Webley WG Army
Webley & Scott Ltd. · Revolver · Out Of Production · 1889
Also known as: Webley-Green, Webley Government Model, WG Army Model, Webley WG
Overview
The Webley WG Army (the initials standing for 'Webley-Green', after design collaborator Edwinson Green, though Webley also marketed the line as the 'Webley Government' model) is a commercial and target-grade British top-break revolver introduced in 1889 and produced until 1902. It is the direct commercial ancestor of the WWI-era military Webley service marks. Like the later service revolvers it uses a stirrup barrel latch and break-top action with star extraction for simultaneous ejection of all six cases, and fires in double or single action from an exposed-spur hammer. The WG was chambered for a range of large-bore British rounds - principally .455 Webley and the older .476 Enfield (whose '.476' designation refers to the case rather than the bullet, which is the same .455-inch diameter), with some examples in .45 Colt. The Army Model carried a 6-inch barrel and a bird's-head grip; a Target Model offered a longer 7.5-inch barrel and a flared square butt. Because British officers supplied their own sidearms until 1915, the WG Army was a hugely popular private-purchase service revolver, retailed by firms such as Wilkinson Sword and the Army & Navy Co-operative Society, and carried privately into the Second Boer War and the opening of the First World War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1000 g (35.3 oz) |
| Overall Length | 311 mm (12.24") |
| Barrel Length | 152 mm (5.98") |
| Action Type | Double Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Double Action Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Double Action Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 189 m/s (620 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 287 J (212 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 45 m (49 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 20 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Left Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 7 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .455 Webley Mk II · primary — also known as .455 Webley, .455 Eley, .455 Enfield, 11.6x19mmR
- .476 Enfield — also known as .476 Eley, .455/.476
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Revolving Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Rebounding Hammer, Stirrup Latch
- Features: Break Top Action, Simultaneous Extraction, Automatic Ejection, Six Shot Cylinder, Target Grade Finish, Birds Head Grip Army Model, Removable Cylinder For Cleaning, Lanyard Ring
Variants
- Webley WG Target Model — Target
- Webley Mk III — Successor
Service history
Operators
- British Army (officer private purchase)
- Competitive target shooters
Conflicts
- Second Boer War (1899-1902)
- British colonial campaigns (1889-1914)
- World War I (1914-1918)
Production
Estimated total produced: 22,000 · Production years: 1889-1902
Approximately 22,000 WG-pattern revolvers produced. The first 'WG'-marked guns appeared in 1889; the standardized pattern settled around 1896 and production ran to 1902, when the Webley WS Service model superseded it.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Edwinson Green
Discontinued: 1902
Notes
The first revolvers marked 'WG' appeared in 1889; the standardized production pattern settled around 1896 (serial range ~10,000) and the line was discontinued in 1902 when the Webley WS (Webley Service) model replaced it. Roughly 22,000 WG-pattern revolvers were produced in total. Weight and some overall-length figures here are derived from dealer and museum listings rather than a primary factory catalog and should be treated as approximate. The Target Model was a genuine competition success and is regarded as a high-water mark of Victorian top-break target revolvers.
Background
The 'WG' stamped on the frame preserves the name of Edwinson Green, the gunsmith whose collaboration shaped the design - though Webley simultaneously marketed it as the 'Webley Government' model, leaving the initials happily ambiguous. The WG Target Model was a genuine competition star, taking honours at the Dublin, Glasgow, and Wimbledon shooting matches, and is widely regarded as the finest Victorian top-break target revolver - the direct commercial parent of the service Webleys that armed British officers through both World Wars.