[TheRomanhistorian]

Hello everyone, I'm new here. My name is Michael and whilst I have very few firearms (only 3 at the moment: 2 Lugers and 1 Erma Luger imitation), I have just sent off payment for my first, perhaps only Webley for now, a Mark VI modified to be a single shot .22 Long. I read up as much as possible here before I sent in my payment and offer for the revolver.

I did have some questions, it looks like the conversion is A.G. Parker and missing the sight, I don't anticipate that to be a huge problem but I'll have to see how it handles on the range. Would anyone be able to shed more light on the single shot conversion and whether or not people still make the cylinder .22 conversion? I could not locate any more information on those and I'm not sure if they're even still in production. For those that do fire their Webley's as .22s, is there a particular ammunition you recommend (I don't want to stress the barrel or use inappropriate ammunition). I had thought of using the CCI .22 CB Long as it has a low velocity (710 fps) and thought that might be gentler on the Webley.

The conversion was the single shot as seen here:
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?127250-Webley-MKVI-22-conversion&p=986479#post986479

Best and thanks for any thoughts,

Michael

 

[ward miller]

Numrich used to sell 4" and 6" .22 conversion kits (barrel, washer, nut and complete cylinder) and the odd one shows up for sale once in a while. Go ahead and fire .22 long rifle cartridges in your piece (the English called them .22 long); your problem is the thing will shoot enormously lower than the service sights are ready for. Just put a .45 acp or .455 cylinder with it, and the factory sight will work.

 

[TheRomanhistorian]

Hi ward, thanks for that. I'll keep hunting for one of the .22 conversion kits then and if I want a .45 ACP or .455 I guess I'll just buy another Webley (there's something strangely alluring about the single shot) and I guess I'll just have to figure out how low it shoots with service sights and maybe see if I can't improvise some method of sighting (like figuring out how much higher I should aim). However, if anyone has a thought about how to actually make a sight, I'd be all ears (though I'd hate to 'Bubba' something up).

Thanks for the note about the .22 ammunition. Should I be worried about too high a velocity with the .22s or is there anything I should look out for?

Thanks again, I'm looking forward to my first Webley and hopefully it won't be my last. I've attached a photo of the Webley in question (it is obviously not yet in my hands, I only sent off payment yesterday). You can see the sight for the .22 chamber is missing, alas. I don't really mind it shooting low, it's purely for my collection as a novelty and the break-top action but it'd be nice to know I can at least hit something roughly where I want it.

Michael

 

[ward miller]

No, the .22 long rifle cartridge is already much weaker than the cartridge for which the revolver was designed. If you want a rear sight, try to concoct it on a bridge similar to the sight depicted on Mr. Black's photo. Obviously it needs to be high enough to clear the top of the topstrap when installed from the rear and sturdy enough not to be battered around during normal usage. Because the front of the .22 barrel lies loose in the bore (unlike the cinched-down muzzle end of the 6 shot adapter barrels) the thing will provide looser groups.
Acquiring more guns is what drives collections, but unless your has a faulty cam, hand or locking bolt, you just need a cylinder and a coin and about twenty seconds time to convert yours one way and then back. Have fun with it.

 

[TheRomanhistorian]

Thanks Ward, I hope I don't sound a Nervous Nellie. I'm just used to Lugers and this is my first venture out of that territory. I will try and compensate by aiming a little higher before I try to concoct some rear sight of my own. Thank you very much, you've been most kind and helpful wth this Webley newbie!

 

[Hawkins]

I have one of these that fits my MKVI. It shoots quite well. If you can find a cylinder the pistol is still
a 455.

 

[03man]

Just add an extra aiming circle to your target once you figure out how low or high it shoots.

 

[[email protected]]

I agree with Ward that making a rear sight bridge is an easy job. .45ACP cylinders are not hard to find, while unshaved .455 cylinders are almost impossible to come up with. This is what the sight looks like. Double click on the image to see it in full size:

 

[TheRomanhistorian]

I thought I would update this with photos since the revolver has arrived in my hands. It's a 1918 Webley Mk VI which has no cylinder, it has been converted to an A.G. Parker & Co. .22 Long single-shot. It came with a holster (though the rear sight for the conversion is missing) and it's a neat piece of WWI history anyway even if not everything is present and the conversion is not 'original' issue. There are plenty of broad arrows (familiar to me from my WWI British military watch collection) and the only marking I don't quite follow is right above the trigger on the left side of the revolver. Two small crossed swords: A X B (X = crossed swords) and there is a faint 5 under the swords. What do they mean? I don't see any obvious impart marks and the upper and lower have the serial numbers: 3828XX whilst a few parts simply have 20.

I will probably just put the holster on display as I have no reason to keep the revolver in there. The holster has R. Olive marked on the holster flap interior and R.G.A. (perhaps a unit designation? RGA could be the Royal Garrison Artillery?). The holster also bears the maker's name: T. Thomasson & Co. 1917.

I normally collect Lugers and this means my 1918 Luger has a British counterpart. Tally ho!

Best,

Michael

 

[John Sukey In Memoriam]

I once bought one of those Numrich .22 conversions made in India as did a friend of mine. Couldn't get the action to close. The indians didn't drill the hole for the cylinder axis pin deep enough. Took a while to figure out what was wrong, but a few minutes with the drill press fixed both of them.

 

[Mk VII]

I Two small crossed swords: A X B (X = crossed swords) and there is a faint 5 under the swords.

It's a commercial proof mark done in 1950.

 

[TheRomanhistorian]

Thank you chaps, I was curious what that mark was (I had figured out most of the other markings) and for the mention of the Numrich .22 conversion cylinder. I see they're all sold out now but I'll keep my eyes out in case I see one in the future.

Best,

Michael