitting with some light pitting on left side, visible on right outside just above water table. Wood is sound with minor handling & storage nicks & scratches with forearm, a dark oil stained patina, & buttstock retaining most of a its orig restored finish. Mechanics are crisp, very bright shiny bore. Case has been modified and repaired over the years and currently has some imperfections. 4-58341 (17,500-27,500)

WOW!!!!!!

If Butch Searchy could built a rifle like those lines this gun has there, I would be a
Butch fan. I have seen some of the rifles he has made so far, and most of them are made for the
John Q Citizen....straight line stock with no heel drop and a railroadsleepersbeavertail forend a real Model 70 double(hahaha)

Searcy makes his stocks to the customers dimensions. If you want more drop than the previous guy thats your choice. Of course you're limited if you're in the used market to what the fellows who had them built wanted. But it sure is easier to take off wood for more drop than to add it. Cutiing back a forarm isn't to tough either.

JPK


JPK

Butch really doesn't like beaver fore ends and only puts them on his rifles at the customers request. Yes the PH model is made for John Q Citizen....It is supposed to be! Get a clue.

I had a beautiful 476 Westley Richards in the original leather case. The gun was perfect and was one of the best doubles I ever owned. I sold it to Westley Richards after Simon begged me to let him have it. I have kicked myself ever since. I have tried to find out who has it so I can buy it back but no luck!

Looks like it might be a nice rifle.

Rifles in this caliber are scarce. I've never understood why Westley built so few of their doubles in the .450/.470 class in their own proprietary caliber. They built far more .470s, and probably more .465s, than they did .476s.

Not many of the few that were built are still .476s. When the British gunmakers were raiding the great collections of the Maharajas in the '50s, '60s and 70s, refurbishing the guns and retailing them, the .476s were mostly rechambered and reproved to .470. The .476 was one of the first cartridges that Kynoch dropped after WWII, so .476 ammo was a serious problem. The .470 remained in production until 1972, so stocks of that caliber remained good. Rechambering them increased their value in those days. That's a pity, as the .476 is probably the best of the .450/.470 group.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

Originally posted by 400 Nitro Express:

"That's a pity, as the .476 is probably the best of the .450/.470 group."

Please tell us WHY this is so! Thanks 400

Heaviest bullet, best sectional density.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

What about pressure, velocity, etc? Is it the 450 3 1/4 opened to shoot a .476 bullet?

Specs are 75 grains Cordite and a 520 grain bullet at 2100 fps for 16 tons bolt thrust. The case is the basic .500, with a length of 3".
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
Elmer Keith was certainly fond of his 476 Westley. Quite an auction coming up.

OL' ELMER knew a thing or two and was right on with the .476 even if the bullets he used in it was crap by today's standards. Not many .476's around if I remember correctly I have only ahd a chance at 2 in 35+ years of messing around with doubles. Most were altered to .470. I've been tempted to try those 520 grainers in the .470, but there is that .001 or 2 going the other way so I haven't had the courage yet.

Depends on the depth and amount of pitting on the rifle listed as to just how good it is to buy.

Most people don't know it but Elmer had two WR 476s. I had the oppurtunity to handle both at his house. If memory serves me right they were not a matched pair. But I could be wrong on that.

465H&H