Webley?

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I've been thinking about getting one. There's just something about a Webley that appeals to me. Anyone have one? Do you shoot it? Do you like it? (I can't buy a gun and not shoot it ya know [wink] ) Just wunderin...



Edited by LenS-Mod, per request of OP.
 
A friend of mine was a Weatherby FOOL. Had a .270, a .300, a .378 an a .460 Wetherby Magnum.

Personally I liked shooting the .300 and the .460 the best.

Of course you can't shoot a .460 all day long 8)

But otherwise they were AWESOME rifles!

I'm gonna have to get me one of my own one of these days!

Arrrr

-Weer'd Beard
 
<slaps forehead>

Ignore the woman at the key board...she's running a temp and feels like whale poop today so the gray matter is fried.

No, I meant a Webley (Derek, can you can't the title of this?)

THIS is what I mean...

Webley.jpg


I love old guns and I've held one of these (it's a MkI) before. I've never had the chance to shoot one tho.
 
Lynne, I changed the title and the name in your original post.

BTW, the author of the first post in a thread can always change the title by going in "edit" mode. Besides as a Mod, you or I can change anyone's post. I understand that you aren't feeling very well, so I fixed it for you and hope you feel better tomorrow. [wink]
 
Webley

If you want a really unique piece of firearms engineering, get a Webley-Fosbury. The cylinder had grooves on the side and cycles back in semi-auto fashion, using engagement in these notches to turn the cylinder. Sean Connery used on much earlier in his gun banning careet in the movie Zardoz.
 
LenS said:
Lynne, I changed the title and the name in your original post.

BTW, the author of the first post in a thread can always change the title by going in "edit" mode. Besides as a Mod, you or I can change anyone's post. I understand that you aren't feeling very well, so I fixed it for you and hope you feel better tomorrow. [wink]

Bless you Len, the brain wasn't functioning all that well...there are some doubts about it this morning too. :D
 
Lynne,

In my youth a very good friend of mine collected Webleys, and I had the good fortune to fire many. They could be purchased for as little as 9 or 10 dollars through the mail, British Govt. Surplus. In 1899 the Webley Mk IV revolver was introduced into military service. It was the first Webley chambered solely for the .455 service cartridge. This was replaced by the Mk V and Mk VI respectively. The Mk VI remained in service throughout WWII although it was officially replaced by the Enfield .380 (essentially a 38 S&W {not 38 spec} with a two hundred grain bullet, and don't confuse the .380 nomenclature with the .380 ACP)

The Enfield Service Revolver was essentially a copy of the Webley.

Commercial Webleys were found in various sizes and calibers. They even made a semi-automatic pistol, and the Massachusetts connection there, is that Harrington and Richardson made them under license here in the States. Webley autos were very boxy looking. The Webley Fosbery was an automatic revolver and came out in 1901. Mention of which was made by Humphrey Bogart in I believe "The Maltese Falcon" (Bogie fans will be sure to correct me, of that I have no doubt). The last one I saw was in Colorado at a gun show and the owner wanted big bucks for it.

The thing that you have to watch out for: Many Mk IV's through MK VI were imported to the U.S. after WWII as previously stated. Importers ground down the rear of the cylinder to accomodate .45 ACP with Half Moon Clips or .45 Auto Rim as British .455 revolver ammo was never, surprisingly, that plentiful. You want to avoid one of these altered guns, also the barrel demensions for the .45 ACP are slightly different.

A Webley or its Enfield cousin (38 S&W ammo is hard to find these days too) in good working order is fun to shoot, easier to reload and eject cartridges. You might be able to find one at a good price, but the problem is finding ammo to shoot it with. They were well made rugged guns.

Regards,

Mark
 
Thanks for the heads up Mark. I didn't know there was an Enfield copy. You're a wealth of info. :D I'd like to stick with a MkI if I can find one that's functioning, but if I can find one at all that won't break the bank, I'll be happy.
 
With the exception of some current revolver designs that have been modified in an effort to escape the clutches of people like our other-than-beloved Tom Reilly, and a couple of 19th century German models, the Webley-Fosbury is also the only revolver to have a genuine manual safety. Dashiell Hammett refered to it specifically in the Maltese Falcon ("Yes. Webley-Fosbery utomatic-revolver, thirty-eight, eight shot. They don't make them anymore," as quoted by Humphrey Bogart in John Huston's 1941 movie version), and Agatha Christie's frequent references to safeties on revolvers probably refer to Webley-Fosburys that her husband owned.

webley-fosbery.jpg
 
DR said:
If it's from 1941 (or anytime durring WWII) it's old enough to qualify. A C&R lets you buy anything that's either on the list or more than 50 years old. So, you have no excuse for not buying it. :)

Ah... for some reason I was thinking that it had to be on the list as well. And I have a perfectly good reason for not buying it: I'm not interested in a Webley, Lynne is. :D
 
How common were the semi-auto Revolver Webleys? (Or whatever you want to call those odd mongrels).

I'd love to get a chance to shoot one of them!


Arrrr

-Weer'd Beard
 
Lynne:
You're a lady after my own heart. I love old guns, especially military sidearms of the two world wars.
I'm also keeping an eye out for a Webley to add to my WWI guns. It seems as though every time I hesitate, someone buys the thing and the next one to turn up is one rung higher in price.
Currently, national dealers (with websites) are getting $450 and more for altered examples with cylinders shaved to accept .45ACP. Originals in .455 Webley start at more than $800.
If you buy one in .45ACP, you must use clips. This chore has been made easy by Beckham Designs, who make a plastic moon clip that requires no tool for loading and unloading.
But I must wait again, since I just emptied my gun fund on a Walther PP - 1943 with German ordnance acceptance stamps. Mailed the check yesterday, so it should arrive next week.
I have a couple of photos of a few of my sidearms, if you'd like.


By the way, there is some controversy surrounding these modified Webleys. Many people say you should never use full pressure loads, since the revolver was designed for a round with considerably less pressure than the .45ACP.
Handloading light target loads would be wise.

JT
 
jacobtowne said:
By the way, there is some controversy surrounding these modified Webleys. Many people say you should never use full pressure loads, since the revolver was designed for a round with considerably less pressure than the .45ACP.
Handloading light target loads would be wise.

It probably won't get shot much. I just want to have one. :D But you're right - I'd load my own for it and make them light.
 
Nickle said:
Oh, goody, ANOTHER ammo customer. Lynne, we DO make ammo for the Webley's, so you will be able to shoot it.

Well then sweetie, soon as I make a purchase, I might just be contacting you. [lol]
 
Does anyone here sell or know of anyone who sells parts for the Webley Mark VI, like the unaltered cylinder, Barrel and hammer??? Just looking for someone to buy these parts from. e-gunparts.com, didn't have any of these parts.
 
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