318 Westley Richards 42223

[PaulB]

My1930 Westley Richards .318 Accelerated Express, serial number 42223.

In my humble opinion this is the kind of rifle that stops a true sporting-arms enthusiast in his tracks. Still in its original condition, it carries the unmistakable elegance of classic Birmingham craftsmanship—clean lines, honest patina, and that quiet authority only an unmolested Westley can project. The rifle retains its original Westley Richards quick-detach bases, perfectly paired with its original serial number matching Zeiss scope whose integrated rings and surviving Zeiss leather cover speak to decades of careful stewardship. The wood is worn to a warm, glowing patina, and tells a story of travels, safaris, and gentlemen who knew what a proper rifle should be.

This rifle has all the right details, all the right history, and all the charm that made this collector fall hard—love at first sight!

 

[dhughes66]

Beautiful rifle sir! I hope to be able to purchase a rifle like that one day. Most modern rifles have no soul to them.

 

[Aaron N]

If Holland and holland are lurking this thread, this is how you make a perfect take down rifle.

Exquisite rifle, please ensure it gets used as intended!

 

[Tintin]

There's not many better ways to start a day than looking at pictures of a new @PaulB acquisition.

Magnificient.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[PaulB]

There's not many better ways to start a day than looking at pictures of a new @PaulB acquisition.

Magnificient.

Thanks for sharing.

Very kind words

 

[PCC600]

Yet another beautiful rifle from your amazing collection .

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Very kind words

It’s not untrue. Haven’t received a picture of an ugly gun from you…not even once. Every single one creates excitement.

 

[Huvius]

I’ve wondered that when such a rifle is scoped and the mounts soldered to the steel tube, is the sighting done in the white and then the mounts and tube blacked when the rifle is?
I suppose this is well before charging the tube with something other than dry air was done.

Anyway, another great addition to your stable.
I’ve always held Westley Richards in the highest regard.
Throughout their history, they have had a knack for innovation while still adhering to their traditional style. Even some of the 318s and 425s (and doubles of course) had “toy tiger” engraving and the same scroll they had used for decades as on their early breech loaders.

 

[Altitude sickness]

I love the worn blueing

 

[Wyfox]

Beautiful rifle.
Your photography skills are exquisite, you give the Westley Richards house photographer a run for their money!

 

[PaulB]

Beautiful rifle.
Your photography skills are exquisite, you give the Westley Richards house photographer a run for their money!

This makes my day. I try really hard to make the photos look well. Sometimes spending hours on lighting

 

[ZG47]

Thank you @PaulB for this viewing privilege. A beautiful hunting rifle, used and cared for.

 

[Freetrade]

Stunning

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

She’s stunning. We can all see why you fell so hard

 

[RR 314]

Beautiful rifle.
Your photography skills are exquisite, you give the Westley Richards house photographer a run for their money!

So true. I can’t even take an acceptable picture of a Red Ryder BB gun.

 

[PaulB]

So true. I can’t even take an acceptable picture of a Red Ryder BB gun.

lol

 

[PaulB]

I’ve wondered that when such a rifle is scoped and the mounts soldered to the steel tube, is the sighting done in the white and then the mounts and tube blacked when the rifle is?
I suppose this is well before charging the tube with something other than dry air was done.

Anyway, another great addition to your stable.
I’ve always held Westley Richards in the highest regard.
Throughout their history, they have had a knack for innovation while still adhering to their traditional style. Even some of the 318s and 425s (and doubles of course) had “toy tiger” engraving and the same scroll they had used for decades as on their early breech loaders.

Early rifles fitted with soldered-on scopes were almost always sighted in while the scope tube and mounts were still in the white. Gunmakers needed the bare metal exposed because the soldered joints and mount alignment often had to be heated, adjusted, or re-worked during the regulation process. With these early scopes, long before nitrogen charging, airtight seals, or modern internal adjustments, the optical tube was simply a steel cylinder containing lenses held by primitive fittings. Because these tubes were unsealed and easily fogged, nothing inside was purged or filled with inert gas; they contained only ordinary atmospheric air. The gunmaker would solder the mounts directly onto the tube, then test-fire the rifle repeatedly, making fine adjustments until the scope’s optical axis and the rifle’s point of impact were properly aligned. Only after regulation was complete would both the rifle and the scope tube be taken for final finishing, blacking, bluing, or browning, to give everything a uniform appearance. This workflow mirrored the traditional practice used on double rifles, where barrel regulation was always performed in the white before the final finish was applied.