Author Topic: Webley/ Enfield MK4 (Read 872 times)

totallycustom · « **on:** January 17, 2006, 06:08:41 PM »

Does anyone have experience with the Webley/ Enfield MK4 pistols in 38 SW, 455, or 45ACP conversions? I was thinking about picking one up it is top break which I like a lot and if it was in 45ACP with moon clips that would be great. Can the 38SW be rechamberd/ reamed to 38special? I have heard that this is a very strong revolver. Im looking at a sometimes carry gun, trail gun, all around good shooter.

http://www.gunsamerica.com/2640/2640-random-1.htm
A link to some examples.

What do you all think?

Thanks TC

Mikey · « **Reply #1 on:** January 18, 2006, 02:52:49 AM »

totallycustom: I have had a bit of experience with the Webley revolvers, both in 38 S&W and 45 ACP.

The 45 ACP was a hoot to shoot. Not a target gun by any means but accurate enough for field work. This is not the revolver to hot-rod though. It is a strong revolver but strong enough for factory 45 hardball loads - it does not take well to hot handloaded rounds. However, you can load semi-wadcutter slugs at factory velocity levels and have a much more effective field round.

As for the 38 S&W versions - do not bother rechambering them to 38 Spl - the bore diameter on these things is about 360 and your standard 38 slugs will literally rattle down the bore. If you want to get one of the 38s, leave it in the 38 S&W and reload that case to the origianl 38/200 British specifications - they claimed the 38/200 (a 38 S&W loaded with a 200 gn bullet at about 600'/sec) had the same battlefield effectiveness as the 455 Webley round.

Col. Charles Askins, one of Americas noted pistoleros, liked the 38 Spl with the 200 gn bullet as it was slightly better than the 38/200 in a 4" revolver and spoke to its effectiveness on a number of ocassions. I think you can get factory (mil-spec) ballistics from the 38/200 with about 3 gns of Unique but you would have to check that one out. HTH. Mikey.

Mikey · « **Reply #2 on:** January 18, 2006, 02:55:56 AM »

totallycustom: I have had a bit of experience with the Webley revolvers, both in 38 S&W and 45 ACP.

The 45 ACP was a hoot to shoot. Not a target gun by any means but accurate enough for field work. This is not the revolver to hot-rod though. It is a strong revolver but strong enough for factory 45 hardball loads - it does not take well to hot handloaded rounds. However, you can load semi-wadcutter slugs at factory velocity levels and have a much more effective field round.

As for the 38 S&W versions - do not bother rechambering them to 38 Spl - the bore diameter on these things is about 360 and your standard 38 slugs will literally rattle down the bore. If you want to get one of the 38s, leave it in the 38 S&W and reload that case to the origianl 38/200 British specifications - they claimed the 38/200 (a 38 S&W loaded with a 200 gn bullet at about 600'/sec) had the same battlefield effectiveness as the 455 Webley round.

Col. Charles Askins, one of Americas noted pistoleros, liked the 38 Spl with the 200 gn bullet as it was slightly better than the 38/200 in a 4" revolver and spoke to its effectiveness on a number of ocassions. I think you can get factory (mil-spec) ballistics from the 38/200 with about 3 gns of Unique but you would have to check that one out. HTH. Mikey.

totallycustom · « **Reply #3 on:** January 20, 2006, 04:40:02 AM »

Thanks for the information, doesnt sound like its my cup of tea for a hangun, I really like the design and handling but I want it to be cheap to shoot without reloading.

I wonder though, if relining the barrel and a rechamber for the cylinder would do it, is the cylinder even long enough? What do you think?

Thanks Again -TC-

Savage · « **Reply #4 on:** January 20, 2006, 12:08:55 PM »

The case dia. is larger on the 38 S&W than the 38spl. A lot of decent guns have been ruined by attempting to lengthing the chamber to accept the 38 spl. I own an example of this in an old mdl 10 S&W made for the Australin Air Force in the 40s. Nothing short of a new cylinder will fix it. There are better revolvers available for about the same money as the Webleys.
Savage

totallycustom · « **Reply #5 on:** January 23, 2006, 04:21:17 AM »

Thanks for the info its good to know, I always thought it was just a shorter 38 special. Well im off to look for something else, for now, because I still want one just not in my plans yet. --TC--

willysjeep134 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 24, 2006, 09:39:13 AM »

The 38 special developed out of the heeled .38 Long Colt cartridge, the .38 S&W is a totally diferent cartridge family. Turned out the old 1890's .38 LC Army and Navy revolvers took a heeled .375 bullet. When the Moro tribesmen didn't realise they were being shot, S&W lengthened the .38 Colt so the shorter soft .38 LC could be shot for practice through their newer .38 Special non heeled guns, or so I have read. The army just brought back the peacemaker and developed the 1911 to solve the problem. Incedentially, you can shoot .38 Colt through a .38 Special, but I don't think .38S&W would chamber.

Magtech makes the standard 145gr LRN .38 S&W for about what a box of medium quality .38 special would go for. I just bought a set of dies and some Starline brass. Lee carbide dies will run you less than $20, and come with the dipper and load data for 145gr HBWC bullets. it works very well, if you do decide to give it a try.