My Webley .455

[Oaklands]

+1 on the Renaissance Wax. My favorite.

 

[benfishn]

I just read about using Liquid Wrench to remove rust from a blued surface. Anyone have ideas on this process ?

 

[Oaklands]

I am not a photographer for sure. Here is the best shot I could get of the barrel. It is pretty legible. If you download it and blow it up some it shows up even better.

 

[hsguy]

Very nice photo and an great gun. Thanks for starting the thread, there is always something interesting to learn. I am very keen on Victory models but am feeling the urge to move into the large frame earlier guns. I was tempted by a couple in Tucson but managed to resist, my resolve is growing weaker.

 

[Jack Flash]

... my resolve is growing weaker.

Would you say your resolve is beginning to dissolve?

Hang around here long enough and it will.

 

[Oaklands]

HSguy. To be honest, this, as mentioned earlier, was a hand me down from my father. He got 3 guns back then for $700. This includes this one, a S&W model 58 .41 magnum and an old S&W clone Spanish 32-20. The 32-20 is in excellent shape and I believe it is from the early 1900's as well. However, I have read it was not the best gun in the world and was not made out of the best materials.

The .41 is in great shape as well. Dad did good.

I agree about learning. This thread has been great. There are some really sharp and friendly people on this forum.

 

[Texas Star]

Oaklands-

The top of the barrel looks good, not reblued. Great news!

But my question pertains to whether the Smith & Wesson name is on the left side of the barrel, where it usually is. Caliber was normally marked on the right of the barrel.

Some here say they've seen some examples that don't have that. All that I've seen did have those markings. If they are there, a photo would help. But the top of the barrel definitely looks original, not refinished. The lettering is clean, deep, and sharp.

T-Star

 

[hsguy]

Would you say your resolve is beginning to dissolve?

Hang around here long enough and it will.

Hi Jack, dissolve is a good term! I have been here a fair amount of time, 2002, but lost a lot of posts on the night of long knives. Forum has cost me a lot of money but more than made up for in advice and friends made.

 

[Jack Flash]

... an old S&W clone Spanish 32-20. The 32-20 is in excellent shape and I believe it is from the early 1900's as well. However, I have read it was not the best gun in the world and was not made out of the best materials. ...

Not that I'm an expert, but that one may be a decent revolver in its own right.

My understanding is that guns made in Spain in that era varied greatly in quality. Some were excellent and some were pretty junky. It just depended on what factory made it.

 

[Pontiaker]

I would bet dollars to donuts they are not rosewood, not the right color or grain. They are earlier smooth target grips but these dont always bring that kind of money. They seem to have a different contour on the back bottom edge of the palm swell. At least different than later grips. I have a pair like this and many later pair that are just contoured different, more modern but I dont really know the story behind them. You seem to see these alot on 50-60's vintage N frame guns.They seem to show up alot on modded or rebuilt guns too.

Those smooth factory rosewood (?) target stocks alone are worth a bit, too. And they should feel good in your hand.

This is a very desirable gun. Having those grips makes it really special, although a collector would prefer the original stocks/grips. But some will pay at least a couple of hundred just for the grips!

I think Hornady and Fiochhi still load .455 ammo.

Your gun was at one time Crown property, but if it doesn't have what looks like an arrowhead marked on it (Broad Arrow), it wasn't issued to troops as govt. property. It was sold Out of Stores to an individual officer.

I got quite a laugh out of your story about the lanyard ring and lanterns! Someone was either very ignorant or was having you on when they told you that tale! Think of pictures that you've probably seen of Canadian Mounties. Remember that lanyard that goes from their gun to their neck? It was to keep the gun from being lost if knocked from the owner's hand or to keep it from falling into a river, etc.

Take care of that gun. It is history in your hand, and is probably as fine an example of revolver craftsmanship as was ever made. The stocks alone are very worthwhile to have!

Oh: if you find a Broad Arrow, but it is enclosed in a capital "C", the gun was supplied to Canadian forces.

T-Star
P.S. Just saw your later pics, which are pretty bad. But the name Smith & Wesson doesn't even show on the barrel?! That is a LOT of polish before rebluing. Can someone with a better camera and photographic skills show the barrel, where the name should be?

 

[Oaklands]

Oaklands-

The top of the barrel looks good, not reblued. Great news!

But my question pertains to whether the Smith & Wesson name is on the left side of the barrel, where it usually is. Caliber was normally marked on the right of the barrel.

Some here say they've seen some examples that don't have that. All that I've seen did have those markings. If they are there, a photo would help. But the top of the barrel definitely looks original, not refinished. The lettering is clean, deep, and sharp.

There is no Smith & Wesson on the left side of the barrel and no caliber on the right. The only writing on the barrel is what is showed in my picture.

Thanks.

 

[44 special Dave]

To Texas Star;

Early n frame hand ejectors did not necessarily have name or caliber markings on the barrel. You say caliber markings should be on the right side of the barrel. But what about all the military 1917s that have ;

S&W 45 DA on the left side of the barrel. And a lot of the 2nd model 455 hand ejectors that had the caliber markings on the left side?

I just saw a couple early n frames in the photo albums posted on this formum that had no name or caliber markings on either side of the barrel.

I think Oaklands has a nice, original finish gun on his hands.

Dave

 

[Texas Star]

To Texas Star;

Early n frame hand ejectors did not necessarily have name or caliber markings on the barrel. You say caliber markings should be on the right side of the barrel. But what about all the military 1917s that have ;

S&W 45 DA on the left side of the barrel. And a lot of the 2nd model 455 hand ejectors that had the caliber markings on the left side?

I just saw a couple early n frames in the photo albums posted on this formum that had no name or caliber markings on either side of the barrel.

I think Oaklands has a nice, original finish gun on his hands.

Dave

Yeah, sure sounds like it! If there is anything that one can say for sure about S&W, it's that they weren't consistent in what they've done.

Now that I think about it, I believe that my Second Model .455 had S&W .455 on the left of the barrel. But I sold that gun for tuition years ago, and am going by memory. It certainly did have both maker and caliber,though.

I paid $31.58 with tax for that in Denver in about 1965. It's probably worth at least 20 times that now! I hope it found a good home. Officially, I wasn't old enough to buy it, but the salesman stretched my age by a couple of years, I guess. He felt sorry for an airman old enough to die for his country, but too young to buy an old revolver.

And I was eager to have it. I certainly knew its history, having read avidly about guns from age 12. Alas, even then, good .455 ammo was very hard to come by.

I think that Oaklands is probably very happy with his gun. I wish that I still owned that Second Model. If I had been a Commonwealth officer in WW I, I'd want one of those S&W's or a Webley-Wilkinson, Model of 1911. Either would be an immense comfort in the trenches, and a joy to own.

T-Star

 

[Texas Star]

Do those guns without the company name or caliber on the barrel at least have the company's usual logo on the frame?

T-Star

 

[dobk63]

Yes they have the Logo on the sideplate. I have .455 Triplelock # 5218. Lettered to Rem UMC but has WWI period British Commercial Proofs (Small Crown/V and Crown/P on frame, barrel, and cylinder) and no British Military Proofs. Have never had any good explanation of this or mention of another like it yet.

 

[frankynohankypanky]

dobk63,

I have Triple Lock #5719 that is marked in the same way except that the markings are a crown/BP (proof mark) and crown/BV (viewing, or inspection, mark) indicating Birmingham proof whereas yours is London proof. These markings are very neatly applied with the P and V in alternate cylinder flutes, the two markings on the barrel are in line and parallel to the bore, and the frame is stamped on the right side just below the front of the cylinder. No other British markings.

I haven't lettered the gun, but do know it left the factory in May, 1915.

Did you send me a PM regarding photography about two months ago? If so, thanks. It seemed to work. Your username seems familiar. My emails were hacked and as a result I lost my most recent page of received emails plus some other stuff.

Frank S. SWCA2052.

 

[dobk63]

Frank, I don't recall sending anything about taking pics recently so don't think it was me. Would love to see pics of your gun and know what you find out from the letter.