Our founder is quoted as saying he sought to “make as good a gun as can be made” in the early 19th century. Westley Richards adheres to that same philosophy today. Everybody working within the company seeks to present the customer with the finest example of sporting firearm that can be had.
Double Rifles & Shotguns
Our double guns and rifles are built on the 1897 Taylor-patent, hand-detachable-lock action, for which Westley Richards became justifiably famous. Filed and jointed by hand in the same way they were made a century ago, these are the most reliable and fine-handling guns available to the sportsman.
Our over-and-under sidelock shotgun is a modified Woodward-patent, built to the highest standards; our precision and quality control guaranteeing ultimate performance and reliability, combined with sublime artistry.
“The Westley Richards Single Selective Trigger was conceived with a wonderful ingenuity of purpose.”
SIR THEODORE COOK • (Editor) The Field magazine, 1902.
Many Disciplines Under One Roof
Gunmaking involves mastery of many distinct disciplines. As forward-looking gunmakers we are actively bringing as much work in-house as we can, rather than relying on out-workers for specialist skills. To this end, our gunmakers action, stock, regulate, colour-case-harden, engrave, chequer, finish and case our guns and rifles. By undertaking the entire process from start to finish, we control quality and build-time with ever greater precision.
“This degree of workmanship requires an average of 400 to 650 man-hours on each gun in the workshop, exclusive of the engraving.”
Training Tomorrow’s Gunmakers
Every one of our gunmakers, be they stocker, finisher, actioner, engraver, regulator or engineer, has undergone a years-long training under the supervision of acknowledged masters of their craft. At any one time we have 4-6 apprentices working towards their Gunmaking Certificates, alongside a Diploma in Engineering from a local college.
Many of our best gunmakers began here as apprentices many years ago. Only by investing in the future can we guarantee the legacy of best British gunmaking will continue.
“In and out of fashion, great designs endure and Westley Richards model ‘C’ doll’s head remains one of them.”
VIC VENTERS • Wrote in Shooting Sportsman magazine, 2013.
Engineering Supports Gunmaking
In modern gunmaking, twenty-first century technology such as CNC machinery and CAD/CAM design is as crucial as the traditional gunmaking skills of our forefathers. Where once the gun trade accepted rough forgings from which to file actions, locks, springs and other parts, today our Westley Engineering division provides precision-manufactured components
Every machined component is made from higher quality modern steels, each ideally chosen for its particular application, be that a trigger sear or a cocking rod. Our designers and engineers use the best of the new and our gunmakers the best of the old, combining to make sporting guns and rifles of a quality never seen before.
