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Unusual firearms of the west.
powdersmoke
Member Posts: 3,241
Tho' the Colt and Remington were given much of the credit for opening up the west many firearms went west with the early pioneers, especially in the period after the War between the States.
These photos are examples from one company that provided some of those firearms. The first picture more than the second.
The second photo is an unusual example of their design that almost made it but was pushed out by the semi autos.
What is it? Who manufactured it?
"There are two freedoms-the false where people do as they like and the true where people do as they ought."
Taking care of our responsibilities helps garantee our freedoms
These photos are examples from one company that provided some of those firearms. The first picture more than the second.
The second photo is an unusual example of their design that almost made it but was pushed out by the semi autos.
What is it? Who manufactured it?
"There are two freedoms-the false where people do as they like and the true where people do as they ought."
Taking care of our responsibilities helps garantee our freedoms
Comments
Longer barrell on the bottom looks like Webley Mk1 or something to that effect.
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BW
IT'S WHAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT MAKES THEM AFRAID.
I'm sorry, but I have to take issue with your assertion that these are "unusual firearms of the west". First, those are both Webleys which are not at all unusual and second, neither of them is really from the period commonly called the "old west". Certainly neither of these examples ever "went west with the early pioneers". The top one is a Webley Mk I .455 which was first produced in 1887 and so while it could be the closest of the two to possibly qualify as an "old west" firearm, it's doubtful it saw much "old west" action. The Mk I was hardly unusual as far as the British and many others around the world are concerned. The bottom one is a little more on the unusual side and IS indeed a Webley-Fosbery "auto-matic" revolver. The top part of the frame, along with the barrel and cylinder moved rearwards with each shot from the recoil, cocking the hammer. They date from the early 20th century, just prior to WWI, not the 19th century and therefore cannot be considered a "firearm of the west".
Horseman,
Is an RIC model just a Mk1 with a shorter barrel?
If I can't spell, so what!
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Yes they are Webley & Scott revovlers.
"There are two freedoms-the false where people do as they like and the true where people do as they ought."
Taking care of our responsibilities helps garantee our freedoms
My grandfather was born in Ireland in 1900 and was a 'soldier" at 16 years old in the IRA under Michael Collins. My grandfather actually had to flee Ireland in 1921 because of his association with Collins. He went to the US and joined the US Navy until he returned to Ireland in 1928.
In the few adult conversations I had with my grandfather about his days fighting for the IRA and during the Irish Civil War he mentioned the Webley RIC fondly. I've always wanted to get one but never got around to seriously looking for one.
hughbetcha: Custer apparently thought enough of the RIC to carry it at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Obviously it didn't help him too much but I'd bet he took a few "hostiles" with him before he fell. People have said it was the British equivalent of the Colt SAA. Simple, powerful and nearly impossible to break. They were very well regarded the world over, so I can certainly understand your grandfather's fondness for the RIC.
I got the top one wrong as it was a model 1894 I was thinking model 1884
Top oneWebley .455 caliber MK. II (Mark 2, 1894)
Bottom one:
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: Automatic Revolver
System of Operation: Recoil
Caliber: .455 Webley and .38 ACP
Capacity: .455: 6 rounds, .38: 8 rounds
Sights front: Blade
Sights, rear: U-notch
Length: 11"
Weight (unloaded): 2.73 lbs
Barrel: 6" (.455 Service Pattern)
The early 20th Century was a time of rapid advancement in firearms development in general and with respect to self loading pistol design in particularly. Despite the number of new self loading designs that simply didn't work, it was evident that the revolver's primacy as a service arm was rapidly drawing to a close. Aiming to compete with the self-loader, Colonel G. Vincent Fosbery, V.C., adapted the Webley service revolver to an automatically indexing and cocking configuration. On August 16, 1895 Fosbery took out a patent for a recoil operated self cocking and indexing revolver. A prototype was constructed using a Colt Single Action Army revolver modified such that the barrel, cylinder, and action slid back and forth on the frame. Improvements to the design led to additional patents being granted in June and October 1896.
"There are two freedoms-the false where people do as they like and the true where people do as they ought."
Taking care of our responsibilities helps garantee our freedoms
A quote from "Guns of the Old West" magazine.
"....Webley & Scott's British Bulldog revolver was hugely popular on our side of the pond. This was a compact .45 caliber, solid frame double-action revolver that loaded through a gated loading port on the right side of the frame. It was both concealable and powerful......"
Billy The Kid was shot by Pat Garret in 1880.
Jesse James was murdered by Ford in 1882.
John Wesley Hardin was gunned down in 1895.
Pancho Villa Raided Colombus, NM in 1916 met a violent end in 1923.
I've heard tell other desperadoes were also still in action between 1900 and 1910.
Do you know of others?
"There are two freedoms-the false where people do as they like and the true where people do as they ought."
Taking care of our responsibilities helps garantee our freedoms
Interesting side points;
A quote from "Guns of the Old West" magazine.
"....Webley & Scott's British Bulldog revolver was hugely popular on our side of the pond. This was a compact .45 caliber, solid frame double-action revolver that loaded through a gated loading port on the right side of the frame. It was both concealable and powerful......"
Billy The Kid was shot by Pat Garret in 1880.
Jesse James was murdered by Ford in 1882.
John Wesley Hardin was gunned down in 1895.
Pancho Villa Raided Colombus, NM in 1916 met a violent end in 1923.
I've heard tell other desperadoes were also still in action between 1900 and 1910.
Do you know of others?
"There are two freedoms-the false where people do as they like and the true where people do as they ought."
Taking care of our responsibilities helps garantee our freedoms
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid(also the Wild Bunch) active around 1900.
"There are two freedoms-the false where people do as they like and the true where people do as they ought."
Taking care of our responsibilities helps garantee our freedoms