Just an Old Snub Nose

[Thick45]

A bit older than what you folks are used to, and it's not a J-frame...:cool:

This is a circa 1880s Webley RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) revolver. This particular one was used by the New South Wales Police. Calibre is .450 Adams (also called .450 Revolver by some).

It's a fun shooter!

[mitchshrader]

love that 'Central Fire'..

that'd work pretty good to deter your usual scurvy poltroons from unseemly behaviour.. hard to improve on MUCH.. ;)

[xtimberman]

That may be the first "Bulldog"!

Thanks for sharing that photo!

xtm

[Thick45]

Actually, this is a full size 'service' revolver. The bulldog was simply a smaller, five shot version of this. I had one in .44, but I eventually sold it. I want one in .450, so it will shoot the same ammunition.

[MrMurphy]

Not what you'd call a speed reload, but a nice piece. :)

The old school Webleys, Adams and Tranters are severely overlooked for their time period in the U.S, they were good guns.

[G33]

Looks like a snub version of the guns from the movie The Mummy.
:supergrin:

[BigBluefish]

What a nice looking gun. I love the old Webleys, particularly the hinged frame Webley Pryses, but also the countless variations of RIC's, and even the more modern Mk. IV .38s (that's .38-200, or .38 S & W, to us Yanks), .32s and .22s. They were very well made guns, and are quite underappreciated over here. Though the collector prices do seem to be going up, up up....

I propose we create a Webley club. Some one will have to come up with a catchy name... we should have a contest. We could throw in Adams, Tranter, and I suppose even the Enfields, of either the 19th or 20th centuries.

[Berto]

I like the olde British top breaks too, have an Enfield No2 Mk1

[MCPreacher]

That is an awesome pistol (and my pick for the contest!)

I have never seen a .450 up close. How does it compare to the .45acp?

[Thick45]

Compared to the .45 ACP? From a power standpoint, it doesn't. Here is a bit of info:

The revolver was created by Webley in 1867, and it's intention was to be a police 'pocket' revolver....much like our .38 snub noses. It was quickly adopted by the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1868, and was thereafter known as the Webley R.I.C. revolver. Improvements were made to the revolver, and it became a standard British Police sidearm as well. It's official name is the Metropolitan Police, but it is more commonly known as the R.I.C.

It's cartridge has been called by various names, including .450 Revolver and .450 Government. The military converted percussion Adams revolvers to this round, and so it also became known as the .450 Adams. The .450 was the standard British Military Service cartridge used between 1867 and 1880. Ballistically, it's not a standout. It's sort of like a .38 Special, in that it will give good service in the right hands....in the hands of someone who can put the rounds where they need to be, under stress. Otherwise, it's known for a lack of power.

Original .450 rounds were listed as having a 225gr. bullet at 650 f.p.s., and the powder charge they were supposed to achieve this with was 13grs. of FFFG. Needless to say, that velocity would have been for the longer barrel, but hands on experience and 25 years of loading blackpowder cartridges leads me to have doubts as to that number. Later .455 Webley cartridges loaded a 265gr. bullet at 650 f.p.s., with 18grs. of powder, and this became known as a very satisfactory load in combat.

As to the .450 Adams, the 13grs. of powder listed was in the original balloon head brass. In modern solid head brass, you will only get 10grs. The brass can be made by thining the rims on .45 Auto Rim brass, or you can simply purchase the brass from Buffalo Arms. You can take a standard .45 ACP Lee die set, and shorten the crimp die, and then use those dies to load the .450 cartridges. The bullets should be of pure lead, and despite the .450 designation, the actual diameter is .455....but a .454 pure lead bullet will work (it will bump up to the size of the bore).

A neat gun and neat cartridge....I use it as a pocket pistol in side matches (NCOWS).

[MCPreacher]

Thanks for the info and the history! Very interesting stuff!

[MrMurphy]

They had bigger pockets back then too. :)

The guns used in The Mummy were actually French.

[Walter45Auto]

That is BEAUTIFUL!!!!