.44 Webley ammo

Don't know how I missed this thread... a while back, I bought what appeared to be an unfired 44 American Bulldog... I trimmed down 44 Special cases on my 1st test, & used a light load of Trailboss...

BTW... don't discount using soft lead round balls for guns like this ;)

my gun...

attachment.php


& the reloading thread, in which I got a lot of info from forum members...

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=464027
 
If you can find someone with a lathe or a mini lathe, use .44 Special or Magnum brass.
Have them take a piece of brass or aluminum round stock of .5" or greater diameter (I use 1 inch x 4" long) and center bore it to case outside dimensions (.470 or 12mm) for about 1/4" - 3/8" deep. Chuck the brass rod into the lathe clamp. Trim your .44 case with a plumbers copper tubing cutter to the length you seek. Now insert the trimmed case into the brass chamber you chucked into the lathe. Secure it in place with a live center pressed snug against the primer hole. Now using the lathe cutter, thin the rim from the front to the rear. 0.02" should be about right. Voila, .44 Webley brass. For a little more oomph measure the cylinder length, calculate and subtract the amount of bullet protrusion, the result is the maximum case length your gun will accept. This should allow a little additional black powder if so desired. Never ever use smokeless powder in a 442 unless you like having the gun burst in your hand.
 
OK, I inherited in a box of miscellany a partial box of W.R.A. .45 (yes, that's .45) Webley blanks. The box is pretty old, and the cases are very short, much more so than a .455 Webley.

Would these be, in fact, .44 Webley that were misnamed?
 
.44 Bulldog

.44 Webley on the left with a bullet from GAD Custom Cartridges and one loaded with a .440 lead round ball. The case is from GAD.
The case far on the right is the 44 Bulldog made from .44 SPL. The bullet is a .440 lead round ball. Black powder loads.

How do I get the picture to show (like it used to) as opposed to the link?
Pete
http://www.gadcustomcartridges.com (be prepared to wait if you do business with him)
 
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While this thread is old, in case anyone is looking for cast Webley bullets for reloading, I have had good luck with those made by Bill Benny.

bill10@verizon.net

Both the round and flat nose are soft lead with generous hollow bases, sized to fit the Webley. Mine has a shaved cylinder so I am using .45 Auto Rim cases loaded to the lower pressures the Webley is happy with.

Lots more information here - http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.com/
 
No. Those are actually .455 brass and not usable in a 44 Webley. You are indeed stuck with cutting down either .303 British, or .44 Special/.44 Magnum or .44 Russian brass to about 0.7" (unless your gun allows you to go to 0.8" or so) then thinning the rim from the front back to 0.02". You will also be having fun finding the proper bullet mold. You need a bullet that is both heeled and hollow based. The good news is u aren't stuck with an obsolete round nose shape and can go for something with a decent meplat such as a SWC or a full wad-cutter. Try 7/16 inch for a bullet diameter. Try 27/64 inch for the heel diameter and a 3/8 inch bolt for the hollow base. The next fun will be finding a collet crimper.
 
I have a RIC First Pattern, and a .45 GAP round fits perfectly in the chamber(s).
Is there a shoulder in the chamber, or does it rely on the case rim for headspace (I don't remember)? If the former, GAP brass might be the easiest way to go.
Please, PLEASE, don't consider pulling the trigger on a factory GAP round.
 
"I have a RIC First Pattern, and a .45 GAP round fits perfectly in the chamber(s)."

There is a significant difference in case diameter between a .44 Webley (.454) and a .45 GAP (.472). There's no way that a GAP round should fit in an RIC cylinder.

I'm wondering if your revolver was reamed at some point in the past for .455.


"Is there a shoulder in the chamber, or does it rely on the case rim for headspace?"

In original .44 Webley-chambered revolvers there shouldn't be a shoulder. If your gun was rebored, there may be a shoulder.

In any even, I'm guessing that the rim provides the headspacing on your gun.

I would suggest, though, having it looked over by a competent gunsmith.

Again, if a .45 GAP case fits in your cylinder, there's something odd going on.
 
I have no idea what may have happened in the past. It looks like it's been buried for 100 years, and hadn't considered that it may have been modded in the distant past.
I do have some Canadian .455 Mk. VI rounds, and will see if they will chamber.

webleypic1_zps13dd1860.jpg
 
Check the marking. Many Webley RIC revolvers were made for .450 and .455. Mine is marked ".455."

And many of those imported here were converted to .45 Colt. A .45 ACP or .45 GAP will fit, of course, but will drop too far into the chamber.

FWIW, .45 Colt in that small gun makes for a handful in recoil.

Jim
 
So, can anyone tell me what .45 Webley equates to? They're Winchester, the box is old, and they are blanks.

OK, never mind. Google revealed via a Wikipedia article that ".45 Webley" is the name given in the U.S. to .450 Adams.

So, apparently I have a 3/4 full box of Winchester .450 Adams blanks. Go figure...:confused:
 
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