| DORLEAC |
| (.333 member) |
| 08/12/12 06:08 AM |
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Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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A recently completed restoration job on an old .318 Westley-Richards, with new stock and special scope mount.
In fact a true re-birth for a passionate customer….
DORLEAC
www.dorleac-dorleac.com
| lancaster |
| (.470 member) |
| 08/12/12 07:37 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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you work is allways top
| pjaln |
| (.375 member) |
| 08/12/12 09:47 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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incredible work joel....paul
| Ardent |
| (.275 member) |
| 08/12/12 04:55 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Stunning stuff, thank you for sharing.
| tophet1 |
| (.400 member) |
| 08/12/12 07:40 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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There is some nice stuff posted on here and that is another one. I'm thinking a .318WR for my next rifle.
| 375Brno |
| (.333 member) |
| 08/12/12 08:09 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Hello Dorleac
I am getting a WR318 built up. Just talking to the stock maker at the moment as it is ready for the stock. Did you build the stock based on the original or was it based on the customer's design.
I would like to see what the original stock looks like to see if that suits what I want.
Thanks
Rick
| 375Brno |
| (.333 member) |
| 08/12/12 08:45 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Sorry one more question. 27 inch barrel?
Thanks
Rick
| DORLEAC |
| (.333 member) |
| 08/12/12 09:31 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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375Brno, look at the first two photos and you will see the original stock above the new one.
The barrel, with a surprising well preserved bore, is 28".
Thanks for your interest and comments.
DORLEAC
www.dorleac-dorleac.com
| casper50 |
| (.400 member) |
| 09/12/12 04:46 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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What happened to the old stock? I need one.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 09/12/12 05:02 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Stunning, is a good word.
Ha - Casper - nice board, that one is! - I need one too.
| DORLEAC |
| (.333 member) |
| 09/12/12 06:13 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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...Casper50, sorry, I need one too !
DORLEAC
www.dorleac-dorleac.com
| mehulkamdar |
| (.416 member) |
| 09/12/12 01:30 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Simply magnificent, my friend! This is perfection. Simple.
Thank you for the pictures. Good hunting!
| DaggaBoyBlog |
| (.275 member) |
| 09/12/12 03:15 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Quote:
A recently completed restoration job on an old .318 Westley-Richards, with new stock and special scope mount.
In fact a true re-birth for a passionate customer….
DORLEAC
www.dorleac-dorleac.com
Amazing workmanship.
Great work by the artist, and congratulations to the owner!
CptCurl
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| (.450 member) |
| 10/12/12 12:21 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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That is a brilliant and faithful restoration. Very impressive. Thanks for sharing this.
Curl
| xausa |
| (.400 member) |
| 10/12/12 01:25 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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I know that it reflects the client's desire and taste, but I really hate to see a gracefully designed rifle such as this, which looks so vibrant and alive without the scope, completely overwhelmed by a monstrosity of an optical sighting device. I see no reason for a 30mm tube and an objective no larger than 32mm would be far better, in my opinion, and would not reduce the utility of the rifle in the hunting field, but would greatly enhance its handling qualities.
| vikram |
| (.300 member) |
| 10/12/12 01:46 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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That classic rifle looks so elegant and the work is first class. Thanks for sharing.
Best-
Vikram
| mckinney |
| (.400 member) |
| 10/12/12 03:41 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Magnificent stuff. It gives me comfort to know this kind of work is possible.
I have to say though I'm with Xausa on the matter of large modern scopes on rifles of timeless beauty like this one. I have gone from liking Zeiss Zielviers and similar scopes down to Zielkleins and finally to aperture or plain sights. The less they intrude on the lines of the rifle, the better. Unfortunately, my ability to see is progressing in the opposite direction!
| DORLEAC |
| (.333 member) |
| 10/12/12 04:20 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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xausa, mckinney, you are right.
I must have tried to persuade the customer to go to an original Zielvier (we have two or three is stock) but he is more an user than a collector…so the big modern Zeiss.
Sorry, I will have loved to do the full vintage treatment.
DORLEAC
www.dorleac-dorleac.com
| Caprivi |
| (.375 member) |
| 10/12/12 08:09 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Just wonderful all around. A Westley, A .318, lovingly restored, expertly restored......just great.
Yes the "modern" scope is a bit much, but I would be fine with it. Prefer it maybe to a old classic. My thinking if it where mine ( Ha' wishfully) is that it would spend 90+% of its time sans scope and those times when waning daylight asks for or the 300yd leaf will no longer suffice than I would snap the scope on. Then the modern Zeiss of 6x would be so very nice to have.
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 10/12/12 10:36 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Wow - that seems to be a deep dovetail over the chamber. I also see the case is listed as only 48,000PSI, CIP.
| Huvius |
| (.416 member) |
| 10/12/12 12:47 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Quote:
Wow - that seems to be a deep dovetail over the chamber.
My friend's 10.75X68 TypeB is that way too. And totally original! Maybe even spookier than the 318. Sorry for the crummy picture...
| DarylS |
| (.700 member) |
| 10/12/12 02:53 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Yeah- I find that spookier as well with the fatter case, thinner chamber walls.
I well remember PO Ackley's experiment # 1 or #2) on action strength, where-in they took an Oberndorf Mauser with dovetail such as that on the front receiver ring. They managed to blow the receiver ring off with an early .270 mag. loading that showed "normal" pressures in several other rifle actions. I'd thought that included a standard K98 action as well. It struck me that a normal load in a standard action, blew off the receiver ring in the dovetailed one - WOW!
| justcurious |
| (.333 member) |
| 10/12/12 08:35 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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I believe that the question of chamber wall thickness and weakening by slotting the barrel is overestimated.
Chamber walls of a double are much thinner and the slot in the barrel is (at least should be ) not thinner than the threaded part of the barrel.
I did´nt hear of a blown up barrel from a .350 Rigby rifle (small threaded magnum action) even not from those recut and rechambered for the .375 H&H Mag.
What I dislike is the substantial action weakening by the cut in the front receiver ring on the right side starting behind the upper lug.
As I see it the right side is the weakest part of the Mauser actions (extractor cut).
BTW the rework of that fine rifle is as perfect as always to be seen on D&D rifles.
| Orvar |
| (.300 member) |
| 10/12/12 08:37 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Wow!!!
| RobertL |
| (.224 member) |
| 10/12/12 11:33 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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The stockwork of Stefan is always stunning!
Robert
| HeymSR20 |
| (.300 member) |
| 11/12/12 03:03 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration
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Dorleac - beautiful work as always. But some questions:
1) Why did you / your client choose the front sight base to be dovetailed into the barrel rather than set on a barrel band as is more usually the case. Appreciate dovetailing should not be an issue strength wise.
2) And why the offset rear sight base again looks a bit cumbersome compared to a bridge mounted rear claw.
3) Why the new stock - at least from the pictures the old stock whilst a bit worn does't look beyond recovery. Is the new stock to very different dimensions to suit your client - it looks as if the comb on the new is more suited to the scope.
Agree with previous comments re the looks of the modern Zeiss - A classic Zeiss would have looked so much nicer. But at least your client didn't choose a Swarovski Z6.
Keep up the good work
| DORLEAC |
| (.333 member) |
| 11/12/12 04:03 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration (Re: RobertL -HeymSR)
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RobertL, yes the stock job of Stefan is stunning and it's a delight to work together, we have a great complicity and each project is a pleasure.
HeymSR20, I can only answer to yours interrogations with the few following words: "We try to do our best to satisfy the customer orders…if they are reasonable"
Now, for the front claw mount base dovetailed in the barrel, it's the traditional manner that was used by the Mauser made Rigby while the soldered base is typically Continental.
To make the things clear, there is not much weakening, even with the dovetail cut, the barrel being larger than on my .318 drop lock express, and much more substantial than on any drilling shooting high pressure 7x65R Brenneke cartridge. Notice that, as stated earlier, it was a common practice at Oberndorf and on rifles chambered for cartridges not as quiet than the .318 W-R.
For the rear, we made an offset base, because putting a standard claw mount one on the bridge would have prevented the use of the iron sights, the rear base being too high, and also because as the rear bridge has been butchered previously in an attempt to mount a scope, the machining of the dovetail cleared the flaws.
You are right about the stock, the new one as lesser drop and Stefan made it to the customer measurements.
I hope to have replied to your question and I apologize for my English…but it's certainly more understandable than my perfect French !
DORLEAC
www.dorleac-dorleac.com
| HeymSR20 |
| (.300 member) |
| 12/12/12 03:11 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration (Re: RobertL -HeymSR)
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Dorleac - thanks for the answers - fully understand your point re customer requirements!!
And thanks comments re the bases do make sense as well - I suppose to have kept it more in keeping with the old British style a side mount - like the Rigby or Holland would have been more correct, but I do always think they look pretty cumbersome. Claws are much nicer.
And by the way nothing wrong with your English, and certaily much better than my French.
Heym SR20
| mehulkamdar |
| (.416 member) |
| 15/12/12 02:02 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration (Re: RobertL -HeymSR)
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I have an e-mail from gunmaker Bob Woodfill through my good friend and forum member Ka'imiloa about this restoration with permission to post it here:
Quote [Excellent restoration and highest quality work. I can find nothing wrong with the 'restoration.' This is not my favorite style of stock but was used by many of the Scottish makers. I have a H&H marked rifle that is similar and I am sure that H&H had Fraser make the rifle for them. Possibly Westley Richards did the same with Fraser on this rifle.] End Quote.
As a happy learner, I am always happy to see fine guns, especially when a friend builds / restores them. I thought it would be nice to post a complementary reply from another master gunsmith in response to Joel's post.
Good hunting, everyone!
| 375Brno |
| (.333 member) |
| 28/12/12 08:20 PM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration (Re: RobertL -HeymSR)
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I was just reading thru this post again and thought of another question.
Not need for a cross-bolt in a 318?
Rick
| casper50 |
| (.400 member) |
| 29/12/12 08:07 AM |
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Re: Westley-Richards .318 Restoration (Re: RobertL -HeymSR)
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.318 is basicly a .33 cal in a 30-06 case. Nothing drastic.