Webley .45 autorim loads.
- Thread starter sovereignright
- Start date
quoted from "762mm"
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It been converted to shoot .45 ACP? Webleys didn't come in .45 ACP or Auto-Rim. Webley's came in .455 Webley, et al. Used a different bullet diameter than the ACP. .454" vs the .451" of the ACP/Autorim.
In any case, the .45 Auto-Rim is literally a rimmed ACP made for revolvers chambered in the ACP. There's Autorim data on Handloads.com.
In any case, the .45 Auto-Rim is literally a rimmed ACP made for revolvers chambered in the ACP. There's Autorim data on Handloads.com.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
I've just recently acquired a Webley, a Mark VI in 455 Webley.
As has been mentioned, it's highly unlikely yours is 45 Auto Rim, unless of course someone has it "bubba'd" and that wouldn't be a good move because of the difference in bullet diameter.
I'm just starting in to reloading for mine and have just lately picked up, through a guy on this site, some 455 Webley brass made by Hornady. The bullet I'm using I get from a local guy. It's 260gr and looks very much like the Lyman # 457196 in the scan below, top right.
For load info and the bullet scan above I got from an old 1st Edition of the Lyman Book of Cast Bullets. I'm going to try and come up with some loads using Trail Boss,
when I get the time.
As has been mentioned, it's highly unlikely yours is 45 Auto Rim, unless of course someone has it "bubba'd" and that wouldn't be a good move because of the difference in bullet diameter.
I'm just starting in to reloading for mine and have just lately picked up, through a guy on this site, some 455 Webley brass made by Hornady. The bullet I'm using I get from a local guy. It's 260gr and looks very much like the Lyman # 457196 in the scan below, top right.
For load info and the bullet scan above I got from an old 1st Edition of the Lyman Book of Cast Bullets. I'm going to try and come up with some loads using Trail Boss,
when I get the time.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Thanks. My knowledge of and experience with the Webley revolver is very limited at best. However, there are a couple of 'things' I'd suggest keeping in mind when it comes to shooting yours. If yours is chambered for 45 Autorim, I'd watch the strength of the reloads you use. As I understand it, the earlier production Webleys don't have the same metallurgy as the later models. Some of the 'warmer' autorim and 45 ACP loads may be a little much for it. Might be a good idea to have a gunsmith give it a once over. Another consideration may be to use a softer lead hollow base bullet 0.454" diameter.
Well, I'll be darned, so did I. There were two on the EE about a month ago; maybe I got the other one
Mine is a 1917 military issue in the original .455 calibre. Henry N. should have some dies for me this week.
Lovely old things. Quite possibly either or both of my grandfathers carried one in WWI.
I'm no expert ont hem either, but from what I've read, standard .45 ACP-level loads are not a good idea. They run about 19,000 psi and the Webley was designed for about 13,000. I've ordered Ian Skennerton's book on the Webley revolvers. Should have it in a week or so.
Stuart
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Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
Well, I'll be darned, so did I. There were two on the EE about a month ago; maybe I got the other one
Mine is a 1917 military issue in the original .455 calibre. Henry N. should have some dies for me this week.
Lovely old things. Quite possibly either or both of my grandfathers carried one in WWI.
I'm no expert ont hem either, but from what I've read, standard .45 ACP-level loads are not a good idea. They run about 19,ooo psi and the Webley was designed for about 13,000. I've ordered Ian Skennerton's book on the Webley revolvers. Should have it in a week or so.
NICE!! It looks like the twin to mine. Mine came up in the estate of a shooting buddy that passed away recently.
Everyone with interests in handguns should have a Webley at some point in time. With that in mind when the family offered it to me I decided the time to purchase one was now. There was a set of RCBS dies with it and I got my 'supply' of brass from Henry N. As I mentioned previously, I get my 260gr RNHB bullets from a friend locally. I have three exploded views, parts lists and assembly/disassembly info sheets. PM me if you're interested and I could e-mail them to you, or, post here.There was a thread on the subject of antique status somewhere on CGN, possibly in the Blackpowder & Antiques section, but I don't think so, alas. I think it has to be before 1898 and not a cartridge revolver.
StuartI'm picking up my dies etc. from Henry N. later today. In the meantime I've been doing more reading on the Webley, having just got Ian Skennerton's volume on the Mk.VI. (Small Arms Identification Series Nº9). One surprise was that these have the old Metford rifling (Skennerton, pg.17).
I was hoping to at least try my standard .45 cast bullets from Bullet Barn as I had read that some folks had shot similar slugs successfully. (However, I've also read that some folks have repeatedly put standard .45 ACP loads through theirs without incident, much against the advice of many more experienced Webley shooters, GrantR on CGN being one of them) However, while taking the old girl apart for cleaning a few minutes ago, I decided to measure the cylinder mouths and they miked at .445. I'm feeling reluctant to push a .452 hard-cast slug through that in a 90+ year-old revolver.
Stuart
I was hoping to at least try my standard .45 cast bullets from Bullet Barn as I had read that some folks had shot similar slugs successfully. (However, I've also read that some folks have repeatedly put standard .45 ACP loads through theirs without incident, much against the advice of many more experienced Webley shooters, GrantR on CGN being one of them) However, while taking the old girl apart for cleaning a few minutes ago, I decided to measure the cylinder mouths and they miked at .445. I'm feeling reluctant to push a .452 hard-cast slug through that in a 90+ year-old revolver.
Stuart
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I'm going to wait until I get some proper bullets, just to be on the safe side.
This morning I got the old girl reassembled and re-lubricated after soaking all the bits in mineral spirits and giving them a good scrubbing. I also discovered a couple more proof marks on the frame of the butt.
I also discovered in Skennerton that there was a padded shield designed to fit over the hammer for "drill purposes", possibly meaning dry firing. I can probably make one. The accessory bayonet and Prideaux speedloader are beyond me, though, both mechanincally and financially, even if I were ever to find either one.
StuartIt turns out that I was correct about that - as regards your Mk I revolver - but I think I suggested that "Webleys were Metford-rifled" based on reading Skennerton incorrectly (I don't have it at hand at the moment). The Metford rifling was replaced by Enfield rifling sometime after they switched to Cordite, as the new smokeless powder eroded the shallow rifling quickly. There is an interesting article on Webleys at:
www.imssu.org/articles/Webley 455.pdf.
and a diagramme showing both rifling designs (from the original armourer's drawings by the look of it) here:
www.martinihenry.com/images2/enfieldmetford.jpg
Given that, I'd think you'd want to shoot black powder only in yours, or possibly an equivalent such as Pyrodex, but it would be wise to check if Pyrodex is safe with the old rifling. I beleive GrantR here on CGN is something of a Webley expert. Maybe send him a PM.
Stuart
Mk1 rifling looks like the image in 1st column 2nd row.
Blimey! Exam time for CGN'ers: Identify these rifling types and give examples...
I'd be interested to know where you got the diagramme, too. Might be very useful.
I'm pretty sure that the rifling in Row 2, Column 1 is Metford. I think the polygonal one below it is Whitworth, used in the famous Whitworth target rifles in the mid-19th c. The only other one that I'd be willling to guess is the one at the end of Row 2, which looks like the belted bore used in the infamous Brunswick Rifle (hard to load and excessive recoil, apparently) from the 1830's, which used a belted bullet, although it may have had only two grooves.
Stuart
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