Webley MkIV

[canon6]

I have wanted one of these forever,well the trading gods have smiled on me. Webley MkIV cut for 45acp moonclips, but I think I am going to use 45 AutoRim and load it down to the original levels, man I am stoked.   Doug

[John Traveler]

I reload for my Enfield built Mk VI and use .45 Auto Rim cases.  Accuracy using factory .45 ACP in half moon clips is poor because the barrel groove diameter is .457".  It's frequently as large as .462".  Try loading unsized .45 Colt bullets in the Auto Rim cases for best accuracy.  The limiting factor is usually chamber neck diameter.  If it will chamber cartridges using bullets as large as .460" you should get acceptable accuracy.

[NRAJOE]

Nice

[coyotejoe]

Congratulations on your find. I had one years ago when they went for under a hundred bucks. It wasn't especially accurate but it sure was ugly!

[BR]

I was pleased as punch when I finally got a Webley too, back some years ago. Two things I found in shooting it: I had a source for hollow based bullets (lead, of course) at the time, and they may be a solution to the cylinder/barrel diameter problem. One other thing that cropped up was in firing reloads with available commercial primers, they were punctured about 50% of the time by the firing pin. I've been searching for an extra mainspring for a while now, in hopes of thinning it a bit. This would reduce the cocking effort, as well as getting down to normal American levels of primer impact. I've been meaning to try some reloads with rifle primers, although having special segregated .45 (ACP) ammo just for this pistol is an extra wrinkle.

[canon6]

BR, thanks for the heads up .I am trying several different reload combinations   so far limited success.     Doug

[IMshooter]

Wow!  This thread sure brought back memories.  I used to own a Webley that had been converted to .45 autorim.  Selling it was one of the dumbest things I ever did!

For reloading I cast my own bullets using a Lee mini bullet mold which was originally intended for muzzle loading rifles.  This is a hollow based bullet that measures .454 and weighs 298 grains.  The mold model is 454-298-M.  Make sure you use pure lead.  The original loading used a 265 grain hollow based bullet, so this heavier slug will hit a little higher.

I got the reloading recipes from an old British gun magazine which I think was titled, "Target Gun".   It listed several powders, but the best accuracy for me used black powder (make sure you clean well after shooting).  I can not remember how much black powder was used, but it was a compressed load.

I just dug up some old notes and in smokeless powder I used 3.5 grains of Red Dot.

Believe it or not, I actually used that old Webley at a Metallic Silhouette match and managed to hit a 200 meter ram, which didn't even wiggle.  However, the old girl did take down the 50 meter chickens with authority!  And it was pure poison on pepper poppers!