westley richards has been outfitting seasoned sportsmen, travellers and adventurers for over two hundred years. our range of clothing, footwear, millinery and luggage reflects our ethos of practicality delivered with uncompromising style and quality.
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| $775 magazine rifle (fixed & take-down) From £55,000
safari trousers Herringbone Cotton £375 | $550 bournbrook 48hr bag Canvas & Leather From £1,895 | $2,795
safari ball cap Twill Cotton £30 | $45
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percival
safari trousers Herringbone
camo ball cap Waxed
magazine rifles return of the bayonet
Reviving a long-forgotten classic, Westley Richards reintroduces its faster bayonet take-down rifle, combining historic innovation with modern precision and strength.
The rifle pictured represents the first of its kind in the modern era. This take-down model, last produced before the Second World War, employs Westley Richards original bayonet-lug system, a very practical solution devised to reduce the length of a magazine rifle to ease transportation.
By 1900, sportsmen had become accustomed to their breech-loading rifles and shotguns disassembling with ease. Magazine rifles, which were gaining popularity in the early 20th century, were unfortunately long and not so easily disassembled, therefore requiring a case at least the rifle's length. The solution Westley Richards settled upon was to cut the stock where the breech met the barrel and allow it to be detached, along with the forepart. To join the barrel to the action, a secure, reliable and stable connection was required; one that would ensure the rifle shot to point of aim every time it was re-assembled.
Our patent detachable barrel first appeared on rifles of the falling-block type. The principle was then applied to Westley Richards magazine rifles. The same lug and groove plan was used, as was the sprung-ball locator. A single pin release, activated via an external lever, allowed the barrel to be gripped in one hand, the action in the other, then a firm twist would separate them in half a turn. A rifle built on this plan enabled it to be carried in a case the length of the barrel (typically 21"– 26")
rather than the length of the rifle. This take-down system added just 2oz to overall weight. Notes in an old catalogue state, in hand-penned ink script, dated May 17th 1938: ‘…this system not now made; the lugs being replaced by the ordinary screwthread made to be detached by hand’. The screwthread take-down has endured ever since.
Mechanisms in the gun trade were usually altered or dropped for one of two reasons. Either they were surpassed by a better system or they were replaced with one considered equally good, or practically good enough, which was cheaper or easier to manufacture. Many early engineering solutions were brilliant and extremely robust and efficient but they were often expensive to make, requiring a lot of skilled work.
Original bayonet take-down rifles had a collar onto which the lugs were formed. This was then brazed into place over the barrel to create the fixture. This brazed joint was a potential area of weakness, which the screw-thread system eliminated.
For the revived version, our team departed from this old practice and, instead, milled the lugs into the barrel itself. The point of weakness no longer exists. In terms of manufacture and assembly times, the two alternatives are very similar, now that the necessary steps have been identified and the gunmakers are familiar with the process.
New
bayonet take-down rifles are available now in the classic Westley Richards chamberings of .425 and .318, in limited numbers.
Considerable research and development was devoted to perfecting the lug system, with modern modelling techniques guiding the return to traditional craftsmanship. Once completely satisfied, the manufacture of the first rifle, photographed here, was initiated and achieved through painstaking and logical rifle-building know-how.
Another departure from the original pattern is the elimination of the sprung-ball locator. The precision with which we are now able to fit the components has made it superfluous and the rifle is smoother and easier to assemble without it. The old cam-activated locking peg is replaced with our Deeley catch styled push-button release. All these subtle but important developments are indicative of our ongoing quest to refine the way our rifles work and look, without losing their old-world charm.
Foreman Stuart Richards considers the new lug system superior to the screw-thread. With it, the barrel is detached in a mere half-turn and it is faster and more convenient to operate. He is of the opinion that, with the current method of making and assembling it, the lug system no longer compromises strength or durability. It would be his choice, if pressed to select one over the other.
As well as having standard iron sights, mounted on a Westley Richards quarter rib, these new rifles are fitted with a quick-detach mount system especially designed to complement the Mauser action and new take-down system.
New bayonet take-down rifles are available now in the classic Westley Richards chamberings of .425 Westley Richards and .318 Accelerated Express, in limited numbers. As with all the sporting arms we offer, each will be a bespoke build to the customer’s exact requirements.
ladies ingrid quilted trench Cotton Blend £475 | $695 dog lead Leather £98 | $145
the latest garments from our exclusive partner brands, namely habsburg, meindl and courteney boots, range from all-out practical, rugged hunting gear to the highest level of refinement in outdoor attire. fit for the most discerning clients.
westley richards x tito west time in the mara
Safari kit in its spiritual home -The Maasai Mara provides the perfect backdrop for Westley Richards iconic Safari Collection.
Showcasing the new Safari Collection this year represented a departure for the creative team at Westley Richards. In place of the traditional brand-driven campaign, the project was taken to Kenya’s Maasai Mara and placed in the hands of photographer, guide and former professional hunter Tito West, whose remarkable book Another Life, Westley Richards represents.
Tito drew on his deep knowledge of the bush, staging the work in the safari camps he knows intimately. Each uniquely created every year, they are innovatively packed into a camouflaged shipping container, moved to the season’s location and staffed by local people. As a result, the footprint left by each departed camp is minimal, even invisible.
The models are not professionals: they are notable individuals who work the camps, live the safari life and personify the camp’s outfitter, Royal African Safaris. Wild Africa runs deep in their veins. Among them is the grandson of the legendary JA Hunter, who now is in possession of his grandfather’s storied Westley Richards .318 magazine rifle, and is himself a respected figure within the guide community.
Working alongside Westley Richards creative director Stephen Humphries, Tito shaped a vision that departs from convention. His imagery, artdriven and atmospheric, sets the new collection against its natural backdrop, Africa itself, where the clothes truly belong.
Just as Royal African Safaris presents a heritage ethos to modern adventurers, so Westley Richards honours those enduring themes of fabric, cut and colour by outfitting travellers in the finest outdoor garments, perfect for the trip of a lifetime.
Westley Richards safari kit evolves; each season new lines are added and classics refined, such as the men’s Kruger jacket and cargo shorts, or the women’s Kalahari jacket and our debut safari trousers. Every garment blends seamlessly into the rhythm of safari life, becoming as one with the heat and the dust, the sunsets and the scenery that accompany every expedition.
Here at Westley Richards, we do classic like nobody else: handsome, timeless, uncompromising and beautifully made. Our clothing, leather goods and accessories, like our sporting arms, stand the test of time and hold fast against the demanding rigours of the great outdoors, season after season.
westley richards safari kit evolves; each season new lines are added and classics refined. every garment blends perfectly into the safari, becoming as one with the heat and the dust, the sunsets and the scenery that accompany every expedition.
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ladies safari shirt Japanese Cotton £135 | $195 sporting polo Piqué Cotton £95 | $139 lyell trousers in acacia Cotton £195 | $285
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ladies blixen safari jacket Japanese Cotton £525 | $775 explora rucksack Leather From £1,625 | $2,395
kruger safari jacket Japanese Cotton £525 | $775 sporting polo Piqué Cotton £95 | $120
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kruger safari vest Japanese Cotton £295 | $435 tusker field shirt Japanese Cotton £175 | $259 bushveld cargo trousers Cotton £245 | $365 safari boots Buffalo Hide £260 | $449 safari ball cap Twill Cotton £30 | $45
tusker field shirt Japanese Cotton £175 | $259 bushveld cargo trousers Cotton £245 | $365
selous boots Buffalo Hide £310 | $529
our new harpton lightweight tweed is named after the location of this year’s photoshoot at the harpton estate. produced by specialist tailors in england with cloth woven in scotland, showcased here alongside our popular house and rannoch sporting tweeds.
Above house tweed shooting jacket Wool Tweed £895 | $1,325 house tweed breeks Wool Tweed £445 | $645
tattersall shirt Cotton £125 | $185 game bird silk tie in rust Silk £98 | $145 shooting socks Alpaca Wool £325 | $479 redford cap Wool Tweed £90 | $135 100rd anson cartridge bag Canvas & Leather From £595 | $875 ladies verdi vest Wool Tweed with Fur Trim £395 | $585 ladies york tweed trousers Wool Tweed £225 | $335 albert trilby in emerald Beaver Fur Felt £495 | $730 feather hat pin English Feathers £79 | $120 dog lead Leather £98 | $145 hand detachable lock shotgun From £89,500
kinloch cap Wool Tweed £75 | $115 hand detachable lock shotgun From £89,500
Above
house tweed shooting jacket Wool Tweed £895 | $1,325 house tweed breeks Wool Tweed £445 | $645
tattersall shirt Cotton £125 | $185 redford cap Wool Tweed £90 | $135 cartridge belt Leather £295 | $435
100rd anson cartridge bag Canvas & Leather From £595 | $875 ladies verdi vest Wool Tweed with Fur Trim £395 | $585
ladies york tweed trousers Wool Tweed £225 | $335 albert trilby Beaver Fur Felt £495 | $730 feather hat pin English Feathers £79 | $120 rannoch tweed shooting waistcoat Wool Tweed £545 | $795 rannoch tweed breeks Wool Tweed £445 | $645 kinloch cap Wool Tweed £75 | $115 shooting socks Alpaca Wool £325 | $479 dog lead Leather £98 | $145
leather goods a tradition reborn
Every Westley Richards leather good is hand-cut, handstitched and hand-finished, embodying heirloom quality, timeless design and the spirit of heritage adventure.
Leather goods have been central to life in the West Midlands for hundreds of years. Records show that by the 14th century the region was home to saddlers, tanners, shoemakers and glovers whose craft supplied everyday requisites and laid the foundations of a thriving trade.
With the arrival of the Industrial Revolution, Birmingham and its surrounding areas were transformed, propelling the city to the status of ‘Workshop of the World’. There, large volume metal hardware was introduced into leather goods, creating locks, fasteners and fittings that elevated both function and durability. The result was a global reputation for excellence, one in which Westley Richards played a proud part.
The 20th century, however, brought change. With the arrival of the motorcar and, later, the steady outsourcing of manufacturing overseas, only a handful of high-quality leather goods workshops survived. Shoemakers endured, but much of the Midlands’ tradition fell silent. In 2008, Westley Richards recognised that sporting gentlemen could no longer find leather goods worthy of standing alongside their prized sporting arms. The solution was decisive: to reintroduce best-quality leather goods to the city, by establishing a dedicated leather workshop within its gun factory.
Today, that vision flourishes. Westley Richards produces leather goods for both sport and travel, each exuding heirloom quality, timeless design
and the spirit of heritage adventure. Loved by a global clientele, these pieces carry the same uncompromising standards as its guns and rifles. The materials chosen reflect this commitment, from bark-tanned leathers that age handsomely, to pure cotton canvases that are strong yet lightweight, produced for the company by small-batch ateliers who supply the great European houses.
Each leather good continues to be made by a single artisan from start to finish, making them accountable for every cut, stitch and seam. This level of focus is unparalleled with its foundations firmly in Westley Richards approach to best gunmaking. At the bench, each artisan relies on traditional hand tools and techniques, minimising waste and conserving energy. Each stitch, each burnished edge, is a testament to the skill passed down through generations. The lion’s share of their work is performed by hand, a conscious stand against mass-production methods in favour of craft without compromise. This unwavering dedication extends to every detail.
Brassware is designed and cast exclusively for the company, drawing inspiration from its gunmaking heritage, while linings are woven with ornate illustrations created by one of its master engravers. It is this rare insistence on perfection that has earned the leather workshop a consistently strong order book, a mark of the international demand for craftsmanship of this calibre.
Building on the company’s legacy with Africa, the collection extended into luggage for safari, lead by the Sutherland kit bag.
Westley Richards leather range has its origins in field accessories, most notably game bags, gun slips, cartridge belts and ammunition wallets. Customers have shared stories of cartridge bags inherited from fathers and grandfathers that remain in regular use today, proof that these pieces are treasured long after a lifetime of service. Today, Westley Richards provides a complete set of fine travel essentials from small accessories to large capacity bags, designed for town, country and intercontinental adventure.
Few companies in the world today still make their leather goods entirely in-house. Fewer still do so alongside best gunmaking. Westley Richards stands proud as one of the last guardians of this uniquely British tradition, a name respected the world over for its commitment to excellence.
To own a Westley Richards leather good is to carry more than a bag, a slip or a case. It is to carry forward a tradition that spans centuries, a celebration of Birmingham’s industrial past, a reflection of its gunmaking heritage, and a promise that true craftsmanship, when honoured and preserved, will always endure.
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Very special thanks to Royal African Safaris in Kenya and the Harpton Estate in Powys. Imagery for the safari collection editorial by Tito West.
