Webley Model 1887

History of the 1887 Webley Model

The

Webley service revolver first appeared in 1887 and manufactured under the P. Webley & Sons brand label, was chosen to replace the unpopular Enfield Mk I and Mk II series. The revolver has a very traditional yet unique look, including a hinge for moving the frame and barrel down, a short 4" barrel assembly for maximum compactness, and a "bird's beak" style stock. All other elements are simple, including the curved grip integrated into the frame, the bottom trigger group with the elongated ring, and the exposed hammer. Like other revolvers of the period, the Webley had a lanyard loop under the grip.

The front sight is positioned above the muzzle in the usual way, while the rear sight is in a notch arrangement.

The revolver is for .455 Webley Mk II cartridges, six of which are manually loaded into each serviceable cylinder. The breaking action of the frame is designed so that the case can be moved slightly forward, exposing the spent case in the case, which will automatically fall off, while the ready-to-fire case (theoretically) is retained.

The action is similar to the short-lived Enfield Mk I/Mk II revolvers, which were used as the standard pistol for the British Army between 1880 and 1887. The Webley design is only available in Double Action or Double Action (DAO) systems with a muzzle velocity of 620 feet per second and an effective range of up to 50 yards.

Webley first appeared by producing the Mk I model, followed by the Mk II in 1895, which featured changes to the grip and hammer. The Mk III is an improved version of the Mk II with a new barrel and improved cylinder lock function.

Introduced in 1899, the Mk IV was known as the "Boer War Model" and used higher quality materials in its construction. The Mk V was an improved design that appeared in 1913, including support for smokeless cartridge ammunition.

The last Webley turret in this series was the final Mk VI, which served with British and Commonwealth troops during World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945). This variant gets a new grip and carries a field bayonet. All other features are based on previous Mk V products.

The Mk IV proved its worth on the battlefields of two world wars and the skirmishes in between. They were largely replaced by the newer Enfield No. 2 revolver line, which appeared in large numbers from 1932. Mk VI models were produced until 1921, with official and unofficial service until 1963.

In total, about 125,000 pieces were produced.

Users of Webley revolvers (except UK) are Canada, India, Ireland, Israel, Luxembourg and the Philippines.

Specification

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Dimensions

Performance

Changes