In point of fact… not true. At all.
The .455 Webley was conceived and designed in the black powder era. The 1911 was designed 20 years later, from the ground up - as a smokeless round. The gun gurus I hear say that the 1911 operating pressures are up around the Webley’s proof pressures. The antique geeks round here were converting Webley’s to 45 ACP and some were splitting and bulging cylinders by firing high perf 45 ACP in them.
The classic Webley load is a 200 gr. bullet moving at around 750 to 800 FPS. The classic 45 ACP round moves in the same velocity range with a 230 gr. bullet. High performance 45ACP ammo can be barked up to around 950 FPS without harm…but that is getting seriously hot for the Webley. The steels and heat treating used are very different between the two guns.
Were I to shoot one I’d just load it with black powder and shoot it the way it was intended.
I've never even held one, we don't get much of that junk down here in Texas. It's about the only English/Euro design revolver I'd ever show any interest in, but can it really be any better that the S&W #3?
ReplyDeleteI'd imagine any top-break revolvers would have some inherent weakness to the frame. With black powder maybe ok, but hard no on the modern loadings.
Oh man - I’m addicted to curios and relics!
DeleteI think the Webly was designed to use cordite powder, which was in use by the Brits until 1945 or so. Correct me if I'm wrong about this, as my memory isn't what it could be.
ReplyDeleteWas it cordite? Or nitrocellulose? I can’t remember either… but the steel and heat treating from that era are still something to take into consideration. Although…today my curio and relic pimp was on Gunnutz selling modern .455 ammo… it featured a 260 gr. RN lead boolit moving at 800 FPS (reasonably priced at $100.00/box…🤢). My info may be erroneous too…
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