Saw a Westley Richards double rifle in .30-30 this weekend. 1912 manufacture, according to the guy I spoke with at the Westley Richards Agency. Near mint condition, boxlock ejector (not drop lock), 26 inch barrels, 1 standing and four folding sights, no night bead or front sight hood, 100% scroll engraving on the action with wedges on the breech end of the barrels, long dovetail cut in the top rib for some kind of scope mount (now missing), decent but not spectacular wood in excellent condition. Regulated for the Winchester 170 grain load of the period. Very svelte, probably barely 7-1/4 pounds. Excellent stock dimensions (came up just like a perfectly fitted shotgun).

I'm interested, but don't have a feel for the pricing on small bore British double rifles and can't seem to find a good comparable.

Did it have a WR C Bolt type toplever or just a normal one ?


It's a hard one to price.

500N:

Had a dolls head extension with a standard toplever, not the wider toplever I associate with Westley Richards guns.

I agree about the pricing. If it were no-name German or Austrian, I'd be hard-pressed to go much past $5K, even in this condition. With the WR name, there's clearly a premium, but I'm having trouble figuring out how much.

Plus, I have to budget for a custom scope mount to fill the dovetail, which I'm guessing will be between $1K and $2K.

Rem

quote:

Originally posted by Remington40x:
500N:

Had a dolls head extension with a standard toplever, not the wider toplever I associate with Westley Richards guns.

I agree about the pricing. If it were no-name German or Austrian, I'd be hard-pressed to go much past $5K, even in this condition. With the WR name, there's clearly a premium, but I'm having trouble figuring out how much.

Plus, I have to budget for a custom scope mount to fill the dovetail, which I'm guessing will be between $1K and $2K.

Rem

The Wider top lever that you associate with WR guns is often referred to as a C Bolt.

I would be interested to know what they are asking.

PM Sent.

.

If it's the one I saw it was originally chambered in a 300 Sherwood. Hard to say what it's worth.

quote:

Originally posted by 470Evans:
If it's the one I saw it was originally chambered in a 300 Sherwood. Hard to say what it's worth.

Alarm Bells! I wish there was an "emoticon" for Alarm Bells!

470:

If this started life as a 300 Sherwood, it certainly wasn't marked as such and I took it down to look at the proof marks. In addition, the right barrel was clearly marked as having been regulated using Winchester's 170 grain bullets, something I don't think is consistent with a 300 Sherwood.

Rem

Is there a picture on the web of this rifle somewhere?

I think the OP is being rather coy about this firearm and it's location!
Peter.

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
I think the OP is being rather coy about this firearm and it's location!
Peter.

So do I, but do you blame him.

After all, if you found a WR, Holland etc that you wanted,
would you tell everyone where it is !!! LOL

.

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:

quote:

Originally posted by Peter:
I think the OP is being rather coy about this firearm and it's location!
Peter.

So do I, but do you blame him.



After all, if you found a WR, Holland etc that you wanted,
would you tell everyone where it is !!! LOL

.

You might try a pm to Remington-worked for me.

Tom

I have no desire for a double rifle in a 30.30 caliber, WR or not! Sorry. Anyway, I think that I am about doubled out!
Peter.

What would I pay for a double in 30-30, about $500 as a platform to rechamber it into something more useful. Now a buddy of mine has a sxs in 303 British that I think he stole at $1200 a decade ago. That I'd give $1500 for in a heartbeat.

Well, maybe I'm somewhat qualified to guess since I have a .30-30 DB that I consider a "fine gun". It's a Parker shotgun conversion with all the "bells and whistles" including case and accessories intended to mimic the English double gun look.

Based on that, I'd say there's a market for the one under consideration and it'd probably be mid 4 figures.

The only thing though is, the .30-30 is such the U.S. cartridge while at the same time, the Parker is the definitive U.S. double shotgun. The two are a perfect match. In other words, I question whether the WR fits the concept. This could really hold it back, since much of the appeal of double rifles is the acting out of tradition rather than simple functionality.

Only a special, unusual person would be interested...but, it's probably long gone now anyway..

It depends if the conversion was done by Westley Richards then it is worth money if it was not and done by another party the gun has been ruined.Also A Westley No matter what caliber as long as all its mods have been done by WR it will sell for FAR more then a Parker or the likes

I'd guess, and that is what it is; about eight grand...

Rich

Shack

Yours is still a conversion, regardless of whether it is
gold plated with all the bells and whistles.

An original WR in 30.30 will always be worth more than
a conversion, even if the calibre is a bit "non standard".

The English DR shooter/collector market is different to
a market where a Shotgun converted to 30.30 would be acceptable.

The vagaries of the collector DR market could fill a few books !!!

.

quote:

Originally posted by Mssgn:
What would I pay for a double in 30-30, about $500 as a platform to rechamber it into something more useful. Now a buddy of mine has a sxs in 303 British that I think he stole at $1200 a decade ago. That I'd give $1500 for in a heartbeat.

I'd say from the above quote you aren't very interests in double rifles!

The 30-30 is an American cartridge that was very popular with roedeer hunters in Europe called 7.62X51R there, and many double rifles were so chambered.

Many double rifles were also chambered for 303 Britt, as well and it is hard to find one that is not shot out from long use in the red stagg and roedeer woods if the UK and europe.

I would say that if the rifle was origenaly chambered for 30-30 by WR, and is in decent shape and not shot out, it is worth a premium.

I used to run dogs for black bear and couger in the Rocky mountain west, and I built a 30-30 double rifle on a Browning BSS action, with very short barrels (20 inches) to carry behind those dogs in the mountains where I often needed both hands for climbing, Regulated for 170GR RN soft points, it was deadly on treed lion, or bear. I sold that rifle to the guy who bought my dog pack, and wish I still had that little rifle today. It was also a fine deer rifle for the woods as well with a little 3 power Weaver scope with a German No. 4 post and cross wire!!

..............

A simple fix, contact WR and pay their search fee. They will provide a letter and copy of the entry in the day book. IIRC it is around $110.00 or so.

Dutch

A 30-30 in a double makes perfect sense to me. If done in a light gun it would be great for my part of Texas. Mac, do you want to build another???

I have an O/U Heym in 30/30.

It is a short, light, sweet, little double rifle.
I have a Leupold 4x Compact scoe on it in the Heym QD mount.

I have taken 3 deer, 2 pigs, a turkey and 3 coyotes with it.

I have a Double by FN in 303 savage. It is a dandy little thing. I think a 30-30 would be just a grand gun for deer hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by Remington40x:
470:

If this started life as a 300 Sherwood, it certainly wasn't marked as such and I took it down to look at the proof marks. In addition, the right barrel was clearly marked as having been regulated using Winchester's 170 grain bullets, something I don't think is consistent with a 300 Sherwood.

Rem

A photo of those proof marks would most likely shed some light on the original chambering.
Any chance you could post a photo?

I have a Merkel chambered in 30-30 that is a small great handling DR. I have always wanted to take to Africa and spend a few days stalking warthogs in the Limpoppo area.I think the WR in question would bring more than just about any other maker in that chambering.
Thanks
Wesley