Webley Revolver

Webley Revolver
A Webley Mk. VI top-break revolver.
TypeService revolver
Place of originUnited Kingdom
Service history
In service1887–1963[1]
Used bySee Users
WarsSecond Boer War
Boxer Rebellion
World War I
Easter Rising
Irish War of Independence
Irish Civil War
World War II
Northern Campaign
Indonesian National Revolution
Malayan Emergency
First Indochina War
Korean War
Vietnam War
British colonial conflicts
Border Campaign
The Troubles
Production history
DesignerWebley & Scott
Designed1887
ManufacturerWebley & Scott, RSAF Enfield
Produced1887–1924
No. builtapprox. 125,000
Specifications (Revolver Mk VI)
Mass2.4 lb (1.1 kg), unloaded
Length11.25 in (286 mm)
Barrel length6 in (150 mm)

Cartridge
Calibre.455 (11.6 mm)
ActionSingle or double action
Rate of fire20–30 rounds/minute
Muzzle velocity620 ft/s (190 m/s)
Effective firing range50 yd (46 m)
Feed system6-round cylinder
SightsFixed front blade and rear notch

The Webley Revolver (also known as the Webley Top-Break Revolver or Webley Self-Extracting Revolver) was, in various designations, a standard issue service revolver for the armed forces of the United Kingdom, and countries of the British Empire and the Commonwealth of Nations, from 1887 to 1963.

The Webley is a top-break revolver and breaking the revolver operates the extractor, which removes cartridges from the cylinder. The Webley Mk I service revolver was adopted in 1887 and the Mk IV rose to prominence during the Boer War of 1899–1902. The Mk VI was introduced in 1915, during wartime, and is the best-known model.

Firing large .455 Webley cartridges, Webley service revolvers are among the most powerful top-break revolvers produced. The .455 calibre Webley is no longer in military service. As of 1999, the .38/200 Webley Mk IV variant was still in use as a police sidearm in a number of countries.[2]

  1. ^ Dabbs, W. (2022, January 17). The webley revolver: Sidearm of an Empire. The Armory Life. https://www.thearmorylife.com/the-webley-revolver-sidearm-of-an-empire/
  2. ^ "Historic firearm of the month", July 1999, Cruffler.com. Retrieved on 2006-12-02