Victorian Volunteers Forces, New South Wales, 1 of 200, 1863 Dated, Westley Richards Whitworth Patent Percussion Capping Breech Loading Monkey Tail .451 / .483 Calibre Carbine. Sn - 23174:5 Victorian Volunteers Forces, New South Wales, 1 of 200, 1863 Dated, Westley Richards Whitworth Patent Percussion Capping Breech Loading Monkey Tail .451 / .483 Calibre Carbine. Sn - 23174:5 Single Shot Various Rifle

British Military Trials on Breech Loading rifles began in the mid 1800's. The most successful rifle was that submitted by Westley Richards. Its breech consisted of a plunger attached to a long handle which, when the breech was closed, lay along the top of the stock neck and was raised to open it, thus earning the nickname of the monkey-tail from its distinctive silhouette. Although the rifle was not adopted by the British army, the cavalry carbine was and several foreign governments ordered both the rifles and carbines. This is a quality, Westley Richards Percussion Capping Breech Loading Monkey Tail carbine which was one of 200 made for the Victorian Volunteers Force in New South Wales. The gun has a 23 ¼ inch barrel & measures 41 inches overall. The carbine has the distinctive additional middle barrel band minus its top strap across the barrel from which the front sling swivel was attached and this is present on the gun. The top of the butt plate is engraved P63 91 V.V (Victorian Volunteers) . The top of the barrel is stamped WHITWORTH PATENT with .451 & .483 on either side. The guns serial number 1923 is stamped on the left hand side of the breech together with a 52 bore proof mark (.450” calibre). The rifle has steel furniture with a hinged trap on the butt plate. The carbine has a block and blade fore-sight graduated to 900 yards. The rifle has original walnut stock and is fitted with both barrel bands with the sling swivel on the lower band ane the sling hook in the butt behind the trigger guard. All of the fittings are made of iron including the trap door butt. The lift-up trapdoor action 'Monkey Tail' breech functions as it should and is stamped MANUFACTURED BY WESTLEY RICHARDS together with the triangle. The lock plate is stamped WESTLEY RICHARDS & Co with the date 1863 on a triangle. The carbine retains its original iron clearing rod and the barrel is retained by a barrel band at the front and a flat sliding steel wedge near the rearsight. The rifle’s loading & firing actions work crisply Tand the rifle’s bore has well defined deep rifling. There is an identical one abet missing the half barrel band, a feature is specific to the Victorian issue models in the Museums Victoria in Melbourne with the butt plate engraved P63 22 V.V. The price for this rare Australian Victorian Volunteer Force, NSW Westley Richards Monkey Tail carbine includes UK delivery. NB As an antique percussion weapon no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 23174:5