bill24chev Posted 1 September , 2014 Share Posted 1 September , 2014 General Sir Brian Horrocks, in August 1914 a cadet at Sandhurst, had a problem of his own. Apparently he had pawned his service revolver. ( from Six Weeks by J Lewis-Semple) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 1 September , 2014 Share Posted 1 September , 2014 A lot of literature I've read asserts that pistols and revolvers were in critically short supply for most of the duration - so I rather think that availability might've been the prime factor ! Regards, MikB Yes, obviously whatever was in stock at the time would have been a key factor, I think what was being asked was, from what was available assuming a choice of more than one, what may have influenced the buyer. It is estimated that 280,000 Webley Mk.VI .455 revolvers were produced during WW1, with another 60,000 .455 Colts, and 75,000 .455 Smith & Wesson revolvers. There were also alternatives to the .455 revolver, with some British officers preferring to buy personal side-arm automatic pistols in various calibres such as 9 mm, 7.62 mm, .38 etc. I have in my Collection, a British Officer's side-arm 7.62 mm Harrington & Richardson pistol, being the rare Type-1, of which only 1760 were made before production switched to the Type-2. ( photos attached ) Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 1 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 1 September , 2014 Another nice pistol and rig, I am envious ! khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 1 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 1 September , 2014 Makes one wonder considering the shortage, whether, 'shopping around' was a possibility or did the officer go on a waiting list. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 1 September , 2014 Share Posted 1 September , 2014 Another nice pistol and rig khaki Pleased you liked it, and interestingly, the pistol's case/holster maker marked to W. R. Pape Gun Maker of Newcastle upon Tyne, is probably even rarer than the pistol. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 1 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 1 September , 2014 Agreed, that is often the case, It reminded me of a time back in the early 80's, when I saw a nice rig for sale, it was a Colt 1911 in .455 auto complete with a leather shoulder holster, the original owner (an officer) had served in Gallipoli and was the son of a very famous statesman. The purchaser was only interested in the pistol, not the rig, nor the provenance, so he left the rig behind in the store. At the time I couldn't afford the purchase of the gun and holster and just had to be a broken hearted spectator. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 1 September , 2014 Share Posted 1 September , 2014 Agreed, that is often the case, It reminded me of a time back in the early 80's, when I saw a nice rig for sale, it was a Colt 1911 in .455 auto complete with a leather shoulder holster, the original owner (an officer) had served in Gallipoli and was the son of a very famous statesman. The purchaser was only interested in the pistol, not the rig, nor the provenance, so he left the rig behind in the store. At the time I couldn't afford the purchase of the gun and holster and just had to be a broken hearted spectator. khaki We have all been there ! Trust you are enjoying the Labor Day Holiday. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 1 September , 2014 Author Share Posted 1 September , 2014 Yes, thank you LF, and a happy holiday to you, khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanD Posted 2 September , 2014 Share Posted 2 September , 2014 khaki, Here is an advertisement for the Colt New Service revolver in .455 calibre, ' As supplied to her Majesty's Government ' ( Queen Victoria ) - price 5 pounds, giving nice details of the revolver and good illustrations. Regards, LF Is there a date on the advertisment, I can't quite make it out? Regards AlanD Sydney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyH Posted 2 September , 2014 Share Posted 2 September , 2014 Pleased you liked it, and interestingly, the pistol's case/holster maker marked to W. R. Pape Gun Maker of Newcastle upon Tyne, is probably even rarer than the pistol. Regards, LF LF Superb pistol, belt and holster. Many years ago I was searching for a holster for my 1917 Webley Service revolver (rescued from a bonfire), and was going through a pile of leather holsters of WW2 vintage in an army surplus shop in Manchester. Upon shaking one a small tightly folded piece of paper and two unused rounds fell out. The paper was a signed and dated 1943 last Will and Testament, no doubt written under battle conditions, this and the bullets the shop assistant confiscated. Think the holster cost five shillings, had the usual leather flap and brass pin to hold closed. The shop is long gone, was not far from Victoria Station. There was also a fascinating Gunsmiths on Shudehill, here I could only window shop, they had a selection of live Lee-Enfield .303 rifles of various vintages, from £15.00. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 2 September , 2014 Share Posted 2 September , 2014 Is there a date on the advertisment, I can't quite make it out? Alan, At at Webley Board Meeting held on March 13, 1900, Lord Ebury a member of Webley's Board of Directors, complained about an advertisement published by Colt in ' The Field ' magazine, which stated that Colt's New Service .455 revolver was " as supplied to Her Majesty's Government ", Webley's complaint was that they ( Webley ) were the ' official ' suppliers of revolvers to Her Majesty's Government. From the date of that Webley Board meeting, it is probable that the Colt advertisement is dated sometime between 1899/1900. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 3 September , 2014 Share Posted 3 September , 2014 Another British Officer's private purchase side-arm, was the expensive de-luxe Webley revolver, such as the Webley W.G. Army Model .455 revolver, superbly constructed to the highest target grade standards and including enhanced features such as high quality grade bluing, silvered trigger, hammer, cam lever and barrel lug, with the example shown from my Collection also having special order walnut grips. The Webley Archive shows that this particular Webley W.G. Army Model revolver, was retailed through White's Royal Artillery Agency in Woolwich. LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanD Posted 6 September , 2014 Share Posted 6 September , 2014 Alan, At at Webley Board Meeting held on March 13, 1900, Lord Ebury a member of Webley's Board of Directors, complained about an advertisement published by Colt in ' The Field ' magazine, which stated that Colt's New Service .455 revolver was " as supplied to Her Majesty's Government ", Webley's complaint was that they ( Webley ) were the ' official ' suppliers of revolvers to Her Majesty's Government. From the date of that Webley Board meeting, it is probable that the Colt advertisement is dated sometime between 1899/1900. Regards, LF LF, I think you are correct about the date. In fact the War Department did order 150 Colt New Service revolvers from Colts London Agency in early 1899 due to a shortage of revolvers. This is covered on page 21 of "Colt's New Service Revolver" by T J Mullin. A probable example of one of these early NS revolvers with British ordnance markings is illustrated in Taylerson and Chamberlain's "Revolvers of the British Services, 1854-1954". Back on topic, Gamages would have been a department store in London that sold firearms to officers in the Great War. I did make an attempt to see if any legers for firearm sales were archived away some ware, unfortunately it seems they no longer exist. Harrods must have sold handguns at this time. I wonder if their sales ledgers for the 'gun department' still exist? Regards AlanD Sydney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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