G'day Fellas, picked up this Westley Richards pidgeon gun back a bit and only got to shoot it a week or so ago. I couldn't find a live bird comp. to enter but at my mates place he does have a good population of starlings. The only shells I had on hand were No 5's and with the choking of this gun, it was either a clean miss or red mist. W R's records put this gun as being made in 1903 but the proof marks are the ones of 1904 onwards so I'm not 100% sure when it was made. It is in very good nick though and having the original cards are a real bonus. These are the first I've seen in the flesh and was really surprised when I found them in the case. Notice how the bloke who filled out the cards, and probably regulated the gun, used the "choked and slight choke " and that both barrels are all but the same. The No1 set appear to be almost unused and the No 2 set have seen a heap of work.
Nice find. I have a W-R box lock from 1908 that is 2-3/4" from the factory like yours. The gun was made for an American importer in Chicago. It's a single selvetive trigger and both barels are choked light-full if I remember right. The stock stylings, shape and checkering, are very similar to yours as well.