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Doing some research on a Webley item and I ran across this video on You Tube. Has anyone even seen one of these let alone one for sale? I cannot find any other information on them other than the article in French. Interesting.
Essai armes | Revolver Webley Mark IV « R.A.F. 22 Special » / calibre .22 Long Rifle
Although my French is very rusty, it does mention Cadets in the write up at the top of the page and so, perhaps, it was intended for use by Officer Cadets or Air Training Corps (Air Cadets)? I don't why he has got an RAF Police badge included in the picture which confuses matters.
I have my suspicions about this one, there isn't a rear sight like Webley put on their .22s, the .22 marking look added on not in the way a factory .22 would have. It's post war so I doubt it was bought under contract, more a private purchase that has been converted to .22 and marked RAF, maybe cadets or some other reason but not an issue piece.
Somehow, I don't think RAF in this instance indicates RAF as we know it. I'm a bit like BP here
Does the barrel look a bit on the short side to be U.K. service issue? These things can look a bit deceiving on film/pictures.
Years ago I has an actual .22 Webley. They barrel was much longer it had an adjustable rear sight. During the short film the cylinder is shown and it has those inserts like you see on a Cogswell & Harrison Victory S&W 22 conversion. My Webley 22 had a dedicated 22 cylinder no inserts. Would Webley do custom work like this if requested? I know S&W would years ago. Also agreed that I can't see Webley doing something like this and crudely stamping .22 on the barrel. Interesting revolver.
Yes this is a .38 sleeved down to .22, the .22 I think was an 8 shot not a 6 shot and I see the front sight has been filed down to get it to sight better at the short range of a .22
The more I see of it the more I'm convinced a shop has done this probably in the last 20 to 30 years. Even the RAF letter style isn't in keeping with the date of the gun, more like 1850s than 1950s.
Could it have started out life as one of the Post WW2 Commercial versions, I wonder?
I'm pretty sure it did as it's in the "A" serial range. Also noted no lanyard ring. Could be gone or plugged.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying10uk
One thing that captivated me about this revolver is not only the collectability of it but the ability to shoot 22 in a Webley. My Son and I shoot a lot of 22. Perhaps I'll find a decent post war 38/200 Webley and see if someone like Hamilton Bowen could make one of these.
Just hold out for an original .22 Webley MkIV, the barrel is 2'' Longer, it has the correct sights for .22 and it has an 8 round cylinder making it much more collectible.Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceHMX
Would a genuine ex RAF service revolver not be marked by "A.M.", followed by a number perhaps? Almost everything else that I've seen of a similar age as this is supposed to be ex RAF has "A.M", followed by a number or perhaps "Service"?
The Enfield No2 pistols were engraved RAF in a plain font on the rhs of frame above trigger,
I thought that it may be helpful to this thread, for comparison/analysis purposes, to post some pictures of my U.K. deactivated Webley M.K. IV, War Finish revolver. This item was deactivated in 2002 and therefore the work which the dealer did would have been in line with what was required by the U.K. spec. in force at that time. As can be seen in one of the pictures this included a steel ring being welded into the cylinder after it had been bored out.
I have owned one of those. I caught myself shooting it a lot. Fun gun and very accurate. One that should have been kept for sure. That is such a shame it had to be deactivated.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying10uk
It is the only way that it can be legally owned by an individual in the U.K.; it still retains it's history though.Quote:
Originally Posted by BruceHMX
They can be legally held in the UK if you if you go down the Section 7.3 route and keep it at one of the designated heritage Sites, I have several of these including the Enfield No2 Mk1 as well all held under Section 7.3.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying10uk
Can you also take it to the range and shoot it? Did you go that route in hopes something might be overturned one day and the weapon is not deactivated?Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon P
The Heritage sites have a range so these historical pistols can be shot & researched, I went down this route as its the only to legally own them, unless you hold a Section 5 Home Office Licence, which i do, but this is for trade & not for collecting.