425 Westley Richards (Maharajah)

[PaulB]

If you guys will indulge me, I wanted this gun to have its own post.

This gun went to Africa with me last year and performed flawlessly.

Westley Richards SN 41448, completed in 1924 for the Maharajah of Baroda, is an exceptional example of the firm’s bespoke work. It features a heavy-profile octagonal barrel, round at the shank, with its base neatly engraved in scrollwork. The top flat is matted and fitted with Westley Richards’ proprietary bases, while the left flat is marked “Westley Richards & Co. London” and “Length of case 2 5/8 65/410 GRS.” The right flat bears the inscription “Shrimant Sampatrao Gaikwad Baroda.”

A particularly unusual detail is the horn ball bolt knob, a striking departure from typical shaped knobs. The box magazine is engraved with scrollwork and a series of dangerous-game scenes: a stalking tiger on the left side, an elephant on the bottom, a gaur buffalo on the right, and a lion on the trigger guard. The rifle is completed with a nicely carved and finely checkered stock, featuring extensive modified point-pattern checkering with mullered borders, bringing the whole piece together as a uniquely ornate and historically significant rifle.

 

[DaddyFlip]

Best one yet! I love those old WR engraved tigers. What length barrel? It looks a mile long haha!

 

[PaulB]

Best one yet! I love those old WR engraved tigers. What length barrel? It looks a mile long haha!

28” octagon bbl. Sorry, I should have mentioned that

 

[Betterinthebush]

Simply stunning. Why on earth would a family not want to keep an ancestor’s bespoke rifle..?

 

[Altitude sickness]

Oh my !!

 

[PaulB]

Best one yet! I love those old WR engraved tigers. What length barrel? It looks a mile long haha!

What’s crazy is, im shooting a 1/2” group at 100 yds with the old girl. Woodleigh softs. She got 2 buffalo and a lion last year.

 

[RR 314]

Makes me want to use my .425 WR Game Ranger for kindling. . Beautiful.

 

[PaulB]

Makes me want to use my .425 WR Game Ranger for kindling. . Beautiful.

Haha

 

[DaddyFlip]

There's much to appreciate here and what is most impressive to me is the checkering, both the coverage and the density. If I'm not mistaken, there are three distinct LPI's represented. You may have captured that more eloquently in your description. Stunning, man!

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Absolutely stunning and love that you took her to Africa last year.

Your collection is impressive. How many have you taken to Africa? Is the plan to take them all one day?

 

[rifletuner]

Simply stunning. Why on earth would a family not want to keep an ancestor’s bespoke rifle..?

Because they are not allowed to. Private ownership of firearms is long gone in India. A lot of classic British guns & rifles that are in Australia now came out of India when the ban came into force.

 

[Surgeon1]

Amazing craftsmanship and 100y young

 

[PaulB]

Absolutely stunning and love that you took her to Africa last year.

Your collection is impressive. How many have you taken to Africa? Is the plan to take them all one day?

Alas, There is no way I’ll be able to take them all. I’ve got too many, I go to Africa every year, but I could never get there.

 

[PaulB]

There's much to appreciate here and what is most impressive to me is the checkering, both the coverage and the density. If I'm not mistaken, there are three distinct LPI's represented. You may have captured that more eloquently in your description. Stunning, man!

Yes I believe there are 3 as well, it’s so my much more to behold in person. Pics don’t do it justice

 

[baxterb]

very, very nice. And I LOVE that style of animal engraving. Glad to see it's still a 425 and not converted.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

The best all round rifle caliber (amongst bolt actions) for everything from Axis to elephant.

His Excellence also owned a magnificent James Purdey & Sons 10 bore (2 7/8”) sidelock ejector shotgun for duck shooting and a John Rigby & Co. sidelock ejector in .22 Savage Hi-Power.

 

[Huvius]

The best all round rifle caliber (amongst bolt actions) for everything from Axis to elephant.

His Excellence also owned a magnificent James Purdey & Sons 10 bore (2 7/8”) sidelock ejector shotgun for duck shooting and a John Rigby & Co. sidelock ejector in .22 Savage Hi-Power.

That sidelock 22HP may have just sold here in the States at Sportsman’s Legacy

Rigby .22 Savage sidelock double rifle, London, quick release, engraved, case, ammunition, layaway

Rigby .22 Savage sidelock double rifle, London, quick release, engraved, case, ammunition, layaway for sale online.

www.gunsinternational.com

I saw this yesterday and it was already pending. I think at the price they may have left some money on the table!
I have a Manton double 22HP and that chambering is not to be confused with other 22s of the period.
Quite a little powerhouse, the 22HP!

Back to the OP - a very special rifle there Paul!

 

[PCC600]

A

Because they are not allowed to. Private ownership of firearms is long gone in India. A lot of classic British guns & rifles that are in Australia now came out of India when the ban came into force.

A very large number of high end bolt and double rifles found their way from Indian armouries into Australia . I will go out on a limb and say the highest proportion are here in OZ . I have 6 and I’m not even close to what some individuals have here . It is not by chance that Woodleigh bullets and Bertram brass are Australian companies . Why did they end up in OZ ? The British Commonwealth connection . A lot of Aussies knew Indian nobility mainly through the World Wars .

 

[Hunter-Habib]

That sidelock 22HP may have just sold here in the States at Sportsman’s Legacy

Rigby .22 Savage sidelock double rifle, London, quick release, engraved, case, ammunition, layaway

Rigby .22 Savage sidelock double rifle, London, quick release, engraved, case, ammunition, layaway for sale online.

www.gunsinternational.com

I saw this yesterday and it was already pending. I think at the price they may have left some money on the table!
I have a Manton double 22HP and that chambering is not to be confused with other 22s of the period.
Quite a little powerhouse, the 22HP!

Back to the OP - a very special rifle there Paul!

His Excellence was particularly unique in his choice of battery . Most hunters of that era preferred a bolt action for small to medium game. And a double for dangerous game. His Excellence preferred the opposite- A double for small to medium game, and a bolt action for dangerous game.

He was an extremely avid sportsman. With that little .22 Hi-Power, he once bagged 15 running Chinkara during a single beat (always preferring the Winchester Western 71Gr soft point).

With his .425 Westley Richards (and 410Gr Westley Richards round nosed copper capped cartridges), he bagged 28 Indian rhinoceros before the British Parliament passed the Rhinoceros Act in 1933 and declared the Indian rhinoceros to to be a legally protected animal.

 

[PCC600]

If you guys will indulge me, I wanted this gun to have its own post.

This gun went to Africa with me last year and performed flawlessly.

Westley Richards SN 41448, completed in 1924 for the Maharajah of Baroda, is an exceptional example of the firm’s bespoke work. It features a heavy-profile octagonal barrel, round at the shank, with its base neatly engraved in scrollwork. The top flat is matted and fitted with Westley Richards’ proprietary bases, while the left flat is marked “Westley Richards & Co. London” and “Length of case 2 5/8 65/410 GRS.” The right flat bears the inscription “Shrimant Sampatrao Gaikwad Baroda.”

A particularly unusual detail is the horn ball bolt knob, a striking departure from typical shaped knobs. The box magazine is engraved with scrollwork and a series of dangerous-game scenes: a stalking tiger on the left side, an elephant on the bottom, a gaur buffalo on the right, and a lion on the trigger guard. The rifle is completed with a nicely carved and finely checkered stock, featuring extensive modified point-pattern checkering with mullered borders, bringing the whole piece together as a uniquely ornate and historically significant rifle.

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Paul - feel free to indulge me with rifles like this anytime. I am a huge fan and regular user of the 425WR . In my opinion this rifle/ cartridge combination is the best of the 404 / 416 /425 group . Seems to hit harder than the others and very accurate. A couple of things - the buffalo horn knobs on bolts were very common on WR best rifles pre WW2 . They are on my 318 & 425 but not on a much newer “best” 425 of mine . The other interesting thing is the barrel length . Much was written about what was considered the overly long barrels on WR 425s - mainly by Pondoro Taylor . The earlier and later rifles like mine only have 26 inch barrels . This was standard up to WW1 so the longer barrels are a later development . Based on your hunting I doubt you even noticed the extra length . You have a magnificent example from a great maker in a great calibre . Cheers