need load for Webley MK6 45 auto conv

[Depreacher]

Hello Webley lovers and other ass't revolver fans. My sweet 'ol 1918 manufacture Webley is super accurate with 5.5 Unique and .452 250 grainers. When I got it 30 years ago it had .449 chamber throats. A .452 throating reamer from Brownells made things right. Very accurate, if you'll keep the pivot screw tight. I'm tired of unique but have HS-6, clays, & AA-7. I will be shooting 250's mostly and need a good load, but not a HOT load.

I read somewhere (?) that the Webleys would not take as much pressure as the S&W and Colt .45 acp revolvers, but they obviously took military ball as many were converted like this one. Still, no HOT loads please, just your favorite medium load. I don't plan on shooting any local mediums, but one never knows.

[revolver junkie]

havent had much use for those powders but ive been experinenting with inernational and 3 grains over a 230 tc is a great plinking load and will run 2-3" groups at 50 out of my S&W 625 recoil is nil and my sights a just an inch or two low. 4 grains woul be a light load but with enough punch to practice insted of burning extra powder fo full house ball ammo.

just my 2 cents

ps if its any help 6grains on international over a 255 fn is a real nice plinkin load for a 45 colt.

[Dutchman]

An excellent thread with much information on pressure concerning the Webley.

The most informed person in this thread and on the subject itself is GrantRCanada.

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?t=9866

Dutch

[dromia]

Are you using MK1 or Mk 2 cases?

[klcarroll]

Before the events that created my Ex-Wife, I collected Webleys. (….And I am attempting to again!)

I agree emphatically that “full-house” .45ACP loads do not belong in a Webley!! ….My standard load for the .45 Auto Rim case was 5.2 grains of Unique under a 250 grain lead SWC. This load chronographed in the 650 fps range out of a six inch MKVI.

It is really only common sense to stay conservative; …….As most of these Mark Sixes have celebrated over 90 birthdays!!

Over the past 30 years, I have examined several “failed” Webleys; ….And they all looked the same: Half of the cylinder, and a portion of the top-strap were missing. …..I did note, however, that in all cases, the portion of the top-strap that engages the locking stirrup was still held firmly in place: ……The commonly heard criticisms of “Weak Top-Break Revolvers” cannot really be applied to the Webley design.

……And as an aside, I have a very lightly used Browning Hi-Power (in the box) that I would be willing to trade for a relatively clean Mark Six.

Kent

[Depreacher]

I only have 13 rounds of the 5.5 unique left so I will pull them and go with 5 to 5.2 under a 250 SWC hard cast from here on. Glad I always loaded light for my 'ol Webley. My old college buddy from Paris (tx) came over, a couple months ago, with his new Kimber .45. It was close but the Webley inched him out at 25 yards. To add insult to injury I placed a DrPepper can on a 3" steel post at 100 yds. 1st shot missed, 2nd shot hit the post about 6" low. corected front sight in rear height. 3rd miss, 4th miss, 5th hit the top rim of the can knocking it off. HA! He blazed away for about 15 rounds and couldn't touch it. He paid for the fried Catfish dinner. A delicacy for us REBS.

You guys can probably do this with your 2" Chief Specials, but not me being old, half blind, and 2/3 crazy not to mention the Webleys 8 or 9 pound trigger pull.

Working over my new Lee .452 TC 230gr. mould so will start off with 5 gr. Unique in the Webley but will work up a HS-6 load since I got 4 lbs. of HS-6 (Win 540 actually). BTW 13 gr. HS-6 in my OMSBH behind a 240 Keith is a nice GO-TO load for Dillers in the wifes yard.

[Depreacher]

Whoooweee KLcarroll, what an great offer. Makes a man lay awake at night. I've had 4 HPs, one a Nazi, and one a Lithuanian with tangent rear and cut for a shoulder stock (all 4 gone now). BUT!!! This Webley is just like our 20 million Illegals (no papers). SO, I thank you but better hold on to this one.

[The Virginian]

Converted Webleys should NEVER be shot with GI or factory spec .45 ACP as it is a kin to shooting a proof load in the gun (19,000 CUP for .45 ACP vs 11,000 CUP for the .455 Webley/Eley) and will cause it to loosen up and eventually fail. If you want to use a rimmed cartridge instead of .45 ACP in moon clips, use .45 Auto-Rim cases and down load them with heavy lead bullets sized to .454" in the 250-270 grain weight range and use powders that will gently push the bullet along at 620-700 fps. I use 3.6-3.8 grains of Clays behind the Remington 250 grain swaged RNFPHB bullet meant for .45 Colt. You can also use any CAS style RNFP lead cast bullet in the 250-255 grain range too with the same data. The Keith 250-270 grain bullets work well too, but the heavier bullet should be maxed at 3.6 grains of Clays. Use a good roll crimp in the crimping groove of these bullets and accuracy seems to be very good.

[Dframe]

I've had very good results in other revolvers with Trail Boss. Works great in several calibres

[The Virginian]

Trail Boss would probably work too, given data for the right cartridge and bullet. Clays has always worked for me in the .45 Auto-Rim with mild loads and is the cleanest burning powder I have ever used under any circumstances.

[The Virginian]

For my 2 cents Clays still works best for light .45 Auto-Rims and .455 Webley cases meant to be shot in Webleys, Colts or S&Ws in .455. Use .455 dies with the appropriate shell holder for both cartridges for best results.

[The Virginian]

Converted Webleys should NEVER be shot with GI or factory spec .45 ACP as it is a kin to shooting a proof load in the gun (19,000 CUP for .45 ACP vs 11,000 CUP for the .455 Webley/Eley) and will cause it to loosen up and eventually fail. If you want to use a rimmed cartridge instead of .45 ACP in moon clips, use .45 Auto-Rim cases and down load them with heavy lead bullets sized to .454" in the 250-270 grain weight range and use powders that will gently push the bullet along at 620-700 fps. I use 3.6-3.8 grains of Clays behind the Remington 250 grain swaged RNFPHB bullet meant for .45 Colt. You can also use any CAS style RNFP lead cast bullet in the 250-255 grain range too with the same data. The Keith 250-270 grain bullets work well too, but the heavier bullet should be maxed at 3.6 grains of Clays. Use a good roll crimp in the crimping groove of these bullets and accuracy seems to be very good.

12,500 CUP is MAXIMUM for .455 Webley. I like to keep it below that so there is no stress to the old gun.

[dominicfortune00]

I load for my Mark II with 3 grains of Bullseye with a 250 grain Remington swaged boolit that comes sized to .454 or .455; IIRC.

I loob the boolit with LLA.

I load in the shorter Mark II cases.

This is a nice light plinking load for my Webley.

The boolit is the one mentioned above.

[Gunrunner]

Sonds like my favorite Webley load of a .45-255KT and 3.5 grains of Red Dot in ACP cases with the half-moon clips is about in the ballpark.

[The Virginian]

Yep, that is a mild load that is close to Webley ballistics that should be fine in any converted gun since it is a low pressure load too.

[Rolan_Kraps]

Does anyone have reloading data for a .45 ACP Webley using 200 GR LNR, and Clays powder?

[rintinglen]

Lyman suggests 3.9 grains as a starting load for a 200 gr. SWC. 701 fps @ 10,200 CUP. That's what I'd try.

[Rolan_Kraps]

Thank you rintinglen! I appreciate it. I've loaded some up already with the minimum of 3.6. I'll fire 48 of those and adjust from there.