Webley Mark VI bits needed...and a little tech info

Dark Alley Dan

Dark Alley Dan

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
87   0   0
Location
Darkest Edmonton
Hey, folks.

A friend of mine has come into possession of a Webley Mk VI that's seen some use and no small amount of neglect. I'm cleaning it up for him, and have encountered a problem or two:

1) The barrel latch spring acts like it has some sort of grudge against me. The damn thing won't compress enough to allow reinstallation of the latch. Is this normal? Are the damn things sprung this heavy from the factory? It took two men and a small boy to get the damn latch to operate before I tore the pistol down. I assumed this was due to years of accumulated scunge. Now it looks like it's this great bloody twangy spring. It appears to be factory, but it shouldn't be this hard to get open, should it?

2) The trigger guard screws are rough - one is compleyely buggered, and the other is some hardware store sum##### that's been chopped to length and screwed in. Anyone know of a pair available somewhere?

3) Serial number is 477### - any ideas re: birthdate?

4) The pistol itself is very, very tight - My buddy looks forward to shooting it once we've worked up some loads. I have access to brass. Any ideas re: bullets? The pix I've seen show a weird looking long-peaked thing, looks like a lil' lead witch's hat. Is there a commercially available alternative?

Thanks for your input, fellows. It's much appreciated.

Dan
 
Last edited:
Usually, the year of manufacture is stamped on these interesting, British revolvers. I have filed enough metal away from the cylinder so it allows me to use 45 ACP cartridges on half and full moon clips, because the .455 ammo is very hard to come by.

Try "Gun Parts Corporation" (used be called Numrich Arms) in West Hurley, New York State for screws and parts for the Webley Mk IV.

Phone : (914) 679-2417

Just found their webside address: www.e-gunparts.com

You will find a complete drawings of all the parts you need for the Webley revolvers.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, guys. That solves the guard screws (assuming Numrich ever gets 'em in - I'll check w/ Western Gun Parts and see if I get luckier) and the loads.

The only date I'm seeing is the patent date (1918) on the lower port side of the receiver. That doesn't seem like it... does ayone know of a list of serials tied to production dates?

How about the cylinder latch spring? I have the dang thing back together (having squeezed the spring with padded pliers) and that spring is still an absolute hernia maker. Should it be that tough?

Thanks,

Dan
 
The Numrich Arms did manufacture new cylinder latch springs for the Webley and Enfield revolvers, twenty years ago, when I got a new one for my .38 Enfield revolver. It still works.

Also, the Italian ammo maker, "Fiochi". did at one point produce, expensive, loaded .455 Webley ammo.

I also believe that the Australian maker of obsolete catridge cases, "Bertram", also produces new .455 cases. Often, these new cases needs to be annealed before use.

Alternativly, you can trim .45 ACP Auto Rim to .045" rim thickness and easily duplicate the .455 cases. The .45 long Colt cases can also be trimmed at both end to function as .455 cases. Then you only need the .45 ACP reloading dies to shoot your historical revolver, and thus comletely avoid to permanently file down your Webley revolver cylinder to accept .45 ACP and .45 ACP Auto Rim ammo.
 
Hornady made a run of .455 MkII brass and ammo for Graf & Sons. There is a distributor for Graf in BC somewhere, it is on Graf and Sons website.
The "patent date" is likely the actual manufacture date. MkVIs were made from about 1916 to 1919 but I'm going on memory here so don't rely on those numbers.
Webley's don't have forcing cones on the barrel instead they use an undersize chamber ( ususally .452) and the bullet has to slug up to bore diameter. My Mk VIs shoot better with hollow based bullets.
The Webley's proof pressure is close to the same as the .45ACP operating pressure so I wouldn't reccomend using .45ACP data for loading. Also the Webley cylinder is made of unhardened mild steel so it is easy to bulge a cylinder.
M39a2 from this board knows a lot more about Webleys than I do and he is in Edmonton.
 
Do a search for Wolff Gun springs, go to revolvers. the latch springs for both the .455 and .380 revolvers are listed.
Now horror of horrors, shaving a cylinder for .45ACP was MEAN!
In addition to Graf's, www.buffaloarms.com sells .455 brass made from .45LC cases. Lee makes the lowest price .455 dies.
RCBS does make a mould for the Webley bullet but it is high priced. .45 lead bullets should obdurate much better than .FMJ 45ACP.
A good starting load taken from an OLD Lyman handbook lists 5 grains of Unique. for the 265gr bullet. Thats pretty close to the factory specs of 620FPS .
 
I have good supply of .45 Auto Rim for use in my Webley # IV. However I also like the speed of using half and full moon clips in the Webley.
 
Thanks for the help, guys. I'm OK for brass, and the advice here for bullets makes sense.

The spring question remains - how much bloody force should one have to apply to get one of these open? I'm beginning to wonder if this piece has a replacement spriing and it's wrong somehow. How hard is it to open? Leaves a bruise on the pad of your thumb, that's how hard.

Any ideas?

Dan
 
The springs on all the webleys i've handled are very hard to open, but not to bruising. Maybe the latch is over tightened??? I'll take a look at my Mark VI tonight.

Shooting it for fun I've used modern cast .45 bullets meant for .45 ACP no problem.

The new brass I bought was quite dear, I think $30/50 but I didnt want to shoot all the old dominion factory ammo papa saved up.

For parts, you may be out of luck, I looked around for a couple of years for screws without much luck.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom