Woodward "Automatic" underlever double rifle in .300 H&H Flanged..

[Pondoro]

I looked at one today....boy what a beauty, clearly a best gun with lovely scroll all over and a faboulus piece of walnut.
Extra lock on safety lever, leather covered recoil pad etc....a beauty..

I know the firm was bought by Purdey in 1949...but who can fill me in on these rifles..?

What calibres where they made in..? Are they sought after..?

 

[CTDolan]

They were definitely of best quality.

Purdey bought the Woodward firm for their O/U. As for the "Automatic" double, I've only seen a few and each has been in a lighter caliber (as was the one you saw, a rifle for plains game and such).

 

[CTDolan]

Here's a lovely one in 450/400 3-1/4".

http://www.rbsiii.com/collection/rifles/woodward_400/woodward_400_1.htm

 

[CTDolan]

More pics...

http://www.rbsiii.com/collection/rifles/woodward_400/woodward_400_2.htm

Change it to a back-action lock, and it'd be a marvelously strong double (no cocking levers...lots of meat left in the bar!).

 

[Pondoro]

Beautiful....but I can tell you that the wood on the rifle in your pics look downright cheap compared to the one I handeled today...

 

[Red Leg]

The way the bespoke British trade worked is that the builder offered the rifle design and the client ordered the bore or caliber, dimensions, and embellishment. Some builders were indeed chosen for a particular proprietary caliber (Rigby was famous for retaining caliber ownership), but more often than not it was the reputation and cost/perceived value of the gun or rifle that drove selection. Almost all "best" guns were sidelocks, such as the one illustrated. Interestingly, wood was very much a secondary consideration - you can find H&H Royals with decidedly plain stocks. Woodward was considered a "best" maker. Underlever designs are not usually considered as strong as top lever designs. As CT notes they tend to be found in lower pressure calibers, but there are always exceptions. I have a Stephen Side lever SxS 12 bore that is a similar lock with the lever on the side of the action. I have never seen one in rifle configuration, but they were built as heavy load firing pigeon guns. I should also note that the Jones underlever design - which is a screw closure system - may be the strongest ever created and were used on the early huge bore caliber rifles.

 

[ZG47]

Speaking as a carpenter, I prefer straight grain for structural strength and 'fancy' grain for cabinet ( and dashboard) veneers.

 

[CTDolan]

The side lever guns are extremely elegant works of art. I've always thought a little side lever in 303, or something similar, would be a lovely thing to have.

They were generally transitional pieces, the mechanism being one of the many options available prior to the top lever's total acceptance (and therefore, dominance) within the trade.

 

[CTDolan]

Speaking as a carpenter, I prefer straight grain for structural strength and 'fancy' grain for cabinet ( and dashboard) veneers.

Keep the grain straight where it counts (in the wrist), then let it explode where it shows (in the butt). However, if you cannot afford good walnut (good, as is tough...not all species of walnut are the same, this way), best to settle on something more practical (plain).