Help Identifying old Shotty

[CommanderPoopyduX]

My uncle was just given an old shotgun, and we need some help finding out more information about it. It is a double barrel, we believe 10 gauge, that breaks open by the forearm swinging to the side.

The only markings on the gun say "W. Richards". The Serial number is 17241. Any information about it would be wonderful. Thanks!

 

[Chipperman]

I believe W. Richards was a british gunmaker.

 

[SDC]

Westley Richards first started building guns in Birmingham, England, in 1812, and they're still in business today. You'll get more info if you break the shotgun down into its component parts (barrels, forearm, and receiver) and post pictures of the proof marks on the bottoms of the barrels and on the top of the water table (the spot that the barrels fold down against). These will tell you what the shotgun is chambered for, and give an idea of when it was built.

 

[Jim Watson]

Westley Richards guns are marked Westley Richards, not W. Richards.
W. Richards is one of several deceptive labels used to sell cheap shotguns to suckers in the Colonies. Crescent Firearms Co. sold guns marked W. Richards, but many of the others of what Greener called The Spurious Gun were made in Belgium or Spain.

 

[32 Magnum]

Richards shotgun

You have a Belgian pattern shotgun made between 1880s and 1900. The break action lever swings to the left and there is another lever underneath that swings to the right to dismount the barrel group. If you take it down and check the underside of the barrel(s) you will most likely see an oval or diamond shape symbol with E, L and G letters arranged in it. These guns were serviceable, and low cost. Hundreds of thousands were imported into the US before WW1, and most of them worked. Value is as an interesting wall hanger and in the 100 buck range.

 

[32 Magnum]

One other point: if it is as I suspect, then the gun is not safe to shoot with modern loadings. Don't tempt fate. I have an example with a breached left barrel.

 

[CommanderPoopyduX]

Thanks a ton 32 Magnum, and everyone else for replying

 

[CommanderPoopyduX]

The lever on the bottom, only swings to the right....there is a stop that keeps it from swinging to the left. There is no second lever underneath that one......

It looks like the barrel may actually be screwed into the stock.....one screw is removed to break the gun apart.

Under the barrel is marked with an oval with an E, L, and G in it. It looks like there is an arrow pointing to the oval coming from could possibly be a couple of numbers. This is all on the left barrel. The right barrel has some numbers in the bottom of it. There was something inlaid in the bottom of the right barrel in brass, but it cannot be made out as it has flaked away.

 

[Jim Watson]

Doesn't matter much. ELG is the main Belgian proof mark, the others were just detailed tests and inspectors' marks.

As said, wall hanger.

The front end lever is the Lefaucheux action that came out about 1850 as a pinfire. It stayed on for years and years even though technically obsolete. They had the machinery and knowhow, so why not keep building and selling them when a cheap gun was called for?