The Yin & Yang of revolvers Webley VI & Smith & Wesson lady Smith

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If someone were to take that Webley, add a muzzle length underlug, fit a new ramp style front sight, inlet an adjustable rear sight, fit up some walnut grips and modify that cylinder to take .45 ACP....................:rofl::rofl::rofl: :evil:

Bob Wright
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
Nice score!

I had a Rossi Princess, which was a copy of the Ladysmith. It was a super neat concept, but the zamac frame exhibited severe flame cutting after only a few rounds.:(

I always thought a steel framed verson would have been awesome.......
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Flame cutting is when the hot gas exiting the cylinder/ barrel gap erodes the topstrap. This can be the result of super-hot ammo, excessive gap, poor heat-treatment of the frame material, or simply bad engineering.

In the case of the Princess, it was the latter....
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
Flame cutting is when the hot gas exiting the cylinder/ barrel gap erodes the topstrap. This can be the result of super-hot ammo, excessive gap, poor heat-treatment of the frame material, or simply bad engineering.

In the case of the Princess, it was the latter....
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I am not trying to spike the ball so to speak with your problem, but can you share a photo of what this damage may look like... Thanks for taking the time to respond...
BobWright said:
If someone were to take that Webley, add a muzzle length underlug, fit a new ramp style front sight, inlet an adjustable rear sight, fit up some walnut grips and modify that cylinder to take .45 ACP....................:rofl::rofl::rofl: :evil:

Bob Wright
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Would not be to hard to make the cylinder take 45 acp.. I have moon clips and a grinder... Ouch
 
indy1919a4 said:
Very reasonable 500 at auction.. To be fair the Auctioneer did not bring this fact to the audience attention. And it is questionable if many in the crowd would really care.. But you can never tell..
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Wow! You got a screaming deal for $500. From what I understand, a lot of people would be willing to pay almost that much for just the unshaven cylinder it's self. They just dont come up for sale often at all.

I had to get a hold of a machined spacer for my Mk.VI which was unfortunately shaved though is in excellent condition otherwise.
web.jpg

I definitely wouldn't mind getting a hold of a .22 LS at some point. I also enjoy revolvers both big and small and I don't currently have a rimfire pistol...
IMG_20191217_083821.jpg
 
indy1919a4 said:
I am not trying to spike the ball so to speak with your problem, but can you share a photo of what this damage may look like... Thanks for taking the time to respond...

Would not be to hard to make the cylinder take 45 acp.. I have moon clips and a grinder... Ouch
Click to expand...
2502-154149.jpg Its not a great pic, but if you look just in front of the cylinder, you can see where the nickel is blasted away on the top strap. The cutting was so bad, it was structurally unsound.

This was from only 75 rounds of CCI SV. I dont know if restricting it to shorts would have helped, but the gun was marked .22lr.......uhg.
 
RevolvingGarbage said:
Wow! You got a screaming deal for $500. From what I understand, a lot of people would be willing to pay almost that much for just the unshaven cylinder it's self. They just dont come up for sale often at all.

I had to get a hold of a machined spacer for my Mk.VI which was unfortunately shaved though is in excellent condition otherwise.
View attachment 878814

I definitely wouldn't mind getting a hold of a .22 LS at some point. I also enjoy revolvers both big and small and I don't currently have a rimfire pistol...
View attachment 878817
Click to expand...


Thank you for taking the time to post.. Please explain where you got that little spacer.???.. I like it.. I have a Webley that has been shaved but I have shot 455 in it with out any issues, have you tried shooting with out the little spacer???

And who the heck made that little pistol???, is that 32 S&W ???? Man I like that little beastie
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
View attachment 878818 Its not a great pic, but if you look just in front of the cylinder, you can see where the nickel is blasted away on the top strap. The cutting was so bad, it was structurally unsound.

This was from only 75 rounds of CCI SV. I dont know if restricting it to shorts would have helped, but the gun was marked .22lr.......uhg.
Click to expand...
Wow, thanks for taking the time.. Man never thought 22 lr was over powered :)... Ever think of placing some metal in there to deflect the damage. Kind of like a trunnion protector for a 1919 & 1917 belt fed ???

Buy the way I want to like your photo of posting that pistol. But I can not like that damage... Sorry...
 
indy1919a4 said:
Thank you for taking the time to post.. Please explain where you got that little spacer.???.. I like it.. I have a Webley that has been shaved but I have shot 455 in it with out any issues, have you tried shooting with out the little spacer???

And who the heck made that little pistol???, is that 32 S&W ???? Man I like that little beastie
Click to expand...

I don't need much excuse to show off that Webley :D

Answering for the little guy first, it's a Young America chambered in .32S&W indeed, and it was made by H&R.

I'll get back to you if I get this wrong, but I believe I got the spacer from partsforantiqueguns.com

The hammer definitely won't make contact with a .455 round without the spacer. I read that some which were shaved have enough center pin left to hold the rim just high enough to work but unfortunately mine was not.
 
indy1919a4 said:
Wow, thanks for taking the time.. Man never thought 22 lr was over powered :)... Ever think of placing some metal in there to deflect the damage. Kind of like a trunnion protector for a 1919 & 1917 belt fed ???

Buy the way I want to like your photo of posting that pistol. But I can not like that damage... Sorry...
Click to expand...
Meh, I considered it, but was kinda turned off by the whole gun at that point and sold it back to the guy I bought it from. With enough effort, Im sure something could have been fabricated- S&W uses a steel blast deflector in that same spot on their Scandium guns.
 
RevolvingGarbage said:
I don't need much excuse to show off that Webley :D

Answering for the little guy first, it's a Young America chambered in .32S&W indeed, and it was made by H&R.

I'll get back to you if I get this wrong, but I believe I got the spacer from partsforantiqueguns.com

The hammer definitely won't make contact with a .455 round without the spacer. I read that some which were shaved have enough center pin left to hold the rim just high enough to work but unfortunately mine was not.
Click to expand...


Thank you and thanks for explaining how your Webley will not work with out it.. I guess I was spoiled..
 
RevolvingGarbage said:
Wow! You got a screaming deal for $500. From what I understand, a lot of people would be willing to pay almost that much for just the unshaven cylinder it's self. They just dont come up for sale often at all.

I had to get a hold of a machined spacer for my Mk.VI which was unfortunately shaved though is in excellent condition otherwise.
View attachment 878814

I definitely wouldn't mind getting a hold of a .22 LS at some point. I also enjoy revolvers both big and small and I don't currently have a rimfire pistol...
View attachment 878817
Click to expand...


Hey anytime you want a few shots from that LS, would be glad to swap some shots with that little 32.. to be honest I have avoided 32 s&W because there is so much out there, and I like big bores,, But as of late 32 s&w have been calling me.. Been picking up a few 32 acps and 380s. So the small calibers have been calling as of late... :)
 
Lady Smiths are seldom seen, and that is an early one, with the frame-mounted cylinder release. When you do see them, they are often poor shape. I think they are chambered for 22 Long rather than Long Rifle. Neat little gun!
 
Monac said:
Lady Smiths are seldom seen, and that is an early one, with the frame-mounted cylinder release. When you do see them, they are often poor shape. I think they are chambered for 22 Long rather than Long Rifle. Neat little gun!
Click to expand...

Yes the early ones at least are chambered in 22 long.. Kind of neat the history of the 22
 
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RevolvingGarbage said:
I don't need much excuse to show off that Webley :D

I'll get back to you if I get this wrong, but I believe I got the spacer from partsforantiqueguns.com

.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that link... I looked at that piece.. Wow, that is a costly little bugger.. But hey if it gets your pistol to work, then it is worth it.. I am assuming it just is kept in place by the case of the shells, Kinda like a star clip that really does not hold the rounds firmly.??
 
Howdy

Sorry I have not posted on this thread before now, but Photobucket has been down since Wednesday so I have not been able to post any photos.

The Ladysmith was the first 22 caliber revolver Smith and Wesson made with a swing out cylinder. These were the only revolvers built on the tiny M frame. Not to be confused with the J frame 38 Special revolvers S&W made a few years ago also called a LadySmith. Note the slightly different spelling.

There were three different models of Ladysmith, the First Model was made from 1902 until 1906, the Second Model was made from 1906 until 1910, and the Third Model was made from 1911 until 1921. They were all chambered for the 22 Long cartridge, they were never chambered for 22 Long Rifle. They all had seven shot cylinders.

The OP's Ladysmith is a First Model, easily identified by the cylinder release button on the side. The other two models did not have this feature.

Photos will follow when Photobucket gets its act together.
 
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So was at a recent meeting down at the local Gatling Gun club Capter 343, they were having their regular Thursday night Algonquin round table discussion. The topic came up about the Lady Smiths.. During the talk, the thought of shooting pistol with other 22s other then 22 longs. The 22 lr is really long and may be a bit to much for it.. But still the bullet stayed in the cylinder. They wondered if 22 CB LR would be ok?? also could 22 shorts be used?? There is such a range of 22s out there. So any thoughts has anyone tried any of these types of rounds in one of theirs???
 
Howdy Again

It says right up front in the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson that Ladysmiths should not be fired with modern ammunition.

Even though it will fit in the chamber, do not even think of firing a modern 22 Long Rifle cartridge in an original Ladysmith.

Don't consider firing a modern 22 Long or a modern 22 Short into one either.

CCI makes a round they call 22 CB Long. I have fired these in an antique Tip Up #2 Old Army that has been sleeved for 22 Rimfire.

This is the only round I would even consider putting into an original Ladysmith.

Modern CCI 22 Shorts have a muzzle velocity of 1080 fps with a 29 grain bullet.

The CCI 22 CB Long says on the box that it has a muzzle velocity of 710 fps with a 29 grain bullet.

That is the ONLY round I would consider firing in a Ladysmith. Particularly a 1st Model such as you have.

Have I done so? No. I have three of them. A 1st Model, a 2nd Model, and a 3rd Model. All are in good mechanical condition and all lock up correctly. But they are more valuable to me as collector's items than to even think about trying to fire them.

When (and if) Photobucket ever gets back on line I will post a photo of a box of CCI 22 CB Longs, along with some photos of Ladysmiths.
 
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