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.442 Webley

Revolver cartridge

Revolver cartridge

FieldValue
name.442 Webley
image442 Webley.JPGimage_size = 300px
caption.44 Bull Dog (Peters), .442 Webley (UMC) and .442 Revolver (Eley)
originBritish Empire
typeRevolver
design_date1868
production_date1868–1950s
case_typerimmed, straight
bullet.436
neck.47
base.472
rim_dia.503
rim_thick.033
case_length.69
length1.1
rifling1:20
primerLarge
bw1200
btype1(Kynoch ball, factory load)
vel1700
en1239
bw2200
btype2(Remington factory load)
vel2715
en2230
balsrcBarnes & Amber 1972

The .442 Webley (also known as the ".442 Revolver Centre Fire" in Great Britain, the .442 Rook long (kangaroo) in Australia, the "10.5x17mmR" or ".442 Kurz" in Europe, and ".44 Webley" or ".442 R.I.C." in the United States) is a British centrefire revolver cartridge.

History

Introduced in 1868, the .442 (11.2mm) Webley round was used in the Webley RIC revolver. This was the standard service weapon of the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC, hence the revolver's name), which were also chambered in (among others) .450 Adams and 476/.455. Lt. Col. George Custer is believed to have carried a pair of RIC revolvers (presented to him in 1869 by Lord Berkley Paget) at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

A black powder round, the .442 originally used a 15–19 grain (gr) (0.972–1.23 g) charge behind a 200–220 gr (13–14.3 g) bullet. This loading was later joined by a smokeless variety.

At one time, the .442 Webley was a popular chambering in self-defence or "pocket" guns (so named for being designed to be carried in a pocket, what today might be a known as a snubnose or carry gun), such as the widely copied Webley British Bulldog pocket revolver.

The cartridge was moderately effective, being roughly similar in power to the contemporary .38 S&W, .41 Colt, or .44 S&W American, and somewhat less potent than the later 7.65mm Parabellum, .38 Special or .45 ACP. It was not very suitable at anything but close range.

Smokeless .442 Webley loads continued to be commercially offered in the U.S. until 1940 and in the United Kingdom and Europe until the 1950s.

References

Sources

  • Barnes, Frank C., ed. by John T. Amber. ".44 Webley/.44 R.I.C.", in Cartridges of the World, pp. 170 & 177. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. .
  • ______ and _____. ".30 (7.65mm) Parabellum", in Cartridges of the World, p. 153. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. .
  • ______ and _____. ".38 Smith & Wesson", in Cartridges of the World, p. 163. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. .
  • ______ and _____. ".38 Smith & Wesson Special", in Cartridges of the World, p. 163. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. .
  • ______ and _____. ".41 Long Colt", in Cartridges of the World, p. 165. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. .
  • ______ and _____. ".44 Smith & Wesson American", in Cartridges of the World, p. 167. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. .
  • ______ and _____. ".45 Automatic", in Cartridges of the World, p. 171. Northfield, IL: DBI Books, 1972. .
  • Dowell, William Chipchase. The Webley Story. Kirkland, WA: Commonwealth Heritage Foundation, 1987.
  • Elman, Robert. Fired in Anger: The Personal Handguns of American Heroes and Villains. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1968.
  • Ficken, H. R.. Webley's The British Bull Dog Revolver, Serial Numbering and Variations. Retrieved on 2006-08-03.

References

  1. (January 2012). "Calibres of Ammunition No Longer Commercially Available". New South Wales Police.
  2. Barnes, p. 170, ".44 Webley/.44 R.I.C."
  3. Barnes, p. 170, ".44 Webley/.44 R.I.C."
  4. Dowell, William Chipchase. ''The Webley Story'' (Kirkland, WA: Commonwealth Heritage Foundation, 1987), p. 62.
  5. Elman, Robert. ''Fired in Anger: The Personal Handguns of American Heroes and Villains'' (Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1968), p. 232.
  6. Elman, p. 231.
  7. Doerner, John A. "Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of the Little Bighorn". Martin Pate.
  8. Gallear, Mark. (2001). "Guns at the Little Bighorn". Custer Association of Great Britain.
  9. Barnes, p. 170, ".44 Webley/.44 R.I.C."
  10. Dowell, p. 68.
  11. Ficken, Homer R.. "Webley's The British Bull Dog Revolver, Serial Numbering and Variations".
  12. Barnes, p. 170, ".44 Webley".
  13. Barnes, p. 163, ".38 Smith & Wesson".
  14. Barnes, p. 170, ".44 Webley/.44 R.I.C.", and p. 165, ".41 Long Colt".
  15. Barnes, p. 167, ".44 Smith & Wesson American", & p. 170, ".44 Webley/.44 R.I.C."
  16. Barnes, p. 153, ".30 (7.65mm) Parabellum".
  17. Barnes, p. 163, ".38 Smith & Wesson Special".
  18. Barnes, p. 171, ".45 Automatic".
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