Vintage Westley Richards .303 Fixed Lock Double Rifle

The British .303 cartridge was at one time a favourite choice for the small bore double rifles being built by the great rifle makers of the pre First World War years. Its great benefit was that it was the service round of the British Army which with its vast Empire meant ammunition of some description was always available. The majority of double rifles were regulated for the 31 grain cordite cartridge firing a 215 grain soft point bullet. This was a very effective load on small to medium game, solid nickel bullets were even capable of taking large and dangerous game in the right hands.

All the British makers initially offered the .303, but as each developed their own calibres to feed an imaginative market so the .318, .350, .375 2 1/2" and others started to take a share of the market in small bores. Another theory is the ban on .450 calibre rifles by the British Government in 1907, may have worried makers about the adoption of anything too military based and so the .303 fell out of favour.

The rifle here is a lovely Westley Richards fixed lock ejector that was completed in 1900 and sold via our London, Bond Street address. Often the giveaway of these pre 1900 rifles is the lovely swamped ribs which have a short raised island holding the express sight as opposed to the later adoption of a full quarter rib. This particular rifle has all the hallmarks of the period, including fine house scroll engraving, checkered side panels and the distinctive Westley Richards kidney cheek piece. The 'bolted' safety is another of those lovely features that existed on many pre-war double rifles built by Westley Richards, H & H and J.Rigby.

In unmolested condition, complete in its oak and leather case the rifle is another of those classic time capsules that we all like to stumble across from time to time.

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Comments

9 comments

N

Neillon November 04, 2025

Neill on April 25, 2017 at 6:05 pm

Another lesson from theexplora, I’d never regarded the .303 as a sporting round! It makes good sense though. Like you say, the ammunition would have been readily available.

Glorious rifle as always, it amazes me where you keep finding them!
DH

David Hodoon November 04, 2025

David Hodo on April 25, 2017 at 3:56 pm

Although not a fan of the .303 caliber, I would certainly be a proud owner of the double rifle presented in the post! Another perfect Westley!
Thanks Trigger!
David Hodo
PB

Peter Buckley.on November 04, 2025

Peter Buckley. on April 27, 2017 at 2:37 pm

Dear Trigger

Wouldn’t mind falling over this one myself, I suppose it just walked in through the door! Both rifle and case in great untouched condition, just love the “bolted” safety.
The Westley fine scroll engraving just typical but I must say that the game scene engraving looks a little ‘naive’, or was this typical from around that period ?
Is it regulated for 50 and 100 yards ?

Many makers of fine quality rifles supplied a funnel for boiling out the barrels along with all the other accessories in a case possibly to rid the barrels of the problem of mercuric primers or maybe just as an aid to cleaning, or is it a leftover from black powder days?

The .303 round must have been quite popular as a sporting calibre even military rifles were ‘sporterised’ and brought into the field.

Tell me what’s the brass pistol cleaning rod doing in the case, or is it just a photographic prop ?
Another great Westley rifle, another great post. Thanks Trigger.

Kind regards. Pete.
NC

Ned Cowellon November 04, 2025

Ned Cowell on April 27, 2017 at 11:45 am

Dear David

That is very interesting! A really thorough cleaning method – provided that you have the right climate to get it dry in. Thank you for that!

Ned