W.Richards. muzzleloader??

[doolanderson]

After any help on a gun I've received in Melbourne Australia. It says W Richards london on top between the barrels, underneath it has a crown with crossed sceptres(research shows Birmingham proof house) and a crown with the letters BP underneath(also Birmingham proof house). There is also the number 14 between the proof marks. I'm just after the history of the gun as it goes back to my great grandfather. As far as i know is that the Belgium and American versions say either fine twist or laminated steel in between the barrel. Was this made in the uk or is it a knock off like hundreds of others. Thanks.

 

[rcmodel]

I'm no expert by any means.

But I believe the Belgian gun makers could get away with copying the names, as long as there were minor variations in spelling.

But they couldn't get away with copying the English Proof Marks.

If you have done the research on the proof marks, and they are what you say they are?
It is most likely a real Westley Richards.

rc

 

[Jim Watson]

A few minutes of searching reveals that
1. A Westley Richards is marked Westley Richards. Full stop.
2. There is a different legitimate W. Richards gunmaker in England operating at one time in London.
3. There were untold numbers of Belgian made guns sent over to be proofed in England and bearing all manner of nearly-brand names.

I would not count on a copy always having the twist markings.

The terminal S in Richards looks very strange. Could one start with a W. Richard knockoff and add an S?

 

[rcmodel]

There you go then!!

See, I said I was no expert!

rc

 

[Jim Watson]

I'm not either, I just look stuff up.
If I get desperate, I even have some books, although not as many as I used to.

 

[doolanderson]

I'm sure its not a Westley Richards, its the W Richards I'm not sure about there was even a store est around 1854 in melbourne. I can't find anything on the number 14 either.
thanks for some quick responses guys

 

[Jim K]

There was and is a W. Richards, gun makers and retailers, in England, and at one time they had a branch in Melbourne. That gun appears to be of good quality so I suspect it is genuine. The W. Richards Company is not associated with the better known Westley Richards.

See http://www.wrichardsguns.co.uk for further info on W. Richards

See http://www.westleyrichards.com for info on Westley Richards

Unfortunately, the name "W RICHARDS" was also used on inexpensive Belgian guns sold in the U.S. years ago. The intent was to capitalize on the well known Westley Richards name. The qualilty of those guns is quite clearly not up the British gun making standards.

Jim