Hello I'm really wanting to get an antique revolver I can shoot, prefereably one in chambered/rechambered in 45acp, 44 special, 38 special or other caliber that is still readily available. What should I be looking for? How much will I be spending around? Is it realistic for $1000 or less? Thanks for any help.
Best Shootable Antique Revolver
- Thread starter zachhamel
- Start date
You'll probably be spending more than 1000, but you can get something nice for under 2000.
As mentioned Webley is a good choice, modern factory made ammo (.455 Webley) is available, some have been altered to chamber 45 ACP, some are nitro proofed and can use modern smokeless powders (otherwise you're going to be reloading for reduced charge / or black powder).
As mentioned Webley is a good choice, modern factory made ammo (.455 Webley) is available, some have been altered to chamber 45 ACP, some are nitro proofed and can use modern smokeless powders (otherwise you're going to be reloading for reduced charge / or black powder).
- Location
- vancouver island
antique revolver
i prefer my remington new army .44. yes it's percussion and a pain to re-load but it is accurate and gives (excuse the pun) good bang for the buck. merry christmas
i prefer my remington new army .44. yes it's percussion and a pain to re-load but it is accurate and gives (excuse the pun) good bang for the buck. merry christmas
My vote would be for an 1892 revolver - French made, often in very good condition, 8mm, current ammo available, for sale in the $800-$1500 range. Generally for a good shootable antique $1000 is minimum for the gun. 45's command prices starting at $1250 and jump to $1500-$2000 in the more popular common guns easily. SAA's and iconic guns are $2000+++
See one of the three stickies about antiques on the top of the BP page.
See one of the three stickies about antiques on the top of the BP page.
How hot could you load one of the 45 ACP Webleys? I wonder if you could use 45-08 loads in it? They look pretty sturdy handguns, are they as strong as a modern 1911 style pistol?
I have very little knowledge of the Webleys strength, so maybe it's totally out to lunch?
I have very little knowledge of the Webleys strength, so maybe it's totally out to lunch?
How hot could you load one of the 45 ACP Webleys? I wonder if you could use 45-08 loads in it? They look pretty sturdy handguns, are they as strong as a modern 1911 style pistol?
I have very little knowledge of the Webleys strength, so maybe it's totally out to lunch?
Most people avoid it it would seem. I think the issue is that they're pricey, old, not of uniform condition or quality, and therefore there's a higher risk to hotloading them than most people would accept.
http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/showthread.php?t=77895
tactical870
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Buckhorn, Ontario
You won't find anything which is commonly available under the 1000 mark. Best bet would be take up reloading and buy an 1892 in 8mm....
Yes, to answer the OPs question, it is unrealistic to expect to find an antique hand gun, that uses common ammo, for under $1K.
For me, a large part of the enjoyment of antique arms is sourcing/making components and assembling them to make ammunition that (to me) brings the old guns back to life.
Antique ammo is every bit as interesting as the guns they go in. IMHO
For me, a large part of the enjoyment of antique arms is sourcing/making components and assembling them to make ammunition that (to me) brings the old guns back to life.
Antique ammo is every bit as interesting as the guns they go in. IMHO
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How hot could you load one of the 45 ACP Webleys? I wonder if you could use 45-08 loads in it? They look pretty sturdy handguns, are they as strong as a modern 1911 style pistol?
I have very little knowledge of the Webleys strength, so maybe it's totally out to lunch?
Sir - if you want a modern boomer, then my advice to you is to get a modern boomer.
Trying to get .500 S&W performance out of a 110-year old gun seems a trifle odd to me.
Most of us who shoot the older guns do so for the sheer challenge of making them work well within their limited parameters. The .455 Webley was the definitive man-stopper of the day - the flatter-nosed bullet certainly does the job on pinballs with real authority.
The Fiocchi .455 load is deliberately pretty tame - many of the guns are now in bad shape through sheer age and ill-care.
The .476 is so rare these days that getting one and converting it to anything else is on a par with buying a Duesenberg and converting it to a dune buggy.
My $0.02.
tac
Willy Tincup
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Owen Sound
I'm with Pete04 and tacfoley!
Remington 1875 tho you wont get one under $2000 unless your lucky.
also the saa colts are nice with newer cylinders installed they can handle decent loads.
if a person wants a gun that can shoot some factory ammo then sticking to a soilid large frame revolver like a remy 1875 with newer cylinder or colt Saa same thing.
I have a webley MKI** Thats a MKI thats upgraded at the webley factory in 1914 to MKV standards with a MKV cylinder and barrel installed, its still a perscribed antique. I shoot 45 Acp factory ammo in it once in awhile with no ill effects but its a upgraded gun, it also handles all the factory 455 ammo as its got two cylinders.
Yes webleys are great but there top break action is there weak point.
Lots of guys shoot standard target loaded 45 acp with lead bullets in there antique webleys and ive never seen any pics or posts of Damage to there guns opn cgn. Tho i to advise people to reload there 45 acp to 5 grs of unique with a lead bullet.
That picture Wally posted is not a antique webley but a modern MKVI webley theres very few pics of webleys blowin up lets face it you can blow up any gun if you want to with poor reloading practices tho i think that gun was blowin up with some fancy hot factory loaded ammo that got mixed in with regular ammo, The story on that blowin up gun is not very clear what really happened.
also the saa colts are nice with newer cylinders installed they can handle decent loads.
if a person wants a gun that can shoot some factory ammo then sticking to a soilid large frame revolver like a remy 1875 with newer cylinder or colt Saa same thing.
I have a webley MKI** Thats a MKI thats upgraded at the webley factory in 1914 to MKV standards with a MKV cylinder and barrel installed, its still a perscribed antique. I shoot 45 Acp factory ammo in it once in awhile with no ill effects but its a upgraded gun, it also handles all the factory 455 ammo as its got two cylinders.
Yes webleys are great but there top break action is there weak point.
Lots of guys shoot standard target loaded 45 acp with lead bullets in there antique webleys and ive never seen any pics or posts of Damage to there guns opn cgn. Tho i to advise people to reload there 45 acp to 5 grs of unique with a lead bullet.
That picture Wally posted is not a antique webley but a modern MKVI webley theres very few pics of webleys blowin up lets face it you can blow up any gun if you want to with poor reloading practices tho i think that gun was blowin up with some fancy hot factory loaded ammo that got mixed in with regular ammo, The story on that blowin up gun is not very clear what really happened.
How hot could you load one of the 45 ACP Webleys? I wonder if you could use 45-08 loads in it? They look pretty sturdy handguns, are they as strong as a modern 1911 style pistol?
I have very little knowledge of the Webleys strength, so maybe it's totally out to lunch?
Some people have shot full power .45acp ammo in the Webley MkI and MKII service revolvers with no mishaps, but there have also been a few that have let go as shown in the pics on the previous posts.
I have seen quite a few MkI/II revolvers modified for .45acp that have been shoot loose - frame hinges and latches are sloppy. The steel in the old webley frames is soft enough that full power .45acp loads distorts them in time. It is possible to tighten up loose hinges and resurrect the old pistols but better to not go there in the first place.
The MKI/II/III webley service revolvers were designed for for the webley .455, which was/is loaded to about 12,000 psi. Factory .45acp is usually loaded to approx 17,000 - 18,000 psi. 50% overload is a bit much, I think.
IMO, you need to download the .45 acp load to .455 webley levels, which will still give decent performance - a 260 gr slug travelling at 650-700 fps is pretty effective. Lighter bullets work good in some of the old webleys and it is possible to push them faster.
Keep an eye out for an 1873 or 1874 French service revolver. They will run you around $1000 for one in nice shape.
They look damn cool and you can buy reloading cases, kit, and bullets out of France for about 200-250 all in. The 1892 looks way too Inspector Clouseau like IMHO!
Here is the dealer pic of the one I bought.
I am now looking for a cowboy style antique rig that I can shoot. While I have some restricted revolvers, my end state is to get rid of them and go all antique less a couple of NR rifles.
They look damn cool and you can buy reloading cases, kit, and bullets out of France for about 200-250 all in. The 1892 looks way too Inspector Clouseau like IMHO!
Here is the dealer pic of the one I bought.
I am now looking for a cowboy style antique rig that I can shoot. While I have some restricted revolvers, my end state is to get rid of them and go all antique less a couple of NR rifles.
Thanks, that is what I was wondering about. They look like sturdy guns, but the strength of the steel is really the important thing.
