.455 Revolver Family ...

[GrantR]

Further to the recent posting about my newly acquired Webley New Model R.I.C. ("Royal Irish Constabulary") revolver, I decided to get most of my growing ".455 Family" together for a few group photos .... The "black sheep" of the clan (an O.P. revolver of the same type as the one in the photos which got disgraced with nickel plating at some time following its military service) was not invited to the photo shoot ....

Click on thumbnail ...

Left side:
- Webley New Model R.I.C. revolver
- Enfield MkII revolver (nominally .476 caliber - but they are effectively .455's ...)
- Webley "W.G. Target" Model (.450/.455)
- Webley Mark V service revolver
Right side:
- S&W 2nd Model Hand Ejector (WWI Canadian Contract)
- Colt New Service Revolver
- "Revolver, O.P., No. 1, Mark I" (A Spanish copy of the S&W .44 Double Action, accepted by Britain for WWI service)
- Webley Mark VI service revolver

This next shot is of the same revolvers, reversed ....

 

[dingus]

Very nice Grant

hey that WG target model is that Antique ?

I love my Model 1885 WG its one of my Favorite guns.

I would like to get a target model like yours but pre 1898 with that flared butt!

 

[GrantR]

Dingus:

Best information is that my WG Target is antique, although "close to the line" - no direct evidence on this particular one, but very close serial numbers were retailed by ANCSL in 1897 .... I've got that information (supplied by Joel Black, IIRC) around here somewhere, though of course I couldn't find it to submit with the application which has just gone in to have its antique status confirmed and get it de-registered.

(The fellow I bought the R.I.C. from is a Verifier and has submitted the application on my behalf. Matter of fact, he also performed some needed minor repairs on the WG Target for me - excellent fellow to know!)

 

[Colin]

Your a wanker showing me all this .455 #### which I can't afford right now. But when I win the lottery, I will buy a Webely-Fosley and then you will be the one drooling!!!

 

[p53Enfield]

Webley's

Great collection, thankyou for posting it!

I have to find my exact records, but i do believe my Webley Greener was nickeled and in .476. (is that possible?) Cost me the grand sum of five pounds, and i got ninety for it six months later!

That was in the early 80's. Wonder what happened to it when they were banned in the UK?

 

[dingus]

If you meen Webley WG then yes it could be Nickled and 476 caliber

Ive got one and its not nickled but some were.

There NOT banned in the UK there Perscribed Antiques in England.
There rules are very simlar to ares cept they can have CF rifles with Mags.
Alot of Brits have fully functional Antique Revolvers with NO lic or Registration.
BUT they cant shoot them like we can.
Well they can but aparently its a Bloody nightmare of Paperwork ECT

 

[GrantR]

As Dingus says, Webley "W.G." models were available in .476 and nickled ...

As he also intimates, it was not a "Webley Greener", rather it was a "W.G." model - they offered both "W.G." Army and "W.G." Target models.

Dowell indicated in "The Webley Story" that "W.G." stood for "Webley Green" (which is likely what you were thinking of) but the general consensus now seems to be that he was in error. Green was never associated with the Webley company, and in fact sued Webley for Patent infringement ... that litigation dragged on for years, I understand, before Webley succeeded in having the claim dismissed. Seems unlikely in that situation that they would use his name in conjunction with one of their products, and apparently there is no indication in Webley company records to indicate exactly what the initials represented. Again, general consensus is that they may stand for "Webley Government".

(I prefer to avoid the whole controversy by referring to them only as "W.G." models ... ... which is what the Webley literature calls them, anyway.)

As a matter of interest, here are contemporary catalogue entries for the "W.G." Army and Target models - click on thumbnail for full-size image ...

 

[p53Enfield]

Yes indeed, my model WAS a WG Target (Bisley).

Thanks for correcting me on the "green/greener bit!


I see that nickeling cost 8 shillings, (about 85 cents) more, has this meant that nickeled models are harder to find, as that amount was a weeks pay to working folk!

If only the "trouble and strife" hadn't needed the money for baby food, or some other extravagent trifling, i would still have had it, my Long Land Pattern Bess and my Coastguard Pattern Lacy Pistol................Oh Well!!!!

 

[david doyle]

I think also in britian, further to Dingus's comment, that it may be illegal to be in possesion of the Cartridge that the antique fires. You can be either a cartridge collector or an antique collector, not both. (not certain)

P53ENFIELD if it were'nt for those little trifles like Baby food, diapers and antibiotics we would all be sitting on fabulous collections! I hear ya! And for that we'll get wheeled off to the old age first chance they get!