# Maybe the last....



## lewwallace (Mar 4, 2015)

This recent purchase(an estate consignment @a midwest dealer) pretty much rounds out my Webley solid frame evolution collection. A 1867(?) Pre-RIC (Royal Irish Constabulary) DA in 380cf. It was one of a few examples that were manufactured before Webley settled on the final production design. I got outbid a couple yrs back @GB, on a similar one, so when this one came up I jumped on it; no regrets! Has alot of original finish, cycles perfectly and locks up tight. Topstrap retailer marked. Very few earlier ones made and I've only seen them in books and museum collections. Thus, maybe my last!!  Enjoy


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

"E. Fletcher, Gloucester," as best as I can make out.
Interesting points:
1. It's a cartridge revolver from a time when almost all US pistols were still cap-and-ball. (Center-fire? Rimfire?)
2. It's double-action, when almost all of ours were single-action.
3. Its cylinder-indexing mechanism works in the reverse of almost all other revolvers: The index points on the cylinder extend _outward_ from its surface. In almost all other revolvers, the index points are cut inwards. The Webley method was metal- and labor-intensive.
4. Its handle design is almost guaranteed to "bite" the shooter, if it is grabbed quickly. However, if it is taken up deliberately, its handle design and its angle would help the shooter to grasp the gun more securely.

The history of firearm innovation, as it proceeded step-by-step, is almost a condensed history of all mechanical design and manufacturing...with more innovation per year than was seen in most other endeavors.


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## lewwallace (Mar 4, 2015)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> "E. Fletcher, Gloucester," as best as I can make out.
> Interesting points:
> 1. It's a cartridge revolver from a time when almost all US pistols were still cap-and-ball. (Center-fire? Rimfire?)
> 2. It's double-action, when almost all of ours were single-action.
> ...


.380 center fire. Have BP loads and plan to shoot!


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