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Answer: When it is a .310 Cadet! Now let me explain...

One of my Historic shooting pals here in England has just found himself a 'new' rifle for Christmas. It is a small frame Martini-action rifle 'made' by Westley Richards and engraved "The Sherwood Rifle". It is a take-down version where the barrel has a 1/4 turn bayonet catch-type fitting. So far not too unusual.

However it has two original barrels. One is marked .220", and has been Parker-Rifled to .22lr in the 1950s as many were. This one has been used heavily by its farmer owner. The other barrel is chambered and marked for the .310 Greener cartridge (lightly used), and not as I might have expected for the .300 Sherwood. Both have the same serial number. The books tell us that Greener brought out the .310 Greener/ Cadet in 1901, and their deadly rivals Westley Richards responded a year later with the .300 Sherwood, essentially a lengthened .300/ .295 Rook cartridge.

[In case you are wondering, the breechblock can be rotated through 180 degrees to change the firing pin from rimfire to centrefire, plus changing the extractor - clever these old Birmingham chaps!]

So why would WR chamber a rifle for their rival's round? Perhaps it was a special request for target shooting, or because the .310 ammunition was more available? Has anyone else out there seen anything similar??

Answers on a (an elecronic) postcard here, please!

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