- Location
- London, Ontario
How hard/expensive is it to turn a webley in .455 into .45ACP?
.455 Webley -.45 ACP Webley
- Thread starter Until the Angels Fall
- Start date
Depends on what the gun smith charges, and its just machine on the end of the cyclinder from my understanding. there are 455's forsale in the EE, ask thiose who have them up forsale, also from mu undersyanding if you have an antique one, that is before a cerntin date it does not need to be regustered etc, but as soon as you convert it to 45 acp it loses its antique status. i could be wrong, but thats my understanding. i am sure someone will get back to us on that last bit.
- Location
- London, Ontario
I am more so looking for a beater, not pretty but still works that I can shoot more cheaply....if I picked up a nice one I'd leave it alone
In the US there are a lot of MK VI Webleys converted to take .45 ACP through milling the end of the cylinder and use of moon clips (or by using.45 Auto Rim cartridges). I believe the gun is "antique" depending on its date of manufacture, and has nothing to do with caliber, unless the caliber is on the prohibited list (.45 ACP is not).
Converting one to .45ACP would not be very wise unless the gun is a junker... Firstly, it comes under the "bubba" type of modification and secondly, most of the time, the gun in original .455 caliber is worth more than one converted to .45ACP...
Plus, .45ACP ammunition generates more pressure than .455, and the bullet is the wrong diameter.
Appropriate loads can be handloaded in .45 ACP or Auto Rim brass, but .455 brass can be loaded just as easily.
Its a bubba job that devalues the revolver, for no gain.
Appropriate loads can be handloaded in .45 ACP or Auto Rim brass, but .455 brass can be loaded just as easily.
Its a bubba job that devalues the revolver, for no gain.
Please consider the following:
1. The standard operating pressure for the Mark VI Webley revolver (which was the last, and strongest, of the .455 Webley service revolvers) was 13,200PSI ......
2. The standard operating pressure generated by milspec loads (and thus most factory loads) of .45 ACP ball ammunition is 19,000PSI .....
3. The pressure generated by such 45 ACP loads exceeds the proof load for the Mark VI Webley revolver.
This is what can happen when firing .45ACP ammunition in a .455 Webley revolver which has been bubba'd to chamber it -
As others have already stated, .45ACP rounds which can be safely fired in a .455 Webley really must be hand loaded down to .455 pressures. So, if you are going to need to reload ammunition anyway, why bugger up the revolver to do it? Hornady now manufactures excellent quality ,455 Mark II cartridge cases, and Lee .455 reloading dies are about as inexpensive as you can expect for just about any cartridge ....
However, if you can't reload for some reason, or get a reliable reloader to do it for you, but feel you can't resist firing factory load .45ACP rounds in a revolver, get a US Model 1917 Colt or Smith & Wesson - they were built for it .....
1. The standard operating pressure for the Mark VI Webley revolver (which was the last, and strongest, of the .455 Webley service revolvers) was 13,200PSI ......
2. The standard operating pressure generated by milspec loads (and thus most factory loads) of .45 ACP ball ammunition is 19,000PSI .....
3. The pressure generated by such 45 ACP loads exceeds the proof load for the Mark VI Webley revolver.
This is what can happen when firing .45ACP ammunition in a .455 Webley revolver which has been bubba'd to chamber it -
As others have already stated, .45ACP rounds which can be safely fired in a .455 Webley really must be hand loaded down to .455 pressures. So, if you are going to need to reload ammunition anyway, why bugger up the revolver to do it? Hornady now manufactures excellent quality ,455 Mark II cartridge cases, and Lee .455 reloading dies are about as inexpensive as you can expect for just about any cartridge ....
However, if you can't reload for some reason, or get a reliable reloader to do it for you, but feel you can't resist firing factory load .45ACP rounds in a revolver, get a US Model 1917 Colt or Smith & Wesson - they were built for it .....
The other problem I see in this picture is the jacketed bullets, they by themselves will increase pressure over lead bullets and suggest the unfortunate fellow who fired those rounds was probably using full pressure factory 45acp loads. I hope he did not get hurt too badly. What a waste of nice revolver.
