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01-27-2021, 11:41 PM
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These Are The Breaks...
Top Breaks that is.
(or side breaks too)
Webley, Harrington & Richardson, Merwin Hulbert, Iver Johnson, and...dare I say it...Smith and Wesson too. 
Before WW2, MANY makers ( and retailers) made and offered top break and side break revolvers until the power and pressure of cartridge development pushed the rounds beyond what the non solid frame systems could safely contain. Lots and lots of Americans carried and owned these early cartridge revolvers as they were sold by the hundreds of thousands.
Do you own any? Let's see them.
I've previously owned a Webley MK VI that was shaved from .455 to use 45acp, and an unaltered Webley MK V. Today I'm down to only one, a delightful 1932 Harrington and Richardson Model 199 Single Action. This trim little 9 shooter is an extremely well made and accurate revolver. One of the most accurate revolvers I've ever shot as a matter of fact.
Show us "the Breaks" you've managed to acquire.
Last edited by .357magger; 01-28-2021 at 12:08 AM.
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01-28-2021, 12:24 AM
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I do have a few of the British ones, but here are photos of three early Americans you mentioned, in chronological order:
A .38 Safety Hammerless from 1892, a .38 Iver Johnson from around 1901, and a .32 Safety Hammerless from 1906.
I also have a Hopkins & Allen and a Harrington & Richardson somewhere, but they haven‘t been out for so long that I have no photos handy.
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01-28-2021, 12:32 AM
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And here are the British:
A military-contract .455 Webley Mk III from 1899 (unfortunately shaved), an Enfield No 2 Mk I** from 1943, a WAR FINISH .38 Webley Mk IV from 1941, and a Canadian police .38 Webley Mk IV from 1951.
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01-28-2021, 02:17 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Absalom
And here are the British:
A military-contract .455 Webley Mk III from 1899 (unfortunately shaved), an Enfield No 2 Mk I** from 1943, a WAR FINISH .38 Webley Mk IV from 1941, and a Canadian police .38 Webley Mk IV from 1951.
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That Webley Mk III is pretty nice, shaved or not.
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01-28-2021, 03:06 AM
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I remember when we called these top breaks " Saturday Night Specials" you could buy them all day for $25. Boy, how times have changed. I will say most, most of the true SNS's we're in 22, 32 S&W and 38 S&W. S&W branded pistols didn't qualify as they and Colts always had a collectors interest. Webley's we're always a collectible brand due I think due to rarity in the US.
Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk
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01-28-2021, 05:07 AM
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I got on a .38S&W kick a while back and picked up a couple of top breaks in that caliber. Fun to shoot, the H&R Defender was a WWII issue to security at defense plants, there 925 was a carry size (?), and the S&W Perfected was the firearms equivalent to wearing a belt and suspenders (it has both a regular HE cylinder release and a top break latch). Here's some pics.
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01-29-2021, 07:56 PM
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I have these two.
A Webley MkII (1894~1898) that was shaved for .45ACP and moon clips. I have fired it with lightly loaded ammo a friend cooked up years ago, but it's been at least 15 years. Need to fix that.
The Enfield Mk2 No1 is a 1944 piece. If I can get some ammo for it, I would like to give it a whirl.
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Last edited by gunsnrovers; 01-29-2021 at 08:50 PM.
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01-29-2021, 08:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gunsnrovers
...
The Enfield Mk2 No1 is an Australian stamped 1944 piece. If I can get some ammo for it, I would like to give it a whirl.
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Where is the Australian stamp? It appears to have British post-war commercial proofs on the barrel.
You are probably aware that the large broad arrow on top makes the Mk II a Royal Navy issue. These are fairly desirable.
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01-29-2021, 08:29 PM
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Good catch. I had 3 of the Mk2's at one point and traded a couple away. I know one was clearly D broad arrow marked. I had to go out to the safe and check. It's been a while. This is not that one. It is marked 44. It doesn't have the large Enfield and crown stamp, but the D over E stamp is all over it,.
I've heard different things about the Royal Navy markings. This MkII is not stamped N anywhere.
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Last edited by gunsnrovers; 01-29-2021 at 08:40 PM.
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01-30-2021, 12:32 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gunsnrovers
I've heard different things about the Royal Navy markings. This MkII is not stamped N anywhere.
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Interesting. I have not encountered a Mk II with the large broad arrow but without the corresponding N and number on the upper backstrap. Your top photo cuts that off; is there anything stamped on the backstrap?
My Army Contract Mk III has lots of little arrows on various parts, and a service date and unit marking on the backstrap, but nothing on top.
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01-30-2021, 03:54 AM
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I have a couple, a 1918 Webley MK VI and J. Stevens "Tip-Up" in .22LR.
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01-30-2021, 05:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rock185
I have a couple, a 1918 Webley MK VI and J. Stevens "Tip-Up" in .22LR.
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Nice.
Is the Mk VI chopped for 45 acp?
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01-30-2021, 06:00 AM
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I have 10 top break revolvers. Since most were Nickle Finish, I refer to them as my Pimp Gun Collection!
I have seen 6" barreled H&R Target 22 that shot as well as my Model 17 and better than my 34!
But I love my Uberti production Number 3 Russians! Care enough to give the very best, shoot it with a 44!
Ivan
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01-30-2021, 06:30 AM
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American made top break have eluded me so far. 
But I do have 3 British ones. 
A .455 Webley Mark VI from 1915(it's a first year production gun).
A .38/200 Webley Mark IV from 1941(early war finish) and an .38/200 Enfield No 2 from 1934 marked R.A.F.
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01-30-2021, 11:34 AM
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That Mk VI is SWEEET.
Just my humble opinion.
Thanks for sharing them.
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01-30-2021, 12:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by .357magger
That Mk VI is SWEEET.
Just my humble opinion.
Thanks for sharing them.
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A sweet shooter too. 
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01-30-2021, 01:12 PM
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I'd love to pick up a VI as a shooter eventually.
I am curious about the AM2 markings on my Enfield. Have never been able to get that unraveled
The Webley MkII DOES appear to be a Royal Navy gun. Very faint N on the back strap I got to show up with a china marker. Not much else there. Just the faint N and the 8.
There is a 2nd N on the left side, but I don't know if it's part of that group of markings.
I do love how even the screws and springs are broad arrow marked.
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Last edited by gunsnrovers; 01-30-2021 at 01:43 PM.
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01-31-2021, 02:22 AM
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I only have the one. It's an H&R 926 picked up mucho el cheapo. I had some unfinished/uncheckered factory grips on hand that I could reshape and finish to my liking. It's a fine shooter/fun plinker. It does have some finish issues and a little pitting. It's sort of like an ugly but lovable "rescue dog".
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01-31-2021, 08:51 AM
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Just one, I bought it yesterday at the Knoxville gun show. An H&R .22 9 shot.
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01-31-2021, 12:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gunsnrovers
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I am curious about the AM2 markings on my Enfield. Have never been able to get that unraveled
......
The Webley MkII DOES appear to be a Royal Navy gun. Very faint N on the back strap I got to show up with a china marker. Not much else there. Just the faint N and the 8.
.....
There is a 2nd N on the left side, but I don't know if it's part of that group of markings.
......
I do love how even the screws and springs are broad arrow marked. |
I believe the letter/number stamping on the Enfield cylinder denotes the lot number of the steel.
The N on the backstrap nails it. I don’t have one of those, so I haven’t looked into that group of symbols on the frame, but I’ve noticed it on other Navy guns.
Yep, arrows everywhere!
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01-31-2021, 01:56 PM
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My MkI
Here is my Webley, a MkI. It has been shaved for .45acp and the grips are not original MkI grips but for a later model. I have read where the grips were changed by the armory on some guns.
Now I have never shot it. When I purchased it at a gun show I didn't know enough about them to realize that a MkI was made for black powder. I had just wanted that grip shape with a four inch barrel and this
was the first one I saw.
It also has a N on the backstrap making it a naval issue I believe. It is still good and tight, I just haven't worked myself up to firing it with some mild .45s.
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