Here is some eye candy for fans of fine firearms. Made for the 1981 nuptials of Lady Diana Spencer and HRH Prince Charles, this Westley Richards & Co. side-by-side, 12 gauge shotgun was engraved by the Brown Brothers with gold crests and floral accents. The British royal seal and other heraldic emblems of the couple are included in the decoration. This amazing piece is now in the NRA Museum Collection.

Princess Diana’s Westley & Richards Shotgun
It’s not an uncommon practice for people who like firearms to be given one for a big occasion, such as a graduation or a birthday. Today’s GOTD was given to a very special person on a very special occasion that took place 35 years ago today. This 12 gauge Westley Richards side-by-side shotgun was given to Lady Diana Spencer when she married Prince Charles on July 29, 1981. The gun was engraved by the Brown Brothers — Paul and Alan — and features a variety of artistic elements, including the royal seal and the couple’s wedding date.

Photos courtesy NRA National Firearms Museum, www.nramuseum.org.

Ray Poudrier, President of the Order of Edwardian Gunners, describes the event as low-key, low-pressure, and something that everyone can enjoy. He said, in keeping with the relaxed atmosphere of the event, “Those that shoot to win often lose. Those who shoot for fun always win.” This is the fifth year that the Vintage Cup has been held at Pintail Point. Maryland’s Eastern shore is a perfect setting for the shotgun enthusiast as it is the site of some of the finest waterfowl hunting in the whole country.

The four-day event hosts matches for both hammer and hammerless side-by-sides in 10 – 410 gauge competitions. Special classifications for 10 gauge, and 16 (or lower) gauge guns, as well as Drillings and black powder cartridges, make for a variety of interesting stages. There is a two-man challenge where the shooter and their loader must shoot 200 targets in four minutes. A stalking rifle and stopping rifle combination event offers the double rifle shooter some fun with moving paper elephant and rhino targets at typical safari hunt distances.

Vendors from as far away as Europe offer some of the finest in side-by-side firearms, antique and modern, as well as vintage clothing and accouterments. There is a special “Bertie” award, the nick-name of King Edward VII of Great Britain, for the man and woman “whose attire, throughout the event, best celebrates the Edwardian period.” To learn more about the Vintage Cup, visit Vintagers.org or write: The Vintagers, P.O. Box 31, Hawley, MA 01339.

Story by Phil Schreier, courtesy the NRA Blog. Large photo courtesy B. Searcy & Co..