Rock185
US Veteran
Well I continue to learn something new every day John. I knew of the W-F .455, but was not aware the W-F was ever chambered in 38 ACP until you posted this.
The Webley-Fosbery Semiautomatic Revolver...
- Thread starter PALADIN85020
- Start date
Never actually having seen a WF, but having spent a lot of time with a standard Webley Mk VI, I have to question the description in paragraph 4 on the ejection process.
On the standard Webley, pressing the stirrup lever releases the barrel and cylinder to pivot forward and eject the empties. If whole upper assembly pivoted, per your description, I'd expect the standing breech to block ejection. I'd also have to wonder about how the recoil spring fits in there.
On the standard Webley, pressing the stirrup lever releases the barrel and cylinder to pivot forward and eject the empties. If whole upper assembly pivoted, per your description, I'd expect the standing breech to block ejection. I'd also have to wonder about how the recoil spring fits in there.
OP
I just now modified the text to make that whole process a bit clearer - just the barrel and cylinder assembly are pivoted, not the whole upper assembly. Good point that needed clarification. Thanks.
John
DWalt
Member
There is a Wikipedia article that adds a little more information on the topic of automatic revolvers. Quite a long time ago I saw one of the rare Union automatic revolvers, but I don't remember much about it. I have seen a couple of W-F revolvers over the years. I have always thought it would be interesting to fire one to find out how it feels. Automatic revolver - Wikipedia
Re: WF SA revolver/Lawrence of Arabia. Got me to thinking. Doubtless he'd have had access to and used the common WF revolvers. But, pictures show him using a S&W revolver. And evidence has come to light that he used a 1911 in .45 ACP in the course of a railroad ambush. As well he had a perchance to use SMLE's and a stripped down Lewis MG. Sincerely. bruce.
Here are a couple of links:
American Rifleman | The Arab Revolt and the Guns of Lawrence of Arabia
Lawrence of Arabia's Smith & Wesson Donated to UK's National Army Museum -The Firearm Blog
Here are a couple of links:
American Rifleman | The Arab Revolt and the Guns of Lawrence of Arabia
Lawrence of Arabia's Smith & Wesson Donated to UK's National Army Museum -The Firearm Blog
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Absalom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Fascinating thing from the technical perspective.
But looking at it from the military viewpoint, it did indeed take the basic reliable DA/SA revolver in the opposite direction from where the British military ultimately wanted to go:
The Webley-Fosbery represented a move toward more single-shot accuracy, but less reliability and more complexity and weight.
Going the other way turned out to be what happened when the Enfield No. 2 Mk 1 in .38 was adopted and then developed into a DA-only revolver, some decades later, accompanied by a quite modern doctrine of “instinctive shooting”.
But looking at it from the military viewpoint, it did indeed take the basic reliable DA/SA revolver in the opposite direction from where the British military ultimately wanted to go:
The Webley-Fosbery represented a move toward more single-shot accuracy, but less reliability and more complexity and weight.
Going the other way turned out to be what happened when the Enfield No. 2 Mk 1 in .38 was adopted and then developed into a DA-only revolver, some decades later, accompanied by a quite modern doctrine of “instinctive shooting”.
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jag312
Member
FYI, I was at the Tulsa gun show today and saw 5-6 Webley-Fosbery revolvers, most in .455 caliber. One had a price tag of just under $17,000. There was one .38 automatic, it was priced at $24,000. There was a box of ammo next to it, I don't know if the ammo was included.
