doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT: Webley pistol

Mike A.,
You are correct about making cases from 45 Colt(AKA long colt). I wouldn't try 45AR, the head diameter is enough smaller that they may or may not split. Anyway AR is likely harder to find than 45Colt.
Mike

The MkII Webley .455 was made betw mid 1895 and late 1897,,when they changed to the MkIII design. MkIII was used 1897 to '99
The MkIV was placed into service in 1899 and remained till 1913.

All of the .455 Webley revolvers MkI,I*,II, III, & IV are BP revolvers,,though the cylinders on the MkIV did use a different alloy steel in it's mfg than the prior Mk's.
You will find many that were Nitro proofed for Cordite Loads and were continued to be used in service as second line weapons.

It wasn't till the intro of the MkV in 1913 that the revolver was specificly designed for use with 'nitro/smokeless powder'.
The MkVI is of course proofed for that as well.

That thousands of these have been cut for 45acp and have fired more than that many over the counter 45acp rounds is a fine test of their strength.
I've owned several MkI and MkII Webleys that were shaved for 45acp and undoubtedly shot a lot with that ammo and still in one piece.. But it's kind of like the damascus bbl thing,,how many proof rounds do you want to put through one., and I have seen more than a couple with blown cylinders and top straps over the years.

Take it easy on them, they are fine revolvers. Keep the loads down.
WW2 ammo is collectible. It is most likely loaded w/ Cordite.

I made .455 brass from both 45AR and 45Colt.
The former by thinning the rims from the back..the latter by crunching the existing rim to thin it as needed in a home made die.
That also increases the dia just a bit which helps using the 45Colt brass as they have a habit of sliding under the extractor sometimes.
I used Green Dot in my MkIV. Fun to shoot. Should drag it out again for a trip to the range,,it's been a while.

It's a reloading situation, but I'd think well worth giving it a try unless it's some sort of investment. Good little write up Kutter. I think 45 auto rim brass is a good option, and I'm pretty sure Unique powder works well and runs through a measure decent. I wouldn't try to track down purpose made dies, as I know standard dies can be mixed and matched to load them. Hope you can get it shooting Doc buzz.

I would think it best to keep it original. I had a Mark VII until Tony Blair decided we could'nt keep and shoot such things back in 1997 when he came to power and forced me and many more to hand such things in. Great to shoot. I was just looking if I still had the dies but do not. All I have are a few lead bullets. Enjoy and fire a few shots for me please. Lagopus.....

Lagopus, That's such a drag that England lost it's rights re handguns. And if I remember right, you are a police officer and they even took your pistols. Disturbing for sure. England needs an NRA. I think we are safe here on gun control for 4 years, at least while President Trump is in office. In terms of the Webley, I did find a box of shells from Reed's Ammunition and Research in Oklahoma City. Salty at $60, but I thought what the heck. The shells are supposedly low pressure or so that's what they told me.

Perhaps a Canadian can explain why these Webley .455's are favored/exempted under their current rigid handgun restrictions. A few years ago, I sold two of these .455 Webleys to Canadians that made special arrangements to pick them via a Seattle FFL dealer.

Well, it is convoluted but basically revolvers of a certain vintage are prescribed antiques. With exception of certain chamberings (and barrel length restrictions) there is no firearms certificate required or import restriction.
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-fd/antique-historique-eng.htm
Sounds enviable but unlike in US our pre-1898 center-fire shotguns are not antiques if 10, 12, 16, 20, or 28 ga.

Buzz, the ironic thing is that we do have a National Rifle Association which was formed in 1859 and pre-dates yours by 12 years. Even your Right to Bear Arms comes from English law. Ours comes from what we call Common Law and in this case goes back to Alfred the Great and was defined in legislation in 1765 as 'the right of having and using arms for self preservation and defence'. If that sounds familiar it was probably the inspiration for your 2nd. Amendment of 1791. Oddly it is still a legal obligation for all able bodied Englishmen to practice with a long bow on a weekly basis. We've been around a lot longer than you and longer for the legislators to take away and interfere with those rights. Guard them well as try to take them from you they will.

I could have kept the Webley Mark VII as it was pre 1919 but would have had it on a special section of my Firearms Certificate but not allowed to use it. It misfired a bit on Blair as he hadn't calculated the fact that it is unlawful for Government to confiscate a law abiding citizen's property without compensation. After all, you would think he would have known that being a qualified Barrister of Law. I chose the compensation route for my pistols; the others being post 1919, and got the money for three pistols and used it to buy three rifles. How's that Blair? Oddly, a little like JBL above any pre 1919 pistols that are listed as 'obsolete calibre' have no restrictions whatsoever and kids can buy those and go out and play with them without committing an offence. Basically British guns laws have become a real mess and almost impossible to interpret. Have fun with that Webley. Lagopus.....

Lagaopus; I guess you did get some sort of satisfaction (consolation) for government compensation for your firearm at ?? fair market value?? Of course, the taxpayer, of which you are one, got stuck with the bill for all those guns 'turned in'. I guess the government destroyed them? Sorry! I wish it was different for England. I believe government confiscation of guns from law abiding citizens does very little to nothing to control violent crime, but does a lot to make impotent, their best citizens. In this regard, I'm glad that the liberal faction in America who support more gun control are being kept in check, at least for now.

I too lost my only handgun, a .22 lr smith and Wesson model 17, after the UK handgun ban however it was the Conservative government that followed the recommendations of the Cullen report and introduced the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 that banned centre fire handguns. The new (No 2) Act introduced by the newly elected Labour Party extended the ban to include .22 lr handguns. At that time pistol shooters had few friends in either political party.