318 Westley Richards By Westley Richards

Odinsraven

AH fanatic
Joined
May 25, 2013
Messages
725
Reaction score
822
Location
Iceland
Media
11
Hunting reports
Africa
5
Member of
NRA Life Membe,Icelandic Hunting Club SKOTVIS , BASC (UK) Countryside Alliance (UK)r
Hunted
UK ,Ireland, Bulgaria,Iceland,Czech Republic
20170923_130323.jpg
20170923_130308.jpg
20170923_130314.jpg
A much abused old girl .....seen it all since 1910 ...... re.bored to 8x57 in the 50's or 60's

Will need to check English proof marks.

So which scope mount do you guys recommend ?
 
heck! With heiroglyphics on the rear sight ramp... I suppose the Pharaohs were as attractive a market as the Maharajahs! Awesome! That thing would have some stories!
A mate of mine has 2 still in 318!
 
Strange, it looks a lot like the Persian Mausers that were up for sale some years ago. I bought one, new in the grease...a very good copy of the German 98 Mauser. Had the same markings.
 
Where did you find this?
 
Since they already ruined the receiver with a hideous side mount may as well use the Swiss cheese holes and mount one there!:mad::mad: ARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad: I HATE SIDE MOUNTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:
 
Where did you find this?
Picked it up at auction .......the rebored barrel is like new just waiting for brass to arrive and will load it up and take her to the range ... have the data and manufacturers details from their books.

Actually sent it back to Westley Richards for a refurbishment quote. ..declined their kind offer ...... so she will stay as she is ......if accuracy is better than minute of warthog the old girl will become my new warthog rifle .... I cull in Africa and on rare days off hunt trophy warthog ..... max 50m my only rule .......
 
Strange, it looks a lot like the Persian Mausers that were up for sale some years ago. I bought one, new in the grease...a very good copy of the German 98 Mauser. Had the same markings.
Nope a generation earlier .....and listed in the Westley Richards customer log as 1910
 
I fell into a beautiful WR 98 sporter in 7x57 some 30 years ago, for the princely sum of $500. It was gorgeous and unmolested. Sold it a year later for $1000. That rifle today would bring 5K easy on the market. It was literally stunning. Sigh.....
 
I fell into a beautiful WR 98 sporter in 7x57 some 30 years ago, for the princely sum of $500. It was gorgeous and unmolested. Sold it a year later for $1000. That rifle today would bring 5K easy on the market. It was literally stunning. Sigh.....
Refuse to say how much I paid for this rifle as get kinda pissed when people accuse me of lying ....needless to say the export to Iceland was more than the purchase cost ....
 
Nope a generation earlier .....and listed in the Westley Richards customer log as 1910

It does appear a Persian Mauser sight was added at one point. I wonder if the rear sight was removed when scope added, and then new Persian rear added when scope was removed. Either way, a fascinating history for a rifle that has clearly seen use thru the decades.
 
I fell into a beautiful WR 98 sporter in 7x57 some 30 years ago, for the princely sum of $500. It was gorgeous and unmolested. Sold it a year later for $1000. That rifle today would bring 5K easy on the market. It was literally stunning. Sigh.....

I did the same with a stunning G.L. Rasch in 8x57J (the early, .318 bore). It was an absolute work of art...tasteful engraving, full octagon barrel, lever release floorplate, fine checkering (somewhere in the neighborhood of 28 lines per inch), horn buttplate, gold inlay lettering, beaded cheekpiece, keyed forend, etc. Bought it for $450 back when $450 was about $400 more than I could afford (bless my wife for understanding). Sold it some years later (actually, traded it on a .375 H&H). Biggest mistake ever.
 
Wow. Sort of like discovering the remains of an old car wreck. It isn't rebored. The British measurement for the .318 Nitro Express is land to land so it is actually a .338 caliber round. Thus, it would be around 8.6 millimeter. Hard to rebore to a smaller caliber. Looks like a military stepped barrel to me. I think someone simply screwed a Persian or Egyptian mauser barrel onto an old Westley Richards .318 action. Are there any markings on the barrel flat behind the sight? Original barrel was likely destroyed through corrosion (early corrosive ammunition) or shot out - though unlikely on a .318. They then tacked on that 2x4 - I mean stock :( Pretty sure those holes weren't made with a Griffin & Howe side mount in mind. I bet WR did quote you a meaningful number. They essentially would be starting from scratch with a salvaged (and heavily damaged) action. I suppose it could be fun as a shooter. But I would have that head space checked and bore measured - carefully. This looks like one of those garage jobs that can get you hurt.
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
53,634
Messages
1,131,637
Members
92,723
Latest member
edwardsrailcarcom00
 

 

 

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Early morning Impala hunt, previous link was wrong video

Headshot on jackal this morning

Mature Eland Bull taken in Tanzania, at 100 yards, with 375 H&H, 300gr, Federal Premium Expanding bullet.

20231012_145809~2.jpg
 
Top