Help identifying revolver, please

358Rooster

358Rooster

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Central Saskatchewan
Hey guys, I'd like some help identifying a revolver that my father found 50+ years ago in the farm yard where he grew up. I really know nothing about handguns and it would be interesting to know what this gun is and to speculate about how it got there and who may have discarded it. We've been thinking it's some sort of service revolver - strictly because of the ring on the handle. As I said, I know nothing:)
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I think it has to be a .38, as barrel and cylinder bore measurements are around that .36" range. There are no distinguishable marks / stamps at all, due to the corrosion.

Any insight any of you may have is appreciated. Also, I would like to see pictures of what this gun looked like in good condition - this would tickle dad to no end.

Thanks much!
Rooster
 
Looks like a little belgian .380 from the 1870's, i could be way off but thats just off the top of my head.

I would post this in the antique forum and you will get more results.
 
Bam! That looks like it, those are expensive guns even back then. Har to beleive somebody would just leave it there. Mabye they were in a gunfight an it went south for them haha !
 
Huh! Cool! That looks pretty much dead on! Thanks guys! Just did a quick Wikipedia read and if I remember correctly, production was ~1878 to ~1914? The farm is southwest a ways from Saskatoon, so I can't imagine too much OK Corral kind of stuff happening out there but I guess you never know. More likely a drunken Limey immigrant farmer just lost it when he fell off his horse on the way home!;)

Thanks guys, this is great!
Rooster
 
Pancake81 said:
Def a Bulldog. Neat conversation piece
Click to expand...

No kidding. And that's exactly what it's been since my dad was 15 or 16. I remember playing with it when I was a kid and I'd forgotten about it for many years. I was at the farm last weekend with my daughter and she picked it off a shelf where mom has a bunch of other old stuff like tabacco tins, spurs, and arrow heads & such, and asked, "dad, what kind of gun is this?" After hearing the story again from the old boy, I thought I'd quiz you guys. Glad I did! Many thanks - this will make dad's day!

It's even a bit more interesting now, as my grandfather came over from England by himself when he was 15 years old, in 1914. I guess he was a nasty trouble maker and his folks punted him and told him to go find his older brothers who came over several years earlier. Apparently, he roamed around the northeastern U.S and got into a pile of trouble in Chicago before coming up to be with his brothers in Sk. Maybe the old bugger had more than just the Webley in the dirt and wasn't talkin'!;) Maybe I've been watching too much CSI.....

Pretty hard to feature being 15 and going overseas by yourself, huh? Especially since I know of a lot of 20+ year olds still living at home. Those old boys were tough! Anyway, thanks again guys!

Rooster
 
Thank you Mr. Wyatt for your valuable input - are you referring to the spurs?;)

Brutus; I don't think it's possible for it to be a .455, considering the bores (where I could access with calipers) measure in the .36" range. This gun is also a 6-shot and from some of the reading I've done, I think the larger caliber models were 5-shot. Maybe only some of them?

I posted this also in the antiques section and a fellow Nutter felt that this gun appears to be a Webley New Model RIC. Using the Googling machine, yes, they do look remarkably comparable. Especially the tang - it's shape looks to be closer to the RIC. The only difference I can see is the length of the trigger guard on mine does not extend fully to the front of the frame like the pictures I've seen of the RIC. I haven't read anything yet, however, that states the RIC's were made in a .38. Interesting.......

At any rate, I'm just happy to have some reference for it. Thanks to all!
 
Update (for anyone interested) from posting in the antiques section: CGNer Southlander I think has nailed it with Webley No. 5 which, accordiing to Southlander is a small version of an RIC. Thanks to all who contributed!
 
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