Webley Longspur
| Webley Longspur revolver | |
|---|---|
.jpg) A Webley Longspur cap and ball revolver. | |
| Type | revolver |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1853–1867 |
| Used by | British Empire & Colonies |
| Wars | Crimean War Indian Rebellion of 1857 American Civil war |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Webley & Son |
| Designed | 1853 |
| Manufacturer | Webley & Son |
| Produced | 1853–1865 |
| No. built | approx. 2,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 4.2 lb (1.9 kg), unloaded |
| Calibre | .455 (11.6 mm) |
| Action | Single or double action |
| Rate of fire | 5 rounds/minute |
| Effective firing range | 50 yd (46 m) |
| Feed system | 5-round cylinder |
| Sights | Fixed front blade and rear notch |
Webley Longspur is an early British percussion revolver, patented in 1853.[1][2][3]
History
Characteristics
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Unlike the Adams revolvers, which had dominated the British market since 1851, James Webley's revolvers mostly did not have the solid, one-piece frame and barrel construction, but instead had a two-piece body with an open frame, similar to the Colt's revolvers at the time. In the early Webley revolvers, the front part of the frame and the barrel formed a separate part, attached to the rear part of the frame via a cylinder arbor, which was an integral part of the breech. In the earliest models, the cylinder arbor was attached to the revolver barrel by a transverse flat vedge (which passed through a hole in the front part under the barrel and on the arbor), similarly to the Colt's revolvers.[4] In later models, the front part was screwed on the cylinder arbor (the thread on the arbor screwed into a corresponding longitudinal hole drilled in the front part of the frame, under the barrel). In addition, the lower part of the front frame was connected to the rear frame under the cylinder by a longitudinal thumbscrew, which could be screwed in or unscrewed manually, without any tools.[5][6][7] Some later Weblies, however, had a closed frame strapped together at the top, giving them greater strength and durability than the Colt's of the time.[8]
Production
Although sturdy and reliable revolvers for their time, Webley Longspur faced heavy competition on the British market from the already established, popular brands of Colt Navy and Adams revolvers. In all, only about 2,000 of this early Webley revolvers were produced.
References
- ^ "Revolver". digitaltmuseum.se. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ James, Garry (2022-02-28). "The First Webley: Preeminent English Revolver". Guns and Ammo. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
- ^ "History". Webley & Scott. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
- ^ "The Broad Arrow | James Webley 1st Model Longspur Percussion Revolver". www.thebroadarrow.info. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
- ^ "Webley Longspur Copy By Wilson of York England | 1898andB-4.com". www.1898andb-4.com. 2019-06-12. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
- ^ "Webley-Bentley D.A. 45 Caliber Percussion Revolver". Global Arms Online. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
- ^ "3rd Model Webley Long Spur Revolver - Rare". collegehillarsenal.com. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
- ^ Kinard, Jeff (2003). Pistols, An Illustrated History of Their Impact. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, Inc. p. 78. ISBN 1-85109-475-X.
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Literature
- Kinard, Jeff (2003). Pistols, An Illustrated History of Their Impact. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, Inc. ISBN 1-85109-475-X.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)