The Webley Revolver
By Duncan McNab

For the 60 years from 1887 to 1947 the Webley revolver was standard issue for the British soldier, seeing wide service in all theatres of war and throughout the colonies with both military and police forces. When the chips were down, it was to the Webley and the bayonet that soldiers turned to repel the charging hordes. The Webley story began in 1853 when brothers Philip and James Webley began the manufacture of percussion revolvers in Birmingham, England. The major design change was in 1867 when they introduced the cartridge revolver that would evolve into the Mark 1, the first of a range of robust and reliable firearms that would spread with Britain's empire. This six shot, double action solid frame and powerful weapon was originally chambered to take the .450 Adams cartridge, and was immediately put into service by the Royal Irish Constabulary.

In 1887, after some years of development and modification, the Webley Mark 1 arrived and was put into service by the British War Office. The Webley was a top-breaking revolver, preferred over the Smith and Wesson of the same period because of its particularly strong barrel latching system. It was chambered for the .455 Mark 1 cartridge and had a 265gr round nosed lead bullet. Certainly enough to give pause to the charging hordes! From its introduction in 1887 to being declared obsolete in 1947, the Webley underwent a series of changes and upgrades. The last of the line, the Mark VI was released in time to see service in World War 1 where it earned a fine reputation for its dependability in the appalling conditions of the trenches of the Western Front. Perhaps the most romantic stories of daring attached to Webley are those of T E Lawrence. He notes in his book "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" that his trusty Webley was used to despatch Hamed the Morroccan, and at the camel charge of Abu el Lissan, where Lawrence, not a great marksman, accidentally shot his own camel. The Webley revolvers soldiered on in the colonies and were often referred to by colonial Police as the "Wobbly" because of their lack accuracy at anything other than close range. With their wide spread, a good Webley can be had for a few hundred dollars.