.455 Webley Triple Lock

[Promo]

You want to look inside of the shroud for the serial number on the barrel.

I've had posted this, unfortunately tough visible in the pictures. Attached is a cutout of this image - being stamped 4086 there as well it is matching too.


Does anyone know if the Smith & Wesson Factory Letter would answer as to whether this has left factory in "Bisley Target Configuration"?

 

[22hipower]

Does anyone know if the Smith & Wesson Factory Letter would answer as to whether this has left factory in "Bisley Target Configuration"?

The letter will tell you the configuration in which it left the factory. Whether it left in "Bisley Target Configuration" you probably won't know until you get the letter.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[mrcvs]

The letter will tell you the configuration in which it left the factory. Whether it left in "Bisley Target Configuration" you probably won't know until you get the letter.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

My guess is the letter will not reference Bisley at all. I think it will state it's a half or Semi Target Model revolver, which means the rear sight was added, or as a Target Model, which means the work is factory, perhaps with wording this was a Special Order revolver, with no reference as to what that means, but, of course, it means the rear sight is the type found on your revolver and not the more typical one.

I suspect this revolver was shipped to Charles Osbourne & Son, Birmingham, England. If not a factory rear sight, perhaps the work was performed there.

 

[glowe]

. . . That is not correct.
ALL S&W 455s I have ever handled had the LONG chambers of the 455 Mk I. That makes sense cause you hate to get stuck in some far corner of the Empire with only the old, long ammo!

No wonder my 455 revolvers are not very accurate. With a long chamber and a short cartridge, the jump from casing to cylinder bore reduction can upset the bullet enough to affect accuracy, especially with a cone shaped bullet with short base.

 

[Masterpiece]

Does anyone know if the Smith & Wesson Factory Letter would answer as to whether this has left factory in "Bisley Target Configuration"?

Promo,

Now that Don Mundell is doing the Letters it's hard to say how he's going to note the Drift-Adj. Rear Sight...All I can say is when Roy Lettered these he generally notes them being shipped in the configuration as in the Letter I've attached!!

I also believe there's a very good probability Your Revolver was one of the 25 Revolvers in the shipment noted in the Letter...Can't say with absolute certainty, but most likely!!

 

[470Evans]

No wonder my 455 revolvers are not very accurate. With a long chamber and a short cartridge, the jump from casing to cylinder bore reduction can upset the bullet enough to affect accuracy, especially with a cone shaped bullet with short base.

I have given up using the traditional Webley style bullet and the MKII cases in my 455s. I have found enough of the Dominion MKI cases and have had better success using them along with the 454424 Keith style bullet or the RCBS 270SAA.

 

[mrcvs]

Promo,

Now that Don Mundell is doing the Letters it's hard to say how he's going to note the Drift-Adj. Rear Sight...All I can say is when Roy Lettered these he generally notes them being shipped in the configuration as in the Letter I've attached!!

I also believe there's a very good probability Your Revolver was one of the 25 Revolvers in the shipment noted in the Letter...Can't say with absolute certainty, but most likely!!

If I had to wager money, I'd bet the OPs revolver is in this shipment as well and is identical to yours. Can you post photographs of yours, especially the rear sight?

 

[glowe]

. . . I also believe there's a very good probability Your Revolver was one of the 25 Revolvers in the shipment noted in the Letter...Can't say with absolute certainty, but most likely!!

The serial number on these revolvers are then numbered in the 44 Special range?? If so, they are not part of the 455 TL British military order which has the same serial numbers up to 5000? That certainly makes identifying them a bit confusing.

 

[Promo]

Promo,

Now that Don Mundell is doing the Letters it's hard to say how he's going to note the Drift-Adj. Rear Sight...All I can say is when Roy Lettered these he generally notes them being shipped in the configuration as in the Letter I've attached!!

I also believe there's a very good probability Your Revolver was one of the 25 Revolvers in the shipment noted in the Letter...Can't say with absolute certainty, but most likely!!

Thank you, this is excellent information and they are super close serial-wise too (4054 on letter, 4086 here with me)! Would you mind letting me know whether you own or have owned the serial number 4054 mentioned in this letter? Are you possibly able to tell if the rear sight on this is the same as with my revolver?

 

[Masterpiece]

Would you mind letting me know whether you own or have owned the serial number 4054 mentioned in this letter? Are you possibly able to tell if the rear sight on this is the same as with my revolver?

Promo,

While I currently don't own the Revolver...I do have a few photos I've attached which should confirm the Drift-Adj. Rear Sights are identical!!

I also apologize the photos aren't as clear as I'd like them to be ,but this Revolver's Condition didn't survive the test of time as Your Revolver did...I did the best I could to edit them a bit for clarity so you could use them for comparison...Hope they'll be of some help!!

 

[Masterpiece]

Multiple Photo Problem!!

Promo,

While I currently don't own the Revolver...I do have a few photos I've attached which should confirm the Drift-Adj. Rear Sights are identical!!

I also apologize the photos aren't as clear as I'd like them to be ,but this Revolver's Condition didn't survive the test of time as Your Revolver did...I did the best I could to edit them a bit for clarity so you could use them for comparison...Hope they'll be of some help!!

Promo,

Sorry...Some sort of glitch with posting Multiple Photos so hopefully these will go through alright!!

 

[Masterpiece]

Promo,

Sorry...Some sort of glitch with posting Multiple Photos so hopefully these will go through alright!!

Still isn't posting multiple photos...Hmmm...Luckily only one left...Here it is!!

 

[Promo]

Promo,
While I currently don't own the Revolver...I do have a few photos I've attached which should confirm the Drift-Adj. Rear Sights are identical!!

Thank you! 32 digits apart serial, identical configuration down to the unique rear sights, contract of 25 revolvers.. anything else than being in the same shipment would be surprising!

 

[2152hq]

Is the bbl proof marked?..I think I see it in the one pic..marked with 2 proof marks at about the 1 oclock position looking down at the top of bbl at breech.
Pic is hard to see the actual marks.

I think the Proof Marks overall are from the 1904-1916 Proof Mark Law era.
That judging (guessing!) by looking at the Frame proof and the Cylinder Proof marks which appears that all six chambers have been marked.

All six marked was the common practice and they should be a 'View Proof Mark. In this instance I believe these are Birmingham Proof Hs markings, so the mark would be a Crown/BV

The Frame proof (right side front of frame) would be the same mark, Crown/BV 'View Proof'.

The Bbl Proof marks that went with these (or actually the other way around would be a Birmingham Definitive (Black Powder) Proof mark. That being a Crown/BP

AND

The same Crown/BV Birmingham 'View Proof' as seen on the frame and cylinder.

IIRC...The Definitive Proof for Handguns was still a BP proof.
A Nitro Powder proof was adopted with the proof law changes of 1916 and with that the symbol Crown/BNP was put into use at Birmingham.

So the proof marks reflect a commercial Birmingman Proof Hs inspection betw 1904 and before 1916.
My opinion as I interpret the confusing Brit Proof Laws and if I am seeing so proof marks on the bbl,,,but I think that's how it goes.

 

[oldcorps76]

I picked up a New Service, arsenal refinished, bore clean, mechanically excellent, from GB a few years ago. I wanted to duplicate the old military load as much as possible so I bought a 4-banger mold for 260 gr RNHB from a craftsman in Slovenia; 4.6 gr Unique and a CCI primer in Starline brass gives me amazing accuracy results like yours at just under 700 FPS. No leading. Here's the link for the mold maker....

455 Webley (Mk2), HB, 4 cavity mold - MP-molds

 

[Promo]

Yes, all crown VB proof. Had posted the link earlier where I uploaded all pictures in higher resolution, but here again - you can make out these stamps in them.

Imgur: The magic of the Internet