British Military Revolvers

[Scott Tschirhart]

I don't exactly know why but I have always wanted to mess with a British military revolver perhaps from the time period of the Boer War.

They seem to have a lot of screws (which is a downside) and .455 ammo is certainly not readily available, but I just like the way they look.

Anyone have any experience with these revolvers, particularly the Webley guns?

[Ray]

Deleted.

[AmBraCol]

I've been desirous of playing with the 38-200 round for some time, out of a British side arm would be a bonus. The .455 would be nice as well. Personal knowledge of the specific firearms is sparse, just recognize the profile.

Good grief, Ray! I'd NO idea those existed. That would be a real hoot to shoot!

[765x53]

I regret that my mother's Webley was sold at auction when she moved to an apartment and I went off to collage to attempt to evade the draft.
It was a polished blue civilian finished .38. It had over-sized checkered wood grips which concealed a round butt grip-frame. I suspect that the grips were a war time adaptation.
I didn't get to use it much but, I am currently playing with the .38 S&W cartridge in a 1923 Colt Police Positive. Apparently Colt didn't change barrel dimensions when developing the .38
New Police / S&W. My revolver has a perfect .357 grove diameter.

[2ndovc]

Great revolvers!
Far stronger than you would think and quite capable of handling the low pressure rounds they are chambered for.
I had about six of the small frame No2 Mk I Enfield, ,38 S&W / ,38-200 revolvers and a pair of the Webley Mk VI, 455 revolvers.
I sold all but one of the MkVI revolvers. Traded that one to my dad for an Argentine 1927. He still has it and an extensive collection of the large frame Webleys form the Mk I through the MK VI's.
They are decent shooters and crazy reliable but the are no match in the accuracy department of their Colt and S&W counterparts. One of the reasons I kept all of my Hand Ejectors and a Colt .38-200.
All of mine are still chambered in the original .455 and matching numbers. This one gets the most use and affection. Obviously, not all original but just darned fun to shoot.


Ammunition can be difficult to find and I've been handloading for the .455 for decades, Mr. Todd3Leg here did me a solid and scrounged four boxes of Fiocchi for my Webley's. Matts Bullets . com has a proper .455 260 LRN for reloading these classics. If you can find any of the Hornady special run they did a few years ago, that's the best accuracy I've gotten from any of my .455s.
if I can sneak a picture of my dad's collection I will.
Hope that helps.
jb

[Grizz]

I don't exactly know why but I have always wanted to mess with a British military revolver perhaps from the time period of the Boer War.

They seem to have a lot of screws (which is a downside) and .455 ammo is certainly not readily available, but I just like the way they look.

Anyone have any experience with these revolvers, particularly the Webley guns?

oddly enough, when i was in h.s. or just before i purchased a Webley .455 break action through the mail. shot it a couple of times, but my wrists weren't strong enough to have effective control. later on someone hocked it, so i'm empty on useful info.

[Bill in Oregon]

I had a nice Webley Royal Navy Mk. I in .455 -- with the birdshead grip. Lots of fun to take the Webley and a Martini-Henry to the range, and shout "Front rank fire," and such.
That Webley was stolen from me by a guy I mistook for a Christian.

[gamekeeper]

Sorry, being British I can't comment anymore on British revolvers.....

[JimT]

That Webley was stolen from me by a guy I mistook for a Christian.

I am sorry to hear that Bill ... but I will say that I learned a long time ago to never do business with someone who uses "christianity" as a personal recommendation.

[Scott Tschirhart]

If someone has to tell you that he is a "Christian" to induce you to do a deal with him, grab your wallet and run!

This advice has always served me well.

[Bruce Scott]

The latest iteration - the Anderson Wheeler MkVII in .357 Magnum.



http://andersonwheeler.co.uk/the-gun-room/revolver/

https://revivaler.com/anderson-wheeler- ... -revolver/

[JB]

They seem to have a lot of screws (which is a downside) and .455 ammo is certainly not readily available, but I just like the way they look.

I've owned several Webleyi and Enfield revolvers over the years. As far as the 45's you'll find more Webley's where the cylinder has been shaved to accept 45 acp with moon clips than you'll find in the original non shaved version that accepts the .455 ammo only. You can also use 45 Auto Rim (if you can find it or want to reload) without the hassle of moon clips.

[stretch]

I've always been fascinated with those old Webley's, but never had one come my way.

Those Anderson Wheeler Mk VII's are quite the rig.
And well they should be at a price of $10K US!

As soon as I can afford the Aston Martin DB5 or Bentley to cart them around in, I'll order one and a double rifle..........

-Stretch

[3leggedturtle]

The latest iteration - the Anderson Wheeler MkVII in .357 Magnum.



http://andersonwheeler.co.uk/the-gun-room/revolver/

https://revivaler.com/anderson-wheeler- ... -revolver/

Bruce that is too nice! Is it yours? I realized to late how well made the Webley's in 38/200 (38S&W) are built. They used to be cheap. Dont remember seeing any under $400 in the last 2 years.

[Malamute]

Ive long liked the Webleys and other Brit revolvers also. I wish I had appreciated them more when they were more affordable, but I was more into the smith 29s than anything for a long time.

Theres several interesting variants, the Webley Green being one of them, https://www.google.com/search?q=webley+ ... e&ie=UTF-8

The Pryce was another top break Brit revolver, https://www.google.com/search?source=un ... 68&dpr=1.1

Patrick Kelley did one of his "From the box to the match" reviews on a Webley, hes a pretty fair shooter, I think he did a dang good job with the Webley, first time with unknown gun, heavy trigger pull.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxQq80s8Z8Q

Edit: ...and Starline makes brass for 455.

[Ysabel Kid]

I've got a .38/200 that appears to have spent time in Israel. Fun gun, though mine is not very accurate. Every collection needs a Webley!

[Scott Tschirhart]

As a boy, I read an article about a RIC Webley that had been converted to .45 Auto Rim. That sounds like a useful revolver and I have lots of .45 Auto Rim ammo.

[2ndovc]

Scott,

If you do a quick search on gunbroker, there's usually half a dozen or so that have been altered to take moon clips and Auto Rim cartridges. The accuracy will be lacking due to the bore size but still fun.

jb

[JB]

Scott,

If you do a quick search on gunbroker, there's usually half a dozen or so that have been altered to take moon clips and Auto Rim cartridges. The accuracy will be lacking due to the bore size but still fun.

jb

Normally .452 bullets shoot just fine out of the Webley guns.

[Ray]

Deleted.

[Bruce Scott]

The latest iteration - the Anderson Wheeler MkVII in .357 Magnum.



Bruce that is too nice! Is it yours? I realized to late how well made the Webley's in 38/200 (38S&W) are built. They used to be cheap. Dont remember seeing any under $400 in the last 2 years.

No 3lt, it's not mine but I'd love to have one. Unfortunately at around US$10,000 it's a bit out of my league.

I did have a post WWII Mk IV in .38/200 that was in lovely condition but I never did very well with it on the range. Sadly, I it let it go when I wanted to finance something else

[Malamute]

Heres a pretty cool JAS KERR and CO. PRYSE revolver, it doesnt mention the chambering, but the options are limited, and likely that one can get brass to work in it. Its a bit pricey at almost $1600, but other period pieces in similar condition arent really any cheaper, if not priced even higher.

JAS KERR and CO. PRYSE BRITISH REVOLVER

JAS KERR and CO. PRYSE REVOLVER.jpg

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/914223307

[Mike Armstrong]

I had a Mark VI made in 1918 that had an Irish Republic "harp" acceptance mark on it and was in near mint (probably unissued) condition. Got it in an odd deal from a gunshop in Oakland CA back in the mid-1960s when I was a student.

Was hanging around the shop and the proprietor was cussing at a wooden military arms case. It was full of Webleys covered with preservative grease-- inside and out--a total of near two dozen that he had just imported from "Europe."

He knew I had worked part-time in a sheriff's armory dept. for a year and could be relied on not to shoot myself or him, so he proposed that "if I would get these things spankin' clean, i could take my pick of 'em!" A couple days later I had the MK VI and 24 rounds of Australian WWII full-patch .455 ammo.

Think that might happen to a kid in CA in this century?

I shot up the Aussie shells and sold the Webley to somebody for about a month's grub (cheap, bad grub, but what does a kid need?). The only thing I liked about the Webley was its romantic past and the fact that if you looked the right place in their trajectory, you could see those .455 slugs bumble-beein' along!. You wouldn't want to be anyplace they arrived....

[KWK]

I like the operation of that big Bland-Pryse revolver in the Forgotten Weapons video. Squeeze two opposing levers to break it open, the rotate the cylinder retaining pin and pull off the cylinder. Clean up should be a breeze.