Webley RIC Model 83 Info

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Derv

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Are there any Webley solid frame experts out there? I'm curious about serial numbers and year of manufacture for the Webley RIC Model 83 in .455 and can't seem to find a database. Also, does anyone know when they changed from the steeple/church cylinder flutes to the rounded ones?

As far as I know, these guns started in 1883 and were still being sold into the late 1920's.
 
Webley assembled complete solid frame guns into the 1930's but all the frames were made for them pre 1888. Making all their solid frame guns antique if that is what you are wondering.

Cheers
Moe
 
Moe said:
Webley assembled complete solid frame guns into the 1930's but all the frames were made for them pre 1888. Making all their solid frame guns antique if that is what you are wondering.

Cheers
Moe
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Thank you! I did not know that. Kind of like the S&W DA frames.

This one is a confirmed antique. Just curious about the actual date because it has the steeple fluted cylinder. From my searches, I haven’t found much on that. It is marked “George Gibbs Gunmaker, 29 Corn St Bristol” on the top. I can find a source that says that address was used until 1880 and another source that says 1890. It only makes sense if the address was used until 1890 for a gun that started in 1883.
 
snurge said:
They would randomly use up parts left over when new orders came.
So it could have been any time
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So the steeple/church flutes could have kept on going as old stock? That’s the main thing I’m looking for. It seems like most Model 83’s had regular flutes on the cylinder. Hard to find info on the steeple flutes. I was hoping they would be a help narrowing down the era.
 
Moe said:
Webley assembled complete solid frame guns into the 1930's but all the frames were made for them pre 1888. Making all their solid frame guns antique if that is what you are wondering.

Cheers
Moe
Click to expand...


FWIW the FRT disagrees with this and lists production into the 1930's.
 
Moe said:
Correct yet the frames were all produced before 1888.

Cheers
Moe
Click to expand...

Hi Moe, do you have a reference for that by chance? I know a guy that has a Webley RIC No1 in 442 that is marked TPF for Toronto Police Force. Right now it is registered as a 12.6. From what he's found, the TPF acquired the guns around or after 1910, but they were made from old stock parts. I have found the FRT that mentions TPF marked guns and it says the status is antique. He is preparing to send in pics and info to hopefully have it de-registered, so any references on frame production dates would help.
 
Moe said:
Webley assembled complete solid frame guns into the 1930's but all the frames were made for them pre 1888. Making all their solid frame guns antique if that is what you are wondering.

Cheers
Moe
Click to expand...

Actually, Webley bought no solid frames after 1893. That's from Richard Milner (http://www.armsresearch.co.uk). All Webley solid-frame revolvers are antique, no matter when they were assembled.
 
Derv said:
Are there any Webley solid frame experts out there? I'm curious about serial numbers and year of manufacture for the Webley RIC Model 83 in .455 and can't seem to find a database. Also, does anyone know when they changed from the steeple/church cylinder flutes to the rounded ones?

As far as I know, these guns started in 1883 and were still being sold into the late 1920's.
Click to expand...

The church steeple flutes were made in the middle of production. Michaud's book lists No. 61591 with rounded flutes, 62255 with church steeple, 68699 round again, and then back to church steeples , 72033 and 77093. It would seem they stopped the church steeples once they got into the 100###'s. Stoeckel lists George Gibbs at 29 Corn Street as of 1860. His son George C. Gibbs took over the firm in 1884.
 
Old Guns Canada said:
The church steeple flutes were made in the middle of production. Michaud's book lists No. 61591 with rounded flutes, 62255 with church steeple, 68699 round again, and then back to church steeples , 72033 and 77093. It would seem they stopped the church steeples once they got into the 100###'s. Stoeckel lists George Gibbs at 29 Corn Street as of 1860. His son George C. Gibbs took over the firm in 1884.
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Thanks Chris. This one is 62111 with steeple flutes.

After I started this thread, I have been asked for some advice from a fellow Webley owner that has a RIC No1 in 442 that is stamped TPF for Toronto Police Force. As it is now, it is still registered as a 12.6 and he wants to deregister it as it should be antique status. Do you have any advice for him? I have provided him with the FRT that mentions the TFP stamp as well as examples at auction that are antique status. I have also given him the RCMP email address from my own experience trying to deregister an old Colt.

Any help is appreciated.

I have bought a S&W DA and a Colt 1878 from you and am very happy with both.
 
I have never tried to de-register a gun but I can tell you the TPF Webley RIC is an antique. I have had several of them over the years, and never had an issue with RCMP.
 
Lots of great answers here. I want to back up what MOE wrote: all solid-frame Webley revolvers were indeed manufactured before the 1898 cut-off (the sales date is irrelevant).

That said, this is all still a matter of official interpretation, as we know. I've found the official RCMP firearms reference team to be incredibly helpful. You can find their email address online. But succinct and courteous, provide all the details of the firearm (including a photo or link to the item), and ask them to confirm "antique eligibility" (because without seeing the actual revolver, they can't provide definitive confirmation). The response typically comes in less than a week and is very handy to have (I use it for importing).
 
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