Wesley Richards

[4V50 Gary]

A visit to the Wesley Richards factory where only 30 guns are made every year. Smoke fitting parts with extra metal removed with a chisel. Padded jaws for vise. That's more precise than a file. My neck hurts from watching it.

Like the 19th Century or early 20th Century, they're wearing long sleeves (rolled up) and ties which are covered with aprons (not everyone wears ties). Apprentices start by making their own tools which they will use in their trade. In making those tools they learn to use the milling machine (or what not). Like the Germans, they get a block of steel that everybody abuses and then the apprentice has to file it flat on all six sides (develop hand filing skills)

Note: Wood floors and where there isn't wood, rubber matts the employee stands on while he works. This prevents fatigue (I used to have one at school).

Tool storage in his box sucks. We couldn't do that.

They have CNC.

Timing of the ejectors so they both work at the same time. Wow! Never even thought of that.

Engraving is done pneumatically. He flicks the gold off (but I don't see what catches the scraps). He does both classical carved lines and Italian bulino (dots) style engraving. Engraving is closer to 18th Century than 19th Century. A pantograph is used to transfer the image onto the metal.

Color case hardening is done elsewhere (one block down) as is the bluing. They use a bunson burner to fire blue some smaller parts (trigger).

Jeweling (called spotting at Wesley Richards) is used not just for decorative purposes but also to help the parts retain oil and thus prevent rust.


https://youtu.be/saEDMMmMp2o?feature=shared

[stuckinthe60s]

good video, lousy interviewer.
they should have hired someone more the level of the workers.
he acted like he was interviewing stage girls during costume change.

[Mal H]

Gary - I thought his name was Westley Richards.

[Jim Watson]

Maybe the video was of the Continental copiers operating under confusing name. See Greener on knockoffs.

[4V50 Gary]

Eye kant spel.

[nuchie11]

They make 30 guns a year and somehow still have tighter tolerances than half the modern CNC shops. Meanwhile I can’t even hang a picture frame straight

[Ricklin]

I think there are both Westley and Wesley Richards guns available. As mentioned up the thread knockoffs are everywhere.
A few years back I was looking at a gun that Cabelas had on the rack for fairly cheap. I was getting rather interested in it when Cabelas took it off the rack. I was interested because it appeared to be a genuine Richards that they priced as a fake. They had issues on gun prices....

[FrankenMauser]

good video, lousy interviewer.
they should have hired someone more the level of the workers.
he acted like he was interviewing stage girls during costume change.

He is "they". The presenter, Alec Steele, runs that channel.

When you send a non-gun-owning-Youtubing-blacksmith to a custom firearms maker, both within a country with minimal firearm ownership and knowledge, you aren't going to get a great product.

[natman]

Originally Posted by Ricklin

I think there are both Westley and Wesley Richards guns available. As mentioned up the thread knockoffs are everywhere.
A few years back I was looking at a gun that Cabelas had on the rack for fairly cheap. I was getting rather interested in it when Cabelas took it off the rack. I was interested because it appeared to be a genuine Richards that they priced as a fake. They had issues on gun prices....

Years ago when the UK did their big gun purge, my LGS got a large shipment of workaday British long guns. The market was flooded with such guns at the time, so I got a Westley Richards Martini in 310 Cadet for $250 and a Webley single shot bolt action shotgun in 410 for $150.

Which were both good deals, but I like to tell the story that I got a Westly Richards rifle and a Webley shotgun for $400.

[Ricklin]

A number of years ago, Cabelas in Lacy Wa. apparently had some real issues in their gun library. All the best prizes in my accumulation came from grossly underpriced guns from them. I worked in SEA a lot and they are on the way home.
Colt new army and Navy 29 bucks! 38 Colt caliber, first model W/O cylinder stops. They thought that a defect and priced it that way!
H+R black powder bicycle revolver about 90% and blue 32 short 19.99.
LC Smith Specialty 12 Gauge SBT 1918 first year production 699.00
My new but no box Winchester SX-1 Ducks Unlimited 699.00
I have no qualms about "stealing" these guns, they are not an old widow who needs the money. The SX-1 was just an average good deal. The others were way more than that.

[stuckinthe60s]

love to find one of these on clearance........
https://shootingsportsman.com/westleys-new-over-under/

[Ricklin]

Wow, thanks for the linked article. I shall confine investment at that level to items that have a physical address. Since I don't play the lottery....
Too gaudy for my taste but no denying the beauty and heritage, we think of O/U guns being modern, yet they go all the way back to 1909 with Boss and company, the best of the best guns! Birmingham still comes in 2nd to London best. My commission would be sans the gold inlays.