Edgecumbe Combat Ten

     Notes: This revolver looks very much a Smith & Wesson Model 10 – with good reason, since it is based on an S&W 10 frame.  It is a competition revolver, with a heavy Douglas barrel, with square-notch rear sights and a ramp front sight, milled into the barrel with protective ribs.  The grips are Hogue rubber grips.  This revolver was introduced in 1961.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Combat Ten

.38 Special

1.13 kg

6 Cylinder

$168

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Combat Ten

DAR

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

7

 

Enfield No 2 Pistol Revolver

     Notes: This weapon was designed in the wake of World War 1, where the British found that their standard sidearms, the Webley-Fosbery revolver, had such a large amount of recoil and muzzle blast and poor accuracy that considerable skill was required on the part of the user, which required much more training than the British had time to give the typical sidearm user.  They decided to adopt the Webley and Scott Mark III, which used a smaller cartridge.  The government bought the design and gave it to Enfield for improvement. 

     The resulting weapon, the No 2 Pistol Revolver, was an improvement of sorts; however, its trigger pull is so long and creepy (even with several improvements to the trigger mechanism) that the desired increase in accuracy among amateurs was never really achieved; and, though four different rounds were tried in the weapon, none of them ever really satisfied British troops.  In addition, the No. 2 went through several different versions (Marks), as additional deficiencies cropped up.  One of these was the large hammer spur, designed to allow single-action or double-action shooting, which had a great tendency to get caught on anything from pieces of the soldiers gear to protrusions inside vehicles – and that often caused the hammer to snap forward again, resulting in accidental firing. This problem was fixed temporarily in 1931, but the hammer stop that fixed the problem was again omitted after 1942 to simplify wartime production.  Therefore, the accidental firing problem started all over again.  Eventually, this problem became so severe that Webley began to produce its own improved revolver, the Mark 4 (see below). The No 2 employed an unusual break-open unloading and reloading system, where the revolver broke just ahead of the hammer.  A finger lever just ahead of the cylinder ejected cases.

     Though the No 2 Pistol Revolver was produced in large quantities, most of them ended up in Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations; in British service, they typically were in police service only.  By 2000, a surprising number of them remain in service, despite their shortcomings. 

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

No 2 Pistol Revolver

.380 Revolver

0.78 kg

6 Cylinder

$143

No 2 Pistol Revolver

.380 British Service

0.78 kg

6 Cylinder

$142

No 2 Pistol Revolver

.38 Smith & Wesson

0.78 kg

6 Cylinder

$144

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

No 2 Pistol Revolver (.380 Revolver)

DAR

2

Nil

1

5

Nil

13

No 2 Pistol Revolver (.380 British)

DAR

1

Nil

1

4

Nil

12

No 2 Pistol Revolver (.38S&W)

DAR

2

Nil

1

4

Nil

12

 

Webley Pistols

     Notes:  These are not actually pistols, but revolvers.  They are top-break revolvers firing a large, slow bullet, the .455 Webley Revolver Mk II.  The Webley Pistols came into service in 1887 and remained in service until well after World War 2.  They went through a great deal of changes in this time. The primary users of the Webley “Pistols” were the British and her colonies and former colonies; the design enjoyed few export sales.

     The base Webley Pistol Mark 1 is a top break weapon with a hinged frame and automatic extraction upon breaking it open.  The grip is in a bird’s head shape, and a ring for a lanyard is at the bottom.  The Mark 1* is a Mark 1 brought up to Mark 2 standards. The Mark 1 was known as the Webley Green in British military service.

     The Mark 2 has a hardened steel plate added to the breech to reduce wear, a strengthened hammer, a more rounded grip, a more reliable extractor, a spiral hammer spring instead of the V-shaped one of the Mark 1, and a smaller stirrup lock.

     The Mark 3 is a Mark 2 with the attachment of the cylinder to the frame made stronger, and a cam added to allow the cylinder to be completely removed to allow quicker reloading and more thorough cleaning.  Some were also fitted with longer 6” barrels. It was often known as the “Boer War Model.”

     The Mark 4 is a Mark 3 made from better steel and with a raised trigger stop, wider cylinder slots, a case-hardened extractor, and a lighter hammer.  A number of these revolvers were also made with 6” barrels.

     The Mark 1** is a Mark 1 or 1* with a Mark 4’s better-quality barrel and a Mark 5’s heavier cylinder.  The Mark 2** is a Mark 2 with the same modifications.  The Mark 1**, 6in Barrel is the Mark 1** with (of course) a 6” barrel.  The Mark 2**, 6in Barrel is the same, but based on a Mark 2.  All these versions were made for the Royal Navy.

     The Mark 5 is essentially a Mark 4 with a heavier frame and longer barrel. The Mark 5 (sometimes called the Army Express Model) was the largest version of the Webley Pistol produced at the time, and was introduced to coincide with the introduction of the Colt Single Action Army to the European powers (and public) at a British national gun show which was attended by many countries’ gun makers.  The Webley Mark 5 was normally chambered for the standard .455 Webley Revolver Mk II round, though for export (primarily to the US, Mexico, Central America, and South America) it was chambered for .45 Long Colt, and a very few were chambered for .44-40 Winchester.  A version chambered for .476 Enfield was also built at the request of the Cape Mounted Rifles, who operated in South Africa.  The standard barrel for the Mark 5 was an octagonal 5.5-inch barrel, but another version, the Mark 5, 6in Barrel, used a 6-inch barrel (as the name would suggest).  The Mark 5, 6in Barrel was chambered only for .455 Webley Revolver Mk II.  The Mark 5 New Model Army Express is a minor variant of the Mark 5; it used a bird’s head butt, and the loading gate was simplified. Some had Silver & Fletcher and extractors.  For game purposes, it is identical to the standard Mark 5.

     The Mark 5, 6in Barrel is a Mark 5 with a 6” barrel fitted as standard, and the front sight made removable.  The Mark 6 has a 6 inch barrel, a more square-cut grip, and components modified to facilitate faster production.  This is the most common model of the Webley Pistol.  The Mark 6 .22 was a small-caliber version designed for practice and to introduce new shooters to the revolver. The Mark 6 was used by the British military from 1915 to the end of World War 2, though it was manufactured only until 1921.  An oddment of Mark 6 was its ability to take a special bayonet; it was not that useful in bayonet fighting, but was regarded as an excellent knife.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Marks 1, 1*, 2

.455 Webley Revolver Mk II

0.99 kg

6 Cylinder

$173

Marks 3, 4 (4” Barrel)

.455 Webley Revolver Mk II

0.99 kg

6 Cylinder

$173

Marks 3, 4 (6” Barrel)

.455 Webley Revolver Mk II

1.09 kg

6 Cylinder

$194

Mark 5

.455 Webley Revolver Mk II

1.01 kg

6 Cylinder

$167

Marks 1**, 2**

.455 Webley Revolver Mk II

1 kg

6 Cylinder

$167

Marks 1** & 2**, 6in Barrel

.455 Webley Revolver Mk II

1.1 kg

6 Cylinder

$188

Mark 5

.455 Webley Revolver Mk II

1.03 kg

6 Cylinder

$190

Mark 5

.45 Long Colt

1.26 kg

6 Cylinder

$262

Mark 5

.44-40 Winchester

1.19 kg

6 Cylinder

$246

Mark 5

.476 Enfield

1.1 kg

6 Cylinder

$214

Mark 5, 6in Barrel

.455 Webley Revolver Mk II

1.07 kg

6 Cylinder

$188

Mark 6

.455 Webley Revolver Mk II

1.09 kg

6 Cylinder

$188

Mark 6 .22

.22 Long Rifle

1.08 kg

6 Cylinder

$106

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Marks 1, 1*, 2

DAR

2

Nil

1

4

Nil

10

Marks 3, 4 (4”)

DAR

2

Nil

1

4

Nil

10

Marks 3, 4 (6”)

DAR

2

Nil

2

4

Nil

16

Mark 5

DAR

2

Nil

1

4

Nil

10

Marks 1**, 2**

DAR

2

Nil

1

4

Nil

10

Marks 1** & 2**, 6in Barrel

DAR

2

Nil

1

4

Nil

16

Mark 5 (.455)

DAR

2

1-Nil

1

4

Nil

15

Mark 5 (.45)

DAR

2

1-Nil

1

5

Nil

15

Mark 5 (.44-40)

DAR

2

1-Nil

1

5

Nil

14

Mark 5 (.476)

DAR

2

Nil

1

4

Nil

13

Mark 5, 6in Barrel

DAR

2

Nil

2

4

Nil

16

Mark 6

DAR

2

Nil

1

4

Nil

16

Mark 6 .22

DAR

-1

Nil

1

2

Nil

11

 

Webley-Fosbury Automatic Revolver

     Notes:  This weapon is in a class of its own – a semiautomatic revolver.  The force of recoil actually drives the barrel back over the frame, which cocks the weapon and rotates the cylinder.  It was, unfortunately, a very complicated mechanism that was prone to jamming from dirt or simple lack of care.  It was a novelty weapon that was adopted by many British officers, who found them jamming at the wrong moment during the first year of World War 1, and was quickly discarded.  The Webley-Fosbuy was never officially adopted by the British Army and was bought primarily by officers as a sidearm; chauvinism made the officers’ corps feel that the Webley-Fosbury was too complicated for the enlisted man to understand. It should be noted that the US Army trialed the Webley-Fosbury in 1907, but felt that it had so many shortcomings that it could not be taken seriously as a military pistol.

     The Webley-Fosbury came at an unusual, transitional period of handgun use in world armies. Some, like the British, were clinging to revolvers, while most were converting to automatic pistols.  The Webley-Fosbury took sort of a middle road in this development.  Its 6-inch barrel made is very large for even a revolver, yet the round used and the long barrel gave it exceptional power.  The Webley-Fosbury was simply too prone to dirt and had too complicated a mechanism that in practice took considerable user acumen.  Nonetheless, it had its strong points – aside from the accuracy and power, the break-open action with automatic case ejection could make reloading rather quick.  (To achieve full automatic ejection, the Wesbley-Fosbury had to be broken open completely; a “half-open” intermediate position was also available, allowing the user to load and reload cartridges individually.  This also allowed the shooter to check how full his cylinder was.) If a round turns out to be a dud or falls on an empty or fired round, the entire top frame must be pulled back to advance the cylinder to the next cartridge. The Webley-Fosbury is also single-action only, necessary due to the design of the weapon.

     The Model 1902 version differed from the above Model 1901 in being chambered for .38 ACP (not to be confused with the .380 ACP), and issued primarily to London police.  It also had some sales to civilians.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Webley-Fosbury

.455 Webley Revolver Mk II

1.24 kg

6 Cylinder

$221

Webley-Fosbury

.38 ACP

1.24 kg

6 Cylinder

$163

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Webley-Fosbury (.455)

SA

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

16

Webley-Fosbury (.38)

SA

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

13

 

Webley Pocket Hammerless

     Notes:  Though the official chambering for this revolver was .320 Revolver, is could just as easily fire .32 Long Colt, .32 Short Colt, or .32 Smith & Wesson Long without any changes.  It is a nickel-plated inexpensive weapon designed to be slipped into a pocket for personal defense or concealment.  Though it was built at a slow rate for more than 10 years, it is probable that less than 10,000 were made.  They still show up regularly to this day, however.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Webley Pocket Hammerless

.320 Revolver or .32 Long Colt, or .32 Short Colt, or .32 Smith & Wesson Long

0.48 kg

6 Cylinder

$98

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Pocket Hammerless (.320)

DAR

1

Nil

1

5

Nil

7

Pocket Hammerless (.32 Long Colt)

DAR

1

Nil

1

5

Nil

5

Pocket Hammerless (.32 Short Colt)

DAR

1

Nil

1

5

Nil

7

Pocket Hammerless (.32 S&W Long)

DAR

1

Nil

1

5

Nil

5

 

Webley Pocket Pistol No 3

     Notes:  This was a far more popular weapon than the Pocket Hammerless; over 55,000 were built, and when introduced, cost British citizens a mere 3 Pounds to buy.  Government and police sales were also made.  Some had adjustable sights, shrouded hammers, and no trigger guards with folding triggers.  Small numbers of the Pocket Pistol were also chambered for .320 Revolver cartridges; these can be identified by the cylinder, which is smaller in the front than in the back.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Pocket Pistol No 3

.38 Special

0.54 kg

6 Cylinder

$156

Pocket Pistol No 3

.320 Revolver

0.35 kg

6 Cylinder

$98

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Pocket Pistol (.38)

DAR

1

Nil

1

5

Nil

4

Pocket Pistol (.320)

DAR

1

Nil

1

6

Nil

7

 

Webley RIC

     Notes:  The RIC is a heavy-frame, short-barreled revolver designed for official use, able to be used as much as a club as a revolver.  It was designed for the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), hence the name.  As such, it was used for many decades, as well as being sold commercially and to several other British and colonial police forces, and by German and Belgian police early in the 20th century; it was, however, introduced in 1872, and sold primarily to civilians until the beginning of the 20th century. The .450 Revolver-firing version was considered especially desirable, as it had the best record in the reliability department.

     The RIC inspired a number of copies (mostly unlicensed), in Britain and in several other European countries, particularly Belgium and Spain.  These versions were typically called “Bulldogs,” regardless of their actual name.  The Bulldogs were normally chambered in such a manner as to attract customers in their own countries or civilian customers.  Craftsmanship generally fell short of the RIC, however, they also typically had shorter barrels; 3.2 inches was common, where the RIC normally had a 4-inch barrel; the Bulldogs also normally had generally lighter construction.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

RIC

.44 Webley

0.85 kg

6 Cylinder

$215

RIC

.450 Revolver

0.85 kg

6 Cylinder

$225

RIC

.455 Webley Revolver Mk I

0.85 kg

6 Cylinder

$264

RIC

.476 Enfield

0.85 kg

6 Cylinder

$255

Bulldog

.44 Webley

0.52 kg

6 Cylinder

$140

Bulldog

.45 Webley

0.52 kg

6 Cylinder

$164

Bulldog

10.6mm German Ordnance

0.58 kg

6 Cylinder

$183

Bulldog

.320 Revolver

0.51 kg

6 Cylinder

$93

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

RIC (.44)

DAR

2

Nil

1

4

Nil

10

RIC (.450)

DAR

2

Nil

1

5

Nil

10

RIC (.455)

DAR

2

Nil

1

6

Nil

8

RIC (.476)

DAR

2

Nil

1

5

Nil

8

Bulldog (.44)

DAR

2

Nil

1

6

Nil

5

Bulldog (.45)

DAR

2

Nil

1

6

Nil

5

Bulldog (10.6mm)

DAR

2

Nil

1

6

Nil

5

Bulldog (.320)

DAR

1

Nil

1

4

Nil

5

 

Webley WG

     Notes:  The Webley WG as designed by a new Webley employee (at the time), Michael Kaufman.  It introduced a number of improvements which later became standard on other Webley revolvers, and it was widely sold to British officers and travelers going to the wilder parts of the kingdom.  WG is generally said to stand for “Webley Government,” but some say it stands for “Webley-Green,” after the inventor of the stirrup lock.  The WG does not include a safety.  The Service model is the most common one, produced for the military.  The Target model is a long-barreled version produced for competition; it had a long 7.5-inch barrel, a match trigger, and a sideplate that allowed access to the mechanism.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

WG Service

.455 Webley Revolver Mk I

1.14 kg

6 Cylinder

$208

WG Target

.455 Webley Revolver Mk I

1.19 kg

6 Cylinder

$223

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

WG Service

DAR

2

1-Nil

2

4

Nil

17

WG Target

DAR

2

1-Nil

2

5

Nil

22

 

Webley-Wilkinson

     Notes:  Wilkinson Sword, the British company that had long been a supplier to the British government of swords, daggers, and knives, decided the time had changed around the end of the 19th century and that they needed a firearm to sell to bolster flagging sales of their blades.  They therefore asked Webley to help them built a high-quality revolver for sale to British officers and the officers of other European countries.  The British officer of the time was allowed to use any sort of sidearm he wished, as long as it fired .455 Webley ammunition.  They designed a revolver with stainless steel plating and the highest-possible grade of steel for the parts of the weapon.  Some enterprising officers later rechambered their weapons to fire .450 Revolver or .476 Enfield ammunition, but these conversions are relatively rare.  Due to the high quality of manufacture, a Webley-Wilkinson encountered today can still be expected to function flawlessly.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Webley-Wilkinson

.45 Webley Revolver Mk I

0.92 kg

6 Cylinder

$276

Webley-Wilkinson

.450 Revolver

0.92 kg

6 Cylinder

$240

Webley-Wilkinson

.476 Enfield

0.92 kg

6 Cylinder

$287

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Webley-Wilkinson (.455)

DAR

2

Nil

1

6

Nil

12

Webley-Wilkinson (.450)

DAR

2

1-Nil

1

6

Nil

15

Webley-Wilkinson (.476)

DAR

2

Nil

1

6

Nil

12