Latest Acquisition: .455 Eley/Webley Colt New Service

As I have said before, working at a gunshop has its advantages. A really nice 70%+ finish (no rust) Colt new Service chambered in the .455 cartridge. It has original intact gutta percha grips, 5.5 inch barrel, and original lanyard ring. Bore is bright and crisp. It has two Birmingham (England) proofs. No import marks.

It came in three months ago. I held off because the owner had an unrealistic price ($1,000) on it. The sold gunbroker auction did not come close to that though. After her continuously dropping the price with us, I grabbed it at $700.

I looked up date back then, and if I remember correctly it was made in 1915. According to my English proof sheet, it has the correct proofs.

Its in 10 day Commiefornia jail. I double check date when I go back to work Tuesday. Ordered a repro WW 1 leather Webley holster and ammo pouch $40 for both.. $300 for an original was way too steep!

I have 6 rounds of original .455 MK2 lead ball ammo, and 6 rounds of .455 MK6 Metal Jacket in my collection. I do have dies, 262 grain hollow base conical lead bullets, and 100 rounds of .455 Webley MK2 brass that I will load with either 4.0 grains Bullseye, or 6.0 of Unique. Those are the two factory duplication loads from an old manual I have.

I have been wanting a .455 again, my last being a MK VI I had about 15 years ago when they were affordable. The prices for Webleys now is prohibitive, but this Colt will scratch that itch. This will go nicely with my 1920 commercial Colt 1911 and 1896 Mauser Bolo with stock.

Nice catch, yes original holsters are too expensive. Then, the condition could be degraded too not really serviceable. Those guns shoot nicely and we at least needed to reload the .455 as Fiocci was ridiculous price. Pics when it arrives...

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Those guns shoot nicely and we at least needed to reload

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Yes on both counts from my example.

Thanks. .455 is easy to reload. I have 100 rounds of virgin Starline .455 brass and a few 262 grain, conical, hollow base, .454", moly coated, Bear Creek Supply bullets. (I am ordering more) Steve at Bear Creek makes them specifically for the .455 Webley. They look like the MK2 load when loaded. I also already have some Unique and Bullseye that I load my 44-40 and .44 Colt cowboy action loads with.

.455 is awesome, if it's handloaded properly.

The New Service is a mans gun, designed for use by cavalry, while the S&W .44 Hand Ejector was designed for use by civilians.

Put on your gauntlet cavalry gloves when you shoot them, and you will understand the difference.

Thanks, I agree about the .455 being awesome. I loved my MK VI Webley. When I had it, all I had was some WW2 surplus MK VI FMJ ammo. It was a blast to shoot. Had to sell it to help fund the family relocating from the Midwest back to California (long story!). I alter had a 4" MK VI Webley, but it had the cylinder faced off for .45 ACP in half moon clips or .45 Auto rim. I loaded .45 Auto Rim for it, but it just was not the same. I am going to do some Bullseye, Unique, Triple 7, and APP loads to see which is good.

I run Unique in darn near everything. A bit dirty, but just seems to work well for all kinds of non-magnum handgun cartridges. Doesn't hurt that I've got a bit of it.

I've been using Unique since about 1994 when I started Cowboy Action Shooting. I've used it for .380/200, .38 Long Colt, .44 Russian, .44 Colt, .44 Special, .38-40, .44-40, .45 Colt, .45 Auto Rim, and .45 Schofield.

Just remembered I have pictures of the Birmingham proof marks on my phone.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../CXMH8vl-1.jpg

Here's a handy British proof sheet:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../87weTYk-1.jpg

Does anyone know the history of these WW1 dated Colt revolvers in .455? I'm assuming that it was a British government contract because we couldn't make enough Webley revolvers of our own.

I thought that British officers in WW1 purchased their own revolvers or sometimes did?

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Originally Posted by Flying10uk

Does anyone know the history of these WW1 dated Colt revolvers in .455? I'm assuming that it was a British government contract because we couldn't make enough Webley revolvers of our own.

I thought that British officers in WW1 purchased their own revolvers or sometimes did?

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There were approximately 100,000 New Services manufactured from 1914 thru 1917 and most were chambered in .455.
Most were British and Canadian orders, probably more than 1/2 were "commercial sales".

During the same period approx 79,000 S&W First ("Triple Lock") and Second Model Hand Ejectors .455s were manufactured with probably a higher ratio to Gov't sales.

So roughly 160-180,000 Colt and S&W .455s into the storm.

My understanding was, that until the advent of WW2, from the days of the spread of the Empire, through the first World War, British Officers were all "Gentlemen" members of the "Upper Class." They were expected to provide their own sidearms. During WW2, while some still purchased their own side arms, they could be issued a Webley MK IV .38/200 or No 1 Enfield in .38/200.

Webley and Enfield produced sufficient revolvers the their colonial wars, the enormity of World War One overwhelmed British production capabilities. The American company Remington, produced P14 Enfield in .303 for the British. While it was the British government that requested Colt and Smith & Wesson produce revolvers for the war effort in .455 Webley, I do not know the exact process that got the American made .455s into the hands of the officers.

I checked the serial number again, and it was made in 1915. here's the pics:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../r56Sv16-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../gRPU8X1-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../uc6r6aM-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../kSzOe2t-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../FyR6QAU-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../riZZ5jO-1.jpg

It really is a good 75-80%, though the pictures don't show it well. The book (below) woud have a higher value, though, the the actual sold auctions on gunbroker in the last 3 months, and the 25 current listings, some of which are in the high 600s and 700s. The market is really flat now. We see it at the shop, as we are regularly dropping used and collectable gun prices. Old Winchesters, are all going for well below book.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../MALwX8B-1.jpg

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Originally Posted by imarangemaster

My understanding was, that until the advent of WW2, from the days of the spread of the Empire, through the first World War, British Officers were all "Gentlemen" members of the "Upper Class." They were expected to provide their own sidearms.

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I have mentioned it before but during the 1940's, when my father was still at school, at one of the schools he attended, the headmaster had served as a British army officer during WW1. My father wasn't interested and didn't like sports but he did like the annual school's sports day, not for anything to do with sports, but because the headmaster would get his WW1 Webley service revolver out for use as a starting pistol. Without getting political, sadly in the UK if a headmaster was to attempt something similar today the consequences may, possibly not be good.

When I was an Investigator at the Sheriff's Office, I had a partner who was British born (and now US citizen) and was a "Boy Soldier" in the English Army, enlisting at 16. He did 6 years in the army, and once told me that most officers were still basically from the "upper Class" in the 70s and 80s.

It has to do with the way the Brits select, decvelop and appoint officers.

It was much the same in the US until WW2, hence the term "Officer and a Gentleman". I WW2, the officer corp was a polyglot. While the majority were college educated men, the huge numbers of draftees generated a need that exceeded the college educated pool available. My dad was a Staff Sgt, and was offered a commission if he reenlisted forKorea. Born in 1911 , he had an 8th grade education in an orphanage, but was self educated in later life..