Load for Webley MK2 Revolver

Becks357

CGN Regular
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Location
Northern B.C
Looking for a load for this antique revolver.


The gun is shaved to accept 45 AR brass. I am planning to use a 255grs Missouri bullet. (that is all I have on hand at the moment)
I do have some Unique as well as some Blue Dot left.
Naturally I'd like to stay within the 550-650 fps range.

I am also interested in a decent blk powder load

Thanks

Cheers
 
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The Webley Mk II came out in 1895 - the .455 cordite loading came out in 1897 (IAW Wikipedia) - which means your Webley was made for black powder. Proceed with extreme caution if you're really going to use smokeless in it...

I've not used Unique or Blue Dot in my Mk VI; I used Unique in my .45 ACP, 3.7 gr was pretty variable for velocity (548 - 617 fps) and a bit smoky, but accurate. 4.0 gr Unique gave me 5 shots, 4 of them within 10 fps of each other and all under 600 fps, this may be a good load. The Mk VI loves 255gr lead bullets; LSWC is all I load in .455 brass.

The powder I used most for the Mk VI is Trail Boss, which it says on the bottle was formulated for low-velocity lead loads; 3.2 gr with a 255gr LSWC gave ~600 fps (remembering my barrel is 2" longer, they should be slower in yours). I went as low as 2.9 gr Trail Boss, but I do not recommend using that little powder - I had extreme variability of velocity (371 - 598 fps) with that load. Trail Boss is also dirty and smoky, that's a problem you'll be stuck with because the flash gap bleeds pressure so it's not easy to get all the powder to ignite.

My primo-ultra-accuracy .45 load is 3.6 gr Vihtavuori N310, loaded in .45 ACP cases with 200gr LSWC's (I have both the original .455 cylinder and a spare cut-down cylinder for .45 ACP / moon clips) but this is likely dangerously warm for your Mk II. I shot this load in the Mk VI and it left powder granules in the cylinder - I'd have to recommend staying away from VV N310, again, not enough pressure to ignite it all.

- and the bad news? - it's not an "antique", because ammunition is still commercially available for it... :(
 
- and the bad news? - it's not an "antique", because ammunition is still commercially available for it...
Really? I would suggest that this may well be an antique depending on the model. It is listed in the FRT as an antique under Webley Mk II see FRT 23368
3 45 AUTO 6 102 Non-Commercial Customization Antique AFR, Section 1, para. 7
1 455 REV 6 102 Manufacturer Specifications and Commercial Customization Antique AFR, Section 1, para. 7
2 455 REV 6 152 Manufacturer Specifications and Commercial Customization Antique AFR, Section 1, para. 7
..Even the Mark II** s are classified as antique
dB
 
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Really? I would suggest that this may well be an antique depending on the model. It is listed in the FRT as an antique under Webley Mk II see FRT 23368
3 45 AUTO 6 102 Non-Commercial Customization Antique AFR, Section 1, para. 7
1 455 REV 6 102 Manufacturer Specifications and Commercial Customization Antique AFR, Section 1, para. 7
2 455 REV 6 152 Manufacturer Specifications and Commercial Customization Antique AFR, Section 1, para. 7
..Even the Mark II** s are classified as antique
dB

that "commercially available" hasn't been valid since (I think) 1998.
 
that "commercially available" hasn't been valid since (I think) 1998.

It was NEVER valid. It was printed in a brochure that was mass-mailed out prior to the change in the laws, giving folks a heads-up as to what changes were being made, but was never included in the laws when they actually got written.

gwesson,

Read the stickies in the Antiques and Black Powder sub-forum, and follow the link to the actual Law.

Cheers
Trev
 
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