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My research of my 318 Westley Richards is the Colonial model, and apparantly rare as hens teeth as it was made for the African settlers..My gun is apparantly very original other than a rotted out recoil Silvers pad. and front sight bead. I thought I had a chamber problem but turns out WR had a couple of tads designed to make the bullets feed..metal is 85% plus old world blue, the stock is solid with no splits or breaks with original finish but small nicks and dings with one 2x3 inch shallow scar in the butt, checkering is clean and sharp..Its a damn nice old gun, no drill and tap. very little differece in it and the deluxe model.. I have a notion to send it off for a total restoration at about $800 but locally some say yes and others say absolutly not.. Just interested in opinion's, suggestions and knowledge, value as is IMO should be $6500 to $7500.??? Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | ||
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An $800 restoration could easily hurt that value by way more than that. Don't know how anyone could do a decent total restoration for anywhere near that price. John | |||
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What was its value when you purchased it? KJK | |||
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I’d contact Steven Dodd Hughes for his restoration opinion. | |||
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Restoration was misused, it only needs a butt plate or recoil pad (leather covered) and refinish the stock with alkanet root base..a front sight double bead.. I might add the bore is cordite dusty but no pits and sharp rifling A full restoration by Dout Turnball would be much more, I want to do as little as possible is my thinking, Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I can't find anything on the internet to compare, most have bee redone or tinkered with. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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OK, that seems inline with that work. And probably the best way to go on a rifle such as that. John | |||
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Ray, As to value, I bought an all original Westley Richards .318 built on an original commercial action with upgraded express/ladder sights and original trap door buttplate in very nice original condition for $1200. Oh, by the way, I bought it at the Tulsa gun show 30 years ago. Hope this helps. | |||
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Hollis has owned a bunch of fine English guns through the years, makes me jealous! I put those 350 Rigby dies and bullets to good use, that I purchased from him a few years ago, Thanks Hollis. I have a couple of rifles in .318, it would be nice if it made a resurgence, but we can't get much in the way of bullets now for common calibers. Congrats on your W.R. Ray, some pics would be nice! DRSS(We Band of Bubba's Div.) N.R.A (Life) T.S.R.A (Life) D.S.C. | |||
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40 years ago I purchased a used but not abused H&H double for $1800. sold it for $2200...they were all wall hangers. On guns INtl there is a WR 318 for $19,000 and the front ring is dovetailed for a claw mount..thats over priced imo..Most everything Ive found there is over priced and modernized... Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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I will send pics when I decide what to do..If I was 50 years younger Id add the pad, a double front sigt flip up and shoot it on safari.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Don’t restore. It’s an old rifle with history. But nothing with sympathetic repair and maintenance. Please don’t try to make it look like new. | |||
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Im leaning towards just a recoil pad and front bead..I have dies from C&H, a file trim die from C&H and 10 boxes of woodleigh 250s to be delivered from Australia in the mail thru an AR friend, It should be up and running in a couple of months..Lot of trade offers out there, temping for sure? Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Try and ignore the trade offers. A good friend acquired a 318 WR made by William Evans. A beautiful original rifle in a full length case. He hunted with it a couple of times here in Scotland but was offered silly money and its now in Australia and hopefully being used as its meant to be. But I know he regrets letting it go so quickly. Recoil pads are a wearable component and easily enough renewed without messing up original finish. | |||
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Not if you send it to Westley Richards.... | |||
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No dog in this fight but I disagree here. I knew a guy who had two well-experienced (primarily Kenya) Rigbys, a 275 and 350. Lovely guns with honest wear and blueing loss. A guy expressed an interest in buying them and the guy had them refinished. It was like their souls had been removed from them and he knew it the moment he got them back. To each his own, but I do t think the painting comparison works. A painting isn’t meant to be used and does not gather honest wear. | |||
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Baxter - Appreciate your perspective. I agree - honest wear is nice and adds to the rifle. My interpretation of Ray's original questions was about an $800 refinish job. I doubt Ray will get what he wants for $800. If I am Ray and had that rifle, I would send pics to Wesley Richards and get a quote from them or ask them for a rec on where to send it. I had a 1951 Rigby rifle, thinking I had something special, I started to think about making adjustments. I sent it to Lon Paul - a Rigby expert- and got the low down on what I had. It turned out it was not special and not a very well put together rifle. I tweeked it a bit, but eventually sold it for 1/2 of what I paid due to the rifle itself - not the tweeking. A full blown restoration is an investment in the gun in my opinion - if done right and by the right folks. I would trust Duane Weibe, Matt Roberts, Lon Paul, JJ Perodeau and maybe some others for this work. It wouldn't be an $800 job however... Good discussion. | |||
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the $800 quote was for a leather covered recoil pad and a proper front sight installed in the original ramp..That is well within reason.The blue is fine plus at 80 to 90%/ the stock is solid with a mar in the buttstock the size of a playing card, but shallow and would sweat out.. I am interested and appreciate every post and its an interesting thread for sure..Keep those suggestions coming.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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We will probably agree to have to disagree. In classic cars, boats and guns I much prefer originality that has been well cared for. I don’t mind a but damage and repair as that is all part of the history. However there are times when decay / damage is so far gone that a complete rebuild is required. And often a complete rebuild means building effectively a new boat / car or gun based on the original. Done well its a lovely thing. In the sailing club a couple of years we had Bluebottle racing. She is the Dragon yacht that belonged to the late Duke of Edinburgh. She has been completely rebuilt, skinned in epoxy with a new rig. She is beautiful and very competitive on the Dragon Racing circuit. Bits of her were the boat the Duke sailed, but not much. And these days the likes Dickson, Grant and others are remaking old guns. Starting with an action they are getting new barrels, new internals and new stocks. They are beautiful guns, but they are not the original gun in any shape or form. But a very good way to recycle an old action. I was shown a very rare Dickson square action gun the other day. Barrels have holes rusted through. They can never be repaired. This is a perfect gun to be the basis of a new gun. But you will need deep pockets and long arms as work required is pretty much that of a new gun. Would I do it. Perhaps. But I would much rather spend a fraction of that cost on a fine gun in good original condition. | |||
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Heym, As a matter off fact I agree with you, Im a nostalgic when it comes to guns. If I were to do a complete reverberation It would probably be RJ Renner or Doug Turnball and I would sell it..As is then with a few changes such as pad and sight, Id probably keep it and go elk hunting..ONe of the problems is at 88 I have too many guns..I will have to make a decision to get the gun in the proper hands at some point.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Reminds me of the story of the fellow who was showing of his grandfather's favorite hatchet,"Well, here it is. I've replaced the handle twice and the head once, but my grandfather sure did love this thing." | |||
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Lots of opinions ..(opinions ar easy to come by) There seems to be real issues with the rifle that really needs some attention. I stress "attention" It all comes down to the wisdom and experince of the person doing the work. He or she has to know when to put on the brakes before it gets into a refinish I'd call it a minimum "refresh" project. A stock can usually benefit from a cleanilng with perhaps linseed oil (polish off excess and make sure no build up in crevices and checkering) I think you know what I mean. We've all seen wonderful old guns destroyed by some bubba with a buffer. | |||
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Ray - do you have any photos you can post of the rifle in its current condition? | |||
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Bingo! I do more restoration than anything else in my shop, my goal is for you to not know I have done the work. This is not always possible depending upon what I start with and my customers desires. Patina....often the "correct" finish for a vintage gun unless you want it looking like a French whore. A large part of working on vintage guns and keeping them looking that is way is matching said patina. I have a couple of British muzzleloader locks and a vintage single shot currently going through the process of looking "old". When I'm done, the work will blend in with the remainder of the rifles looking as though it has always been there. There are different types of restoration for different challenges. | |||
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Now were getting into the guts of my question and needs, certainly appreciated and food for thought. I think the metal is to be left alone, no pits and plenty of blue, needs a front bead..the surface of the stock need alkanet root for color and Linseed IMO, and leather covered recoil pad or plain blued steel heel cover (butt plate if your WR). how does this sound Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Wesley Richards tells me its a rare version .318 with a special prince of wales grip, and this model is among the hardest to find and rare and sought after by collectors. This is explained in there web page. getting a history from the serial no. as we speak from WR.. its looking better all the time Got 10 boxes of Woodleigh 250s coming, and dies and file trim die from C&H..the elk better look out in the alfalfa patch this coming year.. Its a shame I can't take it to Africa these days as age and health prevent that..14 hours in the air just aint in the cards. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Damn, I thought we were finally going to get to see a photo of this thing. KJK | |||
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Come on Ray, show us some photos! | |||
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I can send a number of photos to someones email address. but can.t post pictures on AR! any volenteers..Its as is but old rotten pod is off and taped to protect the edges, I have a steel butt plate to replace the pad and to maintain not cutting the stock which was not and just added on WR expert suggested this model of the colonnial model is the rarest of WR rifles, in that they were sent to AFrica and used and abused and collectors like them..He said they could bring it up to almost new, but cost of that would just run the value up about the worth of its present condition and be a push in value and advised replacemen of pad an front sight bead and said I had super gun as is value wise or as a keeper..Got right to the point with an honest opinnion..I Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Ray, Did you see this gun WR posted on their blog? WR Colonial It was sold as soon as they put this gun up for sale. Ken | |||
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I sent you an email Ray - I'll post them, | |||
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sent pictures today 6-1-23, did i catch you before you left? Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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Pictures will be posted, but I sold the 318 today for a price I just flat couldn't turn down.. About 10 years ago I sold the absolutly most beautiful rifle I ever owned, an old JP Sauer & Shons 30-06. sold it to a friend of mine. I purchased it back from him today I still have pictures of it from that time in space.. if interested, I also got a real nice 20 ga old Browning Superposed in the deal..been a busy few days.. I will miss that 318 but it went to a better home and a friend young enough to enjoy it for years to come and hunt again in Africa where it belongs.. Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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From 35,000 ft somewhere over America via an iPhone this is the best I can do:      | |||
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You done went and did good! thanks Ray Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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BTT by request and enjoy Ray Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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sold it, the temptation was just too much to turn down at my age and it found a better home and will be hunting Africa again, PG primarily, but also a buffalo and an elephant!  Ray Atkinson Atkinson Hunting Adventures 10 Ward Lane, Filer, Idaho, 83328 208-731-4120 rayatkinsonhunting@gmail.com | |||
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