blakeci
Member
A local shop near me has a nice Webley MK IV in stock. I have been seriously considering getting it. Anybody own one and if so, any special problems or things to check for? Did you like it? Thanks in advance.
Webley Mk IV
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HoosierQ
Member
The thing to watch for is to see if it has been cut. Around the circumference of the cylinder, at the rear, should be a completely visible serial number and you should see a fairly typical gap between the cylinder and the breach face. If the numbers are gone and the gap is rather wide, it has been modified to accept .45 ACP in moon-clips. This mod certainly affects the value as a collectible. I have heard that this is safe and that it is not. The .455 was a very low pressure cartridge...very low...shooting a very large piece of lead.
I for one, just love the looks of them and would love to have one. .455 is still made and I am sure is quite reloadable.
I for one, just love the looks of them and would love to have one. .455 is still made and I am sure is quite reloadable.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
The .455 Webley had a maximum operating pressure of 12,700 PSI as designed.
.45 ACP runs 21,000 in standard loads, and 23,000 in +P loads.
I think shooting .45 ACP in a modified Webley is a bad idea!
It won't blow up, but the latch & henge sure as heck won't stay tight as long I betcha!
rc
.45 ACP runs 21,000 in standard loads, and 23,000 in +P loads.
I think shooting .45 ACP in a modified Webley is a bad idea!
It won't blow up, but the latch & henge sure as heck won't stay tight as long I betcha!
rc
blakeci
Member
This particular one is the Webley chambered in .38 S&W, don't know if I got the model name correct, as I was too busy drooling over it. Just love the looks of the gun
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Well, in that case, look in the chambers and see if there is a ring where there shouldn't be one about a half inch inside each chamber.
Like the .455's were bubba'd to shoot .45 ACP, the .38/200's were Bubba'd to shoot .38 Special.
That wasen't the smartest thing Bubba ever did either!
rc
Like the .455's were bubba'd to shoot .45 ACP, the .38/200's were Bubba'd to shoot .38 Special.
That wasen't the smartest thing Bubba ever did either!
rc
Radagast
Member
I had a .38 MKIV, I've also shot a total of seven MKIIIs, MKIVs & Enfields.
Things to look for include:
Is the locator pin for the extractor star snapped off? It will still shoot fine if it is.
Does the cylinder stirrup lock up tightly.
Rust.
Things to be be aware of:
The triggers are very heavy in double action and fairly heavy in single action.
The British service round was a 200 grain lead projectile, modern S&W rounds are 145 grain and will probably not shoot to point of aim.
The sights are rather crude, probably ideal for trench warfare but not for target shooting.
Ammunition is expensive and can be hard to come by. I sold mine after a year during which I couldn't find any ammo (I'm in Australia, so the situation will be different in the USA).
Webley made two MKIVs, the .455 MKIV of 1899 and the .380 (.38 S&W) of 1932. In between was the .455 MKV & MKVI. After WWII surplus .455 models were sold to the USA, often with the cylinder face cut to allow chambering of moonclipped .45 ACP rounds. This is a risky to unsafe activity due to the difference in pressure between the .455 & .45 ACP.
Things to look for include:
Is the locator pin for the extractor star snapped off? It will still shoot fine if it is.
Does the cylinder stirrup lock up tightly.
Rust.
Things to be be aware of:
The triggers are very heavy in double action and fairly heavy in single action.
The British service round was a 200 grain lead projectile, modern S&W rounds are 145 grain and will probably not shoot to point of aim.
The sights are rather crude, probably ideal for trench warfare but not for target shooting.
Ammunition is expensive and can be hard to come by. I sold mine after a year during which I couldn't find any ammo (I'm in Australia, so the situation will be different in the USA).
Webley made two MKIVs, the .455 MKIV of 1899 and the .380 (.38 S&W) of 1932. In between was the .455 MKV & MKVI. After WWII surplus .455 models were sold to the USA, often with the cylinder face cut to allow chambering of moonclipped .45 ACP rounds. This is a risky to unsafe activity due to the difference in pressure between the .455 & .45 ACP.
Everyone's input has been really helpful. I don't have a Webley yet but I'd really like to in the future. If I find on that's been cut for 45ACP, could one just reload the 45's to a much lower pressure? I also don't reload so I've just been curious about that.
JustinL
Member
I have a late 1950s vintage Mark IV and I am enamored with it. Why?
Trigger in double action is relatively light and smooth.
It is light and well balanced
The ergonomics are superb - it fits my hand better than any SW or Colt revolver I've ever held.
Recoil is minimal.
What a shame they never made them in .38 special.
Trigger in double action is relatively light and smooth.
It is light and well balanced
The ergonomics are superb - it fits my hand better than any SW or Colt revolver I've ever held.
Recoil is minimal.
What a shame they never made them in .38 special.
There were really not two Webley Mk IV's. There was a .455 Government service Mk IV, which was made by Webley, and the Webley Mk IV, which was made in several calibers and variations, but which is most commonly seen here in .38 S&W. The British originally tested a cartridge called the .38/200, the .38 S&W case loaded with a 200 grain lead bullet. But that bullet and was not used in WWII, when the round was loaded with a 178 grain jacketed bullet to comply with the Hague Convention.
Neither the standard Revolver No. 2 (commonly called the Enfield) nor the substitute standard Webley Mk IV were converted to .38 Special because the cylinders are too short for anything but wadcutters. Many thousands of S&W M&P revolvers made in .38/200 were converted to .38 Special and can be fired with no problem except a slight swelling of the case.
Jim
Neither the standard Revolver No. 2 (commonly called the Enfield) nor the substitute standard Webley Mk IV were converted to .38 Special because the cylinders are too short for anything but wadcutters. Many thousands of S&W M&P revolvers made in .38/200 were converted to .38 Special and can be fired with no problem except a slight swelling of the case.
Jim
Radagast
Member
gunnutery: Yes, you can load .45 ACP to lower pressures and velocities.
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