Can 455 Webley mirror 45 AR?

[tokguy]

I've a S & W 2nd model and a Colt New Service...both in 455. Marked Eley on the Colt and Webley on the Smith.
Seems like Webley fodder is typically loaded down to ensure that it doesn't grenade the actual Webley hinged pistols.
Is there any reason not to run it stronger in the Smith and Colt?
They are up to 45 AR loadings in these wheel guns. Supposing I wanted to shoot some plates...how brisk has anyone loaded Mark 2 cased 455 before?

 

[DaveF]

Years ago I used to load new made M&S .455Mk.II brass with 6.0gr. of Unique under .454" sized Lyman's 454190 250gr. and oversized 4524424 255gr. bullets for use in a couple of S&W 2nd. model H/Es with no problems. That load was taken from an old British reloading magazine, and was as brisk as I went.
Lyman's 41st. Edition book from 1957 shows that as a maximum load for .455 in .885" Mk.I brass, but recommended reducing it by one grain for the shorter Mk.II brass.
That Lyman book also lists maximum .45AR loads of 7.0gr. of Unique with Lyman 452423 245gr. bullet, and 7.5gr. with a 230gr. jacketed.

 

[Lonesome Donkey]

I have no experience using the Mark II cases, just the Dominion .455 Colt balloon head cases.
The .455 Colt is equivalent to the Webley Mark I & Eley cartridge with an .890" case length, if I read rightly.
While the Mark II case is only .770" in length.
I used to load these with fairly soft Lyman 230 grain RN cast bullets and 5.9 grains of Unique.
The same load that I was using in my Colt 1911A1 back in the 70s.
Velocity in .45 ACP was probably around 800 FPS.
Used it regularly in a Colt New Service and in a Webley Mark IV.
The load was medium and would have run about 12000 CUP in .45ACP cases, according to my Lyman reloading manual, and probably less in the Dominion balloon head cases.
Never saw any signs of stress in the old Boer War break-open Webley, and the New Service was much stronger anyway.

 

[Lonesome Donkey]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQmDnvfm7Hs

This video on You Tube may be of interest to you.
Duelist1954 reloading Fiocchi .455 Webley Mark II cases for a Webley Mark VI.
* 255 LSWC Hard Cast Keith bullet .454"
* Heavy roll crimp
* 6.8 grains of Blue Dot
Only about 680 FPS average though.