British Service Revolvers - which one to collect or shoot?

[sledge]

Gents.

I would like to get a British service revolver to collect and shoot. I may shoot it once a year, but I do like to shoot all my milsurps every now and again. It is important that everything I collect be working and firing. Living history! I really like the Great War Webley .455s but the ammo is quite expensive (buck a round), and though reloading does seem possible it is also not easy to find sources of bullets and even load data. They are also not cheap. Almost twice the price of an Enfield revolver.

The Enfield and Albion revolvers of ww2. - well .38 S&W is commercially available for 50 cents a round. That ain't half bad for shooting once a year. Reloading dies and bullets readily available. The Albions are rarer, and cheaper, and only have war dates. But they are double action only. Never fired one of these but have tried a civilian double action revolver and my accuracy was bad. I have found some Mk 1s out there, now and again, not converted to that spurless hammer. Bit more money.

What do the Webley/Enfield shooters and collectors think?

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[jonnyc]

If you want to do it fun and cheaply, find a Webley MkVI that is shaved for .45 ACP. I love mine. You can load to approximate .455 ballistics and shoot for a fraction of the cost.

[Johnny Peppers]

If you are looking for a collectible piece that you can shoot occasionally, I would not alter the pistol. Even a $1 a round is not that expensive if it is that important to be sure the pistol functions.

[jonnyc]

Right!
To clarify, I wasn't suggesting modifying a .455, there are lots of already shaved MkVIs out there to adopt.

[sledge]

Sorry guys, I should have mentioned that I am not looking for a modified milsurp, nor one that was not service issue. It has to be original - and could have likely been used in either world war. That eliminates the .45ACP Webley.

[jonnyc]

In that case, if cost and availability of both pistol and ammo are considerations, your only real choice is an Enfield in .380.

[sledge]

What the .38 like to shoot vs the Webley? Same thing just a smaller bang? Or is the .455 hand cannon really something else well worth the extra $$ to buy and shoot? Is the Mk 1 (double/single action) much better than the Mk 1*(double action only)?

[Peter Laidler]

Go and get a .380" Mk1 Enfield for the reasons you and others have already mentioned. After your first or second shoot, I can guarantee that you'll have got to like them and you'll be looking for a Mk1*.......... then a Mk1**.......... then an Albion of each and........

Good, tough and hardy little pistols. They were good enough for the British Army from the early 30's until the late 60's/early 70's

[sledge]

That is what I was scared to hear - I guess the proof of any good milsurp is how long it was in service, and the Mk 1 has a record in that regard.
Ok, the Mk 1 it is to start....to start. Sounds like how my Enfield collection started, then the FN Browning pistols.
Thanks all.
Cheers,

[jdmcomp]

And while your collecting, be sure to get the HAC Enfield, and of course, the Webley 38 and not last or least the S&W Lend Lease revolver. Oh yes, and the Singapore versions.