Webley British Bulldogs

[Hobie]

Anyone else interested in Webley British Bulldogs?

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Anyone else interested in Webley British Bulldogs?

I have several F&W's and some Belgians but none of the Webley's.

[Barcelona Rick]

Neat article Hobie.....I'm a big Sherlock Holmes fan and always enjoy reading about older firearms...Thank you for sharing..

jumbeaux

[Old Ironsights]

Oh yes. If I ever ge enough disposable income to play CAS dressup like I'd like, a Bulldog is the sidearm I'd carry. (I've a hankering to play a British ExPat...)

[Hobie]

Anyone else interested in Webley British Bulldogs?

I have several F&W's and some Belgians but none of the Webley's.

Steve,

How reasonable do you think it would be to make one just as Charlie has made his Volcanic? Wouldn't you know I got the urge just when I can't find one. Saw several at a show 4-5 weeks ago but didn't have the "fever" then.

[Bruce Scott]

Hobie,
.455 Webley brass is available from Bertram. I also read that Hornady do an occasional run of it.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Steve,

How reasonable do you think it would be to make one just as Charlie has made his Volcanic? Wouldn't you know I got the urge just when I can't find one. Saw several at a show 4-5 weeks ago but didn't have the "fever" then.

It's certainly do-able but you better have some time on your hands. Have you looked at any of the on-line auctions? That's mainly where these I have come from. I don't have any Webleys mainly because they bring top money. I try to find the Forehand Wadsworths. They aren't as desireable $$ as the Webley but the quality is as good and certainly better than the average Belgian.
Here's a Belgian “BRITISH” BULLDOG .44 caliber rev. on GunBroker. But I think they want too much.

BTW, the two upper left are F&W 5 shot 44's. Both are in good working order. I've shot them with BP hand loads. I used 44 spec brass trimmed about .125". For a bullet I used 457 round ball set on top of a primerless sized 44 spec brass and run it back in the size dies but with the de-primer pin removed. This will swedge it to a heel bullet sort of shape and you will probably have to use a drift or rod of some sort from the top to push it back out of the size die. Load with BP to just slightly compress. Then seat and crimp. This bullet doesn't have any lube so i just smear a dab of TC bore butter on the front of the loaded cylinder. Much like a CB revolver.

[76/444]

I kinda like the pics of the Webleys in the article. The hammer position is lower than what I consider normal, which I like,... reminds me of my Bisley hammer. The grip also reminds me of the Bisley configuration , but, more like a Bisley- BirdsHead cross.

Looks like a fun weapon to fool around with!!!

[Ysabel Kid]

Very cool! Someday, I've got to add one of those to the collection!

[gamekeeper]

When those Webley and Belgium Bull Dogs were on sale in Britain anyone could buy them for not very much money, crime was low, the police force was much smaller, the country was respected (not necessarly liked) around the world.
Now look at Britain! Gun crime is common, our police force costs a fortune to maintain and as a world power "Ole Gran Ma" has more teeth.
And now the only folks that can still buy "BullDogs" are you guys. Make sure sure you never lose your rights like the dumb sheeple over here!

[Hobie]

Steve,

How reasonable do you think it would be to make one just as Charlie has made his Volcanic? Wouldn't you know I got the urge just when I can't find one. Saw several at a show 4-5 weeks ago but didn't have the "fever" then.

It's certainly do-able but you better have some time on your hands. Have you looked at any of the on-line auctions? That's mainly where these I have come from. I don't have any Webleys mainly because they bring top money. I try to find the Forehand Wadsworths. They aren't as desireable $$ as the Webley but the quality is as good and certainly better than the average Belgian.
Here's a Belgian “BRITISH” BULLDOG .44 caliber rev. on GunBroker. But I think they want too much.

BTW, the two upper left are F&W 5 shot 44's. Both are in good working order. I've shot them with BP hand loads. I used 44 spec brass trimmed about .125". For a bullet I used 457 round ball set on top of a primerless sized 44 spec brass and run it back in the size dies but with the de-primer pin removed. This will swedge it to a heel bullet sort of shape and you will probably have to use a drift or rod of some sort from the top to push it back out of the size die. Load with BP to just slightly compress. Then seat and crimp. This bullet doesn't have any lube so i just smear a dab of TC bore butter on the front of the loaded cylinder. Much like a CB revolver.

I think that you're the first to equate F&H quality with Webley quality but based on EXTERNAL appearances I can see that as being true. I HAVE been looking at the on-line auctions this week and noticed that there were few available and the prices have increased considerably over what they were just a few years ago. I must not be the only one with a "fever". However, my wallet is good medication and won't let me go nuts on a poor example.

The reason I'd pursue making one is to use modern materials for an added margin of safety and to be able to chamber to something that would be easier to acquire so that I could shoot it. I'm not a CAS guy, not into NCOWS, just interested in the firearms.

Of course when I tried to get the Korean/Japanese firms to make double-barrel muzzleloading rifles and Schofield revolvers they laughed at me. Heck it was only 1979 and there was no market (plus we were sinking deeper into the Carter economy)! If I'd succeeded I might be hailed as a visionary (albeit a poor one). Fortunately for my bank account I couldn't get the project off the ground. I don't suppose this will go either but I should be able to fabricate all but the frame. Barrels would be most easily outsourced. I know that some of the Belgian guns were cast frame and barrel together. I don't like that. I'd want to be able to do something more up-to-date with the forcing cone. Might improve the sights a hair as well as USFA has done with the square notch on the SAs.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

If you are talking about bringing one to market that may be do-able. There is a bit of a customer base (although small) in the CAS community.
These guns qualify as a side match gun for the pocket pistol catagory.

[Hobie]

Well I want to make one for myself. I don't care about CAS myself. However, if "they" were to make one I'd buy it.

[Old Ironsights]

If you are talking about bringing one to market that may be do-able. There is a bit of a customer base (although small) in the CAS community.
These guns qualify as a side match gun for the pocket pistol catagory.

Plus, like I suggest, they make for a dandy "Period" sidearm for a Brit/Euro Expat character. Add a good Double Rifle or a Drilling and the right clothing and it could be really fun.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

If you are talking about bringing one to market that may be do-able. There is a bit of a customer base (although small) in the CAS community.
These guns qualify as a side match gun for the pocket pistol catagory.

Plus, like I suggest, they make for a dandy "Period" sidearm for a Brit/Euro Expat character. Add a good Double Rifle or a Drilling and the right clothing and it could be really fun.

The problem with using one for CAS is most are DA's which aren't allowed for main match revolvers. Side match pocket pistol yes, but not main match.

[Old Ironsights]

Yah, I know. Silly rule considering it's a Period Piece, but I don't make the rules.

OTOH, what it DOES let you do is play the part of the silly Euro who has to "borrow" a Peacemaker to "compete".

But I'd mostly be into it for the Cosplay anyway.

[rjohns94]

Great article. I like the idea of making one. That would be a kewl set of articles. By the way HOBIE, your web site is fantastic, and I just voted to upgrade its status from #69. LOTS of kewl info can be found there and I would encourage the new readers on the forum or those who have not been to your site often to put it on your must do things !

[jeepnik]

Never much a fan of the Bulldogs. But I have a couple of Webly and one Enfield topbreaks. A local shop has a Webley Fosbery that I drool over everytime I go in. But at 7 grand

[Tumbleweeds II]

Plus, like I suggest, they make for a dandy "Period" sidearm for a Brit/Euro Expat character.

Great idea. I even have a handle for you: English Bob.

[Hobie]

To keep the subject in one place I thought I'd post the update here.

I got Mr. Layman's book yesterday and read it last night after work. Worth every penny for the excellent illustrations as well as the information some of which is applicable to other interests! I also discovered that Mr. Layman and I had some things in common other than gun interests. Great read but I've already started to go back over certain sections, there was a lot to absorb! I'll have to write a detailed book review.

Mike thanks for the compliments about my blog. Sometimes it seems it is one of the few shooting related things that I do!

BTW, Joe, Hannie Caulder's gun might have been a Webley Frontier in .44-40.

I think that the guns are so simple one could fairly easily make one via reverse engineering and given time, refine them with some modern techniques such as a Taylor throat, replaceable front sight, etc.

[MrMurphy]

I thought it kind of funny that under the Webley (specifically RIC, and other similar Bulldogs) listing in Jane's (the pocket size, not the $500 one) is the comment that most of these guns tend to be found in still excellent condition, since many sat in nightstands and others rode in coat pockets, but they were rarely fired. Maybe a full box in their lifetime for most of them.

Rather like their descendants, the Chief's Special and Detective Special....carried much, shot little. But when they are, it tends to be close in, and desperate.

I carry automatics, generally with a larger magazine capacity. But if a .44 Special or .45 Colt 2" or 3" DA was available and ever actually produced for more than a year or two (Thanks S&W!) to where i could afford to buy one, i would love to have one "because".

I wanted a 696 but they stopped making them before i could collect the $$ and i have yet to see one for sale since.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I thought it kind of funny that under the Webley (specifically RIC, and other similar Bulldogs) listing in Jane's (the pocket size, not the $500 one) is the comment that most of these guns tend to be found in still excellent condition, since many sat in nightstands and others rode in coat pockets, but they were rarely fired. Maybe a full box in their lifetime for most of them.

Rather like their descendants, the Chief's Special and Detective Special....carried much, shot little. But when they are, it tends to be close in, and desperate.

I carry automatics, generally with a larger magazine capacity. But if a .44 Special or .45 Colt 2" or 3" DA was available and ever actually produced for more than a year or two (Thanks S&W!) to where i could afford to buy one, i would love to have one "because".

I wanted a 696 but they stopped making them before i could collect the $$ and i have yet to see one for sale since.

How about one of the CHARTER ARMS BULLDOG's

[Hobie]

I have a 696 but it is bigger than the Charter Bulldog. More of the field carry size and capability. The Charter Bulldog Pug is a conceptual descendant of these guns. I haven't been able to buy one, yet, either.

[Nixterdemus]

I agree $320 is steep. That's a couple of bucks over a hundred dollar difference in the Ruger 44 special flat top I bought. I'd like to have a BB 44, I have a 38 that's missing the loading gate and needs a return spring, but otherwise is in good shape. It has the BB on top and the dog face on the top left of the frame window.

I e-mailed Charter Arms a while back about their 9mm "rimless revolver" in a five shot. They claim they're too busy making the rest of the line, but I'm not so sure. I'd like to have one. We'll see. Kinda goin' the other way, howevah the 9mm is cheap, more potent than the 38 spl & if ya don't like breakin' the sound barrier there's always 147 grain slow rollers.

I have an early model 44 bulldog w/taper brl. Real light to carry. It came w/wooden target stocks and a SA hair trigger. DA is really smooth so I suspect someone reworked it a tad too much. It's not a target pistola so I don't care about the SA.

Anywho I'd like to have a Webly, yet I don't see the price coming down far enough.

[MrMurphy]

I wouldn't mind a Charter but have never found a new one that worked right.

[jeepnik]

I have one of the original CA Bulldogs. I've looked at today's. The earlier ones were better made, then again most things were. Howver, I also have one of the .38 Southpaws. It's at least equal to the earlier Bulldog.

[Hobie]

I had a "shot" at an NIB original blued Bulldog and passed on it. I thought I would be staying away from the .44 Special and sticking with the .45 Colt. Didn't turn out that way. I guess I'll be looking for a Bulldog (an early one) to go with the others.

A couple of folks have suggested that they have one of these tucked away somewhere. We'll see, this is pretty interesting.

[JB]

I wouldn't mind a Charter but have never found a new one that worked right.

I agree I've found the newer Charter guns to be low quality.