Odd question:
Anyone know if a 4inch 629 fits into a WWI/WWII Webley 455 leather Holster?

My understanding is the cylinder diameters are similar and the main size difference is the 629's underlug.

I would imagine it would depend on how closely fitting the Webley holster is. Minimum dimensions for the .455 would be a no-go for a 629.

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I've toted a 4-inch Webley Mark VI afield in a 4-inch Smith & Wesson holster with perfect satisfaction.

A good fit it was.

Hi:
I do not have a leather Webley Holster but do have a canvas one (1941 stamped).
This holster will accept a S&W Model 625 Mountain Gun .45acp with a four inch barrel.
Also will accept a Smith and Wesson Model 686 .357 with a full length lug six inch barrel.
The holster flap will close and snap shut with both revolvers.

I can't help but think that right now on another Forum , there is an active thread about " Will my .455 Webley fit an N Frame Holster ? "

Leather holsters for Webleys with four-inch barrels are pretty rare here. Where'd you find one? Those for officers had flaps.

Is it a repro?

Few MK VI .455's were made with four-inch barrels. South Africa got some, to use in existing holsters for earlier Marks.

Is this holster for .455 revolvers with six-inch barrels?

S&W .38-200's with six inch barrels can sometimes be forced into Pattern 37 .38 holsters for five inch barrels, but it's usually hard to snap the flap. I've seen wartime photos of Canadians and RAF pilots with six-inch S&W .38's. The butts stick way out beyond the flap.

The web holsters require matching belts. They attach to those belts via brass hooks. There's no normal belt loop.

Bryan-

Can you post photos of that gun? I've never seen a four inch MK VI other than on sites for collectors of British militaria.

Have seen some there with front sights like MK IV or V guns, and others with front sights like normal MK VIs.

I don't like this idea of using a real leather Webley holster for modern guns.Those holsters are collectible.
And they are not made to fit S&W guns correctly. You'll see more finish wear than if you buy a good, modern lined holster meant for the S&W that you have.

The 1941 stamped canvas holster is for a Webley Mk VI .455 Revolver.
However it will accept a Enfield .38 Revolver also.
Not being a expert on British Holsters, I imagine that in the dark days of WWII that this model holster was issued for both Webley and Enfield Revolvers

Sorry;

Transposed my Roman numerals. It's a circa 1899 Webley Mark IV marked Army Navy C S L with a serial number in the 84000 range. Can't get Photobucket to run tonight. Here's a link to an old thread here on the Forum. I posted a photograph of it in post No. 9.

That other top-break revolver from Britain!

I can stick it in the 4-inch N-Frame holster and take a photograph if you like.

Sure, a lot of us would like to see that photo if it isn't too much trouble.

And get a closeup photo of the Army & Navy stamp. That gun probably sold to an officer wanting the official pattern for his revolver.

I'm curious to see that holster, too.

Woke the Webley from its slumbers deep within the safe this morning and stuck it in the 4-inch N-Frame holster. There are newer, better, more powerful, adjustable sighted, higher capacity handguns available here, but I confess to having toted the Webley in this holster while marching about on hikes on our old family place.


Here's the top strap marking.

Once was wearing it while mowing the yard of the old lake cabin there. Mowed in an ever decreasing pattern. Near the end a rat sprinted out of the remaining island of tall grass. Drew the Webley and snap shot him as he scampered away at perhaps 15 feet. The heavy bullet plowed a furrow along the left side his head, removing his ear and eye. Couldn't have done it again in a thousand more shots. The Webley's ergonomics really do aid in good shooting though, strange as it may look to modern shooters' eyes at first glance. I really like the Webley design. I'd buy modern revolvers with up-to-date steels that were made just like it.

Old scanned photograph of the rat in question from well before the advent of digital cameras.

Bryan-

Am I spelling your name right? Going by memory, and my memory may not be up to that of a parakeet, an elephant, or a woman, ha!

Thanks so much for those photos. I see the holster is just one of those sold by S&W, but there are worse. For a time in the USAF when Supply was out of of official holsters, I had to wear a black Hunter (brand) item nearly identical to your S&W example. ASAP, I replaced it with Bianchi and Safariland products, but it served well and I was astounded at how quickly I drew from it in a moment of great anxiety when I had to draw my issued Victory Model .38 to confront a threat. Thankfully, I didn't have to shoot.

Have you seen the photo, from 1914, of an officer, a sergeant and several cavalrymen wearing Webley MK IV and/or MK V revolvers? The officer has a flap holster and others the open-topped model. It was a little unusual for me to see the officer with a four-inch barrel as photos and paintings from that era usually depict six-inch barrels. But I've seen MK IV revolvers and four-inch barrels some, one being a nickel example in a very nice fitted case of excellent leather.

If you can find, "Elephants and Ivory ", by John A. Jordan, there's a pic of him wearing a MK IV in a sort of shoulder holster slung over his body. It dates from the 2nd Boer War.

Good shot on that rat!

Officers usually (not always) wore the revolver on the right, to accommodate the sword on the left.

I hope that Capt. Curl sees this, as he has an interest in old British guns. I think, in fact, he owns a rifle sold by Army & Navy Cooperative Stores. Yours is marked by them on the barrel rib, of course.

Being a commercially sold gun, it presumably has no Broad Arrow stamp, indicating Crown property?

No broad arrow stamp.

I have a photograph of an excerpt from a list from Army & Navy records showing who originally purchased the revolver, but there is no way to decipher the writing. I tried to find the photograph in my Photobucket, but no luck so far. I'll post it later when I run across it.

I'd love to know all that I could "sleuth out" about the Webley. It's ugly, but I like it. Its not cut for .45 ACP and responds well to handloads. It's action feels "Colt-ish" and features a "V" mainspring. Might be a little smoother to cycle double-action than the average Colt. OOO... did I say that?!!!

A Yorkshire friend kindly sent me a World War I open top holster that fits it "a treat." Good sturdy, still supple leather. I've never photograph the revolver and holster though. Will get around to that too if you like. Probably next week as we're getting ready to go out-of-town for the weekend.

Correctly spelled my name.

Saw an expression this week in the Baxter Black column of the local newspaper: " ... the attention span of a Bartlett pear." Struck me funny. Describes me and my memory very well.

In the middle 1950 era a mail order house was selling Webley Mk IV .455 Revolvers cut for 1/2 moon clips (.45acp) with a leather holster, 50 rounds of GI .45 FMJ ammo and a bottle of 44/40 reblue for $9.95 plus postage (Railway Express). I ordered two. They were well used condition with pitted bores.

Sure, I'd like to see that gun and holster. Does the holster have a brass cleaning rod that fits in slots/loops in the holster?

All I have from Yorkshire is tea from Taylor's of Harrogate. Splendid tea. I usually like it better than most Twining's offerings. And Twining makes very good tea. Harrogate is 14 miles from York. I had a correspondent on FanFiction.net who was in Harrogate and who was amazed that a Texan was drinking and recommending tea blended there. Taylor's was founded in 1886 and remains in the hands of the founding family. They hold the Royal Warrant to furnish tea to Charles, Prince of Wales.

Our Yorkshire friends introduced us to Yorkshire and Yorkshire Gold tea years ago and it's one of our favorites. We're reduced to special ordering it if they don't send a "care package" or we don't go over and fetch some.

Yorkshire Gold and a vintage Smiths (made in England) watch


Here's some photographs just taken of the Mark IV Webley and this open top holster.

Bryan

Thanks for the nice photos!

Yes, I've drunk Taylor's Gold, but prefer their origin named tea like Ceylon, Assam, and Darjeeling. Also, their English Breakfast Tea. Those cost more, but are more refined & flavorful, I think. Amazon sells a few. And Brands of Britain imports the rest. Give them a call and ask for samples. I think you'll be impressed.

BTW, I had a reader of fan fiction who lives in Harrogate and was surprised that I'd know about Taylor's tea! Small world, I guess.