.455 Colt

[robertbank]

Hello

I recently purchased a .455 Webley Mke. VI. The gun came with 70 odd rounds. The cartridges are quite old. Some are head stamped D.C. Co. .455 and have a case length of .755. The other cases are head stamped Dominion .455 Colt and have a case length of .875. I assume the former were made by Dominion Cartridge Co., a Canadian firm which later became Dominion a subsidiary of CIL before being sold. Does anybody know how old the cartridges are and why the different case length?

Merry Chrismas

 

[Jim Watson]

Strictly speaking, the short cases are .455 Webley and are correct for your Mk VI.

The long cases are .455 Colt (guess that is why they headstamped them that way) and are really intended for the .455 Colt New Service revolver once carried by the RCMP.

According to Ken Waters' Pet Loads article on the .455 Colt, the long case was a holdover from the original .455 Mk I black powder. When the British went to the Mk II smokeless cartridge, they shortened the case because of the lower volume required for nitro powders. Canada just stayed with the .880" brass and loaded it with smokeless.

The Pet Loads article has data for the .880" Colt but not the .755" Webley, and all chronograph and accuracy data is for a New Service, not a Webley. In 1985 he was using D.C. brass that he then said was "several years old."

Your DC .455 Colt will probably shoot ok in your Mk VI, Waters only recommends against using it in things like RICs and early marks of Webey service pistols intended for black.

 

[robertbank]

Thanks Jim, great reply and very informative. The shorter cases are really on their last legs. I have nine left and may keep them around for historical purposes - read the boys will toss them when I am gone. LOL. I fired six of them off and accuracy wasn't much to talk home about. Will try the longer cases next week-end if I get time. Regards and have a great Christmas.

 

[robertbank]

JIm do you have a copy of Waters article on the .455? If so is there a way I could get a copy?

Regards and Merry Christmas

Bob

 

[Jim Watson]

I have the article but not the capability to electronify it. Xerox and snail mail is about the best I can do. PM your mailing address and I will send it to you after Boxing Day.