455 Webley MK VI - BLOWN UP. Got it this way, did not happen to me.

1898guns

1898guns

Member
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
455 Webley MK VI (?) - BLOWN UP. Looks like it happened long ago, did not happen to me. The cylinder is shaved, serial 188780. The guy I got it from had no history on it. You guys out there shooting .45s in their Webleys gonna wince when you pull the trigger now?!

DSC_8073.jpg

DSC_8074.jpg

DSC_8075.jpg

DSC_8076.jpg

DSC_8079.jpg

DSC_8080.jpg
 
I'd say it doesn't say a ton about the actual stresses they're placed under. There are lots of blown up revolvers out there - it's why they blew up that's important. I'd certainly say it's a good reminder not to try to hotrod antiques though, which I think everyone can appreciate.

The flipside is that it's pretty amazing how thin the chamber walls on many revolvers actually are. Especially relatively low pressure cartridges.
 
I just clued into something while studying the blown cylinder pictured above. There is a pilot hole on the cylinder face for the extractor guide pin. As a result of this pilot hole, there are two *very* thin portions of wall, affecting two rounds. The pilot hole is almost 1/3rd the length of the cylinder, and is abour 3 or 4 mm longer than required judging by the wear! I have no doubt that the point of metal failure started at the thin walls that result from this pilot hole (in the photo of the cylinder face, you can see it fractured at this hole) Further, I have found another picture of a blown webley, and if you look close enough at the extractor, you can see where the pin is, it also failed at the same point.

Blown01a-1.jpg


In the pics of the .455 in the first post, what is the the other hole in the cylinder face, right beside the shaft hole? I just looked at a Mk1** and it does not have this second hole.


This one, on the other hand, deserves a completely different explanation........ what would cause this? Squib shot with a follow up?
download.jpg
 
Last edited:
I saw a ford truck rollover last week, but i'm not nervous about driving my ford truck just because some jackass doesn't know how to drive.

I've put thousands of rounds of 45acp thru MKI and MKII webley revolvers and I'm not nervous about it at all, because I understand how to do it safely. If people have a clue what they are doing then it will be OK. But there will always be those people who don't have the knowledge, skill, or understanding to drive, or to shoot old guns. Some of them will hurt themselves. Too bad, but not my problem.
 
jethunter said:
I saw a ford truck rollover last week, but i'm not nervous about driving my ford truck just because some jackass doesn't know how to drive.

I've put thousands of rounds of 45acp thru MKI and MKII webley revolvers and I'm not nervous about it at all, because I understand how to do it safely. If people have a clue what they are doing then it will be OK. But there will always be those people who don't have the knowledge, skill, or understanding to drive, or to shoot old guns. Some of them will hurt themselves. Too bad, but not my problem.
Click to expand...


This is what everyone tends to forget.....
 
tactical870 said:
This is what everyone tends to forget.....
Click to expand...

Agreed... Hell I'v fired countless rounds both factory smokeless and reloads with smokeless through a multitude of antique .32, .38 and .41 Rimfire guns without incident.

Some of them are very well made and others not so much but I have yet to damage or blow up any of them.
 
The Kurgan said:
Do a google search on grenaded cylinders. Just about every revolver manufacturer and model is represented. It happens, more often than not due to stupidity.
Click to expand...


People like to push the limits of everything it seems, some limits are just not meant to be pushed. Some people have yet to figure that out.

That's okay, I look at it as educational.
 
I have a blown cylinder from a person who shoots only moderate loads. His best guess is that he must have double loaded a shell. I suspect that might not be too difficult with a progressive loader; if you brought the lever down but not quite all the way and something stuck or for some reason you let the lever back up again, you could potentially drop two charges in the same shell. With moderate loads that conceivably might not overflow the cartridge case

cheers mooncoon
 
mooncoon said:
I have a blown cylinder from a person who shoots only moderate loads. His best guess is that he must have double loaded a shell. I suspect that might not be too difficult with a progressive loader; if you brought the lever down but not quite all the way and something stuck or for some reason you let the lever back up again, you could potentially drop two charges in the same shell. With moderate loads that conceivably might not overflow the cartridge case

cheers mooncoon
Click to expand...

That's why I inspect each filled case with a flashlight... and I'm becoming a huge IMR Trail Boss fan... in all of my reloads.
 
I use a single stage and the de-capping and expanding steps will see 100 + rds back to back sometimes.
But the final charge then seating step? I charge right from the calibrated powder measure, then a quick glance to verify levels then a bullet is inserted. Lately it's been charge, insert and seat immediately.
Even with your best efforts, train wrecks will happen. Sometimes with no apparent reasoning; and a wreck with a gun is like the proverbial 'Goose stepped on your grave'...sends a shiver up your spine. Even when you are unhurt.
The last one involved a 'gifted' sealed can of powder from a well meaning family member...powder that was of unknown age.
Add that one also to the never again list...
Reloading can be unforgiving, complacency will bite you in the *ss
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom