Billy Shears
Member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2008
- Messages
- 1,020
I just acquired a nice new (to me at least) Webley Mk. VI, in original .455 Webley caliber, which I took to the range today. Based on the stamps on the frame, this one appears to have been made no later than 1919, which means it was too late to see service in WWI (which might account for the overall great condition, and the mirror-bright bore). The good: it's very accurate with Hornady's .455 Webley ammo (which is just as well, as that stuff ain't cheap!) and shoots to point of aim. The sights are actually damn good for a handgun of this vintage. I don't especially care for the very wide notch, but the front blade is pretty wide as well -- much wider than most handguns from this period -- and picks up pretty quickly. The gun ejects empties smartly and is faster to reload than modern hand-ejectors (if only I could afford one of those vintage Prideaux devices). The grip, even with factory panels, is much better than on Colts and Smith & Wessons -- there's a reason for Tyler t-grip adapters and custom revolver grips; American revolvers invariably have grips that are way too skinny -- it's hand filling, and perfectly angled to make the gun point naturally. It even has slight palm swells.
The bad: wow that double action trigger's heavy. I mean really heavy. I used to have one of these that had been converted to .45ACP, and I don't remember the trigger on that one being this heavy. I wonder if the previous owner of that .45ACP one had ever had it lightened, and the standard Webleys all had this beast of a trigger.
The bad: wow that double action trigger's heavy. I mean really heavy. I used to have one of these that had been converted to .45ACP, and I don't remember the trigger on that one being this heavy. I wonder if the previous owner of that .45ACP one had ever had it lightened, and the standard Webleys all had this beast of a trigger.