| poprivit |
| (.333 member) |
| 17/01/10 11:58 AM |
Major gun problem
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Well, here goes. I've just acquired a Westley Richards 10-gauge double hammer black powder shotgun. Upon much closer look, it turns out to be a pinfire/centerfire cartridge gun. Yes - PINFIRE and BP centerfire. According to WR, it was built around 1872. I've never seen anything like it before and am not really sure exactly what I have in hand. I checked the barrels out quite closely, but to my poor eyes they don't seen to be Damascus. The holes in the action for the pinfire pins have been soldered up, however, a bit of cleaning and solder removal and the pinfire would be back in operation. Serial number is 4208.
It's fully engraved, right down to the hammers being engraved as fish with their heads on the hammer ends. Even the screw heads are engraved (and alligned). At one time it was case hardened, but only 20-25% remains. The wood is beautiful. (Flame Walnut???). Everything works 100%. There's some rust in the bores, but nothing serious. Action is very tight.
I've got 11 photos I can show you all, but I suffer from lackacomputeritus and am not comfortable trying to get a url and do the rest. I'm more than happy to send the photos (72 dpi) to anyone who could help me out with identifying what I've stumbled across. I've got very clear photos of the barrel proof marks and other such marks, manufacturer's names on the metal - that sort of thing.
Idea as to value??? I haven't got the faintest. I imagine it would have eaten up a blue collar workman's salary for a year,
+ or -, back in 1872. (Probably the same today - dunno.)
In advance, thanks much.
Tom Murphy
Las Vegas, NV
BTW: My buddy says I should hacksaw the barrels down to 18", put a Overmold buttstock on it, add a red dot and shoot heavy loads of triple-aught through it. Maybe do a DuraCoat job on the metal.
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We were friends for almost 20 years ...
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 17/01/10 12:23 PM |
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Re: Major gun problem
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Poprivit-
You need to get photos up of this gun before anyone can comment on value.
Also, are you sure about that serial number?
I'll ping you on this site's personal messaging system with an email address where you can send all the images.
I'll do my best to get them up on this thread quickly.
Cheers
Tinker
| kamilaroi |
| (.400 member) |
| 17/01/10 05:36 PM |
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Re: Major gun problem
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The engraved "fish heads" are actually poor representations of dolphins.
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 18/01/10 07:42 AM |
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Re: Major gun problem
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| poprivit |
| (.333 member) |
| 19/01/10 06:42 AM |
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Re: Major gun problem
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Tinker. thanks for the help. Maybe now I'll learn more about this thing. Wonder just how hard black powder pinfire double-aught buck would be to find.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 22/01/10 05:09 PM |
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Re: Major gun problem
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poprivit - perhaps hard to find, fairly easy to make yourself - especially in the States where all the ocmponents are at hand.
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 22/01/10 06:09 PM |
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Re: Major gun problem
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poprivit-
Get some photos of the breech end of those barrels.
I'll put them up in this thread along with what we have here.
I don't see any 'major problem' here at all.
I've seen other hermaphrodite guns in the past, this one looks to be in good shape.
If the rim recess is right for modern central fire shotshells, don't bother with pinfire - unless you're just itching for a project.
It looks like (if it really is tight on the face) it'd handle mild black powder loads.
I wouldn't try to run big hot modern nitro-power buckshot cartridges through it -- and if it were mine I'd likely have the tubes X-Rayed before I ran it at all.
Cheers
Tinker
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 23/01/10 03:39 AM |
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Re: Major gun problem
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What an interesting gun! I really like this one - very early - mid to late 1860's perhaps?
| tinker |
| (.416 member) |
| 23/01/10 04:21 AM |
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Re: Major gun problem
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The Westley Richards website 'date your gun' utility shows it's approx date of manufacture to be 1872.
I wonder.
Might be earlier, but a phone call or letter to Westley Richards would clear that up for sure.
Cheers
Tinker