Webley Goverment Dates
- Thread starter CMichaud
- Start date
As Dingus mentioned all actual 1889 WGs are antique despite serial # as they were superseded by 1892 WG Army models(you guessed it in 1892). Most characteristic feature of 1989 WGs is their church steeple cylinders which were replaced by the more conventional fluted cylinder in 1893. The WG Army had other subtle changes in cylinders, butt in 1892, 1894, 1896. WG targets revolvers with 7 1/2 inch barrels did not show up until 1896.
Apparently according to Bruce-Reinhardt the last WG Army 1896 model had an observed serial number range betweens 10306 to 22126(until 1904 I beleive). Actual Army & Navy CSL ledgers would general suggest a serial approximately under 12,000 as pre 1898, my 9### serial WG dates to 1896 per these records.
With the above in mind I parodoxically saw a RCMP lettered WG Army in the 14,000 range about a year back on EE, so I am not sure what reference source the RCMP techs are using if any at all.
All natural calibers for the WG(i.e. .450, 455,476 ) are ok with Canadian antique laws, unless someone actually stamped something stupid like 45LC on the barrel. 45LC may actually fit many WGs but they were never factory chambered/marked for these illicits rounds so you are generally good to go with any WG iteration based on caliber.
Apparently according to Bruce-Reinhardt the last WG Army 1896 model had an observed serial number range betweens 10306 to 22126(until 1904 I beleive). Actual Army & Navy CSL ledgers would general suggest a serial approximately under 12,000 as pre 1898, my 9### serial WG dates to 1896 per these records.
With the above in mind I parodoxically saw a RCMP lettered WG Army in the 14,000 range about a year back on EE, so I am not sure what reference source the RCMP techs are using if any at all.
All natural calibers for the WG(i.e. .450, 455,476 ) are ok with Canadian antique laws, unless someone actually stamped something stupid like 45LC on the barrel. 45LC may actually fit many WGs but they were never factory chambered/marked for these illicits rounds so you are generally good to go with any WG iteration based on caliber.
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As Dingus mentioned all actual 1889 WGs are antique despite serial # as they were superseded by 1892 WG Army models(you guessed it in 1892). Most characteristic feature of 1989 WGs is their church steeple cylinders which were replaced by the more conventional fluted cylinder in 1893. The WG Army had other subtle changes in cylinders, butt in 1892, 1894, 1896. WG targets revolvers with 7 1/2 inch barrels did not show up until 1896.
Apparently according to Bruce-Reinhardt the last WG Army 1896 model had an observed serial number range betweens 10306 to 22126(until 1904 I beleive). Actual Army & Navy CSL ledgers would general suggest a serial approximately under 12,000 as pre 1898, my 9### serial WG dates to 1896 per these records.
With the above in mind I parodoxically saw a RCMP lettered WG Army in the 14,000 range about a year back on EE, so I am not sure what reference source the RCMP techs are using if any at all.
All natural calibers for the WG(i.e. .450, 455,476 ) are ok with Canadian antique laws, unless someone actually stamped something stupid like 45LC on the barrel. 45LC may actually fit many WGs but they were never factory chambered/marked for these illicits rounds so you are generally good to go with any WG iteration based on caliber.
Those are sales records.
I would suggest that actual production serial numbers below 1898 are above 14,000, maybe even all of the series, just like the S&W model 3.
Those are sales records.
I would suggest that actual production serial numbers below 1898 are above 14,000, maybe even all of the series, just like the S&W model 3.
Yes i agree with this ^ Alot of people base the WG manufacture from the CSL army and Navy sales records. tho they are helpfull in alot of ways they do not date when a gun was made.
So its always worth it to call CFC if you have a WG Army thats registered some higher than 14000 have been deregistered the ones with P webley and son on the barrel tops.
Those are sales records.
I would suggest that actual production serial numbers below 1898 are above 14,000, maybe even all of the series, just like the S&W model 3.
Unfortunately the ANCSL records are probably as good as it get. I am not aware of any Webley manufacturing records that have survived. I certainly could be very wrong and by all means I am not complaing, the more WGs availale to us the better.
I am afraid not very much info is available for pre 1900 WGs, I have already been down this English country road with Richard Milner from the UK. Mr Milner has access to the surviving W&S records.
As a point of correction after reveiwing my old emails with him, he mentioned that the W&S records indicated that my 98XX serialled WG was actually manufactured in 1897 not 1896 as I previously mentioned in reference to ANCSL records. There were no other surviving details in the W&S records. Which again makes me question how any WG that is serialled much higher(let alone in 14,000+) could possibly be manufactured pre 1898. There is no evidence that they followed Smith and Wesson's manufacturing practices as with their model 3 revolver.
I wish that was the rule, but I don't think CFC see it that way. They strike me somewhat academic in their perspective
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Manufacture of the frames is what maters not when a worker stuck all the peices together to make a gun in the factory for shipping to CSL.
Alot of the Frames were made prior to asembley of the firearms as well as barrels.
anyway im going by what im told if the rcmp want to deregister some more WGs then im all for that, and there doing it.
Theres a Comercial webley MKIV thats MK4 that a guy from Quebec got deregistered because he proved somehow it was made before dec 31 1897..
Go figger. some comercial models were made and sold sooner than the military models. that gun is still around with a rcmp letter the fellow was like a dog on a bone he got it deregistered on the Caliber markings 455/476 and that it was a comercial model MKIV.
Dont even get me going on the WG target Models we can get them deregisterd to way up there because of some info most people have missed in the dowells book on the p webley and son ones.
Alot of the Frames were made prior to asembley of the firearms as well as barrels.
anyway im going by what im told if the rcmp want to deregister some more WGs then im all for that, and there doing it.
Theres a Comercial webley MKIV thats MK4 that a guy from Quebec got deregistered because he proved somehow it was made before dec 31 1897..
Go figger. some comercial models were made and sold sooner than the military models. that gun is still around with a rcmp letter the fellow was like a dog on a bone he got it deregistered on the Caliber markings 455/476 and that it was a comercial model MKIV.
Dont even get me going on the WG target Models
we can get them deregisterd to way up there because of some info most people have missed in the dowells book on the p webley and son ones.
