Should I sell my Webley?

[doubleh]

It's been a while since this first got posted, but I've decided to sell the Webley. The more I shot it, the more I didn't like it. The trigger's not good, I can't see the sights and it's really messy with ammo. After just one box of 50 rounds, it was extremely filthy and there's so many intricate parts to clean. I know a lot of you are not happy but I've decided to also get a Detective Special instead. I'm far more interested in that plus it's one less caliber if ammo I need to get (I already have a Model 10).

Why would your decision to sell make any of us unhappy? It is your gun. You asked for advise, got it, and made your decision and it doesn't affect anyone but you. Enjoy your new toy when you get it.

 

[rs525]

How much are you selling it for? Pictures?

Sorry but I've already sold it to Guns.com

 

[Golfanaticshooter]

Don't sell it unless you NEED the money!

I see you sold it, oops.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Dang it. I was going to say sell it, and get the REAL Webley, the MkVI in .455, or .45ACP/.45Auto Rim. Now THAT, is a REVOLVER! That would have been the solution.

 

[rs525]

Dang it. I was going to say sell it, and get the REAL Webley, the MkVI in .455, or .45ACP/.45Auto Rim. Now THAT, is a REVOLVER! That would have been the solution.

Tried to get one beforehand, but they're expensive and ammo is even harder to come by then .38/200.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Sorry but I've already sold it to Guns.com

I was going to say sell it. I had one in the 60's and wasn't impressed although it was a well made revolver. Much better than anything made these days. I also purchased one for my mom that she sold around 1990. Surplus Webley's were $100 or less up until the 80's. I think I paid about $20 for mine around 1966. I didn't have a lot of money at the time but I was curious about revolvers and you could buy them mail order. The mail carrier delivered it and I signed for it. I was about 16 at the time. It came with 50 rounds of ammo that I purchased separately.

Not sure when that one left but I'm sure some pawn broker hooked me on a trade for a Ruger Blackhawk or Winchester rifle.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Tried to get one beforehand, but they're expensive and ammo is even harder to come by then .38/200.

True if you can only buy ammo off the shelf. Fabricating ammo for a .455 is easy peasy. Most or many are converted to .45ACP/.45 Auto rim. Easy cases to find. Not a good idea to fire factory off the shelf .45ACP. .45ACP shot shells not a bad idea. As illustrated.

 

[golden]

My first question would be how is the trigger. I have read that a lot of the old break tops had awful, gritty triggers. I just found an old British ALBION break top and I choose it over another break top, an ENFIELD because of the better trigger. I will use it for a range gun, so the trigger is important. It will never be a defense gun or carry gun, so the size and weight do not matter.

I like the COLT revolvers, especially the new ones which are also available in .357 magnum for the same size gun. The new COLT revolvers I have handled also have good triggers, unlike some of the older ones. Also, the older COLT Detective Specials had AWFUL grips. I sold an old model COBRA because it was so miserable to shoot unless I put a set of PACHMAYR grips on it which defeated the purpose of carrying a small gun. I had a 3rd generation COLT Detective Special and a DS-VI revolver and they were much easier to shoot, but the triggers were not that good.

Just my experience,

Jim

.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

The single action trigger on my Webley is what I would call a "good trigger". Double action is heavy, which I find to be of no disadvantage. The pistol it's self is very accurate. I've heard many complain about the Webley's double action being "too heavy", and in one case it was stated that it was "useless". (same person stated that the .455 was also useless for self defense because the velocity was only 650fps) However, I think those complaints come from guys with girly hands, or perhaps hands that have never done more than push a pencil, play a video game, or tap on a keyboard. ? !!!!

 

[golden]

Ugly,

I only shoot double action when using a revolver, so the double action trigger is important to me. I used to have a very nice COLT Officer Match in .38 Special and it had a single action trigger like breaking glass. It was perfect for single action shooting, but the double action was nowhere near as good, so I sold it since it did not meet my needs.

I think that the BRITS dropped the old .455 because it was too big and heavy and they convinced themselves that the .38 S&W with a 200 grain bullet would work just as well, they call it the .38/200 or .380 round. Since I am not convinced that big bore rounds at low velocity are great manstoppers, they might have been right about one being as good as another.
I would not pass up on a .455 WEBLEY in good shape and at a reasonable price if it had a good double action trigger, but I need that good trigger and a decent price or I would pass. I already have several big bore revolvers, so I am good with the more easily obtained .44 Special, .45 Auto Rim and .45 Long Colt.

I found a nice .455 S&W when I was up in CANADA, now that would have been a nice gun, but I did not have my pistol license at that point. It had the nice action that old S&W revolvers usually have from being well made and then worn smooth by use. It was probably a Mountie gun.

Jim

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Ugly,

I only shoot double action when using a revolver, so the double action trigger is important to me. I used to have a very nice COLT Officer Match in .38 Special and it had a single action trigger like breaking glass. It was perfect for single action shooting, but the double action was nowhere near as good, so I sold it since it did not meet my needs.

I think that the BRITS dropped the old .455 because it was too big and heavy and they convinced themselves that the .38 S&W with a 200 grain bullet would work just as well, they call it the .38/200 or .380 round. Since I am not convinced that big bore rounds at low velocity are great manstoppers, they might have been right about one being as good as another.
I would not pass up on a .455 WEBLEY in good shape and at a reasonable price if it had a good double action trigger, but I need that good trigger and a decent price or I would pass. I already have several big bore revolvers, so I am good with the more easily obtained .44 Special, .45 Auto Rim and .45 Long Colt.

I found a nice .455 S&W when I was up in CANADA, now that would have been a nice gun, but I did not have my pistol license at that point. It had the nice action that old S&W revolvers usually have from being well made and then worn smooth by use. It was probably a Mountie gun.

Jim

Oh I agree, if one is very much into double action shooting then the Webley would not be ideal. Very serviceable if in a pinch, with plenty of adrenalin coursing through one's veins!!!

Yes the .455 is a big heavy gun, and for 24/7 carry a lighter one would be preferred. My Grandfather carried a Luger throughout WWI, instead of a Webley or 1911. (Canadian Army) But, I think the .455 is a good man-whacker, or else it would not have been in service so long, and so widely used. My Webley has Australian military stampings on it. But you are right, they decided the .38/200 .38S&W was "good enough".

Are you Canadian? I'm first generation American from Canada. It would have been very cool to pick up a Mountie pistol.

On ammo again, .455 can be made from .45Colt brass, molds are made for the 265 grain .455 bullet, and if converted to .45ACP brass is unlimited. (but I would not fire .45ACP in a Webley) And of course .45 AutoRim is available, probably a little hard to find right now.

 

[mcb]

455 Webley brass is available from Starline and Fooichi. Matt's bullets makes a fairly faithful reproduction of the MkII hollows base round nose bullet.

 

[golden]

Ugly,

No, I am an American, born and raised. The agency that I worked for then, had an overseas post (anything outside the U.S.) and I was lucky enough to get it. I really liked the CANADIAN people I dealt with, not so much the gun laws or the lack of barbeque!

I hope that you get another conservative government and it makes it possible for some less strict gun laws. I plan to summer there when I retire, assuming family obligations allow it.

One of my co-workers rented an old farm house outside of town and we would barbeque and have an informal shoot afterwards. It was very pleasant.

By the way, are they still selling those Chinese copies of all the popular guns in CANADA. They had those $300.00 copies of SIG 229's with an extended barrel to meet the 106m.m. barrel length requirement when I was there. I bought a NORINCO copy of a WINCHESTER model 97 riot gun, but sold it to one of my co-worker's before returning. They also had $289.00 Italian made M-1 GARAND rifles. These were not knock offs, but licensed copies made by BENELLI and BERETTA.

Keep warm, ehh!

Jim

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Beauty way to go!

 

[jar]

I have both a IV and a DS but when I have had to qualify it is the Detective Special not the Webley that I use.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Right. My Webley is one of my favorite woods-guns, but I wouldn't be practicing any draw-from-concealment, first-shot-in-the-vital-zone in under two seconds drills. My 25-3, Bulldog and Security Six are a little better for that. !!!

 

[rs525]

For the newcomers, I've already sold my Webley and got a Colt DS. I'm already loving it more than the Webley. And with that, I'm considering this thread closed.