Westley Richards Ovundo
Westley Richards & Co. Ltd · Shotgun · Discontinued · 1913
Also known as: Westley Richards Over-and-Under, WR Ovundo
Overview
The Westley Richards Ovundo is a British best-quality over-and-under break-action shotgun designed by Leslie Taylor and patented in 1913-14. Built as a bespoke order, it features Westley Richards' patented drop-lock action with a hinged floorplate, a distinctive hook-and-bolt barrel locking system, the firm's signature top lever and thumb safety, and a selective single trigger. Roughly 200 examples were made between 1919 and the outbreak of the Second World War, the majority during the 1920s, in bores ranging from 28 to 10 gauge.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3487 g (123.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1120 mm (44.09") |
| Barrel Length | 711 mm (27.99") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 2 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 400 m/s (1312 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2560 J (1888 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 40 m (44 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 300 m (328 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | None |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 12 Gauge · primary — also known as 12GA, 12 Bore
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Break Action Two Barrel
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Over Under Barrels, Drop Lock Action, Selective Single Trigger, Hand Engraved, Best Quality Bespoke
Service history
Operators
- Sporting and field shooters
Production
Estimated total produced: 200 · Production years: 1919-1938
Approximately 200 Ovundos made before production ceased with the outbreak of the Second World War; most left the bench in the 1920s. Production was later revived in modern form.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Leslie Taylor
Discontinued: 1939
Notes
Each Ovundo was a custom order, so dimensions and grades vary widely from one gun to another; barrel lengths and weights cited are representative of a 12-bore game gun. Some were built as fixed-lock versions rather than drop-locks. The name is a contraction of 'over-and-under'.
Background
Westley Richards' managing director Leslie Taylor had been working on an over-and-under design as early as 1910, registering and patenting the Ovundo in 1913-14 to answer the early 20th-century question of how a London-best maker should build a stack-barrel gun. The Ovundo gave shooters a single sighting plane and a 'bank vault door' solidity prized by connoisseurs.