My 38 Enfield revolver

[RoyceP]

It was advertised as a 38 Mk IV Webley but it's clearly not that. The seller was selling it at a modest price. I figured what the heck?

I went by my favorite reloading store. They were selling 38 S&W once fired brass for $5 for 50. I spent $10 and got 100. They also had some 148 grain LRN bullets so I got a couple hundred of those sized to .361". I used some Unique powder, W-W primers. a 9mm Makarov Lee FCD fits.

It's double action only. The trigger pull is a bit stiff. Sights are decent. Finish is wartime so not too good. It's a blast to shoot and pretty accurate once you get the hang of it.

 

[105kw]

It's a Enfield, built by the British.
A story I was told, is that the British didn't want to buy Webleys. So they did the Enfield. And bought Webleys too.

 

[Mike Irwin]

An Enfield No 2, Mk I* or possibly Mk I**, depending exactly on when it was made.

 

[Bob Wright]

Refresh my memory, please: What is the purpose of the steel (?) disc in the grip?

As I recall it had something to do with the take down of the cylinder star?

Bob Wright

 

[44 AMP]

Other than reinforcing the grip where the screw is, I don't know, but you might be right.

The steel disc in the stock of a 98k Mauser is for taking down the firing pin assy. I've seen instructions for that.

It must have some use, its British, not French, after all....

 

[RoyceP]

Refresh my memory, please: What is the purpose of the steel (?) disc in the grip?

As I recall it had something to do with the take down of the cylinder star?

Bob Wright

The disc is brass and it is integral with the nut. My impression is that brass disc spreads out the nut's tension on the plastic grip.

 

[Mike Irwin]

I've never seen anything engraved on the disk, I've never seen anything indicating that it had any other use than what Royce suggests.

 

[tmd47762]

I don’t think mine has the disc in the grip, but it’s in the hard to get to safe, so I can’t check.

I suspect it’s just British over-engineering. It might have been easier to stamp a brass washer than machine the appropriate nut into the grip.

They are fun to shoot.

 

[TruthTellers]

I feel the .38 Enfield/Webley top breaks are a better buy these days than the .45's with the shaved cylinders. At least with the .38 models you know they haven't been shot to crap with full power jacketed .45 ACP.

 

[SIGSHR]

The Enfield No 2 Mk 1 was such a close copy of the Webley that they had to pay for patent infringement. The War came, they need anything that would shoot. I have seen Webleys with the "War Finish", they are pretty rough, yours looks OK, like pre-war production.
I have an all-original No.2 Mk1, made in 1932. An HBWC over 2.7 grains of Bullseye is as much and accurate as the same load in 38 Special.

 

[RoyceP]

The Enfield No 2 Mk 1 was such a close copy of the Webley that they had to pay for patent infringement. The War came, they need anything that would shoot. I have seen Webleys with the "War Finish", they are pretty rough, yours looks OK, like pre-war production.
I have an all-original No.2 Mk1, made in 1932. An HBWC over 2.7 grains of Bullseye is as much and accurate as the same load in 38 Special.

The load I am using is 2.8 Grains of Unique to push a 148 grain LRN bullet. It's pretty accurate; the issue is my shooting and the horrendous DA trigger pull. I bet once I get used to it, it will be better.

 

[SIGSHR]

Yes, that heavy DA only trigger pull takes it out of the fun category IMHO.

 

[darkgael]

Fwiw from Skennerton:

 

[darkgael]

The brass “marking disc” set into the right grip panel was a feature on the Mark II (1938-1943) and on the Mark III Bakelite grips (1942-45).

 

[Bob Willman]

It looks like mine. My disk in the right grip is not shiny but appears to be blued. On the right side in front of the grip it is stamped DI**. The top of the barrel is stamped CAL 38 in one direction and "something I cant make" followed by 43 in the other direction. There are also some stampings on the rear of the cylinder. Either an F or E and something that looks like D above IR above a strange looking X with a P below all that. The serial number is under the barrel right above the hinge.

NRA Benefactor Golden Eagle Looking forward to Indianapolis.

 

[veprdude]

The disc is brass and it is integral with the nut. My impression is that brass disc spreads out the nut's tension on the plastic grip.

That's certainly its purpose. Any other feature is secondary. Were there cracking issues with previous models? I also agree that it's cheaper to make a big washer to distribute load than to machine a special grip screw nut that is integrated into the other side of the grip.

 

[Jack19]

That is so cool.

Always wanted a Bulldog in .450.

Prices today are

 

[RoyceP]

That is so cool.

Always wanted a Bulldog in .450.

Prices today are

In 450 caliber yes prices are pretty high. However in 38 caliber they are still reasonable. I need to find a decent Webley 38 before prices go crazy.

 

[44 AMP]

I got my big bore break action slot filled a long time ago with a Webley Mk VI, better gun all round, I think.

Passed on several Webleys and Enfield .38s when they were in the $150 range, had things I wanted more to spend my money on, and I wasn't keen on tooling up for .38 S&W.

They are neat pieces of history, but not what I call "great" revolvers.

 

[jar]

My 38S&W Webley was a Singapore Police Force revolver.