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  1. #1
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    Question 1911 in .455 British

    I have a Colt 1911 in .455 caliber and I'm doing research on it. It's in pretty nice shape but it did not come with any magazines.

    Anyone know how I should get started in a quest to find a magazine for this thing?
    Any help is greatly appreciated because it's a nice old gun and I would love to make it whole again.
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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

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    Thats cool. I never heard of any of those. Do you have any pics?

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    Here for your perusal is my Britishicon Army Contract 1917 .455 Eley Colt Government Model Pistol No. W 92124 which was 1 of 300 shipped to the London Armoury Company on March 30, 1917. xSentinal: Please post photos of your pistol; I'd love to see them. Does yours have the original .455 Webley auto barrel or a replacement .45 ACP barrel which is often the case with these pistols?
    Last edited by varifleman; 02-21-2014 at 03:02 PM.

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    Close up of barrel markings indicate calibre .455 Webley self-loading cartridge, broad arrow Britishicon military property mark; brass length of .900 inches and 9 tons/square inch pressure. Also shown is a .455 Eley magazine for these pistols. These magazines are scare and expensive; one just sold on Gunbroker for $200; recent going prices for such magazines I've seen are around $300-plus. They are available every now and then but you have to look for them; good places to look are Ebay; Gunbroker and AuctionArms and even some of the For Sale sections of various Milsurp and Colt gun forums. Over the past few years I managed to get several of these magazines.
    Last edited by varifleman; 02-21-2014 at 02:59 PM.

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    Here are photos of the 7-round packet of .455 Eley ammo dated January 30, 1919 and individual rounds with 1917 and 1918 head stamps issued for this pistol. Note the "Not for Revolvers" warning against using this ammo in the .455 Webley-Scott revolvers which took a different cartridge.

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    Here are two Britishicon contract .455 Webley auto barrels for this pistol. You can see the groove cut into the barrel below the hood to accept the .455 Eley auto cartridge. Such barrels are often marked with a "W" on the bottom of the barrel as shown in the photos (or sometimes an "E") or with British military inspection and property marks such as the crossed pennants and Crown/E etc on the barrel links.
    Last edited by varifleman; 02-21-2014 at 03:16 PM.

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    You'll just have to advertise here on the WTB or watch Ebay for mags. Maybe your Gunbroker will have one eventually. You'll have to be ready to pay for it though...
    Regards, Jim

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    Legacy Member Mk VII's Avatar
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    Nobody has reproduced these magazines, as far as we know, so get reconciled to paying a lot for one, and hoping that it works.
    Many of these guns have been altered to .45 by private owners over the years.

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    Wow, sorry I was away for the weekend. I did not expect so many replies. Where do I begin.

    1. Yes, I can post some pics. I have them I just have to see how to do that here. I'll take a look in a minute.
    2. It does have the correct .455 barrel. I have checked the specs before and had it checked by an expert.
    3. I have gotten a few PM's already so hopefully I can get a magazine out of this if I can figure out how to do it without getting ripped off.
    4. I certainly don't have any ammo. I did not think any existed. Where the heck did you find ammo? That is very cool.
    Last edited by xSentinel; 02-24-2014 at 08:19 AM.

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    A few quick pics ... if it works

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