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Webely Mark 1, update with pics and specs
Nwcid
Member Posts: 10,674 ✭
So a while back I posted about a guy selling some guns and one of them was a Webely .455. Most assumed it was a Mark VI since that is what most are.
Well I picked it up today, I will try to get pics up tomorrow. It is a Mark 1 with a serial number of 43xx. From what I have found that is very low. There is a similar one on another auction site with a 30,xxx number on it.
There is one here on GB, http://v4.beta.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=141936763 that is in the same shape with most of the same markings. Mine is not marked "England" and mine is marked with caliber on the right side just under the barrel.
Now the real question is how do I tell if it is really in .455 or has been modified for .45 ACP and moons or .45 AR? If it has been shaved can I still shoot .455 in it too?
UPDATE:
So I got some pics and did some measuring. There is quite a gap between the cylinder and frame which is what has me questioning what I have. I can not tell if it has been machined or not and the guy I got it from would have no clue so I didnt ask. He said his dad got it in the 50's. For him it has mostly sat in the safe and was selling off things he didnt use.
The cylinder is 1.452" long
The gap at the top of the cylinder to frame at the top (not the wing rounded part) is 0.104" and at the base it is 0.118.
The ejector thickness is 0.110
Here is a pic of the cylinder without ejector,
Complete cylinder,
Action open,
Left side of gun markings,
Right side of gun markings,
Well I picked it up today, I will try to get pics up tomorrow. It is a Mark 1 with a serial number of 43xx. From what I have found that is very low. There is a similar one on another auction site with a 30,xxx number on it.
There is one here on GB, http://v4.beta.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=141936763 that is in the same shape with most of the same markings. Mine is not marked "England" and mine is marked with caliber on the right side just under the barrel.
Now the real question is how do I tell if it is really in .455 or has been modified for .45 ACP and moons or .45 AR? If it has been shaved can I still shoot .455 in it too?
UPDATE:
So I got some pics and did some measuring. There is quite a gap between the cylinder and frame which is what has me questioning what I have. I can not tell if it has been machined or not and the guy I got it from would have no clue so I didnt ask. He said his dad got it in the 50's. For him it has mostly sat in the safe and was selling off things he didnt use.
The cylinder is 1.452" long
The gap at the top of the cylinder to frame at the top (not the wing rounded part) is 0.104" and at the base it is 0.118.
The ejector thickness is 0.110
Here is a pic of the cylinder without ejector,
Complete cylinder,
Action open,
Left side of gun markings,
Right side of gun markings,
Comments
When the rear face of the cylinder is machined off rimed cartridges won't function because the firing pin can't contact the primer.
As the Mark I's date to the late 1880's they are Black Powder guns that shouldn't be fired with modern smokeless high pressure ammo. When they were imported during the 50's & 60's legal liability was not issue, i.e. it wasn't a concern to any of the importers/distributors. Nowadays they wouldn't dare rechamber a Black Powder revolver for smokeless cartridges. Some of the early Webleys were reworked during the early years of the First World War for high pressure ammo, generally they will have a lot of additional markings such as stars and sometimes dates.
Don't seem that it has been reworked for for smokeless from the Proof Marks. If you intend to shoot it? Best to use just light reloads.
If I do find so AR is it light enough to shoot as is or would I be better off finding brass and loading for it?
I am not sure how they size is but can .45LC be cut down and used as brass for this gun?
Could use/make some kind of spacer and go back to using .455 in this gun?
Nominal rim thickness for .45 Auto Rim is .090. Time to reload.
If you have .45 ACP reloading dies, you should be good to go, but the lead cast loads like a slight roll crimp, instead of the taper crimp found on the ACP. Use [published] starting loads listed for the .45 Auto Rim, and you will find you have a 'sweet' load, indeed!
If you want to use ACP brass, I suggest you use the loads meant for the .45 Auto Rim, and keep your rounds segregated. See if you can get 'full moon' clips to use with the ACP. Better'n a speedloader in my opinion. Best, Joe