.455 Webley V.S. .38 S&W?

Drachenblut

Drachenblut

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Hello,

I am considering getting into the old/older Webley Mk.VI revolvers, and understand they were made in two calibers, the .455 and the .38 S&W

Which is better as a shooting round?
As a "manstopper" for historical reasons?
Which is easier to find reloading components for? (bullets, primers, brass, powder?)
Which model is best, I was hoping for one with the single and double action.

Thanks,
Drach
 
.455 is the manstopper; the original hollow point round was developed for it at the Dumdum arsenal in India. That's the origin of the old word "dumdum" for an expanding bullet. They were also described as flying ashtrays.

.38 Smith & Wesson was introduced in the 1930s because the .455 was considered too powerful. It isn't, it is a very low-powered round. .38 S&W is even weaker. It is also known as .38-200 in England. (Might be a slghtly different loading, I'm not sure.)

Both calibres are available but .455 is very expensive -- the last box I bought was $61.95 for 50. I don't know the .38 price but it is much less than that.

Both .455 and .38 models are top-break, double action. Aside from size, they are mechanically identical. I do not know about reloading but suspect either calibre can be done easily. Neither is especially good to shoot; not bad, just not great. They are less comfortable to hold than a modern Smith & Wesson ... but much more so than an old hand-ejector.

Don't worry if the one you look at has a loose cylinder; they were designed that way to shake mud out while the owner was crawling through the trenches of WWI. Hold the hammer and trigger back and the cylinder will lock up nicely.

My choice would be .455 but YMMV.
 
Just recently bought a enfield no.2
38 Smith and wesson commercial ammo is available. I think the box I bought was about 35 bucks for 50 at Wholsale in Calgary and Cabelas has it in stock as well.

Lee makes a 38 S&W carbide die set. Which is a 380 auto resizing die and caliber specific flare and bullet seater.

Load data is avilable and I find the fustrating part is finding projectiles. I ended up getting on board a group buy over at cast boolits forum for the 200gr mold.

shoots well enough with undersized bullets but like the other poster said it is not all that powerful. sometimes it knocks down the plates sometimes not.

I enjoy mine and shoot it for what it is a interesting piece of history.
 
Drachenblut said:
Hello,

I am considering getting into the old/older Webley Mk.VI revolvers, and understand they were made in two calibers, the .455 and the .38 S&W

Which is better as a shooting round?
As a "manstopper" for historical reasons?
Which is easier to find reloading components for? (bullets, primers, brass, powder?)
Which model is best, I was hoping for one with the single and double action.

Thanks,
Drach
Click to expand...

Webley Mk VI is usually in 455 http://world.guns.ru/userfiles/images/handguns/great_britain/revolver/1287751682.jpg . Old Mk IV was large frame, again, usually in 455 http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p250/AutoMag180/IMG_0112.jpg .

Webley Mk IV (small frame) was made in 38 http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/11f354f8b1202d00e946d130e40cffc8d68cc5f.jpg . Also, there is Enfield 38, original pre IIWW like this one http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/b582539b5d2f2ecfdf5efc02accc75de5e61d00.jpg , a very nice revolver.

Just for plinking, 38 is easier to find and reload. 455 could bi finicky to reload if it has small chambers (I had one that measured .448). For the best results you would need a hollow base bullets like one casting in a HB RCBS mold.
 
Last edited:
No, the MkIV is a .38/200 and the MkVI is in .455 - he had it right.

Military MkIV's typically are stamped "war finish" on them, most of the nicer fnished MkIV are either not wartime or were police issue.
 
There were 6 marks of large frame service .455" webley revolvers Marks I-VI.
The smaller frame 38s were made in three marks, II-IV.
 
.38 S&W vs .455 Webley

I load for & shoot both.... out of S&W revolvers. The .38 S&W in a 5" WWII era Victory model [K frame] and the .455 out of a WWI era large frame 6 1/2" barrel Hand Ejector model.

I use Lee dies for loaading both.

I've successfully loaded .455 using Lee carbide .45ACP dies with old Dominion .455 Colt headstamped brass. Bullets used were 230 gr lead RN [sized to .452"] - same bullet I was using for my GI 1911's.

The Lee .38 S&W die set uses a carbide sizer marked ".38 Auto" [for .38 ACP/Super] I confirmed this was correct via email from Lee after I got my die set & saw it so marked. The other two dies are specific to the .38 S&W. I've been using 158 gr LSWC seated out a bit.

Niether ctg is particularly hard to load for.

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NAA.
 
nada said:
re hollow nose, i think you'll find the orig 455 was hollow base , built to tumble on impact.
Click to expand...

NO it wasn't built to tumble on impact. Jeesh.

The hollow base .455 bullets were made that way so the base of the bullet would expand to fit the bore when it was fired.
 
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