Product Details
AN EXTREMELY RARE .450 CENTREFIRE 'COMBUSTIBLE CARTRIDGE' MONKEY TAIL CARBINE BY WESTLEY RICHARDS, serial no. 6,
circa 1867, with 25in. Birmingham proofed barrel marked 'WHITWORTH PATENT', dovetailed blade foresight and four leaf rearsights to 400 yards, modified Monkey Tail type breech lever stamped 'WESTLEY RICHARDS PATENT', underslung sliding breech block with inclined firing pin with attached lug (struck by an external hammer), the breech box with cutaway sides, standard Monkey Tail lock with 'WESTLEY RICHARDS & CO / 1867', iron mounted full walnut stock with full pistol grip and one barrel band, complete with original rod, sling swivels missing
Provenance: Westley Richards obtained Patent No 688 of 1866 to protect this design, which was one of his attempts to adapt the Monkey Tail system to handle centrefire cartridges. The system was designed to accept a modified form of Monkey Tail combustible cartridge with the primer placed in the felt base wad, which after firing would be shot out by the succeeding round. Rifles of this type were tested by the Government between 1866 and 1869 without success, but they did go into commercial production and it is estimated that about 500 were made between 1867 and 1869. See The Capping Breech Loader In British & Colonial Service 1859-1866 Vol 2 by Brian C. Knapp for more details
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Estimate £600-800
Sold as an exempt item under Section 58 (2) of the 1968 Firearms Act, to be held as a curiosity or ornament