British Sporting Firearms Articles

Apr 13, 2026

Westley Richards - Centre Fire Patent No. 2623 - Article Two

Article Two – Centre Fire - Patent No. 2623 The second of the two Westley Richards sporting game guns featuring the Patent No. 2623 of 1864, for a single bite snap action. The patent bridges the Pinfire and Centre fire transition. The use of the lateral thumb lever, has made the guns in both; Article One & Article Two, look up to date and ahead of their time considering their date of manufacture

578 David Neale

Apr 07, 2026

Westley Richards - Pinfire Patent No. 2623 - Article One

513 David Neale

Mar 22, 2026

Charles Lancaster - Base-Fire, Gun & Cartridge

The 1856 patent ‘Slide and Tilt’ action is renowned for its links with the ‘Base-Fire’ cartridge made by Charles Lancaster. The action durability and strength comes directly through the locking of the barrels to the action in two stages.

648 David Neale

Mar 22, 2026

Theophilus Murcott - Gunmaker - London

Theophilus Murcott of London Stories from the Scrap Pile

518 Stephen Nash

Mar 02, 2026

Westley Richards – Muzzle Loader – Pair

The Westley Richards guns in this article, built in 1853 were at the very pinnacle of the Muzzle loader era, however, and interestingly during 1853 / 1854 is when Joseph Lang’s Breech-loading Pinfire game gun emerged, was in production, and being promoted, as the start of the British breech-loading story had begun.

794 David Neale

Feb 23, 2026

William Moore & Co.

Patents are an interesting area of study regarding British hammer guns, but not all good ideas were patented, including some innovative ones. For example, when under-levers first appeared on breech-loading guns, they were forward-facing, after the original French design.

584 Stephen Nash

Feb 22, 2026

Charles Frederick Niebour

An uncommon surname and almost forgotten Gun-maker, “Niebour”. Fortunately, Stephen Nash an outstanding Pinfire Game Gun historian, has with limited information given this maker a voice.

518 Stephen Nash

Feb 20, 2026

Edward Paton

Edward Paton was born in 1819 in Dublin into a military family, who were deeply tied to the 42nd (The Royal Highland) Regiment of Foot. Edward became the regiment's armourer, and in 1847

525 Stephen Nash

Jan 25, 2026

William Anson

William Anson was the founding Father of the Legendary Boxlock action design, developed and built through the foresight of the Westley Richards Gun-making business.

904 David Neale