[squintv]

Hello all, I have been asked by a friend to make some lower powered rounds for a webley mk vi. There is a lot of information on the forum about them, but I still have no idea what components i should use. I really don't want to buy large quantities of the wrong size cases or bullets.

The gun has been "shaved" and uses .45 cases with the half moon clips. Could I just use .45 cases and bullets with the correct amount of powder or will the smaller bullet cause problems?

Thanks
Quinton

 

[Pete D.]

Webley

Whether to load and shoot .45 ACP cartridges at all in a Webley is matter of controversy. The .45 ACP is loaded to substantially higher pressures than the .455 Webley cartridge for which the gun was designed. The Webley is a robust pistol but it was not intended to house cartridges that produce pressures in the 18K- 20K psi range; the .455 is shown in the Lee Reloading manual at 12K-13K psi.
The shaving of the cylinders was and is one of those things that falls under the heading of "just because you can, doesn't mean you should".
If you do load them, keep the loads light. .45 ACP cases and bullets will work.
Pete

 

[squintv]

Thanks, Pete.

Do you know of or have any recommendations for bullet weight or powder amount to use in the .45 case?

I also saw that huntingtons offers a .455 case, would i be able to use the .45 bullet with it? or would i need to get custom lead? Also how do the half moon clips play into this?

Thanks Again!

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Since the revolver has been modified for the .45 ACP you can't use the original .455 brass. Use .45 ACP with moon clips or .45 Auto Rim cases which need no moon clip. Bullet diameter is standard .45 caliber but on the large side like .45 Colt, .454" is best. About 5 to 5.5 grains of Unique would be a good powder charge with lead bullets of 250-260 grains weight. There are lots of .45 ACP light loads for low recoil target shooting but most employ a lighter bullet which is probably not available in .454" diameter and lighter bullets will shoot low with the original sights. There are a few sources of .45 ACP load data with bullets of 250 grain or heavier. Just use the "starting loads" and call that max for the Webley.