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Vette447
.275 member

Reged: 15/02/09
Posts: 76
Loc: Oklahoma, USA

Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles?
#337841 - 12/02/20 01:34 AM

I was looking through some old Explora posts (love that blog so much!) and noticed a few Droplock rifles featured in big bore calibers that would be for dangerous game hunting shown with WR's patented single select trigger. One was a relatively new "gold name" model build with some special engraving in .577 NE.

I had always assumed that a single trigger would be frowned upon for a dangerous game rifle. Is WR's select trigger good enough to use on a DGR double? Does anyone have experience with it or other good knowledge?

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twobobbwana
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Reged: 25/11/11
Posts: 299
Loc: Queensland, Australia

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Vette447]
#338036 - 17/02/20 11:38 AM

It was James Sutherland's preference...............so it can't be too dodgy.

I believe he had three .577 Westleys with single triggers, a single rifle and a pair.

He wouldn't have put up with them if they had been unreliable.

Common "wisdom" is two triggers.

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3DogMike
.400 member

Reged: 29/01/15
Posts: 1464
Loc: Western Slope, Colorado USA

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: twobobbwana]
#338039 - 17/02/20 12:28 PM

Seem to recall from some source or another that Westley Richards was quite known for their single trigger guns and rifles.

--------------------
"Will Rogers never met a fighter pilot"
- Anon

“Always carry a flask of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore always carry a small snake."
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Ahmed577
.333 member

Reged: 13/06/13
Posts: 334
Loc: Western Australia

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: 3DogMike]
#338058 - 17/02/20 06:49 PM

Requested a single trigger on a double London best dangerous game calibre. They simply said they would not do it.

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Ash
.400 member

Reged: 10/05/11
Posts: 1653
Loc: Australia

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Ahmed577]
#338059 - 17/02/20 07:54 PM

Quote:

Requested a single trigger on a double London best dangerous game calibre. They simply said they would not do it.

Interesting. One could take that as they either A. Don’t want a possible lawsuit or B. They don’t trust their product to be 100% reliable.

I’m sure there’s a C which is probably the correct one lol

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Ahmed577
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Reged: 13/06/13
Posts: 334
Loc: Western Australia

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Ash]
#338066 - 18/02/20 12:53 AM

It was BOSS who are building a 600 double round action. S-N 10600 the first 600 they have built. They are good people to deal with and sometimes you have to accept their stance. A single trigger was more of a idiosincracy of mine ( family tell me more like madness ).

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twobobbwana
.333 member

Reged: 25/11/11
Posts: 299
Loc: Queensland, Australia

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Ahmed577]
#338105 - 18/02/20 11:48 AM

In Vic Venters book he does an article on the Westley Richards trigger.

The "Hunter One" I think it is and Dewey Vicknair is pictured as being one of the smiths who will repair them.

"Reliable until messed with" seems to be the general comment.

In the same book he does an article on a gunmaker Turner who built single triggers for Westley (??? or was it purdey???) well enough to impress them into ordering more.

Perhaps if a maker won't build you a gun with one then they haven't got a "maker to the trade" that is doing one that they'd put their name on !!??

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Huvius
.416 member

Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3556
Loc: Colorado

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: twobobbwana]
#338116 - 18/02/20 02:19 PM

I think I've seen as many 500 and 577 Westleys with single triggers as with double.
There's a nice 577 (100/750) droplock with a single trigger coming to auction soon.

https://www.proxibid.com/Firearms-Milita...mation/52443284

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He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.

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xausa
.400 member

Reged: 07/03/07
Posts: 2037
Loc: Tennessee, USA

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Huvius]
#338126 - 18/02/20 07:52 PM

All my competition shotguns, mostly Perazzis, have single triggers. Despite this fact, I would never want a single trigger on a double rifle. If your shotgun fails to function, you get another chance.

To me, the big advantage of a double rifle is two separate lock mechanisms, so that if one fails, the other is still available. A single trigger negates that advantage, since failure by it causes you to lose both locks. Taylor refers to this in his "African Rifles and Cartridges."

Some people have difficulty with shifting from a single trigger shotgun to a double trigger shotgun, drilling, combination gun or double rifle. For whatever reason, I do not. I can switch from single to double triggers and from automatic or double shotguns to pumps without a bobble.

The answer is practice, practice, practice.

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500Boswell
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Reged: 21/07/06
Posts: 1276
Loc: Queensland

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: xausa]
#338128 - 18/02/20 08:08 PM

If there's anything I hate ,and that's a single trigger on a double [especially on a double rifle] ,unfortunately most double shotguns these days only have a single trigger ,and I would not own one,just idiotic ,like the Model 70 Safety ''Must Have'' Trend on every bolt action for every dick head

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Vette447
.275 member

Reged: 15/02/09
Posts: 76
Loc: Oklahoma, USA

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Huvius]
#338141 - 19/02/20 09:23 AM

Yep. I am looking hard at that one up for auction. That started my research. It looks really nice but just wasn't sure about the single trigger.

Then started research on the Westley blogs and found several there as well.

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swoobie
.224 member

Reged: 17/04/16
Posts: 7
Loc: TEXAS

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Vette447]
#338763 - 07/03/20 01:50 PM

I have total confidence in the single trigger on my WR 470, and it has been infallible for me both in North America and in Africa, as it was for the previous owner. I would not be so confident in other makers. The WR single trigger is ingenious in its simplicity.

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Waidmannsheil
.400 member

Reged: 19/04/13
Posts: 2443
Loc: Melbourne Australia

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: swoobie]
#338764 - 07/03/20 03:19 PM

I am big fan of double triggers, just something about them which I like. I have a number of B25 Brownings and they are all Double Trigger.

While I would always choose a double trigger on a double rifle I would not hesitate to have a Westley Richards Double Rifle with a Single Trigger. Plenty of Big Game Hunters have used the WR Single Trigger including Sutherland without one single instance of trouble.

I just like double triggers.

Your rifle though sounds like a beauty, love to see some photos and hear about your experiences.

Matt.

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There is nothing wrong with vegetarian food, so long as there is meat with it.

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swoobie
.224 member

Reged: 17/04/16
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Loc: TEXAS

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Waidmannsheil]
#338765 - 07/03/20 03:50 PM

I've not been able to determine how to post pics, but happy to email you a few.

I bought it specifically for an African trip, my first. We hunted for three weeks with Umlilo Safaris in Mozambique (Coutada 14) and in South Africa. Coutada 14 was all about buffalo - a very tough hunt quite hot and we were in water every day. My buffalo was taken at about 15 yards - the shot was captured on video see 2:23-2:42 of this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bwyLSCIfFU

I took very seriously the advice to practice and put over 400 rounds of 470 through the gun before the trip. It's 12 lbs, but handles beautifully, like a shotgun.

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Waidmannsheil
.400 member

Reged: 19/04/13
Posts: 2443
Loc: Melbourne Australia

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: swoobie]
#338771 - 07/03/20 07:24 PM

Swoobie, great hunt and I am glad that you enjoyed it.
good to see that you fired so many rounds before you went as practice is the key always and with full power loads. I can't understand anybody that practices with squib loads as muscle memory and trigger control are the key. If one can't handle full power loads then one should switch to a smaller caliber.

Looks like you had a ball over there, good on you.

Matt.

--------------------
There is nothing wrong with vegetarian food, so long as there is meat with it.

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Vette447
.275 member

Reged: 15/02/09
Posts: 76
Loc: Oklahoma, USA

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Waidmannsheil]
#338797 - 08/03/20 09:19 AM

Well, looks like I will be the new owner of a single trigger Westley Richards Droplock big bore (or will as soon as it gets to my FFL).

I am excited about it.

I was a little hesitant to not have double triggers (all my other doubles do and I totally understand the piece of mind of have two separate locks) but I think you are in pretty good shape with WR's select trigger mechanism based on what I have read. Hell, I noticed that Hemingway's .577 NE was a single trigger Westley as well when I was doing research for this question. Never noticed that before. He and Sutherland never seemed to have any trouble with them.

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Vette447
.275 member

Reged: 15/02/09
Posts: 76
Loc: Oklahoma, USA

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Vette447]
#338798 - 08/03/20 09:22 AM

swoobie, great video and looks like a great hunt. Thanks for sharing. I would love to see some pictures of your rifle as well.

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swoobie
.224 member

Reged: 17/04/16
Posts: 7
Loc: TEXAS

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Vette447]
#338806 - 08/03/20 02:51 PM

Quote:

Well, looks like I will be the new owner of a single trigger Westley Richards Droplock big bore (or will as soon as it gets to my FFL).

Were you the buyer of the .577 Droplock from Reata today? I placed a few bids on that gun, but dropped around $23k.

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Vette447
.275 member

Reged: 15/02/09
Posts: 76
Loc: Oklahoma, USA

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: swoobie]
#338812 - 08/03/20 04:17 PM

Quote:

Were you the buyer of the .577 Droplock from Reata today? I placed a few bids on that gun, but dropped around $23k.

Yep. I would have liked to have gotten it a little cheaper but I still think I got a good deal for best quality droplock and I am excited about it.

There were a few nice rifles in that auction I was really interested in. I was able to win a few of them.

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Waidmannsheil
.400 member

Reged: 19/04/13
Posts: 2443
Loc: Melbourne Australia

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Vette447]
#338815 - 08/03/20 07:07 PM

Sutherland even commented that he would not have anything else if I remember correctly.

Matt.

--------------------
There is nothing wrong with vegetarian food, so long as there is meat with it.

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4seventy
Sponsor

Reged: 07/05/03
Posts: 2210
Loc: Queensland Australia

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Waidmannsheil]
#338816 - 08/03/20 07:46 PM

I can't remember ever hearing anyone ever mention a single problem with the Westley single trigger.

If that trigger system was known to have any problems back in the day, you can bet that WR would not still be fitting them to the DR's they're building these days.

I really prefer two triggers on a DR, but have owned and hunted with 3 single trigger, large, medium, and small bore DR's over many years.

None of these doubles were/are anywhere near the quality of Westley Richards guns, and none ever had any issues regarding their single trigger reliability.

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swoobie
.224 member

Reged: 17/04/16
Posts: 7
Loc: TEXAS

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Vette447]
#338837 - 09/03/20 02:56 AM

Quote:

There were a few nice rifles in that auction I was really interested in. I was able to win a few of them.

There were some nice ones. I was only successful on one gun. Would have really liked to have won the G&H in 243RC and the Kreighoff 375...

I bid the Hoffmans to $5k, but it wasn't enough.

The H&H 500/465 was interesting at $20.5K as well.

What did you end up with?

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Huvius
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Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3556
Loc: Colorado

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: swoobie]
#338851 - 09/03/20 05:14 AM

I think that 577 Westley for $45K all in was a very good buy.
Full boat 577s proved for the 100/750 load are quite special!

--------------------
He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.

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Vette447
.275 member

Reged: 15/02/09
Posts: 76
Loc: Oklahoma, USA

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: swoobie]
#338878 - 09/03/20 01:56 PM

Quote:

What did you end up with?

The main other rifle I was after was the really early takedown Holland & Holland Deluxe 375 H&H Magnum SSB Mauser (cased). I know of another that sold not long ago that was made in 1918 and it was ~100 higher than the SN of the one I just got so I think it has to be really early. 375 H&H was made in 1912 and I am not sure how many they made each year. It went for right near the top of my "comfort zone" but I am really happy I got it. Oh, it also has the original cocking piece peep sight which I love.

I will have to write Holland & Holland and try to find out about this one.

Edited by Vette447 (09/03/20 02:02 PM)

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Vette447
.275 member

Reged: 15/02/09
Posts: 76
Loc: Oklahoma, USA

Re: Westley Richards Single Select Trigger - Big Bore Rifles? [Re: Huvius]
#338879 - 09/03/20 01:58 PM

Quote:

I think that 577 Westley for $45K all in was a very good buy.
Full boat 577s proved for the 100/750 load are quite special!

I agree. I was really excited that it was a full bore 750/100 rifle and I was able to get it for that. It is still a ton of actual dollars (I am not some fabulously wealthy guy) but I think it was a great deal. In a healthy market it should have probably gone for double that or more.

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