School me on Webley MkVI

[LargemouthAss]

My Dad's birthday is coming up soon and he is the hardest guy to shop for on planet earth. Recently I did find out that he is interested in a big old Webley revolver in .455 and I have been looking for one ever since. I don't know much about these guns so any info is appreciated!

He saw one at a VA gun shop earlier this year and would have bought it if he was a VA resident, he told me that the gun store owner told him he could fire .45 rounds with a sleeve in the gun. Is this true and if so is it a good idea? I am not sure exactly what my Dad was told as I was not there, so there may have been more to it.

After looking on gunbroker I have seen many that appear to have been modified to shoot .45acp but that seems to me like a great way to ruin the value of the gun. Are these modified guns worth owning? Is finding .455 ammo feasible? What should I be looking for in a Webley?

 

[Jimbob2.0]

Webleys are one of the most advanced (though I wont say refined) revolver designs every commissioned by a standing military.

I have a fair amount of experience with them and here is what you need to know:

- They are good strong revolvers by turn of the last century standards but not entirely up to modern cartridges.
- Most were converted to .45 by importers (some by the Brits), these command way less than a .455 original gun. Given the recent tripling of pricing the .455 guns have started showing up more frequently.
- A cut gun will run you between $300 and $500 and an uncut between $700 and $1200. Uncut guns can be distinguished by markings on the cylinder face.
- Many of these ran black-powder so be careful, and only the Mark V's and Mark VI's in 455 were rated for smokeless.
- If you select .455 reloading is essential and brass is scarce, the caliber was recently reintroduced into production a couple years back by Hornaday. I know Hornady has stopped producing, I think Fiocchi still runs a batch every couple years.
- Brass is very hard to find, I bought out Buffalo arms store of 400rds last year.
- Even though smokeless the "manstopper" is a very slow caliber. Shooting it is fun because it is so deeply subsonic that you can hear it hit after shooting it and they frequently bounce. Its like tossing grapefruits next to a .357 mag.
- Some people say the cut guns are safe for commercial .45 ACP I WOULDNT over time it will stretch the frame and a failure wont be pretty, especially in a breaktop. You can download .45 ACP but will need to use moonclips. In some ways it may be better just to load .45 autorim which was designed to act like .45 ACP but with a rim.

They are neat guns, one of my favorites to shoot I have both a Mark V and VI and wish I had the funds to procure another.

If you are looking for a value compromise that is a lot cheaper to shoot you may want to consider a Webley Mark IV .38-200. These were the WWII era guns and are interchangable with .38 S&W so you can get ammo and brass at fair prices.

 

[LargemouthAss]

Great info! Thanks!!

 

[Jimbob2.0]

Great info! Thanks!!

Anytime, they are one of my favorites, just eclectic and difficult to support.

 

[Squaregrouper]

~7-8 years ago I bought an uncut Mk6 at a gun auction at Timonium Fairgrounds. It was basically a Colt auction with the Webley thrown in the mix. No one wanted it and if I recall, I paid more for the transfer than the revolver.
I searched high and low for .455 Webley ammo and eventually gave up and put it on Gunbroker and sold it for a decent profit.
I'm kicking myself in the rear knowing what they've been going for during the past year or two.

 

[mawkie]

Sadly it's easier to find a Colt New Service or S&W Hand Ejector in .455 than a Webley! And while great revolvers in their own right, neither one has the appeal of the break top Webley IMHO.

 

[Jimbob2.0]

~7-8 years ago I bought an uncut Mk6 at a gun auction at Timonium Fairgrounds. It was basically a Colt auction with the Webley thrown in the mix. No one wanted it and if I recall, I paid more for the transfer than the revolver.
I searched high and low for .455 Webley ammo and eventually gave up and put it on Gunbroker and sold it for a decent profit.
I'm kicking myself in the rear knowing what they've been going for during the past year or two.

Ya that was the market back then. Shame it probably led to more than one gun being abused.

Picked up a cut one about a year ago for $150 thinking I could re cylinder it but the cylinders bring 400 alone. Thought I was crazy buying it at te time but now the cut ones are bringing 400 or more

 

[Redd Byrd]

If you "roll-your-own" look up Star Line Brass, last time I looked at their site they listed .455 brass. Only problem getting cases directly from them is that a minimum quantity/order of any caliber is 500. I have placed orders with them and have had absolutely no problems!

 

[Jimbob2.0]

If you "roll-your-own" look up Star Line Brass, last time I looked at their site they listed .455 brass. Only problem getting cases directly from them is that a minimum quantity/order of any caliber is 500. I have placed orders with them and have had absolutely no problems!

That's a good tip I have never seen any through dietributors and I have no problem ordering 500 at webley pressures it should last practically forever