.455 for a Webley - any ideas?

Dark Alley Dan

Dark Alley Dan

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Folks:

Through circumstances far too convoluted to describe here, I find myself the imminent owner of a .455 Webley (mark currently unknown - will advise). While I have not actually seen the pistol myself, I'm told it's old, big, and Webley, and that's all I need to know. I see SIR has carbide dies, and I can probably access dies for casting my own ball. That leaves brass.

My Pal the Internet tells me Fiocci stuff is avalable in the US for abour USD$30.00 per 50. Getting this across the border has all the appeal of getting a root canal from a meth addled badger.

Is there a Canadian source for brass and/or loaded cartridges? And can anyone refer me to a site that gives me a little lowdown on my new pistol?

Many thanks,

Dan
 
Also Pullen's Gunsmithing outside Victoria...Still a buck+ a round.
I understand that you can modify .45 Long Colt brass for the .455.
 
All the currently abailable (including Fiocchi) ammo is loaded in the MkII cases. If you can get your hands on some older Dominion Mk1 cases they reload better and offer you a greater variety of loads.

RCBS makes the correct conical mould for military .455, but realistically any .454-.458 conical will work acceptably. Lee makes a variety of such moulds for cheap.
 
European Arms has it in N. Vancouver $53.00 a box of 50 with tax. Fired mine on Saturday it is a nice revolver to shoot.

But this ammo does burn dirty, is that because it is such a light load?
 
Colin said:
European Arms has it in N. Vancouver $53.00 a box of 50 with tax. Fired mine on Saturday it is a nice revolver to shoot.

But this ammo does burn dirty, is that because it is such a light load?
Click to expand...

Probably alot of the "dirt" is actually atomized lead dust. The Fiocchi ammo is actually hottish for Webley levels and the lead projectile isn;t aloxed below the case mouth.

When reloading it, I use full alox lubed cast bullets - tends to cut down o nthe residue a little. I also fire lighter than factory loads, but strong enough to get a decent gas seal at the case mouth.

Some experimentation may be inorder for the charge and bullet you want to use.
 
Made some calls...

Milarm has nothing.

Epps has it for $59.00/50, plus as much again to have two boxes sent via courier. Ouch. They can mail me brass for $35/50, converted from 45 Colt, which got me to thinking more about Leftent's news about the same idea...

What does it take to make .455 out of .45 Colt? I'm going to need a trim die, but are there rim thickness issues, or is it just a matter of sawing 'em off at the right length and Bobs Yer Uncle?

Thanks for any info you can offer,

Dan
 
Hornady was (and probably still is) supplying new made .455 Mk. II brass.
I bought some at the Easter Calgary Gun Show from K. Jenkinson and Co., Grand Forks, BC. (250) 442-5718, for $50.00/100 bag.
It appears to be the same as the M & S brass I used to buy in England, and I've reloaded that stuff umpteen times with no case failures/problems.
Lee make cheap carbide .455 die sets, but I would recommend using a Redding shell-holder instead of the Lee, as the Redding fits the very thin case rim better than the Lee. Other than that, no problems in reloading.
To make brass from .45 Colt, once the case is cut to the required length, the rim thickness has to be swaged or turned down from the top side, to maintain primer pocket depth.
Regards, DaveF.
 
There is another place in Ontario, besides Epps, that no one has mentioned yet which I will look up for you and post later (I'm out of the house at the moment.) They sell brass converted from 45 Colt, and bullets cast for .455 Webley. I have some of their bullets, but before I found them I had already got converted brass from BuffaloArms in the U.S. (before it became such a hassle to get even brass across the border) so I don't know what their brass is like. (BuffaloArms' brass is good. Sorry, I didn't get enough to share.)
 
Here it is: a source for 455 brass & bullets is Shooters Den in
Sudbury ON. tel# 705 522 2772. They were very friendly and helpful when I dealt with them in early 2004. They had two kinds of .455 brass, but I don't remember the details. They sold me their 265grain round nose hollow base bullets. At that time the price for 50 bullets was $20.00 plus shipping.
 
Depending where you're located, Gunco has a bunch of Hornady and Dominion factory loaded .455 ammo at reasonable prices, but they don't ship.
 
Claven2 said:
Colin said:
European Arms has it in N. Vancouver $53.00 a box of 50 with tax. Fired mine on Saturday it is a nice revolver to shoot.

But this ammo does burn dirty, is that because it is such a light load?
Click to expand...

Probably alot of the "dirt" is actually atomized lead dust. The Fiocchi ammo is actually hottish for Webley levels and the lead projectile isn;t aloxed below the case mouth.


.
Click to expand...

Hottish? Compared to the older stuff I have fired, it limps along
 
The older stuff you fired might have been Mk1 ammo (likely if it was Dominion). The Mk2 has a smaller (shorter) solid head case so pressure levels are higher despite lower velocity. This atomizes the lead with some loads. Also depends on the lead alloy used.
 
Many thanks, folks - good info.

If the 45 Colt to .455 conversion requires turning down the rim of the case, can I assume that the .45 Auto Rim, with it's rim as thick as a Liberal's skull, is a non-starter?

Dan
 
I don't know if you can get them north of the border, but Lee .455 dies are the least expensive and they work just as well as the high priced ones.

I use 5.O gr of Unique with the 265gr RCBS webley bullet. Gets pretty close to the factory specs of 620 fps.
 
Lee die set in .455 Webley is available here. I got mine from Wholesale Sports. Any retailer that is stocking Lee may not have a set in stock, but can get you one if they care to.
 
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