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Double Rifles, Single Shots & Combinations >> Single Shots & Combination Guns

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Waidmannsheil
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Reged: 19/04/13
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Loc: Melbourne Australia
A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards
      #341323 - 24/05/20 12:43 PM


https://www.theexplora.com/westley-richards-12g-cape-gun/


Matt

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


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tinker
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Reged: 12/03/05
Posts: 4835
Loc: Nevada
Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: Waidmannsheil]
      #341326 - 24/05/20 01:13 PM

That's definitely a cool configuration.
Someone is going to be happy with that one.

--------------------
--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--



"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...


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lancaster
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Reged: 06/05/08
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Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: tinker]
      #341344 - 24/05/20 05:12 PM

12 ga /500 BPE would be very hard to resist















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Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
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bringing civilisation to the barbarians


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rigbymauser
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Reged: 15/05/05
Posts: 1970
Loc: Denmark
Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: lancaster]
      #341352 - 24/05/20 08:03 PM

https://www.wrusedguns.com/view/shotguns...grade-cape-gun/

These combinations guns has always intrige me. For the man who went out and only needed one gun for all(just about)for meat hunting these guns really offer versatility. Had the 12bore barrel been a paradox rifled the gun would have had an even more flexibility.
What is more remarkable with this gun it is made between the wars in .500 BPE where this caliber was on its way out. Either the customer in India had stockpiles of this ammunition still or he ordered the last stockpiles from England(pure speculation)?.

Edited by rigbymauser (24/05/20 08:10 PM)


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lancaster
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Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: rigbymauser]
      #341356 - 24/05/20 09:27 PM

the 500BPE was maybe outdated but alot mor comfortable to shoot than a 500 NE

--------------------
Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians


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lancaster
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Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: lancaster]
      #341358 - 24/05/20 10:01 PM

just had the book inmy hands
1936 ICI Kynoch katalog






500 3" as blackpowder and nitro for black available
there were to much guns for this caliber around to let it fall then

--------------------
Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians


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MikeRowe
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Reged: 23/11/11
Posts: 478
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Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: lancaster]
      #341365 - 25/05/20 03:23 AM

It even has correct sling swivels, not those bloody hooks.....

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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39062
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Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: rigbymauser]
      #341376 - 25/05/20 03:29 PM

Quote:



These combinations guns has always intrige me. For the man who went out and only needed one gun for all(just about)for meat hunting these guns really offer versatility. Had the 12bore barrel been a paradox rifled the gun would have had an even more flexibility.
What is more remarkable with this gun it is made between the wars in .500 BPE where this caliber was on its way out. Either the customer in India had stockpiles of this ammunition still or he ordered the last stockpiles from England(pure speculation)?.




I have always thought the traditional cape gun was the "poor man's" gun. Known as the "cape gun", because it was often the gun of choice of a Boer farmer in the Cape. Perhaps he had only one gun, and wanted a rifle for game and a shotgun for birds. The shotgun could also be loaded with big shot or a slug or ball. Usually it is a BP rifle and while the calibre might be large, as a BP it is still a medium game rifle. I don't necessary mean "poor" poor. If one is not very well off, buying ONE nice firearm may still be an extreme expense, so the average man might settle for one gun. To do it all. The common man did not have enough money to buy the fancy Rigby's, Purdeys, H&H etc usually.

Also one can only carry one gun. Properly anyway. So a shot and bullet firearm, very versatile when hunting for the pot, hoof and feather, on a walk in the veldt. Or the Indian jungle. Same as some still use a combination firearm! Same, just side by side instead of under and over.

As for ammo supplies, could the owner not have loaded their own? Black powder would have been readily available. A cast lead ball or bullet could have been used in the .500 BPE. Lead casting equipment for bullets or balls was very common in the BP era.

What sort of resizing dies or equipment is needed? Or available? Certainly for smaller rounds, a hand vice or pliers type resizer might have been possible.

Or the owner simply ordered 200 rounds of .500 with the gun, thinking it might last his lifetime. And perhaps custom re-orders were available.

Edited to add: As Lancaster proves with a catalogue. Ammo was still available. Lots of older guns to provide for.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


Edited by NitroX (26/05/20 12:39 AM)


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NitroXAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
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Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: NitroX]
      #341377 - 25/05/20 03:35 PM



What a lovely gun to own. And would still be useful for a mixed deer, boar, bird, small game walk with the dog.

A .500 BP or BPE is not overly gunned for such like a .500 NE would be.

Another reason to have such a gun in India is shown by the small book in the photo. If one bumped into a tiger, nice to have a .500 ready at hand, not just a load of 4's for peacock or 7's for pheasant!

PS Lancaster, thanks for posting the photos.

BTW what is the purpose of the piece of grooved wood with two pegs?

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"


Edited by NitroX (26/05/20 12:40 AM)


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93x64mm
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Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 3954
Loc: Nth QLD Australia
Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: NitroX]
      #341389 - 25/05/20 09:55 PM

Very nice indeed!
Time to drool again..........& wish for my numbers to come in!


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EDELWEISS
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Reged: 22/11/05
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Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: 93x64mm]
      #342891 - 29/06/20 01:41 AM

Thats a great looking gun, in a great combination, even for todays hunter (think Deer or Boar).

I have a Pieper Cape gun in 12ga X 38-55. I stumbled upon it in a shop that was more of a AR and plastic stock kinda place. Then I stumbled again as I ran out the door with it

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If it's not custom, it's just borrowed


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93x64mm
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Reged: 07/12/11
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Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: EDELWEISS]
      #342903 - 29/06/20 08:38 AM

I would have done the same Edelweiss!

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EDELWEISS
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Reged: 22/11/05
Posts: 592
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Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: 93x64mm]
      #342907 - 29/06/20 10:28 AM

Quote:

I would have done the same Edelweiss!




Thanks.

I saw a Peiper Capegun on GunBroker last month. I thought it was perfect, being 12ga and 577-450. It included dies and load info. The auction ended without a winner, as the seller set the RESERVE way to high. I talked to him afterward. He wanted 2K cash. The gun looked to be in good shape; but that was out of my "disposable cash" price range. Still Im sorry we couldnt work out a deal.

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If it's not custom, it's just borrowed


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DoubleD
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Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: EDELWEISS]
      #342918 - 29/06/20 10:08 PM

The piece of wood with pegs appears to be a cover for the shell block. At least the block has matching holes for the pegs.

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50Calshtr
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Reged: 01/11/05
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Re: A very nice Cape Gun by Westley Richards [Re: DoubleD]
      #342952 - 01/07/20 11:13 PM

I'm interested in the loading block also. The groves in the pegged "top" line up with the shell primers, but what really intrigues me is the "t" handled gang punch at the top of the block. Looks like it would be for seating wads or possibly depriming. I would bet the holes in the shell block carry thru to the other side of the block.

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