Actually they weren't very practical. There were a couple of versions that were specifically made as 22 rimfire with proprietary cylinders and barrels. Webley seemed to have made them up on MkIV frames.
If I remember correctly, only 25 of the military versions came into Canada, around 1940. If any of them survived, they are few and far between. Likely all sold as surplus into the US.
Right up into the mid sixties, the odd store still carried a few of the civilian versions and those either came in a blue cardboard box, with a cleaning rod/extractor, or in a velvet lined wooden box, with cleaning tools and rod. They were notorious for good accuracy but the extractors always missed a few, which was a pain in the butt. They were also expensive in comparison to the much more reliable and every bit as accurate US made commercial revolvers available in quantity at the time.
By the end of the sixties, I don't remember seeing one, other than the commercial specimen I had been given as a Christmas present. I think, my father, a die hard anti firearms fanatic, got it very cheap, because it sat in Viel and Fields' in Vernon for at least a decade.
Wbaad, you are a dreamer. The rimfire versions were put together as an afterthought IMHO and didn't do the intended job all that well.
There were also conversion kits available. Once in a blue moon they show up as well. Usually on the .455 MkVI. They were horrid things to shoot. The cylinders were drilled at an angle to align with the bore, which contained a sleeve that was installed before the special cylinder and held in place at the muzzle with a leather washer and a brass finger nut.
They weren't accurate and they spit bits of lead out between the insert and the cylinder that were shaved off as the bullets went around the corner to enter the cone. One thing though, the one I had, did eject the empties well. You also had to be careful to make sure the shims used between the cone section of the insert and the barrel were correct. If you used to many, you couldn't close the pistol easily and if you didn't use any, there was a good chance the bullet would get stuck in the gap.
Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.
I don't remember whether there were conversion kits available for the martial MkIV pistols or not. I don't remember seeing any but it would make sense that there would be, especially if they were using the same frame to make up their target pistols.
I am under the impression that the rimfire target rifles were quite popular in the UK and Australia. I can't confirm that and it was over 40 years ago that I had anything to do with those pistols.
For a Webley collector, one of those would be a real score, especially one of the martially marked Canadian pistols.
If by some remote chance there did happen to be one or even a few of those pistols in the incoming batch, you can bet your gonads the importer will snap them up in a heartbeat.
I have a MKIV that was converted to a "snake" killer. The bore has been reamed out to a smooth bore. The cylinder of this pistol, will accept 38 special wad cutter cartridges. I have a replacement barrel/cylinder for it but have been contemplating converting the smooth bore barrel by adding a 22 cal sleeve and making up some inserts for the cylinder. I have a spare back plate and hammer so setting it up to shoot rimfire wouldn't be much of an issue.
Sorry, I'm off topic here. If those pistols are at a reasonable price and in VG+ condition, I would certainly be interested in acquiring one myself. It would be nice if they were not martially marked. The Webleys released by the Calgary Police to surplus were all pretty decent. Maybe these are ex police revolvers. If so, likely in much better condition than their martial counterparts.
Stuart
