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Hello

I am a new member here. I joined because I need your help.

Years ago I purchased a Westley Richards Model 1881 at a small auction for very little money.
At the time I got it, I knew I was basically just buying the action and buttstock.

Some hack of a "gunsmith" has gotten a hold of the rifle and really managed to screw it up.

Someone cut the original barrel off about 3 inches ahead of the receiver and used that as a mono-block to install an un-tapered octagonal barrel chambered in 45/70. The shank of the 45/70 barrel extends all the way to the breach face. I don't think it is even threaded or soldered to the barrel stub. I can see 3 places where they drove a pin through the side of the original barrel and into the new barrel to secure it.

The stub of original barrel that remains has been crudely turned on a lathe so all the original marking have been eliminated.

This mess is then topped off with some ugly bolted on sights of unknown make.

The fore end has been replaced and is a poorly shaped chunk of wood that does not even come close to matching the buttstock. And it is attached with a screw going into the underside of the barrel!!

All of this is a long way of saying I have half of a gun.

My plan is to replace the barrel, fore end, and sights with something that is close to what this gun should look like.

I have no idea what the original chambering was, and Westley Richards does not have any records on the gun. My only clue is that on the right side of the receiver, below the side lever, it is marked "Express Rifle Patent". Which is a marking I have not seen on any other 1881 I have found on the internet. But this may be a clue as to the chambering. Anybody ever seen this before?

I know that .450 No2 Musket was a common chambering, and from the list of observed guns in Wal Winfers book I see several guns with serial numbers near mine chambered for .577/500 No 2 Express.
But I don't believe my gun could chamber either of those rounds. The rims are too big

The top tang/loading ramp on my gun is pretty close to the barrel bore axis. The .608" dia. rim of a 45/70 just barely has clearance. So I think the original caliber has a rim of not more than .625"

My current thought is to chamber the gun in .450/400 3" and load it to BPE levels. (Not NE levels)

Where I need the help of this forum is I am trying to determine the proper length and contour for the new barrel. I plan on doing a round barrel, not octagonal.

What I would really love would be for someone with an um-molested gun to share with me the profile of their guns barrel and some dimensions off of their fore-end. I also have never seen a good close up photo of what the front sight on an original 1881 looks like.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
Scott

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