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450 2 ¾” Westley Richards model
1869 patent tilting block Express rifle. Fully scroll engraved Westley Richards
patent 1869 long frame ‘Improved Martini’ action fitted with safety to the
right side, pierced, cranked loading / cocking lever to the under side and
screw retained tilting breach block of Martini type is engraved to the left
side WESTLEY RICHARDS PATENT EXPRESS RIFLE 170 NEW BOND St LONDON. Chequered
walnut stock with iron furniture has butt plate with trap to take a pull
through; replacement chequered fore end with horn end cap is retained by a
single cross key. Henry rifled .450” barrel chambered for the powerful 2 3/4”
black powder express round fitted with the Westley Richards fixed standing
express rear sight in wind driftable dove tail mount with interchangeable blade
bead front sight is struck with Victorian Birmingham black powder proof marks
and is engraved EXPRESS 2 ¾ CASE to the knox form flat and HENRY’S PATENT
RIFLING to the front of the rear sight. Although known as improved Martini’s
Westley Richard’s patent for his tilting block rifle using a leaf main spring
rather than the coil spring of the service Martini actually pre dated Martinis
patent by several months and was developed totally independently by Richards. A
strong and reliable action it was very popular both at home in the small deer
calibres of the day and with officers and sportsmen in Africa and India where
it could be chambered for powerful rounds such as this effective on both large
non dangerous game and soft skinned dangerous game such as the big cats.
Richards use of the flat shooting express round and the fixed rear sight meant
that targets could be taken on from a few feet to 100 yards quickly which was
ideal for use in the close bush and jungle of the empires hunting grounds of
the day. In good condition with very good mechanics and best quality scroll
engraving to the action, barrel with very good bore has much blue remaining
with nice figured stock, the fore end a good colonial contemporary replacement.
A rare Westley Richards rifle in a desirable calibre from the height of the Raj
and the great days of big game hunting.