Shooting the Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver - Including Safety PSA

Following up yesterday's look at the history and mechanics of the Webley-Fosbery self-cocking revolvers, today we are out at the range to do some shooting with one.
In terms of handling, it is a comfortable gun to shoot, albeit with some exaggerated recoil because of the very high bore axis relative to the hand. It has an interesting two-part recoil sensation, because the upper assembly takes quite a long time to return forward into battery.
Most importantly, we discovered that this particular Webley-Fosbery has a worn hammer engagement, which results in the firing pin coming into contact with cartridge primers even when it is in the safety notch. In other words, it can - and will - sometimes fire when the action is closed and without any manipulation of the trigger. This is a condition that could happen to any Fosbery revolver, so owners should handle them with this possibility in mind! This is also a great example of why gun safety rules are redundant - occasionally guns do have mechanical failures, so don't point them at anything you don't want to shoot!
Thanks to Mike Carrick of Arms Heritage magazine for providing this Webley-Fosbery for this video! See his regular column here: armsheritagema...
Cool Forgotten Weapons merchandise! shop.bbtv.com/c...
/ forgottenweapons
If you enjoy Forgotten Weapons, check out its sister channel, InRangeTV! / inrangetvshow

[@GoreTorn16]

Gentlemen, he is shooting a $12,000-$30,000 Revolver. Let that sink in.

[@ForgottenWeapons]

This one's probably worth more because it is inscribed to a specific officer.

[@GoreTorn16]

Wow! Thats is just insane! I would love one but I'd have to sell my home, wife, car and dog. 3 times!

[@betaich]

GoreTorn16 the wife, car and home I could get behind, but the doggo really?

[@GoreTorn16]

haha sorry but Lassies gotta go T_T

[@GoreTorn16]

@War Zone Doh!!!

[@TheYankeeMarshal]

I want to see a modern version of this made.

[@wlogan0204]

im thinking about trying to make a prototype for the military as a man shot 20mm rifle

[@charlie__kelly3690]

Mataba made something similiar in the 80's they are not easy to come by but if you watch gunbroker they sale once a month or so.

[@justincancelosa5773]

They have I believe if you've ever played Battlefield 4 they have an auto revolver called the Unica but I don't know much about them

[@Tipi_Dan]

I'd just like to see a reboot of the standard Webley Mk. VI--- and in stainless steel. If they can do the old Smith & Wessons they ought to be able to do the Webley. It is the superior design. Perhaps there are patent issues or something.

[@noomeron]

A firm in Pakistan called PHSADC has been developing a reproduction and trying to get it up for sale on the import market for a few years, hopefully something will eventually come of that effort.

[@StAlchemyst]

This is why Ian gets the big bucks in firearms reviews. His initial reaction to shooting a Webley-Fosbery ... ... ... wait for it... ... ... AND I QUOTE "HUH-HUH!" Ahhhh... the thoughts of a scholar and the words of a poet. XD (seriously the perfect reaction!)

[@MrBandholm]

Ians presentation skills are among the sharpest out there... I am glad that he makes enough, that he can do this full time! And that he doesn't have to answer to anybody... But a part of me, really wants him to be included in these documentaries about guns, that are made from time to time. If discovery (or any other channel) remade the "top ten" firearms, Ian should be an auto-include among the experts!

[@Kolajer]

A gentleman, a scholar and high dollar

[@RealLifeZatoichi]

Right that goofy laugh every man does when we make big boom xD

[@mu99ins]

@@RealLifeZatoichi - I'm old...ancient. I've been seeing this "XD" in comments more and more, and I'm curious. What does it mean?.

[@Ashcrash82]

@@mu99ins It's to indicate a hearty belly laugh . The "X" is the eyes closed, the "D" is the open mouth.

[@sandmanhh67]

Splendid to see you adopting proper regulations approved British officer stance to shoot your pistol - side on, one handed and the other hand tucked smartly behind your back, upper lip stiffened and groomed mustache for'ard. spiffing performance old boy....we will make a Tommy of you yet my lad ;-)

[@jessesands4099]

sandmanhh67 😀💂🇬🇧

[@jasonirwin4631]

I have dreadful news for you good sir but Ian has gone to the French.

[@tomsoki5738]

🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@tomrl6674]

@@jasonirwin4631 lmao he actually did

[@El-Burrito]

I like how you wrote forward. I get so triggered (no pun intended) hearing a strong American accent pronouncing that hard W

[@abeherbert6603]

I've always found something pleasing about the utilitarian, no-frills appearance of the Webley revolvers. Plus those grooves on the cylinder look really cool.

[@donjones4719]

Even more utilitarian if it used half moon or full moon clips. Or was that what they called a speed loader back then, because Ian did mention that.

[@TheArgieH]

@@donjones4719 Prideaux?

[@donjones4719]

@@TheArgieH Came across Ian's vid covering the

[@lanceocana9059]

@@donjones4719 the what

[@kevin.malone]

Casiopea is legit!

[@eyeamstrongest]

"more autorevolvers" now that is a tantalizing prospect

[@ArcturusOTE]

Well Mateba's Unica was a thing, too bad they're expensive and now they're gone

[@KingHalbatorix]

@@ArcturusOTE I heard they're back

[@CowboybubPercussion]

@@KingHalbatorix your right, however not in the states sadly...

[@jacobmccandles1767]

It would be, but... 1) High bore axis. 2) Single Action makes liability lawyers break out in a rash.

[@Kitteh.B]

Break action Chiappa Rhino Fosbery. Only downside will be the cost.

[@schizoidboy]

I remember this gun on the show Tales of the Gun and how it was an automatic revolver which one of the presenters stated "The question no one asked." Apparently it was good for early fliers who needed a rapid fire handgun that wouldn't spread hot spent shells after firing which is actually quite important when flying a plane made of wood and canvas.

[@ramjb]

""The question no one asked." yeah, I guess that's the reason self-loading pistols pretty much replaced the revolver shortly after the introduction of this weapon. Because nobody was interested in semiautomatics... right?. True, semiautos do it better, but those didn't exist when this weapon was patented. It had a very legitimate reason to be the way it was, and it indeed "answered a question MANY were asking" (just go ask any nagant revolver shooter if he'd like a similar system to this one in his weapon). Whoever stated that in that show clearly has no clue about the period this weapon was introduced.

[@ianfinrir8724]

Tales Of The Gun was such an awesome show.

[@honkhonkler7732]

They weren't that worried about spent cartridges of all things starting fires in old planes, especially from a pistol. Nowhere near hot enough. Many aircraft mounted MGs of the era discarded their spent ammo all over the place.

[@garethfergusson9538]

​@@honkhonkler7732smokey bear says only you can prevent plane fires

[@Lurch-Bot]

It was really the fabric doping process that made them so flammable.

[@DerMannII]

I have been waiting for this video since your channel started. Thank you so much for finally putting out this video. This is the first time I've seen a Webley-Fosbery fired in any sort of quality since Garry James fired one on Tales of the Gun nearly two decades ago in what must've been 240p. I just wish there was better .455 Webley commercially available. The Fiocchi stuff seems underloaded and the small pistol primer (for whatever reason, the damned Italians thought it was a good idea to use such a small primer for a .45 caliber cartridge). Still, great video, and thanks again for all your work. When I get into a more financially stable situation, I will gladly support you on Patreon. Until then, I'll endlessly shill your channel to my friends and acquaintances and continue following you on here and Facebook.

[@ForgottenWeapons]

Thanks!

[@DerMannII]

No, Ian, thank you.

[@DerMannII]

Also, meant to ask: My first handgun was a Webley & Scott Mk.VI (unmolested in .455), so I'm fairly familiar with Webley revolvers. Could you compare shooting the Fosbery to a Mk.VI? I imagine the added weight and recoil-driven system only further ameliorates the already negligible recoil.

[@ForgottenWeapons]

I would say the Fosbery has a bit less felt recoil but a bit more muzzle climb. Both pretty subtle differences, though.

[@DerMannII]

Thank you, sir. As I mentioned above, this was the video I had been looking forward to the most since your channel started and I thoroughly enjoyed not only this video, but the previous one regarding the history of said handgun. The few friends I know intimately will all tell you that the Fosbery is my "unicorn" gun (specifically with a 7.5" target barrel - that is my fetish). I don't give a damn about wonder 9s, polymer miracles or ancient Tower flintlocks. For me, the Webley-Fosbery in .455 (Mk.II and up, of course, only cordite) is my ultimate handgun. I reside in Texas, so the subject of firearms comes up in conversation fairly regularly with friends an co-workers. I use the Thompson-LaGarde trials results as "evidence" to further my obsession for the .455 cartridge. This astounds many people because the layman often believes the .45 ACP to be the end-all cartridge in terms of """""stoppin' power""""", and when they hear that General John T. Thompson, of Tommy-Gun fame, had picked the .455 Webley (or was it the .476 Eley that had the "cupped" bullet?), their brain just melts and it's great. If you're ever in the Houston area, I'll gladly let you put as much Fiocchi .455 Mk.II through my Mk.VI as you'd like. Anyways, I'm rambling from sleep deprivation, so I'll just thank you again for your work and I'll have a drink on Lieutenant Colonel George Vincent Fosbery, VC, before I head off to bed tonight. Thanks again, Ian.

[@three-stripes]

His little giggle there made me laugh..

[@thecrobrony]

Made me wonder, how interesting would it be to combine the self-cocking mechanism on the Webley-Fosbery with a gas seal like on the Nagant revolver? It is redundant, I know, but still sounds interesting to see how would it work.

[@christopherdean1326]

I can't remember the name of them at the moment, but there was/is a range of revolvers that fired from the bottom chamber. If you combined the two ideas, it would negate one of the issues that he raised.

[@theloseph]

@@christopherdean1326 The Mataeba revolvers designed by Emilio Ghisoni. I believe he also worked on the Chiappa Rhino revolver

[@christopherdean1326]

@@theloseph That was the one I was thinking of, thx.

[@mkshffr4936]

That would be outstanding since the real down side of the Nagant is the horrible double action pull. The auto cock would fix that.

[@n00btotale]

crap who let the germans in?

[@tinfever]

So they didn't take the opportunity to make a fully automatic revolver? What a shame. It would be completely useless and probably also hilarious.

[@TheWolfsnack]

Just imagine the 20 round "assault cylinder".... :)

[@michaelbritt7609]

I once saw a Colt SAA go full-auto, even though that seems impossible

[@luisitobardajibenitez8013]

@@michaelbritt7609 if there is enough play in the parts, it can happen

[@orlandomartinez5484]

@@michaelbritt7609 the man was probably fanning the hammer. Love it... :)

[@michaelbritt7609]

I think we figured out that the mainspring was weak, and the firing pin on the hammer was broken and had a sharp edge. When you would fire it, the firing pin would slightly pierce the primer, and the gas would escape through the small hole, recocking the hammer and advancing the cylinder. Kind of like automatically fanning the hammer, but much quicker, it would empty all the rounds in the blink of an eye

[@arkadycaca]

so um does that Webley bayonet fit on this asking for a friend

[@crazyfvck]

+Fned Tolfsen Nope. That is strictly for use on the regular Webley revolvers. Even if it did somehow fit, I would think that the extra weight of the bayonet would cause the gun to malfunction when it cycles back and forth.

[@arkadycaca]

dangit Er, I mean... my friend says "dangit"

[@jacobmccandles1767]

@@arkadycaca The bayonet would also rack the cylinder each time you used it ("Rack the cylinder"? Can't say that very often!). This would rotate it each time and cause the rotation to get out of sequence, leading to You never being sure if that "click" was an indication of an empty gun, or the need to keep pulling the trigger. "Click, click, BOOM, click, BOOM, click" isn't a good way to win a gun battle.

[@arkadycaca]

@@jacobmccandles1767 WHY DO YOU HAVE TO CRUSH MY DREAMS

[@arkadycaca]

I MEAN MY FRIEN'DS DREAMS

[@rubenskiii]

Very aesthetically pleasing gun, the Webley always had a special place in my heart but that zig-zagged cylindre... Damn beautiful.

[@99wolfspider]

Ian, just letting you know that you linked this video in the end of your History and Mechanics video. I (as someone not paying on patreon) am not complaining about being able to see the video early, but I still thought you should know.

[@ForgottenWeapons]

That one posts tomorrow, so I'm not concerned about it. Thanks though!

[@jamesbulldogmiller]

Most interesting!! My great grandfather was a firefighter in London during the Blitz. He carried a Webley .455 revolver (not semi-auto), in case he encountered any downed German fliers.

[@johnturner8383]

Webley in one hand, fireaxe in the other. True hero, good man... 🇬🇧

[@herbderbler1585]

@@johnturner8383 imagine that coming toward you through the flames and rubble. Whether a downed kraut or a Londoner in need, that could be rather terrifying.

[@penguasakucing8136]

Oh god, his little giggle at 0:45 is so adorable

[@darthmartinez]

Slide bite from a revolver lol.

[@kevlarandchrome]

Thanks, I really enjoyed both videos about this beautiful weapon.

[@AtheistOrphan]

Should have dressed as Sean Connery in 'Zardoz' to test it!

[@Regolith86]

No one needs to see that; not even Gun Jesus can pull that look off.

[@lovecraftcat]

You never know until you try.

[@christopherconard2831]

Atheist Orphan Get me a W-F and I'll do it. Of course, I'm keeping the gun.

[@phileas007]

most underrated film in history !!!!

[@peterthinks]

Wow... GJ as the Zardoz enforcer. How long till Halloween?

[@victoriaevelyn3953]

i see why some officers chose this its very quiet im assuming that the camera microphone doesn't do the firing sound any justice

[@SgtKOnyx]

Vector Corbin yeah

[@Arthurzeiro]

The ammo is subsonic, it's quieter than most.

[@normang3668]

Definitely seems to be low velocity, you can actually see the bullet exiting the barrel on a couple of those shots.

[@rotwang2000]

This had me thinking about other auto-revolvers such as the Mateba, who not only made a modern auto-revolver, but also had a whole series of quite unique handguns that would be worth exploring.

[@OlujaDoTokija]

I would like to see a series about those handguns as well

[@wowfreak195]

Ya I wanna see Ian go to Lifesizedpotato and do a series with him on the whole Mateba line.

[@MasterOfHelium]

6:43 fired in just right moment for camera to capture the bullet leaving the barrel!

[@mohannadali9662]

Sharp eye

[@mu99ins]

@@mohannadali9662 - Kudos for the slow motion shots, too. Excellent video work.

[@ivyssauro123]

I actually paused right on it and printed, pretty amazing! Low velocity rounds are cool

[@Nooziterp1]

@@ivyssauro123 It was low velocity because that was British doctrine with handguns at the time. That a heavy slow-moving bullet was better than a light fast-moving one.

[@ivyssauro123]

@@Nooziterp1 yeah, for some purposes they were right

[@LordRaa]

Thank you for the important safety information about the firing pin.

[@vzd963]

I'm writing a book about the making of the Sean Connery film "Zardoz" - he uses a Webley Fosbery on screen. Thank you for putting up this really well-thought-out video - I wanted to see the gun in action, and this is my only chance. The dramatist in me wants to dub in some nice big BANG!s, though...

[@pokehybridtrainer]

I was diving through the comments to see if someone else was aware of Zardoz with this gun. Was not disappointed. Best of luck for your writing.

[@dennisyoung4631]

“He *must* have met Zed - either Zed, or his supplier…”

[@kinadafurry7353]

The the webley ping is so underrated!!

[@Q_7169]

I've always love Webleys. I've wanted a Fosbery for a while now, but I'm not sure I'll ever be able to find one of those beauties

[@jeremy67A]

An elegant weapon for a more civilized time.

[@paulkeys175]

Nothing like slaughtering your foe in a civilised manner chaps!

[@envrnmntlsm]

age*

[@mohammadwaled409]

Is that an ahoy reference,yes I know it has been two years

[@dancooper455]

@@mohammadwaled409 it is a star wars reference

[@gcart7675]

@mohammad waled its star wars obi wan kenobi said it about lightsabers

[@thompsonjerry3412]

One of the coolest guns you have ever shown!

[@Krazee9]

Do you think you'd be able to get your hands on a .455 1911 to compare? From what I recall, they did make some in .455 Webley around the end of WWI, and I'd be curious how the 1911 in .455 compares to the Webley-Fosbery in terms of recoil.

[@DerMannII]

That they did. Would love to see a video on a Colt M1911 chambered in .455 Webley Automatic. Though .455 Webley Automatic differed substantially from .455 Webley. That said, .455 Webley Automatic is loaded with unobtainium.

[@SgtKOnyx]

DerM ann unlike normal rounds which contain only reloadium

[@AldanFerrox]

Yeah, the Royal Navy used the M1911 in .455 Webley during World War 1. After the war the Royal Air Force also adopted the gun and issued it to pilots as a self-defence weapon before and during World War 2. It was also used by officers of Paratroopers. General Roy Urquhart carried one during the Battle of Arnhem.

[@DerMannII]

For clarification, the Colt M1911 chambered in .455 was chambered in .455 Webley Automatic, which did not have the rim of the .455 Webley cartridge.

[@AldanFerrox]

You are right. The boxes for Webley Automatic were even marked with "Not For Revolvers".

[@d4rkhound388]

1:45 MY GOD IAN, you look glorious i can see it now, you standing over the trenches, Automatic fosbery in hand wearing an Officers uniform and shouting charge as you take a few shots.

[@slaughterhound8793]

Thanks for delving into that potential safety issue at the end there; it's a good reminder that, although still eminently shootable, there can often be enough wear on these antiques to bring about issues that the original user in World War I never had to deal with. When I first read about the Webley-Fosbery a number of years ago, I would have really liked to have had one. Since then, I had to "rationalize" my wish list a little, & don't really want one anymore. Not that I would turn one down if I could get one at a great price, just that there are too many other great pistols out there that I would like to have more than the Fosbery. They are still interesting & great handguns though; good to see one being put through its paces.

[@erics3454]

Outside of any gun information, of which you communicate fantastically, you do an excellent job in presenting and demonstrating the weapons.

[@tom_forsyth]

If you put the barrel on the bottom of the cylinder rather than the top, would that reduce the rotational moment of the recoil and make it straighter, far more similar to the 1911? You'd need a very tall front sight of course. Or maybe put the sights sticking out sideways instead of upwards - which would annoy a left-hander of course.

[@redrackham6812]

I love this design, because it's so clever in an off-the-wall way and because it's clearly a technological dead-end.

[@redrackham6812]

@RattusRattus 903 Well, generally, yes, it is bad to be a technological dead-end, but what can I say? There's a place in my heart for interesting technological dead-ends.

[@redrackham6812]

@RattusRattus 903 I don't mind at all. What I meant was that it was quickly overtaken by magazine-fed semiautomatic pistols, and the whole concept of a semiautomatic revolver went nowhere. Magazine-fed semiautomatic pistols quickly became the norm in handguns, and they have continued to develop and improve, and remain the norm, but a semiautomatic revolver is pretty much just an historical curiosity.

[@redrackham6812]

@RattusRattus 903 I agree completely. That was exactly what I meant.

[@SToNeOwNz]

0:26 The Buckle grab. Iconic.

[@NoosaHeads]

I have found very little muzzle flip with the Fosberry. I do believe it's different for each shooter. The 455 is a heavy, lumbering bullet but devastatingly effective. I really love shooting the Fosberry. To me, it has the perfect feel.

[@zanearmstrong6776]

0:45 yes i do believe i'd laugh exactly like that if i got my hands on one of these too

[@jokuvaa2552]

Slow motion of shells ejecting would have been awesome.

[@Saykiata]

I was going to ask if there was some weird muting going on with this mic!

[@Plymouth888]

Seth Smith - you can set Camera mics with a DB cut off, it's to avoid picking up back ground sound, and if he has a gun mic it can be directed at him an avoid the guns discharge. Ian could also have a short range sensative clip mic on his person.

[@mrb692]

The mic probably has some upper level clipping (i.e. doesn't record sound above a certain loudness), which is how we get those glorious echo sounds. However, a primer going off would be both a much shorter pop with no echo, and loud enough to get clipped.

[@KevinSchmitt77]

For a minute there I just thought that Ian found two integrally suppressed pistols. I wish all channels used such mic. settings unless explicitly filming for the Pew-Pew sounds.

[@PassiveDestroyer]

Until the primer going off, I thought that he was shooting subsonic rounds made of unobtainium that made them suppressed. Then again, .455 Webley is supposed to be made of unobtainium anyways, so I digress.

[@StAlchemyst]

I wonder if the Webley-Fosbury action would work with the "under barrel" of a Rhino. Although archaic still, that would give you the benefit of a lower bore axis in a auto-revolver configuration. Wait... while I was writing that sentence I realized this might already exist. Chiappa... DIDNT CHIAPPA MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THAT! Oh Crap! what was it called!!!!

[@StAlchemyst]

FOUND IT! Mateba Model 6 Unica! HA! I knew it! (What a wonderful conversion I just had with myself! I'm as crazy as bat shit!)

[@simonlamoureux5440]

Stanley Scalf You should go to a doctor and get checked out man

[@lovecraftcat]

There's a guy on youtube that owns like 6 matebas, absolute madman. Search for LifeSizePotato.

[@StAlchemyst]

i think ive seen a vid or two from him. forgot the name though so thanks!

[@HadToChangeMyName_YoutubeSucks]

You're not crazy, I talk to myself all the time. No I don't. I do too! Shut up you dolt.

[@Erebus66]

Why is this mechanism not more popular!?

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

Sorry I don't have the link, but Royal Armouries have a video of this gun with some very good slo-mo footage. It clearly shows that the bullet is long gone from the muzzle before the gun starts to move, so the high bore axis and subsequent flipping have no effect on accuracy.

[@nunyabidniz2868]

Ian: You have a new mission, should you choose to accept it: find a Mateba and shoot it! We simply *must* know how it compares to the Webley-Fosberry. As usual, should you be caught or compromised in any way, the Secretary will deny all knowledge of your actions...

[@pozsmith8207]

Someone call lifesizepotato

[@soloman3444]

*BF1 autorevolver intensifies*

[@ivanrivera3293]

Yes

[@shadowblaster124]

You've got some of the best content on the tube, Ian. Keep it up!

[@pedrowhack-a-mole6786]

There was one of these in .38 ACP, NOT .380 ACP, at a sporting goods store in NJ 38 years ago. It was in the used case at $75. While I was deciding on it, somebody bought it out from under me. I never knew what it was or that it was a semi-auto revolver. I do remember the groves on the outside of the 8-shot cylinder. I have kicked myself ever since for not just plunking down the cash. The condition was VG to excellent and would be worth 15-20K now.

[@thelegendaryklobb2879]

Dangerous things are dangerous, right?

[@ForgottenWeapons]

Indeed!

[@xidarian]

whatever you did with the sound is an amazing improvement. Having to turn down the volume for firing and back up to hear you talk was a bit of a pain in the ass.

[@bruceinoz8002]

It sounds like the AGC (Automatic Gain Control" on the camera was working, REALLY HARD. A bit like those "electronic" ear muffs. If you want to record gunshots, use an off-camera mic on a separate track from the voice mic. Place the "FX" mic back from the firer. I get good results with a "shotgun" (how appropriate) mic., like a Sennheiser 416 or 816, placed behind the firer and "aimed" down-range. This catches both the muzzle blast AND the impact AND the reflections of the supersonic crack, if present. You'll need Phantom Power for those Sennheisers, however. Several Mic. manufacturers make pretty good "entry-level" shotgun mics that use an internal AA battery to power the condenser / electronics.These can also be "hot-rodded" by using a pair of 6Volt camera batteries instead of the AA. This allows greater headroom and dynamic range (as long as the next thing, the mic. pre-amp, can handle it. These battery-powered mics.will plug straight into most modern compact digital cameras. I also always use a specialist "field mixer" with all the bells and whistles, but that's my job. Cheers from Oz!

[@gregtag874]

The Webley Fosbery was a featured player in the Sci-Fi movie Zardoz.

[@tomcline5631]

Softer shooting ,not because of gun design but that .455 looks like a pretty weak sister round.

[@howardmaryon-davis666]

tom cline the Zulus didn’t think so.....

[@MatSpeedle]

Really enjoyed the videos on this particular pistol, just a shame as a Brit I can't go anywhere in my own country to experience our long history of fine firearms and get to experience such things... this country sucks! :( Forgotten Weapons however, Rules! Thanks Ian!

[@ALE199-ita]

*JAMMING PTSD* Pathologic 2 bois were are you at?

[@proudamericanrobman2829]

Please update the audio when shooting. Your voice audio is great but every time you fire it sounds like you're shooting a BB gun LOL

[@stevenhoman2253]

Perhaps this potential miss fire issue , is why it carries a lower charge than a .typicical 45 ACP round?

[@kyleg8928]

Thanks Ian. The slow mo shooting was exactly what I was waiting for. As the pistol returns to battery, It's interesting see how the momentum returns the bore very near back to zero. Would you say it's easy to double fire accidentally?

[@HDcamel]

It'd be neat to see this in a 2GAC against a bog standard Webley revolver.

[@cybercat1531]

A friend of my grandpa's had a Fosbery revolver, I recall him reloading it exactly as you described to avoid accidental discharge. Later he modified the mechanism to avoid that issue.

[@rikaardyyz3039]

First time I ever heard of this was " The Maltese Falcon" the gun that killed Sam Spades partner " Miles Archer . I find this just scouting KZbin and it reminded me of the film when Archer gets killed , cop says to Spade" Webley isn't it ?", Spade replies that Archer's murderer used a Webley-Fosbery .45 automatic eight shots , they don't make them anymore "!! Seems Hollywood got that partially wrong as I read there was an eight shot version in .38, so the ".45 automatic eight shot ". Was a mistake 🤔

[@edi9892]

I would have liked to see how accurate you were with both guns

[@SgtKOnyx]

edi count the pings after the shots

[@edi9892]

SgtKOnyx That doesn't tell me anything about range and grouping

[@HappisakVideos]

Older weapons seemed to have a lot more elegance to them. Modern firearms may be efficient and practical but ugly as sin. Wish there was a combination of the two.

[@xmm-cf5eg]

KSG-12's are pretty as hell, I for one welcome our plastic overlords. (the less people making butchered tactical weapons out of classics, the better!)

[@fuzzydunlop7928]

Not as clunky and awkward as a blaster!

[@vaclav_fejt]

My uncle has a P99 - the old one, with the proprietary rail, just like James Bond had between 1997 and 2006. The Picatinny ones are ugly IMO.

[@benaguilar1787]

I think CZ handguns straddle that line pretty well.

[@abwihamwinkin]

In my humble opinion, I think the Beretta M9 meets that middle ground, possibly even the Chiappa Rhino.

[@vviimmi]

Nice little gun, I don't like it. But 10/10 would shoot.

[@RealLuckless]

I wonder how comfortable a reworked Webley-Fosbery could be if you were to redesign it to align the barrel with the lower chamber rather than the upper. A grip tail also sounds like a sensible addition.

[@acidtreat101]

I just found out the Webley-Fosbery was featured in an episode of currently airing anime "Princess Principal." Don't think I'm supposed to post a link but I saw a thread on twitter about it.

[@stikibunn]

acidtreat101 Wielded by the best girl of the season no less

[@maciejpociecha6357]

Did the Webley-Fosbery design get copied by the indigenous gunmakers on the subcontinent - given that the tricky part to work out, the grooves, is actually fairly simple to manufacture; you'd think it would be a tempting design to copy?

[@Ensign_Cthulhu]

Mauser, oddly enough, had a mechanical variant on the same theme - except they turned it upside down and used a trigger-actuated moving nodule to rotate the cylinder in the fixed frame (look up "Mauser Zig Zag revolver"). AFAIK the Mauser came first, and it wouldn't surprise me to find that Fosbery had seen one, handled it, and figured the exact same thing could be done with recoil.

[@potatoradio]

Maciej Pociecha keep in mind a Remington deranger and I think the zig zag pistol (Mauser C78 ) had a similar notch system before this came out. looks like Ian did a vid an a root colt that was inspired ok copied from it.

[@TheRPGamer7]

From a bit of searching Pakistan Hunting & Sporting Arms Development Company was planning a reproduction, but like all good things the project seems to have died in 2015.

[@vtecpreludevtec]

TheRPGamer7 Darra Adem Khel,damn clever chaps

[@claresaprama499]

I came here because of Princess Principal... anybody?

[@deanc91]

As a secondary reason. Ian always comes first.

[@deanc91]

Pretty decent animu series currently airing. Cute girls doing spy things in a steampunk Victorian era England type show. MC carries this gun. Would recommend at least the first episode.

[@stikibunn]

Exactly what I thought when I saw that he was doing this gun. Shame nobody knows the references that Princess Principal has in it. People think the revolver is a fictional steampunk gun

[@81Alfetta]

I was aware of the Webley-Fosbery well before, but was over the moon when it showed up in Princess Principal.

[@umelhamel6551]

Yes, it's Ange's firearm, so it can't be bad :P

[@regalecusglesne3022]

me: oh man that thing is a beast i cannot wait to see all the noise and the recoil and the muzzle flash that makes! webley: pif!

[@Darth.Fluffy]

For such a hand cannon, that thing looks to have an insanely mild recoil impulse. It reminds me of the Ferguson Rifle. A really good idea that didn't make it.

[@blgarage9519]

I thought this would sound like a derpy nigel thornbery-ish sound

[@justsomeamerican2301]

I'm designing a 37mm overpacked revolver cannon . I didn't know this revolver existed but the cylinder is almost exactly the same except mine will rotate using a gas system

[@andrewquesenberry3797]

k

[@4n701n3l35p1n3]

0:46 best "eh eh" of satisfaction ever :D

[@brucerobert227]

Yo Ian, the wife & I LOVE the "Ian-chuckle" there at 46 seconds

[@matchesburn]

"Don't go off half-cocked." Weeeeelllll...

[@Claire-xk5bb]

ive been waiting a while for a revisit on the Webley-Fosbery. awesome. thanks!

[@Jurflip2]

Uberti should make a repica of this, in .45ACP. Could then use full moon clips or Auto Rim ammunition.

[@820hurleyj]

Very cool video! I'm somewhat knowledgeable about guns but I read about this one in a Clive Cussler novel and hadn't heard of it before. However I was now intrigued and was glad I was able to find this video.

[@PositionLight]

Is it possible to safely cock the hammer by racking the upper assembly?

[@ForgottenWeapons]

Yes, as long as the gun is in good working order.

[@PositionLight]

That is probably the obligatory American way to do it ;-)

[@H3llsEmper0r]

I love the laugh after he's done shooting first time.

[@carlmaki]

But can it be suppressed?

[@kadebillyarx9078]

Carmichael Fong I'm sure you know this as this is a joke, but get a nagant revolver if you want a revolver suppressed.

[@edi9892]

Carmichael Fong AFAIK there's only one revolver capable of being silenced, since it closes the gap between the drum and the barrel. BTW: most tilting barrels are a problem for silencers too, plus it changes the mass of the recoil system.

[@carlmaki]

My comment really backfired. It was a joke. I was referencing TFBTV's Nagant Revolver video where Alex and Patrick kept telling the people that the Nagant could be suppressed. Now, everyone dropped actual info and I looked like an idiot. Hahahaha. Thanks though for the informative replies.

[@kadebillyarx9078]

Carmichael Fong Haha, I knew you were joking. It's the same joke as "but can it take glock mags". I just mentioned what I did in the event you were not aware of the nagant revolver which I just picked one up myself. If anything I look like an idiot for replying to a sarcastic joke with a serious answer.

[@carlmaki]

Haha. It's all fun. I am glad that people dropped useful info, I'm sure someone found it informative and that it proves not all commenters are trolls.

[@luisantolafrancis519]

Ian just cant help himself from giggling when he fires that gun !! Most certainly a strange transitional handgun from the late 19 century .y would love ❤ to have one.

[@prjndigo]

*PSA: Really old guns are NEVER safe.*

[@Jesses001]

I am not surprised that the safety notch issue is due to a warn part. It would make no sense to have the firing pin in the way when they could just as easily move the safety notch back a little bit and make it safe. I have a few break top revolvers that do NOT require the safety notch to load. I shot them very rarely but when I do, I have to be mindful of that.

[@LoneRanger869]

Due to the protruding firing pin, how would someone safely carry this gun loaded? Would it have to be kept cocked and locked or is that safety notch enough that guys would have felt comfortable keeping it in that condition in their holsters? Is there any documentation about how the owners carried or were advised to carry the revolver? Thanks for a great video.

[@zachbrummett9672]

I wonder how a modern reproduction of this in something like 45 lc , 44 magnum ,or 357 mag would do as an alternative to modern automatic magnums like the desert eagle or well the auto mag

[@cecilbennett5403]

Ian, you continue to amaze and impress me with your knowledge and expertise. Good video!

[@gavinjones3637]

I would love to see a Chiappa Rhino Fosberry. Semi auto action, coupled with the low bore axis.

[@gavinjones3637]

I've just realised. That would be the Matebo 😂

[@tiortedrootsky]

No, mateba has bore axis of a normal pistol, and rhinos axis go on the level of center of the second thumb joint. As low at it will ever be.

[@RockeyDAproductions]

being a child of the far left i did not grow up with guns, man are they fascinating. history, development, and mechanically. every time i get a new gun first thing i have to do is tear it apart as much as i can then spend 40min trying to get it back together, figuring out how it works in the prosses. i enjoy shooting to. but when i get a new gun i wanna see the insides more than i wanna pull the trigger.

[@dumptrump3788]

Webley-Fossbery....the ONLY reason I buy Lottery Tickets.

[@BatCaveOz]

These Fosberys taste like Fosberys.

[@SirClicks.]

Am I the only one who really, really wanted a fully automatic revolver?

[@rtwhitson3]

It has always been an interesting CONCEPT to me, but not as practical as the 1911 and others. Still as a concept TARGET gun, it could be fun. Perhaps loaded with .45 Auto. For target shooting, could it be modified to NOT fire when closing? Or how to otherwise avoid firing when closing? I'm glad you posted this vid, as I had never heard of this design flaw before. I have never thought it was a good combat weapon due to 6 shot limitation and the break-top weakness which might limit power. The top break ejection is great for speed reloading, though, just not enough speed pay-off there (for self-defense) for the reduced frame strength, in my estimation. I have to admit, I've never fired, or even examined one though. Could this action safely handle .44 Special with a 200 grain slug at 1000 fps? Or 10mm with the same load? 200 grains at 1000 fps has proven very accurate in every loading I have tried, .357 Mag, 10mm Auto and .44 Special. It is plenty powerful enough for self-defense as well, virtually magnum-class.

[@PieterBreda]

Accidentally shooting someone is bad for business and it will make you rather unpopular

[@kevinoliver3083]

Webley sold pre-loaded full-moon clips for these revolvers, in both .445 and .38ACP. The .455 ones could also be used in the Webley Mk.IV, V, & VI service revolvers.

[@tomcline5631]

These are marked .455 Cordite. I've shot some Cordite loaded .303 British through my Enfield,but I always clean that old gun after shooting. Is the Cordite a very corrosive propellant? Had like 10 or 12 boxes I bought at a gun show 20 years or so ago. I shot a lot back then and these were my plinking rounds. Got em all for a hundred bucks. The last 2 and a half boxes went funny on me. They would burn SLOW!! Pull the trigger and anywhere from 2to 15 seconds later it would fire! Anyway was just wondering if that crap was corrosive or not.

[@bruceinoz8002]

Almost a century later, there was the Mateba Sei Unica 'semi-auto revolver in .357 Mag and .44 Mag,. How about a side by side range comparison, (assuming you can track down the equally short-lived Italian guns)?

[@anthonylathrop7251]

I first found out about these in Maltese Falcon - Spade is asked about a Webley-Fosbery automatic revolver. I thought this was another writer throwing out random gun jargon: automatic revolver? Should have known better: I mean, we're talking about Dash Hammett here.

[@lucasqualls5086]

at 6:44 the frame captures a bullet flying out of the gun perfectly.

[@QuasiTraction]

It's like the early Norinco 54-1's, with the basically worthless external safety, and the problems with carrying it in condition one. How the machining tolerances were bad and the hammer could drop & hit the firing pin. Or the Nambu type 94.

[@bad2theboneT600]

A PM 63 would be nice to see on this amazing channel.

[@brucedrake5493]

should you have loaded the 45aCP in the 1911 to .455 webley equivalent pressures for a more even test? You may have to change the 1911 recoil spring to a lighter weight for the .455 cartridge to properly function, but that might be an interesting test to compare the W-F revolver with a "British contract 1911 in .455" as the Brits did have 1911s in that caliber as well.

[@narendrairengbam112]

Your hands are not meant to shoot bigger catridge than .22, you have weak hands. I notice it everytime and especially when you fired the M14 or M1 in full auto on your other video, it was almost unwatchable. The gun was going everywhere. Probably because you are left handed. Don't mind, but it's just something I noticed.