Webley Mk VI pair

Bob A · May 5, 2020

Never know where to post these. C&R? Handguns?

Anyway, two MK VI revolvers, both odd one way or another. The short barrel is a commercial, post WWI; the other has the Parker-Hale 22 cal conversion kit installed, and is from 1916. Broad arrows marlings seem to indicate it was used for training.

303_enfield · May 5, 2020

I've been looking for that conversion kit for 40+ years. Well the real one not the Indian repro from the 80's that didn't work

Nice!

Ammo Jon · May 5, 2020

303_enfield said:
I've been looking for that conversion kit for 40+ years. Well the real one not the Indian repro from the 80's that didn't work

Nice!

Maybe Bob could be convinced to part way$?

Jimbob2.0 · May 5, 2020

As a Webley fan I am drooling.

ohen cepel · May 5, 2020

Very nice and not common items, as I'm sure you know.

I have a more std Webley and like it well.

Bob A · May 5, 2020

Ammo Jon said:
Maybe Bob could be convinced to part way$?

Someday.

Maybe even before you get to take it from my cold, dead hands.

Bob A · May 5, 2020

ohen cepel said:
Very nice and not common items, as I'm sure you know.

I have a more std Webley and like it well.

Yes, I've been very fortunate as a Webley newbie to stumble into three real oddball examples within a year: Mk V commercial, and these two. My CC company is quite pleased to be milking my future.

I think a number of old collectors are passing away, or de-accessioning. Also the virus/lockdown may be driving availability.

There are some cool items that I couldn't catch; a Royal Flying Corps example, an early Bulldog, and a super-clean Mk VI that went stratospheric. And of course, the ever-available but well beyond reach Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver.

I blame it on MilsurpDan, who infected me with the Webley itch. No known cure, so far, except death.

mawkie · May 6, 2020

Thanks for sharing! I'm a big Webley fan too, just more tilting towards the autos. But can certainly appreciate how nice these are and how much your CC account went "boing". Very uncommon to have not suffered at the hands of a 'smith with a mill. Part of me wants to fire up the DeLorean and go back to the 50's and bitch slap whomever started the "shave your cylinder" stampede. I figure maybe five percent of MKVIs out there survived untouched.
I've always regretted never having made a serious effort to grab a .22 conversion kit. Many years ago they were a little more common. Scratch that now. Can't tell you the last time I saw a kit sold stand-alone. You'd think they'd pop up at home in the UK but I can't say that I've seen that happen either. Can't remember if it's the barrel that's considered the part of the firearm that's controlled /registered in Europe and then these kits would be considered a firearm and possibly destroyed/deactivated in the UK. Will have to investigate further.

Bob A · May 6, 2020

Fortunately mine came with the installed kit. I haven't messed with it, but I did ask the seller if unshaved cylinders were available so I could go both ways. Not likely, was the answer; every Webley owner with a shaved cylinder would like an original.

I am having a problem with the short barreled pistol. It's a bear to get the lock to open. I have to hold the gun with my rt thumb on the front of the trigger guard and the rest of my hand squeezing the release, with the barrel pointing at my lt shoulder and lt hand pulling at the barrel to overcome the release spring. Not a happy way to go.

The cylinder catch has to push the hammer back against its spring resistance a mm or so to get the gun open; I thought that was the issue, but the other Webleys operate the same way, but are easy to unlock, so that's not it. Best I can figure is that the spring is just a hair or so thicker than the one on the other revolver; the sides are flat against each other before it unlocks, and the little bent area at the tip of the spring seems to go nearly flat as well before it opens.

I've appended pics of the two springs; the one with the problem lacks the broad arrow. Any chance that that's where the problem lies? If so - or if not, even - suggestions are more than welcome.

Jimbob2.0 · May 6, 2020

Bob A said:
Fortunately mine came with the installed kit. I haven't messed with it, but I did ask the seller if unshaved cylinders were available so I could go both ways. Not likely, was the answer; every Webley owner with a shaved cylinder would like an original.

I am having a problem with the short barreled pistol. It's a bear to get the lock to open. I have to hold the gun with my rt thumb on the front of the trigger guard and the rest of my hand squeezing the release, with the barrel pointing at my lt shoulder and lt hand pulling at the barrel to overcome the release spring. Not a happy way to go.

The cylinder catch has to push the hammer back against its spring resistance a mm or so to get the gun open; I thought that was the issue, but the other Webleys operate the same way, but are easy to unlock, so that's not it. Best I can figure is that the spring is just a hair or so thicker than the one on the other revolver; the sides are flat against each other before it unlocks, and the little bent area at the tip of the spring seems to go nearly flat as well before it opens.

I've appended pics of the two springs; the one with the problem lacks the broad arrow. Any chance that that's where the problem lies? If so - or if not, even - suggestions are more than welcome.

You will pay as much for an unshaved cylinder as a gun with a shaved cylinder, I have sourced a couple of them I had to replace the springs in a Mk VI cylinder catch once, I remember it was a pain though the issue was that it wasn't keeping the latch tight. That spring on the gun on the left looks like a replacement, it was a LONG time ago but I recollect having an issue with a replacement spring and having to source two or three of them to get one that had the right performance I remember one of them turned out to be too tight and I think it looked like the one on the left, just too heavy of a spring. It looks like the spring is nesting in a small worn notch on the latch lever? Notice how the one on the right is rounded at the tip where the one on the left is pointy. When you open it is it hard to open initially and then gives way freely or is the resistance consistent through the whole pull of the lever?

Reminds me I have a mixmaster rough Webley with an unshaved cylinder I need to start working on.

mawkie · May 7, 2020

Definitely acquired a replacement catch spring at some point in its long life. That'll have to be replaced or reworked, way too thick, wrong profile. Me, I'd be tempted to rework as in its current state it's not usable. But I'd want to see if an original could be sourced anyway. Too nice an example to not have an original factory spring.

Bob A · May 7, 2020

Ordered two replacement springs from Numrich, hoping one at least would be a proper fit. GB doesn't seem to have any factory originals.

I have no idea how to do this replacement . . . and the idea of ending up with the traditional "paper bag full of parts" is beginning to weigh on my mind. Recommendations always welcome.

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