Loki 81, I'm computer challenged and have never been able to post pics.
It's a very nice 90% Webley Mark III, commercial. Nickle plated and all matching. It does have a few tiny pits on the finish but very minimal. Even nickle plate can't stand up to over 30 years in a holster. The fellow that originally had it, cut the holster away from the pistol.
It is stamped .455/.476 on the left barrel flat and has the Webley patent mark. It is also stamped with a winged, hollow base bullet diagram. I was told this is the reccomended bullet form and will shoot well in the pistol. I knew that set of hollow based molds I picke out of the used bin at the local gun shop would come in handy some day.
I was lucky enough to get a picture out of the ledger from the Army & Navy Collective Society. It shows the date the pistol was sold, Aug 1897, and to who it was originally sold to.
I had tried previously, as had others to get this pistols reclassified. The people at the CFC were very polite but said they had no access to records and went by sales records. OK.
They're right, the records of Webley, before 1900, seem to have disappeared.
Thank goodness there is a fellow in the US, that has the records of sale from the A&NCS.
The CFC is familiar with him and his information is considered reliable as his records are proven bona fide.
John, is also well respected with the people at the CFC. He took the pics and information I gave him and convinced them the pistol was built before 1898.
Even in Australia, the UK and most of Europe, the Mark III Webleys are all lumped into one group and are considered Antiques. In Canada, we are limited by manufacturers dates.
John did me a real favor with this. He did it for the best of reasons as well. He certainly has my appreciation and respect.
Props to John for your work helping out a fellow shooter.
