Webley in .45 acp questions

canmic

canmic

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I'm interested in getting and shooting an antique handgun. I have and shoot several .45 acp pistols so I have a lot of .45 acp once-fired brass available. For this reason I'm thinking that a Webley converted to 45 acp might be the way to go. I also shoot a lot of 380 acp and I think there might be some 380 acp antiques out there? I'm hoping to avoid having to search for some obsolete calibre brass and/or bullets/molds and to be able to use brass and bullets that are more easily available, it would be great if I don't even have to reload every single time and can get commercial ammo without paying an arm and a leg but I can reload if that's the best option.

Questions:

Is an antique Webley Mk I or Mk II that was converted to .45 acp 100 years ago still an antique or does it become a restricted because it is a 45 acp?

Does modern 45 acp brass work in a Webley that was converted to 45 acp 100 years ago or is it different somehow?

Is modern 45 acp ammo ok to shoot in an antique 45 acp webley or is reloading with unjacketed lead bullets and light loads very important?

Is there a better option out there for me? (anything in 380 acp that is considered an antique?)

I think I've posted enough that it's obvious I'm not fishing but if anyone who can answer me is worried about the grabbers etc... you can always PM me the answers...

Thanks for any help anyone can give me!!
 
Is an antique Webley Mk I or Mk II that was converted to .45 acp 100 years ago still an antique or does it become a restricted because it is a 45 acp?
No. Still antique after that conversion.

Does modern 45 acp brass work in a Webley that was converted to 45 acp 100 years ago or is it different somehow?
Modern 45ACP brass will work just fine

Is modern 45 acp ammo ok to shoot in an antique 45 ACP Webley or is reloading with unjacketed lead bullets and light loads very important?
With any antiques you should shoot a reduced load. I would load at the minimum on the load data. 455 the original caliber of the Webley is a much lower pressure than 45 ACP. The MK6 were ably to handle 45 ACP better but with the older (even nitro proofed) MK1-3 I would stay lowest power reloads.

Is there a better option out there for me? (anything in 380 acp that is considered an antique?)
You could probably have the chambers of a number of 35 cal antiques converted to 380 like a Webley No.5 in 360CF.

If your really set on using factory ammo in an antique then an unaltered 455 Webley or a single action army in 38 or Colt 1889/1892 in 38 would be the best bet. If I were buying an antique today I would get a Webley in 45 ACP and just load at minimum powder by the charts.

Moe
 
Moe said:
If your really set on using factory ammo in an antique then an unaltered 455 Webley or a single action army in 38 or Colt 1889/1892 in 38 would be the best bet. If I were buying an antique today I would get a Webley in 45 ACP and just load at minimum powder by the charts.
Moe
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Thanks for your answers, super helpful.

I'm fine with reloading, I was just wondering if factory was ok. The fact that the brass is super-simple to get (I have 1000s of them) makes reloading the same as reloading for my 9mm's which I already do all the time anyway. Is there anything special about the bullets? Are the regular copper jacketed lead .45 ones ok or is it better to go with unjacketed lead ones? Similarly, is there a particular powder that is better for light loads for antiques? (I prefer some sort of smokeless over black powder for obvious reasons, is that ok?)

Once I make sure that my plan makes sense and is doable, I'll do the deep research into loads etc, I am just trying to make sure there isn't a fundamental reason why it's a bad idea before I spend hours and hours working out the details.

I thought that the 38s were all restricted because they were 38s? Is the SAA or Cold 1889/1892 still classified as antique even though it's in 38?

Can an unaltered mk I or mk II 455 webley shoot modern factory 455 ammo?
 
Canmic,

For the bullets, you need soft cast lead without jacket. You better recpect the original loading with thoes old grils. To know if your soft cast is soft enought scratch it with your thum nail. If you mark the metal it's ok. The best thing that worked for me with the webley MK1 is 230gr SWC sized .452 alloy 1 tin to 30 lead. Over 5gr of unique powder. You can also use Trailboss here you can see my load report to give you an idea http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...-TrailBoss-loads-report?highlight=Load+report

To know if a gun is antique in one or an other configuration, You should take a look at the antique law on the RCMP web site. Basicly there is a no go list of banned calibers. by exemple a colt 1892 in is original .38 colt is restricted but if it's modified with a cyl and a barrel that shoot .38 special ( witch is a caliber not in the no go list) it's antique.


The modern comercial .455 webley you can find on the market should respect the original loading of the old webley. But it's hard to find and also expensive.

I hope this will be helpfull !

Cheers,

Olivier
 
Ok so looking at the vendors on here, Jetbullets seems to have all the different types of Webley bullets (Mk I to MK V, the MK VI were jacketed) The Mk III looks like a nice projectile for "da bear out dere" for those times the 12g slug gun is out of reach
 
canmic said:
Ok so looking at the vendors on here, Jetbullets seems to have all the different types of Webley bullets (Mk I to MK V, the MK VI were jacketed) The Mk III looks like a nice projectile for "da bear out dere" for those times the 12g slug gun is out of reach
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user "jethunter" sells quality lead bullets already lubed and good to go. Around $40 per hundred I think...
 
What I don't like about the .45acp converted Webleys is, at some time in the past, some owner (probably south of the border) has probably fired the gun with full powered, full jacketed 230 grain .45acp ammo. It chambered and worked, and they didn't have access to much info about the Webleys. They look beefy and strong, right?

That is beyond proof load for .455 Webley and will put inordinate strain on that design and metallurgy. (black powder Webley)
 
cantom said:
What I don't like about the .45acp converted Webleys is, at some time in the past, some owner (probably south of the border) has probably fired the gun with full powered, full jacketed 230 grain .45acp ammo. It chambered and worked, and they didn't have access to much info about the Webleys. They look beefy and strong, right?

That is beyond proof load for .455 Webley and will put inordinate strain on that design and metallurgy. (black powder Webley)
Click to expand...

The easiest way to tell if these revolvers were used with 45acp full power jacketed bullets is to look at the rifling and hinge. If the lands are rounded off and worn and the frame hinge is loose, then it probably saw a good number of full power jacketed cartridges. Loose hinges can be repaired but when the rifling is gone - it's gone. If there is still some lands left then very soft bullets can still work.

Considering the many thousands of revolvers that were converted to 45acp, very few have "gone boom" despite being abused. Shooting any antique is an act of faith, considering we don't know the history and can't say for certain what degree of abuse or neglect it has been exposed to by multiple owners over many lifetimes.
 
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