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Blog Post Featured Image

New Westley Richards 'Heavy' .500 3" Droplock Double Rifle

The .500 3" nitro express continues to be a firm favourite among the large bore double rifles that we build here at Westley Richards. We are often asked what are the most popular calibres for a big game double rifle and the .500 3", along with the .470 3 1/4", .577 3" and .600 are certainly the leaders.

WR Rifle #20372-8638-Edit

The droplock double rifle illustrated here is a little different to the .500's that we normally build in that it has been built on a larger action frame. In recent decades the .500 was built on a trimmer frame which led to a final weight in the 11lb to 11lb 8oz region. This suited clients who wanted the firepower of a .500, without the extra weight in the rifle.

Records indicate that .500 double rifles built by the firm pre-war tended to be more in the 12lb to 12lb 8oz range. This particular client wanted to revert to that original weight specification and so it was that we built this very elegant .500 droplock rifle for him.

The rifle has all the usual hallmarks of a Westley Richards droplock double rifle, the subtle difference being the engraving which has carved fences in keeping with the scroll design, gold naming and a mean looking Cape Buffalo carved on the cover plate. We hope in the coming years it gets to add a few buffalo like this to its tally!

WR Rifle #20372-8507-Edit WR Rifle #20372-8523-Edit WR Rifle #20372-8558-Edit WR Rifle #20372-8563-Edit WR Rifle #20372-8592-Edit

4 Comments

  • Neil McVeigh on September 11, 2017 at 7:30 am

    Exquisite!I would prefer the lighter version myself but to each his own.
    Trigger you do realise you are continuing to raise the bar,
    where will it stop?

  • Neill on September 12, 2017 at 4:22 pm

    Magnificent! No other word for it!

  • Peter Buckley. on September 13, 2017 at 6:36 am

    Trigger

    What a handsome double, glorious workmanship, your client must be so happy with the completed rifle.
    With only one sight leaf I'm guessing close quarter shooting?
    It's a rifle for this and future generations!

    Best regards. Peter.

  • Jerry L Combs on August 17, 2022 at 4:10 am

    Ive never seen the lime, nor the quality here. Theres notbinv in my mind more beautiful than your weapons. Maybe one day this old man will be able to come and buy one of those masterpieces.

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