New Westley Richards 470NE on order, who wants to hear about it?

[towserthemouser]

I was asked to post a bit about this, so here goes, I'm very excited about it and will share some details here.

I have been on 3 safaris and have taken a number of PG and a buffalo and a leopard. I always said I didn't think I would hunt an elephant, but lately after some reading and research I've changed my mind..... I set some bucket list goals and decided an elephant would go to the top of that list.

I did a lot of research here and in books about different rifles and caliber choices.

I had a long conversation with the Heym USA rep and really thought I would go that direction, but the communication just didn't really gee-haw for whatever reason. They're great rifles with a great reputation, and I really like the looks of the 89 especially.

We had a trip planned to London for my wife's birthday..... So I thought maybe I should investigate options there before pulling the trigger on a Heym......

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

I was asked to post a bit about this, so here goes, I'm very excited about it and will share some details here.

I have been on 3 safaris and have taken a number of PG and a buffalo and a leopard. I always said I didn't think I would hunt an elephant, but lately after some reading and research I've changed my mind..... I set some bucket list goals and decided an elephant would go to the top of that list.

I did a lot of research here and in books about different rifles and caliber choices.

I had a long conversation with the Heym USA rep and really thought I would go that direction, but the communication just didn't really gee-haw for whatever reason. They're great rifles with a great reputation, and I really like the looks of the 89 especially.

We had a trip planned to London for my wife's birthday..... So I thought maybe I should investigate options there before pulling the trigger on a Heym......

Looking forward to hearing the rest!

 

[towserthemouser]

I arranged a visit to Rigby, as I already own a Rigby bolt rifle in 375 and love it. I really wanted to see the Shikari and find out what they're up to at Rigby.

They were wonderful. I got to see Jim Corbett's rifle, and they had the 500NE that was used as the blueprint for the new Shikari.

I got a shop tour and had great conversations with several of the gunmakers there; engravers, stocking guys, etc. They were smoke-fitting parts and engraving with Leica microscopes and doing all sorts of cool stuff. They were all very passionate about their work, and the quality was evident.

The cost was a bit above the Heym, and the delivery times were quoted 2-3 years, possibly earlier with some luck.

I was seriously intrigued and told the gentlemen I would be back in touch after thinking it over and completing our visit......

 

[towserthemouser]

The following day we got up early, got a coffee, and caught the train to Birmingham, where I had arranged a visit to Westley Richards to meet with Steven there.

Quite honestly it never actually occurred to me that a WR would be a possibility for me; I just wanted to go see Mecca and maybe find a safari shirt or something, thought maybe my wife would find a nice scarf or leather item, etc.

And maybe we'd get to see some beautiful guns that would be a dream that I would never wake up to.....

 

[towserthemouser]

When the Uber dropped us off at the WR address, there was a big iron gate with a security buzzer. I buzzed in and said I had an appointment to see Steven.

A very nice lady walked out to meet us at the gate and escorted us in. Right away she said, "I'm so sorry, Steven is out today and won't be able to give you a tour. (I was crestfallen).

"However, Anthony is here and will be happy to show you around."

 

[towserthemouser]

I thought, "Anthony, Anthony, wait a minute: that's got to be the infamous Trigger!"

 

[towserthemouser]

It was indeed Trigger, and he was simply marvelous.

We chatted and told him a bit about ourselves, and he did the same. We probably spent an hour just chatting and getting to know each other, he seemed in no hurry at all.

Then he said, "Well, let's go see some guns."

He unlocked the security door and escorted us into the Holy of Holies.....

 

[towserthemouser]

Where he proceeded to show us historical guns, art guns, shotguns, underlever guns, and various jaw-dropping double rifles.

He offered to let me handle several: I immediately removed my watch and ring (I'm pretty sure he took note of this) and shouldered and dry-fired (with his permission) a few. They felt amazing. He gave me a couple with different LOP's and he was taking note of how they fit me.....

All this time my wife was getting more and more interested (she is a person who truly loves and appreciates fine hand-made and hand-worked items), and although she is not a gun nut, she was realizing that these rifles are not only a work of art, but also a supremely functional and exquisitely designed purpose-built tool.

And all this time the irrepressible Trigger was flirting with my wife.

 

[towserthemouser]

Then we walked out and inspected an elephant skull that they have there, and talked about brain shot angles and he told a few elephant hunting war stories.

Then he said, "Let's go upstairs and see some more."

 

[towserthemouser]

He took us up to the shop, and said "It's Friday and most of the guys knock off at noon for the weekend."

The shop was very impressive, filled with very serious tools and equipment.

There was a gunmaker who had stayed late at his bench, so we chatted with him and I asked him to tell us what he was working on.

He was filing a little oval piece of brass, and I asked what it was for....

"This is part of a hinge that will be used on a gun case."

"You mean you don't just use an off-the-shelf hardware piece for a HINGE?"

"No sir, we do everything by hand here."

That's when I saw my wife's eyes go wide.... I think both of us were finally starting to comprehend what the word Bespoke really means.

 

[towserthemouser]

Trigger took us to see the leather shop, again everything is done by hand.

He showed us the wood storage room; the quality of the wood was astounding.

He said we don't really use a grading system, because we buy only the best wood that can be procured, and every single one of them is exceptional, it's just down to personal taste.

 

[towserthemouser]

At this point we were about 3 hours into the visit, and it began to dawn on me that we were sort of being interviewed.....

I joked with Trigger that I was not the Sheikh of an Emirate, and we had rolled up in an Uber, not a Rolls Royce. "I'm just a broke-ass American who works for a living, but I really appreciate you showing us all this, it's a dream for me to see it."

He laughed, and then he paused, and you could see he was thinking it over a bit, and then he said, "Let me show you something else."

 

[towserthemouser]

He took us into the Production Room, where he showed us all the rifles that are in the white and are in various stages of production. He described the engraving plan for several, and told us some great stories about different engraving scenes that they have done over the years, how long they took, etc.

One great story involved a matched set that he called "Heaven and Hell." One rifle was decorated with demons. The second was engraved with angels. And the third showed the battle between Good and Evil, with Angels and Demons battling on either side..... What a place.

 

[towserthemouser]

Then he got that look again, and he pulled down a rifle that was in the white.

"This is a Fixed Lock 470NE. The A&D action was invented here..... They are really intended as working rifles, to be hunted hard. They are used by PH's and people who don't put them under glass or collect them; they hunt with them.

I don't think we're going to build any more of them, because we have more orders than we know what to do with for our Drop Locks and Side Locks, so this will likely be the last one we will build. In fact it's designated to become my personal rifle."

Looked at me out of the corner of his eye, with a twinkle in it.....

"But I might be willing to sell it to you, if you're interested, and if you will use it and enjoy it."

 

[towserthemouser]

I thought to myself, "What is happening right now?"

Trigger said the rifle would have an advantage because it was already pretty far in the production process, and it could therefore be delivered to me next year, instead of the typical 4-5 year wait.

I glanced at my wife and she gave me a nod..... and I just decided to leap. We had just had a meeting with our retirement planner and had received a lecture that "The purpose of money is to bring you joy." And I flashed on the Blues Brothers and thought "It's a sign from God."

So I leaped.

 

[Northern Shooter]

So ballpark figure.

Do these cost as much as an Audi A4 or Audi R8?

 

[towserthemouser]

Trigger took us up to the top floor, which is set up like a lounge, but with hundred pound ivory just randomly laying around, and cool old photos of various hunters over the years doing African stuff with their WR guns.

We sat down and talked about price, and I realized that although I hadn't planned it, and it was definitely a stretch, I could make it happen with some planning, and it would absolutely bring me joy.

As I'm now in my early 60's, the time for me to go hunt an elephant is now, so the wait time for a delivery is a real consideration.

My wife (who is my true trophy) was super supportive and awesome about the whole thing, and was excited for me, so that made it an easy decision to make.

Trigger said I would need to make another trip back for stock fitting when the time comes. When Momma heard there was another trip to London with shopping and restaurants on tap, she was even happier about it!

 

[towserthemouser]

Trigger presented me several options for wood, but the first one that he suggested was my pick, and now it's reserved for me.

I'm not sure what they call it when you see the perpendicular cross-hatching going across the otherwise straight grain in the wrist, but I think it's very cool. And I love the fact that the grain has a completely different character on the R hand vs. the L hand side of the stock. Trigger assured me it will be strong and will be a "proper stock," and the decision was made.

 

[deewayne2003]

@towserthemouser

FYI - Anything less than posting a center fold quality photo shoot of the completed rifle will result in the forum equivalent of tar and feathering.

 

[towserthemouser]

@towserthemouser

FYI - Anything less than posting a center fold quality photo shoot of the completed rifle upon completion will result in the forum equivalent of tar and feathering.

I might see if I can convince them to do some professional quality shots in the photo department they have set up there at the shop......

Will definitely post them here when available!