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Westley Richards .318 Accelerated Express Best Quality “Light Model” Magazine Rifle completed in 1913. The pivotal 1912 catalog from WR listed a Lightweight .318 Magazine Rifle with 22” bbl, a 43” OAL and weight under 8 lbs., and said that made the rifle “extremely handy for snap shots in hill shooting”. Built on a standard length commercial Mauser ’98 action with a flag safety, steel round bolt-knob with a checkered flat base and a lever-release floor plate, this rifle has all the features of a WR Best Quality model of the era. The stock has a right hand beaded cheekpiece, full pistol grip stock with trap, finely checkered hand and forend with Mullered borders, horn forend tip, and a flat checkered steel trap butt. The 22” barrel has Metford rifling (a standard feature on WR rifles of this era) and WR pattern island rear sight with 1 standing/4 folding spring loaded “platina” lined leaves sighted to 500 yds with a combination bead and night foresight with Westley Richards Registered Protector, and a barrel mounted sling eye. The receiver, bottom metal and sights are engraved in an early rendition of the bold scroll that became the house pattern for WR magazine rifles. In addition, the stock “panelled” (sic) as the catalogs of the era referred to the option of raised panels shaped on the sides of some WR stocks. These panels are smooth with drop points.

This rifle was the originally priced at £25 in 1912, the Modele De Luxe, had a starting price of £30 and, in addition to being engraved, the stock had fancy carving and checkering.  

This stock measures 14 1/2" to the center and has adjustable aperture peep sight fitted onto the wrist and the the nose of the comb is stepped to accommodate the sight when it is laid down. The original silver stock oval retains what is probably the original owner’s coat of arms and is stamped with an armory rack number between the sling eye and stock oval. The rifle weighs 7lbs. 14oz. and the overall length is just 43”. The rifle has been tested on our range and shoots a 1.5" group at 50 yards. This rifle, which is a really super example in honest and characterful condition, would make a fine addition to any collection.

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