Yeah, I paid him a visit. Am I remembering correctly that your dad looked at a .500 Westley there? I didn't see it, but a dealer I know told me about it. Didn't sound good.
There were three .400/.360s - 2 Evans boxlocks and 1 Alex Henry SLE. Also a Midland boxlock .470, a Manton boxlock .470, a Harper boxlock .450/.400 3 1/4", and a Westley droplock .470.
The little Midland boxlock was the best gun there. Redone in England in recent years and decently done. New chopper lump barrels, Brummie proved after 1989, still new condition. Had the gun been in that condition with original barrels with excellent bores....well, it still would have been a Midland - solid enough but not big $. Rebarreled? He wanted $25K. I felt that it was worth a lot less.
The .470 Westley was, like most of the rest, a glossy refinish with curb appeal that photographed well. Restocked, barrels and furniture reblacked, action recolored. Fantastic piece of wood, but not particularly well executed. Barrel striking had been ruined with a polishing wheel, engraving poorly recut. The bores were gone. Said it still shot great and I can believe that (you'd be amazed). But, when they look that bad, it doesn't matter how it shoots - it's an action and fore-end, period. I didn't feel that it was worth $35K. -------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------- "Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."
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