True. 3 cents back then was worth a dollar today. More actually. I remember where I grew up in South Africa, cigarettes were sold individually if you preferred. 5 cents each. lol If one did the math, that was a buck a box rather than 24 cents a box at the time. Good business sense by the convenience stores.
My grandfather carried a 38 S&W revolver as a special deputy for the Cataraugus NY sheriff's department and your right. He had to supply his own ammunition. I still have the six rounds of ammunition he bought (Probably all he could afford) and carried as his basic carry load. In addition he carried a S&W seven shot revolver as a back up. It is in 22 short. They had a different perspective as to stopping power back in those days. LOL...
@@timothymckee7693 I hate to be the "um... actually" guy, but uh, yeah. That "meme" that does the rounds every few years is bullshit. There's still some argument over whether or not any cartridges were ever exchanged for drinks en mass and not just some weird one off. For example: Bill knew the barkeep, barkeep knew Bill was on hard times and as a one-off favor allowed Bill to have a drink for some .45 Colt rounds. I.E. the kinda shit that's real hard to factually prove for researchers. The prices of that era would mean a single shot of whiskey would be about a quarter give or take, which would equal ~10 cartridges per shot of whiskey. Although the reserchers did admittedly make room for the price changing, as the cost of shots would decrease as more of us went West over the years and competition between bars increased. Please folk, stop taking random internet "memes" as concrete truth and use that thing that sits between your ears and verify the info yourself.
Some years back, my grandfather passed down to me his Colt Police Positive in 38S&W (aka 38 Colt New Police). Was his duty weapon on many jobs over the years and the gun is still in fantastic condition. Both the gun and the cartridge are what pushed me to start reloading. The cartridge is very capable and can be loaded all over the board, it's much more versatile than most folks realize, esp in a solid framed revolver like the Police Positive. I absolutely love it, not just for all of the sentimental value that it holds, but the revolver itself is a well made, accurate and fine tuned machine. It's a work of art. I know it sounds cliche, but honestly, they really don't make 'em like they used to. I can't thank my grandfather enough for entrusting me with that revolver. It was his favorite gun and is by far my favorite as well. I'd easily consider it my most valued possession, mainly bc it came from him. God bless you Grandpa, we all miss you!!! 🙏
I have a PP in .32 - great little gun. Ironically, since .32 long wadcutters are used in the centerfire target revolvers and pistols (like .22lr is in the rimfire versions), they're easier to find than .38S&W. Although I wish we could get Buffalo Bore over here - they make a nodern .32 load that's got a standard flat-nose bullet (like the old colt new police cartridge), rather than just shooting wadcutters. And, of course, I can go shoot some lapua .32 wadcutters in it if I'm feeling extravagant.
The British military services used what they called the .380/200 from 1932 to the early 1950s. (In the U. S. that cartridge is the .38 S&W.) They loaded it with a 200 grain - dropped it to 176 at some point - at about 600 fps. That loading was used in the U. S. as the .38 Super Police. Worked well, but didn't hold enough rounds to make up for misses.
Can't imagine many of them were well practice or professional shooter either. Hard to be that when every shot had to offer some human compensation of some kind, such like putting meat on the table or preventing predator attack.
@@exothermal.sprocket As far as the American made top-break revolvers, most spent their lives in a sock draw in the bedroom and were hardly ever shot, if at all.
Love it. Back in 78 I was issued a 38 SW Webley as an armored truck driver in Johannesburg, South Africa. Nothing outstanding about it, but it shot fine for me for what it was.
@@MrTruckerf Actually, back then, Jo'burg was a great city. Seriously. All cities have their issues, but I used to cruze around on a Saturday night with no problems. Today...you would not get one block before someone killed you or at least hacked you up good with a machete. It is a war zone. There is absolutely NO comparison to back then. The time I remember being nervous wasn't so much bank drop offs, but Mine paydays. 2-3 thousand gold mine workers lining up for pay, all of them pissed off after a tough week's work for not much pay, and only the paymaster, with a case of cash, one guard, and me the driver there. If they had rioted I would not be here today. (in the wonderful world of Rural USA)
@@MrTruckerf Absolutely. Been here 39 years now. First in New Hampshire, and the last 8 in Maine now. Hunt deer in the woods out back, and have a balcony off the bedroom that I shoot woodchucks in the garden from.
Cool! A neighbor recently showed me his .45 Webley. Original condition (no machined cylinder for moon clips and .45 acp) still has the markings on the grip for each WW2 kill. I was the young Canadian in the squad behind you back in 99 in Cebu.
My dad had two Webley .455 revolvers, a Mk1 and a Mk6 The lead in the rounds was quite soft and you could Nick it with your thumb nail, he also had some rounds where the bullet head was nickel plated. Both of these guns were issued to him duringWW2 The ammo was often referred to “man stopper” rounds
Mr. Jerry, Thanks for the trip down memory lane! Been about 45 yrs. since l handled a Webley! A friend had one of the .380/200 and the .45 "snubby" with birds head grip. Yeah, it was an ACP conversion, but it still gave a 1917 S&W serious competition DA at close range. Always enjoy your video shares, learn something every time!! Best regards to Miz Lena also, SY, gg
Glad to see the Webley getting some attention. Actually a fine fighting handgun, tough and reliable. I got my Mk VI in the early '70s for $75. The gunshop guy brought out a shoebox full of those recent imports, all cut for moons and .45ACP to make them more saleable here in the States, and told me to pick one out... Still got that thing. But that wasn't enough for me. Back about 20 years ago I'd shoot mine occasionally in regular USPSA club matches. The eighty-pound DA trigger was but a minor problem back when I was a carpenter with sturdy hands, and I kept at it until I'd actually made "B" classification in the old six-shot Revolver Division. And it was fun watching the ROs go diving backwards when the emptied moonclips came flying out towards them during the reloads. Good times.
A Webley Mk. IV in .38 S&W is one of the handguns on my "bucket list" that I still haven't owned yet. If I ever find one at a store, it's going home with me.
Great fun! Don’t get hooked on old top breaks, Jerry, or you’ll be wanting S&W #3 and Schofield’s to collect. Hey, we are the same age; do you also wish you’d picked up a .455 MkVI Webley back when they were cheap?😉
There's an old British army joke about a sergeant instructor explaining the .38" Webley revolver to a class of newly commissioned subalterns,be closed by saying that carrying a revolver was a token of officer status but it was not recommended for shooting an enemy soldier on the basis that it might annoy them to the extent that they take the revolver off you and beat you to death with it .....
@@newhuskytwenty Which was why the majority of those shot down over enemy territory ended up as POW. You would have to be suicidal to take on even one man armed with a rifle using that revolver.
@@christopherfranklin972 Same goes for literally any handgun. .38/200 will pass right through a man at close range same as any other pistol, and like any other pistol it's going to fucking suck at hitting anything past 25 yards.
@@chaimafaghet7343😂 Kinda ironic having this conversation on a JM video? But yeah that's the crux of it. You've got a handgun and the other guy has a K98k or whatever at 100 yards.... Probably not even worth trying to take a shot? In
When getting into a similar type revolver - I was always enamored with the .45 auto rim break-open, for something of that that sort to keep and collect: that is possibly the best of that type. I did have one - yet sold it for a song during the many times when I was oftentimes near destitute; this happens so many times with those of us who do physical labor while trying to earn a living with a huge amount of physical injuries that don't quite meet the total disability requirements to get any money.
Old guns are best when they are accompanied by a little color from their times. Jerry adds great color from back in the day. Had never heard about buying rounds priced individually.
Still sending good rounds down range into the target. Very amazing firearm!! Great video Jerry 💯🔥 I'm sure Kay or Lena would have got that bottle cap 🎉😂
Old pistols and revolvers are interesting. Educational in terms of history and "why" and fun to shoot. For an old revolver, I have a Webley Mark V (I think that means five) originally in .455 Webley. Looks much like the revolver in the video except bigger.
Sorry, but Webley .38 Mk.IV's were not issued to the British Army until during WW2, and then only as a substitute standard. The standard revolver was the Enfield No.2 Mk.1, 1* and 1**. That one there appears to be a commercial one, and has no military proofs.
Thanks nice video- gun . I live in the uk . I have the same model with 4” barrel .. unfortunately it’s a deact ☹️. So it is nice for me to see a working specimen.. keep making the videos ... God bless America 👍
Good display. I have a S&W 38 Victory model that post war was shorten to 2 1/2”, chromed, and reamed for 38 Special. My gunsmith advised against using 38 Special so I stick with 38 S&W. Ammo hard to find but seems sporadically available online stores. Nice soft shooter.
They did that to a lot of the .38 S&Ws after WWII. The conversion was not wise because the .38 Special bullet is smaller in diameter so accuracy suffers. A blue version of your gun was used by Lee Harvey Oswald to kill Officer J.D. Tippet.
@@jefferyashmore6477 A S&W Victory reamed for .38 Spl can handle .38 Spl just fine... Why wouldn't it? It's not like they deliberately made the .38 S&W ones weaker than the .38 Spl ones...
I have bumped into a few late-19th century and early 20th century British service arms over the years. All of them have been very well made, with perhaps the only criticism being that they were overbuilt, and accurate compared to their contemporaries. This makes me want to buy a Webley. The Martini actioned BSA target rifles are absolutely spectacular, btw.
I’ve always wondered why someone doesn’t make a new top break, using modern materials that can handle magnums. I think it would be great to have a .357 top break that ejects the rounds when you open it up. If you could make one that can use (but doesn’t HAVE to use) moon-clips so much the better!
@@johnhodges8264 Izmech (Russia) had a .357 top break in development, but gave it up when international trade went south. Traditionally, top-breaks tend to shake loose over time, no matter how well made. New materials might change thatn.
Great video! I picked up the same gun recently at a gun show for a good price. I joins it's larger brother, a .455 Webley from 1916. Shaved for moon clips as 99.9% of the surplus guns were, this one hits 2" high at 15y with 185gr 45ACP. It's plenty good enough to win any local PPC revolver match with and that makes me smile :)
@@canamshooter9104 ...point missed. Any modern 45ACP factory load is hotter than original 455....and may exceed pressure of 455 PROOF loads. Dangerous. You will be hurt soon and count yourself licky if it hasn't already. See other's comments here saying the same.
But sometimes, in fact- many times, they are superior to current production models due to the care used in hand-fitting quality parts which would today be impractical because of high labor costs.
Ok then, I'll give an example pertinent to both the comment and the video: Webleys, including my own 1892 WG in .455, generally exhibit fine craftsmanship and function relative to their design, so long as they're not abused. Subjective, yes, but there are certainly modern weapons which do not have fine craftsmanship and function relative to their design.
One of my favorite handguns. A truly excellent combat revolver which is extremely rugged, easily and quickly reloaded, and seemingly immune to contamination and fouling and general crud. My Mk IV .38-200 is a War Finish version which I found in mint condition with the canvas holster. I've pounded thousands of rounds through it with no noticeable effect .38 S&W brass seems to last indefinitely, and a little powder goes a long way. A hollow base wadcutter for .38 Special with 3.0 grains of Unique works very well for this cartridge, though it will not shoot to the sights of .38-200 caliber guns. But I also recreate the original British 200 grain service load, and that's dead on in both my Webley and S&W Lend Lease Victory Model that went to Australia in 1939. .38 S&W can easily be handloaded to duplicate .38 Special, and I've done it in both guns. The Webley is far more than strong enough for it. But there's really no point. I like the very gentle shooting characteristics and low noise of the original load. You can easily see the big 200 grain slug in flight too at around 600 fps. Which is somehow very pleasing. It's also possible to use black powder cartridges in a Webley if you want to. They were designed to cope with the heavy fouling, and it doesn't slow them down a bit.
I really like the lense size of your glasses. Can you tell us the basic specifications, make/model and where we may be able to "get some." Thanks Jerry.🇺🇲💯
Look for a H&R .22 LR "Sportsman" revolver. Top break like a Webley/Schofield, 6" barrel, holds 8 .22 rounds. I have one and it's a sweet shooter. Should be able to get one for $200, $300 tops.
@@MrTruckerf ...so the story goes. I personally think this is a generalization-myth often repeated once it's heard.....as modern latching design and materials can overcome this.
@@TheWilferch Mostly the materials. The US made ones were fairly crap in terms of both manufacture and materials, and with war production models (often abused both in service and as surplus) it's best not to take chances. There's no reason a competently made modern Webley wouldn't stand up to .44spl or .357 mag with reasonable service intervals (high pressure + large surface area will probably start beating on the latch a bit too much).
Some did made 12 round video vs a hand ejector model. I also thought the break action is faster but it wasnt. But the good feature is the the Webly break action eject only the empty cases. So you can shot only 1 or 2 rounds and topload. I like that.
Seems the domestic police once used a pretty heavy bullet in the .38 Special as well? Like 200 grain? Thanks for giving these olde tymey revolvers a good loving. Give these older cartridges a good run, not everything has to be capable of splitting a mountain in half.
I have one that I bought a few years back for $150. It's my wife's favorite gun to shoot. It's heavy, and there's not much recoil. Pretty cool to have in the collection.
I have a Webley .455 converted to .45 ACP. I had a gunsmith fix the broken spring inside and now she runs fine. Reloaded some .45 ACP hulls down to acceptable pressure levels and the gun is fun to shoot, would be NO fun to get hit with. Great old design, very comfortable.
I worked at a hardware store in 1981 that sold ammo by the cartridge. We had customer that came in and checked his guns with me while he shopped. He carried an old 1911 and a snub nose 38.
If memory serves the 200 grain WC ammunition for the .38-200 was never actually issued as it would have ben a violation for the Hague Convention as it wasn't jacketed. The round issued was a full metal jacketed 178 (?) grain.
Would be interesting to know if the patent on this design is open. I love revolvers and having one you could break open like that to load/unload would be sweet. A little surprised they didn't catch on here.
Nice always liked the webley. But never purchased one Just look at a Smith and Wesson 1917 converted to 455 webley in a gun store. Beautiful job four inch barrel and smooth action.
That's so interesting. I found an extremely old box of Western Cartridge .38 S&W at a garage sale many years ago. It had a sticker on it that said "$.06 ea." Being an ammo nerd and collector I had to buy it even though I don't have anything chambered in .38 S&W. My how lucky we are to live in a time where we'll buy and shoot an entire case of ammo, let alone a single box. Lol
Like you Gerry I also have my Grandfather’s Iver Johnson made next door to me in Fitchburg Massachusetts. My sons and I still bring it to the range whenever we go. Aim for the right kidney position at 20 yards and you might hit center mass half the time. I’m very impressed you nailed a soda can first shot😊
I remember buying shotgun shells individually when I was a kid in the 60's. I forgot what they cost, but I paid for them a lot of times with empty soda bottles I picked up along the road at two cents each. And yes, I mean I was a kid. Early teens maybe even younger. I don't know what the laws were then, but nobody thought anything of someone my age having a gun or buying ammo at the general store. I think they sold 22 ammo the same way, but I didn't have a 22 so I know I never bought any of that. BTW. A model 19 was my first handgun. Skeeter Skelton and Bill Jordan convinced me it was best all round handgun a fellow could want. I haven't seen much over the years to make me think they were wrong.
Some also referred to them as the suicide specials, jokingly, as some feared they may blow up in their hands because they are so tiny. Untrue of course, because they were made well.
All the hating on .38 Special as a woefully inadequate round. . . It was actually, in effect, the first “magnum.” .38 S&W was the round that put the “special” in .38 Special. I inherited one of these British pistols from my uncle, the shop gun in his small-town sporting goods store. The cylinder was way out of time, spitting lead sideways like a boss. I figured it was the cylinder and bought a spare, but the problem turned out to be gunked up internals. (Could have been cosmoline left over from inadequate cleaning out of the box.) With that taken care of, mine is still a bit stiff on double action but all-in-all a comfortable and accurate pistol. Ammunition can be a bit pricey and hard to find.
Purchased 2 crates of unissued webleys back in the late 70's. They've been in their crates untouched ever since. It's time to bring these old webleys out into the light of day again, sell them and let others own and enjoy these unique little pieces of history
Not that I’ll ever have the chance to own or shoot one due to the UK laws, but it’s great to see an American enjoy a British revolver. Especially one that has so much history and is a bit of a darling to us.
Between the two, the S&W 327 8 shot PC 2 inch or the p2000 which would be a better concealed carry option in your eyes, and are they both viable. If you respond thank you very much, if not keep doing you! You're a legend that hasn't stopped being legendary.
Hey Jerry… Thanks for all the great instruction and information. I’m a retired firefighter on a budget, and I’m wondering if you can recommend a particular pistol in 22 long rifle.? I want to practice more and I am thinking that 22 ammo would be a less expensive proposition than 9 mm. I’m not sure what you think of Ruger‘s mark IV but that’s the direction I’ve been leaning. Thoughts? Please and thanks.
I inherited my granddaddy’s enfield webly clone. It has a small bulge in the barrel he never knew about. Must have had a squib load that got knocked out by the second round. I’ll never fire it but never get rid of it either.
I like top break revolvers, unfortunately they aren't strong enough for really powerful cartridges. But otherwise they are faster to load and unload than than swing out "hand ejector" revolvers. I have an old S&W "Lemon Squeezer" in .38 S&W and a S&W Performance Center #3 Schofield in .45 S&W. I love the guns but shoot them only with light handloads. I am sure the modern made Schofield is of top quality, but I have no need to try to push it's limits. BTW, you can use cast or swaged lead .38 Special/.357 Mag. bullets for loading the .38 S&W. They are .002"-.003" undersized, but they will "bump up" on firing and give suitable plinking/fun shooting accuracy.
I have an H&R “hammerless” top break DAO, and it’s a great pocket gun. It shoots the 148 and 200 grain bullets very well. I’m not Jerry, so I’m happy if I can keep all shots on a pie plate at 10 yards!
Good to see youngsters like Jerry in the sport , I don’t know if he has any more recent videos (?) this says it’s from 4 months ago , Come on Jerry , make another , btw , my Dad a RAF Commander had a Webley , first revolver I shot as a 5 year old , along with the rifke my Pah bought me at 5 years of age … long ago
I have an Enfield it was made under licence the same as the Webley in .38 S&W I hand load them 3gr Unique and normal .38 either wadcutters or slugs!! Plus a V mod 10 Smith for commonwealth forces another nice shooter!
"Back in the day" I used to go to our screen door grocery store and buy a dime's worth of .22 shorts. It was not an unusual request at the time. Like you said in your video, nobody bought a whole box of anything. 20 ga shotgun shells were 10 cents each. They were paper shells with a roll crimp over a paper over shot wad.
I have a paper shotgun shell with paper wad, they were coated in a light wax to keep them water proof. Also have a pinfire shotgun shell, just the paper hull which isn't loaded, but the primer is unfired.
I don’t know if there’s a market for it, but I’d like to see a modern break top double action revolver in a modern cartridge. Maybe .357 mag? I know the top break isn’t as strong as a solid frame, but with modern metallurgy and manufacturing I think it could be done. I’d love to have a “bulldog” in .44 spl. As a snub nose break top. And way. Cool video.
In The Maltese Falcon, a Webley Fosbery Automatic Revolver was indeed used, but falsely described as 8 shot .45 cal. There are 2 versions,of Webley Fosbery, a 8 shot .38 S&W and a 6 shot .455 Webley.
Back in the day, hardly anyone could afford a whole box of cartridges. Good to see some things haven’t changed.
Try going in a store and buying several cartridges today. They would laugh you out of the store!
True. 3 cents back then was worth a dollar today. More actually. I remember where I grew up in South Africa, cigarettes were sold individually if you preferred. 5 cents each. lol If one did the math, that was a buck a box rather than 24 cents a box at the time. Good business sense by the convenience stores.
😂😢
My grandfather carried a 38 S&W revolver as a special deputy for the Cataraugus NY sheriff's department and your right. He had to supply his own ammunition. I still have the six rounds of ammunition he bought (Probably all he could afford) and carried as his basic carry load. In addition he carried a S&W seven shot revolver as a back up. It is in 22 short. They had a different perspective as to stopping power back in those days. LOL...
@@timothymckee7693 I hate to be the "um... actually" guy, but uh, yeah. That "meme" that does the rounds every few years is bullshit. There's still some argument over whether or not any cartridges were ever exchanged for drinks en mass and not just some weird one off. For example: Bill knew the barkeep, barkeep knew Bill was on hard times and as a one-off favor allowed Bill to have a drink for some .45 Colt rounds. I.E. the kinda shit that's real hard to factually prove for researchers. The prices of that era would mean a single shot of whiskey would be about a quarter give or take, which would equal ~10 cartridges per shot of whiskey. Although the reserchers did admittedly make room for the price changing, as the cost of shots would decrease as more of us went West over the years and competition between bars increased.
Please folk, stop taking random internet "memes" as concrete truth and use that thing that sits between your ears and verify the info yourself.
Haven't seen a wild Jerry in 6 months, we miss your videos!
Some years back, my grandfather passed down to me his Colt Police Positive in 38S&W (aka 38 Colt New Police). Was his duty weapon on many jobs over the years and the gun is still in fantastic condition. Both the gun and the cartridge are what pushed me to start reloading. The cartridge is very capable and can be loaded all over the board, it's much more versatile than most folks realize, esp in a solid framed revolver like the Police Positive. I absolutely love it, not just for all of the sentimental value that it holds, but the revolver itself is a well made, accurate and fine tuned machine. It's a work of art. I know it sounds cliche, but honestly, they really don't make 'em like they used to.
I can't thank my grandfather enough for entrusting me with that revolver. It was his favorite gun and is by far my favorite as well. I'd easily consider it my most valued possession, mainly bc it came from him. God bless you Grandpa, we all miss you!!! 🙏
I have a PP in .32 - great little gun. Ironically, since .32 long wadcutters are used in the centerfire target revolvers and pistols (like .22lr is in the rimfire versions), they're easier to find than .38S&W. Although I wish we could get Buffalo Bore over here - they make a nodern .32 load that's got a standard flat-nose bullet (like the old colt new police cartridge), rather than just shooting wadcutters.
And, of course, I can go shoot some lapua .32 wadcutters in it if I'm feeling extravagant.
I had one barely dent plywood at best stick in it. Mine was tanker webley.
The British military services used what they called the .380/200 from 1932 to the early 1950s. (In the U. S. that cartridge is the .38 S&W.) They loaded it with a 200 grain - dropped it to 176 at some point - at about 600 fps. That loading was used in the U. S. as the .38 Super Police. Worked well, but didn't hold enough rounds to make up for misses.
“Nobody bought a whole box, they couldn’t afford it “
True today as well!
Can't imagine many of them were well practice or professional shooter either. Hard to be that when every shot had to offer some human compensation of some kind, such like putting meat on the table or preventing predator attack.
They should start selling Singles. Again
@@thelastjohnwayne The current system of supply would make that ridiculously expensive as compared to volume sales.
@@exothermal.sprocket As far as the American made top-break revolvers, most spent their lives in a sock draw in the bedroom and were hardly ever shot, if at all.
Nothing changed
Jerry is just as good with a 100 yr pistol or a new Barrett 50, one of the best of our times, and his wife and daughter are not far behind.
Love it. Back in 78 I was issued a 38 SW Webley as an armored truck driver in Johannesburg, South Africa. Nothing outstanding about it, but it shot fine for me for what it was.
Wow. I would not want that job in that place. It wasn't as bad back then as it is today, but still........
@@MrTruckerf Actually, back then, Jo'burg was a great city. Seriously. All cities have their issues, but I used to cruze around on a Saturday night with no problems. Today...you would not get one block before someone killed you or at least hacked you up good with a machete. It is a war zone. There is absolutely NO comparison to back then.
The time I remember being nervous wasn't so much bank drop offs, but Mine paydays. 2-3 thousand gold mine workers lining up for pay, all of them pissed off after a tough week's work for not much pay, and only the paymaster, with a case of cash, one guard, and me the driver there. If they had rioted I would not be here today. (in the wonderful world of Rural USA)
@@nathanlambshead4778 Welcome to rural America, my friend! I go shooting in my back woods anytime I please!
@@MrTruckerf Absolutely. Been here 39 years now. First in New Hampshire, and the last 8 in Maine now. Hunt deer in the woods out back, and have a balcony off the bedroom that I shoot woodchucks in the garden from.
Thanks, Jerry, for sharing your knowledge.
Cool! A neighbor recently showed me his .45 Webley. Original condition (no machined cylinder for moon clips and .45 acp) still has the markings on the grip for each WW2 kill. I was the young Canadian in the squad behind you back in 99 in Cebu.
Tranter also made a .450/.455 calibre with top break. These can be reloaded with Hogdgon Trailboss smokeless powder, which gives mild recoil.
I have a shaved webley mk 1** with serial #666
@@noturfather1106 Mine is a 4 digit dated 1916.
My dad had two Webley .455 revolvers, a Mk1 and a Mk6
The lead in the rounds was quite soft and you could Nick it with your thumb nail, he also had some rounds where the bullet head was nickel plated.
Both of these guns were issued to him duringWW2
The ammo was often referred to “man stopper” rounds
Thanks Jerry. Excellent history lesson and shooting.
Mr. Jerry, Thanks for the trip down memory lane! Been about 45 yrs. since l handled a Webley! A friend had one of the .380/200 and the .45 "snubby" with birds head grip. Yeah, it was an ACP conversion, but it still gave a 1917 S&W serious competition DA at close range. Always enjoy your video shares, learn something every time!! Best regards to Miz Lena also, SY, gg
Glad to see the Webley getting some attention.
Actually a fine fighting handgun, tough and reliable.
I got my Mk VI in the early '70s for $75. The gunshop guy brought out a shoebox full of those recent imports, all cut for moons and .45ACP to make them more saleable here in the States, and told me to pick one out... Still got that thing.
But that wasn't enough for me. Back about 20 years ago I'd shoot mine occasionally in regular USPSA club matches. The eighty-pound DA trigger was but a minor problem back when I was a carpenter with sturdy hands, and I kept at it until I'd actually made "B" classification in the old six-shot Revolver Division.
And it was fun watching the ROs go diving backwards when the emptied moonclips came flying out towards them during the reloads.
Good times.
A Webley Mk. IV in .38 S&W is one of the handguns on my "bucket list" that I still haven't owned yet. If I ever find one at a store, it's going home with me.
"If he would not talk to us, he will talk to Webley, Smith and Wesson".
Great fun! Don’t get hooked on old top breaks, Jerry, or you’ll be wanting S&W #3 and Schofield’s to collect. Hey, we are the same age; do you also wish you’d picked up a .455 MkVI Webley back when they were cheap?😉
Tranter 450/455 and .44 Russian top break aswell.
There's an old British army joke about a sergeant instructor explaining the .38" Webley revolver to a class of newly commissioned subalterns,be closed by saying that carrying a revolver was a token of officer status but it was not recommended for shooting an enemy soldier on the basis that it might annoy them to the extent that they take the revolver off you and beat you to death with it .....
Explain it to WWWII British fighter pilots, that revolver was all they had to defend themselves.
@@newhuskytwenty Which was why the majority of those shot down over enemy territory ended up as POW.
You would have to be suicidal to take on even one man armed with a rifle using that revolver.
@@christopherfranklin972 Same goes for literally any handgun. .38/200 will pass right through a man at close range same as any other pistol, and like any other pistol it's going to fucking suck at hitting anything past 25 yards.
Yeah but apparently there's a saying saying dating back to the Vietnam era, ''If all you have is a sidearm....you're in a world of $hit"
@@chaimafaghet7343😂 Kinda ironic having this conversation on a JM video? But yeah that's the crux of it.
You've got a handgun and the other guy has a K98k or whatever at 100 yards....
Probably not even worth trying to take a shot? In
When getting into a similar type revolver - I was always enamored with the .45 auto rim break-open, for something of that that sort to keep and collect: that is possibly the best of that type.
I did have one - yet sold it for a song during the many times when I was oftentimes near destitute; this happens so many times with those of us who do physical labor while trying to earn a living with a huge amount of physical injuries that don't quite meet the total disability requirements to get any money.
Old guns are best when they are accompanied by a little color from their times. Jerry adds great color from back in the day. Had never heard about buying rounds priced individually.
Still sending good rounds down range into the target. Very amazing firearm!! Great video Jerry 💯🔥 I'm sure Kay or Lena would have got that bottle cap 🎉😂
I really enjoy when you share stories from your past. Beautiful pistol.
Old pistols and revolvers are interesting. Educational in terms of history and "why" and fun to shoot. For an old revolver, I have a Webley Mark V (I think that means five) originally in .455 Webley. Looks much like the revolver in the video except bigger.
Sorry, but Webley .38 Mk.IV's were not issued to the British Army until during WW2, and then only as a substitute standard. The standard revolver was the Enfield No.2 Mk.1, 1* and 1**.
That one there appears to be a commercial one, and has no military proofs.
how is bloke down here with no likes, here you go and very true
where are ya jerry ?? its been 7 months. hope you and yours are doing well!!!
Yeh man seeing Miculek firing old pistols is an awesome theme
As I recall, Sharif Ali was quite enamored with Lt. Lawrence 's Webley at the desert well....
Thanks nice video- gun . I live in the uk . I have the same model with 4” barrel .. unfortunately it’s a deact ☹️. So it is nice for me to see a working specimen.. keep making the videos ... God bless America 👍
Thank you for introducing us to some of the older stuff 👍
Good display. I have a S&W 38 Victory model that post war was shorten to 2 1/2”, chromed, and reamed for 38 Special. My gunsmith advised against using 38 Special so I stick with 38 S&W. Ammo hard to find but seems sporadically available online stores. Nice soft shooter.
They did that to a lot of the .38 S&Ws after WWII. The conversion was not wise because the .38 Special bullet is smaller in diameter so accuracy suffers.
A blue version of your gun was used by Lee Harvey Oswald to kill Officer J.D. Tippet.
It cant handle 38 special.
@@jefferyashmore6477 A S&W Victory reamed for .38 Spl can handle .38 Spl just fine... Why wouldn't it? It's not like they deliberately made the .38 S&W ones weaker than the .38 Spl ones...
@@BlokeontheRange I owned both there is a lot of difference in pressures. Power is completely different, I would be very careful.
Outstanding ole Webley.
I have bumped into a few late-19th century and early 20th century British service arms over the years. All of them have been very well made, with perhaps the only criticism being that they were overbuilt, and accurate compared to their contemporaries. This makes me want to buy a Webley. The Martini actioned BSA target rifles are absolutely spectacular, btw.
I’ve always wondered why someone doesn’t make a new top break, using modern materials that can handle magnums. I think it would be great to have a .357 top break that ejects the rounds when you open it up. If you could make one that can use (but doesn’t HAVE to use) moon-clips so much the better!
Webley does its $4000
Because revolvers are obsolete.
There is a firm of gunmakers in England that makes an 8 shot version in 357 magnum but it very expensive as it is virtually handmade.
@@johnhodges8264 Izmech (Russia) had a .357 top break in development, but gave it up when international trade went south. Traditionally, top-breaks tend to shake loose over time, no matter how well made. New materials might change thatn.
Looked up the Ivor Johnson motorcycles on line. My God they’re beautiful workmanship. Well worth the price they’ve had invested in them.
I have this exact revolver… one of my favorite revolver designs of all time
Great video! I picked up the same gun recently at a gun show for a good price. I joins it's larger brother, a .455 Webley from 1916. Shaved for moon clips as 99.9% of the surplus guns were, this one hits 2" high at 15y with 185gr 45ACP. It's plenty good enough to win any local PPC revolver match with and that makes me smile :)
Hope you handload, as commercial 45ACP runs at much higher pressure and can be dangerous in these guns.
@@TheWilferch I do, but rarely 45ACP. As long as I'm being fed Federal 185gr GMM I have no need to.
@@canamshooter9104 ...point missed. Any modern 45ACP factory load is hotter than original 455....and may exceed pressure of 455 PROOF loads. Dangerous. You will be hurt soon and count yourself licky if it hasn't already. See other's comments here saying the same.
My great granddad had one of these during ww1, MkIII 38/200. My dad still has it.
Love watching a legend have fun
Most often antiques are to be admired during static inspection . Often using them demonstrates the glory of the current state of the art.
But sometimes, in fact- many times, they are superior to current production models due to the care used in hand-fitting quality parts which would today be impractical because of high labor costs.
@@MrTruckerf in fact you offered no examples or statistics of the many times . This example here is not an example of high quality.
Ok then, I'll give an example pertinent to both the comment and the video: Webleys, including my own 1892 WG in .455, generally exhibit fine craftsmanship and function relative to their design, so long as they're not abused. Subjective, yes, but there are certainly modern weapons which do not have fine craftsmanship and function relative to their design.
Hi Mr. Miculek from way up yonder in York, Pennsylvania. Always enjoy your videos. God Bless!~》
Jerry, you are the OG and a national treasure.
One of my favorite handguns. A truly excellent combat revolver which is extremely rugged, easily and quickly reloaded, and seemingly immune to contamination and fouling and general crud. My Mk IV .38-200 is a War Finish version which I found in mint condition with the canvas holster. I've pounded thousands of rounds through it with no noticeable effect .38 S&W brass seems to last indefinitely, and a little powder goes a long way. A hollow base wadcutter for .38 Special with 3.0 grains of Unique works very well for this cartridge, though it will not shoot to the sights of .38-200 caliber guns. But I also recreate the original British 200 grain service load, and that's dead on in both my Webley and S&W Lend Lease Victory Model that went to Australia in 1939. .38 S&W can easily be handloaded to duplicate .38 Special, and I've done it in both guns. The Webley is far more than strong enough for it. But there's really no point. I like the very gentle shooting characteristics and low noise of the original load. You can easily see the big 200 grain slug in flight too at around 600 fps. Which is somehow very pleasing. It's also possible to use black powder cartridges in a Webley if you want to. They were designed to cope with the heavy fouling, and it doesn't slow them down a bit.
Old revolvers are so cool, thanks. Be great to see you shoot a Webley-Fosbury automatic revolver.
I really like the lense size of your glasses. Can you tell us the basic specifications, make/model and where we may be able to "get some."
Thanks Jerry.🇺🇲💯
Hey Jerry , wouldn't it be awesome if S&W Made a modern break action competition gun with 8 shot, reloads would be crazy fast
The top-break revolver design is only suitable for low pressure rounds.
Look for a H&R .22 LR "Sportsman" revolver. Top break like a Webley/Schofield, 6" barrel, holds 8 .22 rounds. I have one and it's a sweet shooter. Should be able to get one for $200, $300 tops.
@@MrTruckerf ...so the story goes. I personally think this is a generalization-myth often repeated once it's heard.....as modern latching design and materials can overcome this.
@@TheWilferch Mostly the materials. The US made ones were fairly crap in terms of both manufacture and materials, and with war production models (often abused both in service and as surplus) it's best not to take chances. There's no reason a competently made modern Webley wouldn't stand up to .44spl or .357 mag with reasonable service intervals (high pressure + large surface area will probably start beating on the latch a bit too much).
Some did made 12 round video vs a hand ejector model. I also thought the break action is faster but it wasnt. But the good feature is the the Webly break action eject only the empty cases. So you can shot only 1 or 2 rounds and topload. I like that.
Seems the domestic police once used a pretty heavy bullet in the .38 Special as well? Like 200 grain?
Thanks for giving these olde tymey revolvers a good loving. Give these older cartridges a good run, not everything has to be capable of splitting a mountain in half.
I have one that I bought a few years back for $150. It's my wife's favorite gun to shoot. It's heavy, and there's not much recoil. Pretty cool to have in the collection.
Love seeing these unique old guns!
I have a Webley .455 converted to .45 ACP. I had a gunsmith fix the broken spring inside and now she runs fine. Reloaded some .45 ACP hulls down to acceptable pressure levels and the gun is fun to shoot, would be NO fun to get hit with. Great old design, very comfortable.
The old .38S&W is a fine cartridge, just hard to find today.
My absolute favorite handguyaction.
A breath of extremely talented fresh air! ✅
I worked at a hardware store in 1981 that sold ammo by the cartridge. We had customer that came in and checked his guns with me while he shopped. He carried an old 1911 and a snub nose 38.
Where it comes to shooting sports, nobody hold a candle to Jerry !!!!!!!!
If memory serves the 200 grain WC ammunition for the .38-200 was never actually issued as it would have ben a violation for the Hague Convention as it wasn't jacketed. The round issued was a full metal jacketed 178 (?) grain.
Would be interesting to know if the patent on this design is open. I love revolvers and having one you could break open like that to load/unload would be sweet. A little surprised they didn't catch on here.
Nice always liked the webley. But never purchased one
Just look at a Smith and Wesson 1917 converted to 455 webley in a gun store.
Beautiful job four inch barrel and smooth action.
That's so interesting. I found an extremely old box of Western Cartridge .38 S&W at a garage sale many years ago. It had a sticker on it that said "$.06 ea." Being an ammo nerd and collector I had to buy it even though I don't have anything chambered in .38 S&W. My how lucky we are to live in a time where we'll buy and shoot an entire case of ammo, let alone a single box. Lol
Like you Gerry I also have my Grandfather’s Iver Johnson made next door to me in Fitchburg Massachusetts. My sons and I still bring it to the range whenever we go. Aim for the right kidney position at 20 yards and you might hit center mass half the time. I’m very impressed you nailed a soda can first shot😊
Great old gun, wish I had one like that. Actually any top break revolver would be nice lol.
Been waiting for the "Fully semi automatic" mode
I love webleys I have a 38 tanker just like that except shorty shorter barrel They amazing little guns and fun ,,, 455 Eleys are another fun one
I remember buying shotgun shells individually when I was a kid in the 60's. I forgot what they cost, but I paid for them a lot of times with empty soda bottles I picked up along the road at two cents each. And yes, I mean I was a kid. Early teens maybe even younger. I don't know what the laws were then, but nobody thought anything of someone my age having a gun or buying ammo at the general store. I think they sold 22 ammo the same way, but I didn't have a 22 so I know I never bought any of that.
BTW. A model 19 was my first handgun. Skeeter Skelton and Bill Jordan convinced me it was best all round handgun a fellow could want. I haven't seen much over the years to make me think they were wrong.
Hi Jerry.
I would like to see preparation to this video and how did you check the gun and zeroed it.
Best regards from Poland!
Jerry, you just make that Webley 38 looks great in demolishing the target.
You mentioned the Iver Johnson pistol, better known to me as the Owl Head Pistol. That's what my Dad called them, they have a owl head on the grip.
Some also referred to them as the suicide specials, jokingly, as some feared they may blow up in their hands because they are so tiny. Untrue of course, because they were made well.
I was really hoping to see some Webley speed shooting!
All the hating on .38 Special as a woefully inadequate round. . . It was actually, in effect, the first “magnum.” .38 S&W was the round that put the “special” in .38 Special.
I inherited one of these British pistols from my uncle, the shop gun in his small-town sporting goods store. The cylinder was way out of time, spitting lead sideways like a boss. I figured it was the cylinder and bought a spare, but the problem turned out to be gunked up internals. (Could have been cosmoline left over from inadequate cleaning out of the box.)
With that taken care of, mine is still a bit stiff on double action but all-in-all a comfortable and accurate pistol. Ammunition can be a bit pricey and hard to find.
I remember my dad saying he got 10 cents per pest, and a box of 22s cost 9 cents. Sounded like heaven for a 12 year old.
Ranchers used to pay my brother and I $5 for each coyote. .22lr was under a buck a box back in the 70s. Some nights, we made a killing, literally.
Jerry! where did you go??
Purchased 2 crates of unissued webleys back in the late 70's. They've been in their crates untouched ever since. It's time to bring these old webleys out into the light of day again, sell them and let others own and enjoy these unique little pieces of history
How do we contact you for possible sale?
@ClickOnProfile723 ,,,scammer...... being reported.....fbi.gov...ic3.gov
Not that I’ll ever have the chance to own or shoot one due to the UK laws, but it’s great to see an American enjoy a British revolver. Especially one that has so much history and is a bit of a darling to us.
Absolutely love Webleys😊
Quite a nice piece of history to see one of those revolvers being fired!
I just love old firearms, so this video warmed my heart
Between the two, the S&W 327 8 shot PC 2 inch or the p2000 which would be a better concealed carry option in your eyes, and are they both viable. If you respond thank you very much, if not keep doing you! You're a legend that hasn't stopped being legendary.
Miss your videos. Seen the notification and instantly watched.
But someone needs to get Jerry on a Webley Fosbery!!!!!
Semi auto revolver.
Hey Jerry… Thanks for all the great instruction and information.
I’m a retired firefighter on a budget, and I’m wondering if you can recommend a particular pistol in 22 long rifle.? I want to practice more and I am thinking that 22 ammo would be a less expensive proposition than 9 mm. I’m not sure what you think of Ruger‘s mark IV but that’s the direction I’ve been leaning. Thoughts? Please and thanks.
Just found your channel🤘❤️ but i smiled because you sound like the cajun cook, justin wilson🤘❤️🇺🇸
Jerry just pretends to use sights. He really uses The Force!
Aw...I was hoping he was gonna be using the semi-auto Webley. Still cool though.
I inherited my granddaddy’s enfield webly clone. It has a small bulge in the barrel he never knew about. Must have had a squib load that got knocked out by the second round. I’ll never fire it but never get rid of it either.
This is in my top dream guns to own. If ai could it'd be in 45 colt. What a lovely revolver.
I like top break revolvers, unfortunately they aren't strong enough for really powerful cartridges. But otherwise they are faster to load and unload than than swing out "hand ejector" revolvers.
I have an old S&W "Lemon Squeezer" in .38 S&W and a S&W Performance Center #3 Schofield in .45 S&W. I love the guns but shoot them only with light handloads. I am sure the modern made Schofield is of top quality, but I have no need to try to push it's limits.
BTW, you can use cast or swaged lead .38 Special/.357 Mag. bullets for loading the .38 S&W. They are .002"-.003" undersized, but they will "bump up" on firing and give suitable plinking/fun shooting accuracy.
I have an H&R “hammerless” top break DAO, and it’s a great pocket gun. It shoots the 148 and 200 grain bullets very well. I’m not Jerry, so I’m happy if I can keep all shots on a pie plate at 10 yards!
Jerry is the CHAMP!
I just bought one a few weeks ago, it was one of the last 150 produced
Glad you're back Jerry, it's been a while. I was worried about you
Good to see youngsters like Jerry in the sport , I don’t know if he has any more recent videos (?) this says it’s from 4 months ago , Come on Jerry , make another , btw , my Dad a RAF Commander had a Webley , first revolver I shot as a 5 year old , along with the rifke my Pah bought me at 5 years of age … long ago
Always good when thee goat drops a video
I have an Enfield it was made under licence the same as the Webley in .38 S&W I hand load them 3gr Unique and normal .38 either wadcutters or slugs!! Plus a V mod 10 Smith for commonwealth forces another nice shooter!
"Back in the day" I used to go to our screen door grocery store and buy a dime's worth of .22 shorts. It was not an unusual request at the time. Like you said in your video, nobody bought a whole box of anything. 20 ga shotgun shells were 10 cents each. They were paper shells with a roll crimp over a paper over shot wad.
I have a paper shotgun shell with paper wad, they were coated in a light wax to keep them water proof. Also have a pinfire shotgun shell, just the paper hull which isn't loaded, but the primer is unfired.
Big like from France 🇫🇷 👍🏽
Good to see you back, Jerry.
I don’t know if there’s a market for it, but I’d like to see a modern break top double action revolver in a modern cartridge. Maybe .357 mag? I know the top break isn’t as strong as a solid frame, but with modern metallurgy and manufacturing I think it could be done. I’d love to have a “bulldog” in .44 spl. As a snub nose break top. And way. Cool video.
Glad to see you back Jerry
Nice video, will you be doing one on the M&P 5.7 ? Long trick shots maybe, thanks.
It's very cool. I also have a Webley, mine is the WW1 version (MK VI), made in 1916.
It would be great to have the WW2 version also.
Great video just one thing the Webley revolver has been around since 1887 and was used by Great Briton and the Commonwealth until 1970.
I was hoping it was the Webley Forsby .45 Auto Revolver like in The Maltese Falcon.
In The Maltese Falcon, a Webley Fosbery Automatic Revolver was indeed used, but falsely described as 8 shot .45 cal. There are 2 versions,of Webley Fosbery, a 8 shot .38 S&W and a 6 shot .455 Webley.
It’s interesting your name is Jerry. Your personality reminds me of the late, great Jerry Reed. Just a gunfighter rather than a guitar picker. 🙌 💜