425 Westley Richards (Maharajah)

[steve white]

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 for sale

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!

That's so pretty it hurt my eyes...wow.

 

[steve white]

PaulB, your collection is enough to make strong men swoon.

 

[375-9.3x63 Fan]

Beautiful Rifle, thanks for sharing!

 

[PaulB]

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

I can definitely tell when carrying the 28” octagon bbl, as it’s quite heavy. I much prefer a 26” bbl, and when on foot for long days I like a 24” bbl even better.

I agree the .425 is fantastic, I’ve used it on a lot of buffalo with multiple bolt guns, lion, hippo, and more, I can’t say enough about the performance.

I have a double in .425 as well. HOWEVER I will never use the double again on a dangerous game hunt. A non flanged double is one thing, but a rebated rim is asking for trouble in an old double imo, and I learned this the hard way on a buffalo hunt in 2023. sticky situation. In the end it worked out, luckily. (This is him below)

 

[PaulB]

PaulB, your collection is enough to make strong men swoon.

You’re too kind

 

[cm76]

Magnificent rifle Paul, and congratulations on a successful hunt with it

Chris

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I can definitely tell when carrying the 28” octagon bbl, as it’s quite heavy. I much prefer a 26” bbl, and when on foot for long days I like a 24” bbl even better.

I agree the .425 is fantastic, I’ve used it on a lot of buffalo with multiple bolt guns, lion, hippo, and more, I can’t say enough about the performance.

I have a double in .425 as well. HOWEVER I will never use the double again on a dangerous game hunt. A non flanged double is one thing, but a rebated rim is asking for trouble in an old double imo, and I learned this the hard way on a buffalo hunt in 2023. sticky situation. In the end it worked out, luckily. (This is him below)

View attachment 729939

View attachment 729938

Did the double .425 Westley Richards experience an extraction issue during the 2023 hunt ?

I had the extractors on a Belgium made .458 Winchester Magnum boxlock ejector fail during a Cape buffalo hunt in 1978. The only reason the hunt did not culminate in disaster, was because the buffalo ran off after the first two shots and those two shots eventually proved fatal.

 

[1dirthawker]

that is a cool rifle!

 

[VertigoBE]

A gorgeous rifle @PaulB I hope this will not be the only time you take this grand old lady out for some fun in Africa!