Photos as promised.

[robertrwalsh]

Here we have the proof marks on my Smith 1917 .455 Webley. I shot it yesterday. I tied it with what I had available, 45 ACP in moon clips with a 200 gn hollow base plated. Accuracy was mediocre. Even with the hollow base I am not sure it filled the cylinder throats properly. I am going to load a small batch with the Webley bullet (soft lead, hollow base, very long nose) and with a hollow base lead SWC. I hope to get better results with that.

In any event here are the photos. If anybody can clue me in on the proof marks that would be great.

I did a poor job of composition on the first one. One proof mark is partly obscured, lower left.

 

[Hondo44]

Congrats!

That is commonly known as the Type 3 British revolver contract ".455 Mark II HE - 2nd Model". Any reference to the 1917 is inaccurate and confusing.

Since the .455 bore dimensions are larger than than the 1917 Army .45, plated bullets are especially inaccurate in the .455. Lead bullets sized to match the .455 bore will provide the best accuracy.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I don't have pin gauges. I did notice that .452 bullets drop right thru all six cylinder bores while the .455 bullets do not. I am going to shoot it in the next day or two with some lead SWC 185 gn .452 and some of the correct .455 260 grain and see what shakes out. I also noticed there is VERY LITTLE light between the front sight blade sides and the rear sight. A decent sight picture is very, very difficult. I may try thinning the blade or opening up the rear sight a tad. We will see. I will report back in a day or so.

 

[glenwolde]

Missouri Bullet Company has .455 diameter 262gr round nose H--Tek coated bullets for that cartridge.

 

[470Evans]

I don't know what your reloading experience level is but I have had good success with both Colt and Smith 455s shooting 454424 and SAA270 bullets sized to .456. The throats on my Smith 455s measure .457 with minus pin gauges.

Conversely, I have has poor luck shooting Webley style bullets out of mine even sized to .456.

+++PLEASE NOTE THESE WERE SHOT FROM WEBLEY MKI CASES WHICH ARE LONGER THAN THE COMMONLY FOUND MKII CASES SO REDUCE LOADS ON THE MKII CASE+++

 

[robertrwalsh]

I got my bullets from Matt's. I haven't tried Missouri Bullilts and may have to do so. So far I have had very little luck in finding the older, long .455 cases. Like zero luck.

 

[470Evans]

I get my bullets from Matt's as well. I have him powder coat them and leave them unsized and then I size them as I need them.

You may need to call him directly and he will do that.

If you want to find MKI cases you can find older Dominion ammo. It is not too hard to find but you'll need to look. This ammo will be marked 455 Colt.

 

[Shark Bait]

Definitely Canadian markings

 

[robertrwalsh]

FURTHER RANGE REPORT. I took the Smith to the range today along with a 625-2 5" that is VERY accurate, just to use for a control I had three different loads. A 185 SWC lead hb .452, a 200 SWC plated .452 and the 260 Lead hb correct bullets for the Webley sized at .455. All three loads were on top of 3.5 BE. (Yes, I know that is stiff for the 260 lead.) Plus some 260 on top of 3.2 BE. The 625 shot all loads fine and in fact put ten of the hotter 260 gn load thru one ragged hole at 7 yards. The old Smith shot the 260s pretty decent. The SWC Ld hb it shot sort-of ok. The swc plated all stayed on a 10" circle at 7 yards. It looks like the 260 grain over 3.2 grains of Bullseye is a viable load for this old war horse.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

I got my bullets from Matt's. I haven't tried Missouri Bullilts and may have to do so. So far I have had very little luck in finding the older, long .455 cases. Like zero luck.

Starline has 455 Webley MKII brass.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

... It looks like the 260 grain over 3.2 grains of Bullseye is a viable load for this old war horse.

That is what I was thinking as the original 455 load was a 265 grain lead bullet. Fiocchi and Hornady load a 262 grain LRN.

 

[glowe]

It was also a hollow based bullet. I assume that the British must have developed that bullet since it had superior performance over flat base ammo. I was able to purchase a .455 HB mold a few years ago and it drops very nice bullets. They work fine in all my 455s, but I would not shoot them against any K frame target revolver.

RCBS 455 mold.

Reload compared to Fiocchi factory.

Open mold showing interior.

1944 Canadian WWII 455 Jacketed.

 

[robertrwalsh]

The ones I got from Matt's Bullets are hollow base. The ones I ordered from Missouri Bullet are, I believe, not. But I will find out for sure soon.