Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > General Topics > Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics
o

Notices

Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics Post Your General Gun Topics and Non-S&W Gun and Blade Topics Here


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 01-24-2012, 02:50 PM
Cyrano's Avatar
Cyrano Cyrano is offline
US Veteran
Absent Comrade
.455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!?  
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 7,581
Likes: 13,500
Liked 6,743 Times in 2,526 Posts
Default .455 Webley!!?

In his book "Feet Wet" retired Navy fighter pilot Paul Gillchrist recalls returning from a flight over North Vietnam and being diverted from his carrier to Danang. He went to relax at the DOOM Club (Danang Officer's Open Mess), where there was a sign just beyond the entrance "Leave guns here" with a bunch of pegs below it. He hung up his .455 Webley revolver, and a 38 revolver, but kept what he described as a 32 caliber five shot palm gun in the pocket of his flight suit. I can't imagine why he was carrying a Webley revolver (he even puts the period before '455' in the description) instead of a Smith or Colt, for which he could get 45 ACP ammo and I wonder if the description of the 'palm gun' might even refer to a Chicago palm pistol. The 38 revolver was probably a Victory. I had to read this a couple of times before I believed what I was seeing. I guess our guys carried just about one of everything over there.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-24-2012, 03:08 PM
29aholic 29aholic is offline
Banned
.455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!?  
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bolivar, MO
Posts: 6,360
Likes: 3,558
Liked 3,241 Times in 1,099 Posts
Default

Could possibly be one that was converted to 45acp.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-24-2012, 04:04 PM
Alpo's Avatar
Alpo Alpo is offline
Member
.455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!?  
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: N/W Florida
Posts: 5,657
Likes: 2,432
Liked 6,204 Times in 2,421 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyrano View Post
In his book "Feet Wet" retired Navy fighter pilot Paul Gillchrist recalls returning from a flight over North Vietnam and being diverted from his carrier to Danang. He went to relax at the DOOM Club (Danang Officer's Open Mess), where there was a sign just beyond the entrance "Leave guns here" with a bunch of pegs below it. He hung up his .455 Webley revolver, and a 38 revolver, but kept what he described as a 32 caliber five shot palm gun in the pocket of his flight suit. I can't imagine why he was carrying a Webley revolver (he even puts the period before '455' in the description) instead of a Smith or Colt, for which he could get 45 ACP ammo and I wonder if the description of the 'palm gun' might even refer to a Chicago palm pistol. The 38 revolver was probably a Victory. I had to read this a couple of times before I believed what I was seeing. I guess our guys carried just about one of everything over there.
Doubtful. Not only was it 32 Rimfire, which had been obsolete since WW2, but it was a 7-shot, as you can see in this video.
Chicago Palm Protector Pistol operation in action 32 rimfire - YouTube
__________________
I always take precautions
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-24-2012, 06:42 PM
Thuer Thuer is offline
Member
.455 Webley!!?  
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: The Netherlands Rotter
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 1,360
Liked 2,051 Times in 569 Posts
Default

Maybe it was a Webley MK IV altred for .45acp.

Aldo I really love the old Webley's. I do own a couple.
But seriously, if I am in the midle of a conflict I do grab some better revolver.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-24-2012, 08:42 PM
Texas Star Texas Star is offline
US Veteran
Absent Comrade
.455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!?  
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 20,362
Likes: 24,260
Liked 16,154 Times in 7,408 Posts
Default

I think that was his slang term for a snub or hideout gun.

Pilots did often supply their own sidearms. I think author Stephen Coonts carried a Combat Magnum, with which he also equipped his fictional pilot/hero, Jake Grafton, in his books. Coonts, like Grafton, flew Intruder Naval bombers.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-25-2012, 12:20 AM
J. W.'s Avatar
J. W. J. W. is offline
Member
.455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!?  
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: WV
Posts: 778
Likes: 161
Liked 541 Times in 259 Posts
Default

My S&W 2nd Model Handejector chambered for .455 Webley Mk. II. According to S&W she left their factory on March 29, 1916. Despite being 95 years old, she's still a good shooter!

Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
  #7  
Old 01-25-2012, 12:57 AM
Cyrano's Avatar
Cyrano Cyrano is offline
US Veteran
Absent Comrade
.455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!?  
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 7,581
Likes: 13,500
Liked 6,743 Times in 2,526 Posts
Default

I think if he had a Webley modified for 45 ACP, he'd have called it a 45 Webley instead of a .455 Webley. No telling what the 32 caliber, 5 shot palm gun was.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-30-2018, 06:42 PM
DCC DCC is offline
Member
.455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!?  
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 103
Likes: 73
Liked 22 Times in 15 Posts
Default 455 HE

Quote:
Originally Posted by J. W. View Post
My S&W 2nd Model Handejector chambered for .455 Webley Mk. II. According to S&W she left their factory on March 29, 1916. Despite being 95 years old, she's still a good shooter!

That is a Great HE pic :-)
All my 455s shoot well...all 100yrs old...just have to keep swaging those Hollow Base bullets...
ATB DCC
__________________
DCCUK
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-31-2018, 12:24 AM
JayFramer JayFramer is offline
Banned
.455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!?  
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 4,596
Likes: 6,989
Liked 9,332 Times in 2,759 Posts
Default

I love the .455 Webley. Looks almost like cartoon bullets!

Shame so many were mutilated by altering them to .45 ACP, a cartridge who's pressure the Webley was never meant for anyway. Sad!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-31-2018, 08:56 AM
bigwheelzip's Avatar
bigwheelzip bigwheelzip is offline
Absent Comrade
.455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!?  
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Upstate SC
Posts: 12,990
Likes: 17,229
Liked 41,503 Times in 9,146 Posts
Default

Nice seeing one of Colin's old threads resurface.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 08-31-2018, 09:03 AM
olcop olcop is offline
Member
.455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!? .455 Webley!!?  
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Groveland, Ga
Posts: 629
Likes: 519
Liked 1,123 Times in 369 Posts
Default

I used moon clips on mine and shot .45ACP--scored something 90+on the FBI Practical Police test.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
2nd model, 45acp, colt, model 19, rimfire, sig arms, snubnose, victory, weaver, webley

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Webley Mk IV JayFramer Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics 9 01-31-2017 10:40 PM
HELP! Need .455 Webley racerxxx Ammo 12 03-20-2016 11:07 PM
Webley?? english Reloading 13 02-17-2014 10:04 PM
.455 webley ? 11e40 S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 12 01-26-2014 11:55 AM
My Webley .455 Oaklands S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 56 08-07-2010 11:10 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:58 PM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)