Anybody had a look at this Double.. www.griffinhowe.com
AK

Looks like Roy Weatherby restocked it.

Deduct $8K and 2 years to get a proper stock made.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Deduct $8K and 2 years to get a proper stock made.

That's pretty accurate if you have to replace the fore-end too. Probably possible to just convert it to a splinter though.

My memory could be playing tricks here but, in addition to the restock, I seem to recall hearing that the barrels had been cut. They don't even mention droplock. The restock may have been done by Westley. They actually began offering that pattern back in the '50s. What were they thinking?
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

They had it at SCI. Other than the stock's apearance, it was a VERY nice rifle. It balanced and came up well for me at least. I agree that the aesthetics left a bit to be desired.

-Steve

That is a heck of an ugly stock but it looks like it could be whittled down to size w/o restocking. I wonder why it was done that way in the first place?

quote:

Originally posted by 400 Nitro Express:

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
Deduct $8K and 2 years to get a proper stock made.

That's pretty accurate if you have to replace the fore-end too. Probably possible to just convert it to a splinter though.

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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

Save your $8K for a trophy fee, and simply re-do the stock, God knows it has a surplus of wood to remove, but it could be done quite successfully! Beautiful rifle otherwise!

Gentlemen,
off the topic & I apologise,any thoughts on the Vaughan-470 N.E,that is also on the same site!
are the barrels an unusual length for this caliber?would this rifle be muzzle heavy?would this be a newer gun?
just curious & want to educate myself a bit!
thanks.

Bal:

Vaughan was a gundealer as opposed to a gunmaker. This gun was made for them by H. Leonard in Birmingham. Leonard also made most of W. J. Jeffery's double rifles. Excellent original quality. Weight distribution and balance of the Leonard DRs is excellent. I've never handled one that was muzzle heavy. It dates from circa 1907-1909. 26" barrels are perfect.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

I heard that the top lever on the Vaughn overcams to the left past center after closing.

quote:

Originally posted by Showbart:
I heard that the top lever on the Vaughn overcams to the left past center after closing.

A friend of mine looked at it, and didn't say anything about it. If true, it isn't a difficult or expensive repair.

There are five of us here shooting that same rifle, although all are .400s. They're really nice rifles.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

400 N.E.
What is the condition of the Bores on the Vaughn.. A number of Your fellow Poster have looked it over.. Consensus..
AK

Back to the W-R:is that a Shelhamer "chin strap"behind the PG?stock appears headed up nicely,drop points reasonably well done,lots of wood to reshape to proper make off on butt&foreend.looks like f-e metal is hitting drop plate so another $500.nice project gun at 1/2 the price.want to see UGLY drop down to the restocked M-70 375H&H.

quote:

Originally posted by akrange:
400 N.E.
What is the condition of the Bores on the Vaughn.. A number of Your fellow Poster have looked it over.. Consensus..
AK

My friend that handled it was in the area on business and stopped in to look. He said that it looked like it needed to be cleaned and couldn't tell much, and didn't have time to wait around. I told another poster here who PMed me about it to get the bores checked out before proceeding.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

First, I have seen (over the years) a couple of W/R Farquharsons, one of them a small action in believe it or not .22 R2 Lovell, with just that kind of Shelhamer looking buttstock configuration. Second, I get down to G&H every couple months of so and if anyone is truly (no s..t) interested I can ask Paul Chapman to clean out the bores and I will give you guys a report. But 38g seems like a lot for a boxlock gun unless it is a droplock.

I believe this one is a drop-lock from the looks of the floor plate.

Stock can be fixed (K Eversal / Yale) without a re-stock job. If the bores check out that's a good gun.

I'm a bit concerned over the 24" bbls though....every one of my pre-war guns has / had 26-28" bbls. Would like to see the WR records on this one.

Great cartridge BTW!

It's probably a later production gun. I have seen a couple including a 458 that were stocked the same "American" style. If someone gets the serial number Westley's web site will quickly give you the date of production.

quote:

Originally posted by 400 Nitro Express:
They don't even mention droplock.

Like I said, it's a droplock.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder"

It is for sure.

JW

A nice rifle and the stock and fore end can be corrected for a reasonable price. It looks like a nice rifle.

Amen brother....What about those "SHORT" barrels???

any thoughts,

JW

Simon Clode of Westley Richards hunted elephant for years with a 22" barrel 470. If they are built properly for that length, they balance just fine.

No doubt he did.

But I've been around the "DR" game a while and haven't seen any DRs from this period with short bbls....Just my .02,

JW

Unless something prevents me from going there I'll

check it, hands on on 3/7/07 Weds., [the WR] and

I have handed the 470 Vaughn, fact, lever points

to left of center and it is a true 12 pounds, I've never seen

a heavier 470NE, but www.westleyrichards.com has a

heavier 475NE right now by Rodda. www.griffinhowe.com

is between my home and workplace.

BigFiveJack,

Which location do you drive past? NJ or Conn?

If its the NJ location you could visit my rifle. It is probably still whole. If you tell Paul Chapman I said high and said it was ok to handle my rifle he will likely let you. He can call me in the office for an ok if he feels the need.

I am having the stock refinished now that a little judicious woodwork has it fitting me perfectly. I have a pair of shotguns there too. They are a true pair but the stock on one was just a tad longer than the other and it was annoying. Paul promised that I would see my guns again quickly. I will need to count on that promise.

JPK

BigFiveJack

If you would Your opinion of the Bores on the Vaughn.. If you have time..
AK

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:
It's probably a later production gun. I have seen a couple including a 458 that were stocked the same "American" style. If someone gets the serial number Westley's web site will quickly give you the date of production.

It's a late teens or early '20s gun and has been restocked. Turns out it has also been rebarreled, probably recently, as proof marks are in BAR (post 1989). Has two serial numbers, the second being for the new barrels.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

Ah-hah!

I knew them tubes were not the originals!

Jeff:

Yeah, I knew I remembered something about the barrels, but couldn't remember what it was. 24" barrels weren't anything like as common as 26" and 28" in those days, but there were some. Jeffery used 24" barrels almost as a gimmick from early on. I never could see the sense in barrels that short on a double.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

JPK - N.J.

Sorry Men,

I completely forgot that I was attending the funeral for a fallen comrad,

the Police Sergeant from Newark, NJ Police Department. He had a

fatal wreck in the patrol car, something to do with some young people drag

racing about a week ago. It took up any "free time" I'd have had today.

The stock medallion on the W.R. rifle shows WRD. If that were my rifle

I'd explain it as Westley Richards Double.

A fallen brother rates way above any DR!!!

God bless that officer!

JW

I was at the NJ location of G&H today for about an hour.

I handled the WR, the stock does not look ugly to my eye. It's

not the look I've seen so many times before, but as I said,

not ugly. With fore end on I wiggled it side to side & up/down.

I felt a little wiggle. When assembled and holding it up

to the light, I saw none come through by bbl breach or flats.

It is a drop lock action with hinged floor plate. G&H WILL,

again WILL allow shooting the rifle during the inspection period.

So call them and work out your deal if it suits you, including

time enough for a JJP in Ok. inspection.

Jack,

Did the barrels wiggle or did the forend wiggle? You should take the forend off to check for a gun off face. It's not uncommon for forends to wiggle when they wear. Especially Anson push button's.

BTW, did you happen to see my rifle? (Thys sidelock?)

JPK

JPK,

BBLS wiggled with fore end on, so I did not

bother to pull FE off as certainly they'd

wiggle that way too. J. Prather said it was a

bit loose on the hinge pin but tight on face. I

forgot to ask about your rifle I was so focused

on this DR by WR. I think this FE is the Deely

style.

Jack,

"loose on the hinge pin but tight on the face" equals a rifle that needs to be repaired. It is not a big deal though, and not expensive, relative.

If the rifle was loose with the forend on it will be looser without the forend. At least this has been my experience 100% of the time I have tried it.

Editted: If the rifle was rebarreled post 1989, you have got to wonder about the quality of the job if the rifle is already comimg off face. I wonder what the new proof marks tell us. Rebarreled by who and where?

JPK

JPK

"If the rifle was loose with the forend on it will be looser without the forend. At least this has been my experience 100% of the time I have tried it."

In theory until you get a self opener, then you need to have the forend off to know if it's loose.

Editted: If the rifle was rebarreled post 1989, you have got to wonder about the quality of the job if the rifle is already comimg off face."

IMHO, it can only take 1 or 2 rounds to take a gun off the face, regardless of quality so commenting on the quality of the work is only one aspect - and if it has English proof marks, then it must have left the proof house "on face".

500N

Yes you have to take the forend off of a self opener to see if it is loose. It is better to take the forend off of any double to see if it is loose.

No doubt it left the proof house on face, even if the proof house was European. For the gun to loosen so quickly, you must question the quality of the fitting and the materials. After all, my rifle is a high pressure belted rimless rifle and older than thie WR barrels set and remains tight and on face. Even a substantial overload of a typical 450 NE only equals what my rifle sees regularly.

JPK

.. The engraveing appears to be of Asian animals....Could that account for the nice Monte Carlo ????????

jpk

Yes, I always take a foreend off to see if it is loose.

Not sure I agree with your thoughts on workmanship and quality / fitting of materials. I am very careful with loads in my DR's but I think I could take most DR's "off the face" or make them loose within 20 shots.

However it COULD be softer metal or something like that but I would say the owner didn't lube / grease the right parts, over powered ammo, multiple double discharges.

I have a WR 500NE with 22" barrels. They balance fine.

FYI, most DR's with WR on them from the 50's, 60's and early 7-'s were actually made by Robin ???????
who had all the DR work subcontracted to them by WR. They were co located in the same building.