Why make a revolver so smol? The tiny 'pocket' Webley Mark IV with firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson

This week Jonathan's joined by the dinky little brother of the Webley Mark IV family, the 'pocket model.
Designed for ease of concealment and personal defence, this compact design is seeing a new lease of life as the Webley brand is reborn in the 21st century.
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[@richardbrown9069]

All Webley revolvers just look so effortlessly cool.

[@samholdsworth420]

SLAVA ENGLAND

[@ibalrog]

Do they? I look at a Webley and hear comical trombone music.

[@jp-um2fr]

An old WW1 and WW2 major friend (battery of 25 pounders) had a false bottom to his officers' trunk. He ignored the firearms' truce, come back to the UK and joined Bisley. I was an MOD apprentice and Bill had helped design large engines, he ended his days in our engine bay. Often he would signal me over, open his draw and show me a stripped revolver, machine pistol, etc, etc. with ammo. Without looking, he could assemble and load within seconds. Bill is no longer with us, of course, he never used 'Major' it's rather 'orf' to use it. An English gentleman if ever there was one. Tad off-topic - sorry.

[@tomwinterfishing9065]

He sounds alright.

[@Book-bz8ns]

No. Actually that's a great story. Glad you out it down.

[@robertl6196]

Reminds me of the small frame .38 Special Aircrew revolvers the USAF issued for decades. Actually, this Webley would be ideal for an aircrew defense weapon: compact and with a positive safety.

[@robertsneddon731]

A friend in the States carried an S&W Centennial Airweight in .38Special as his day-to-day gun (he had the sort of job where being discreetly armed in public was required). He really liked it for its light weight and compactness but he hated having to fire it in regular qualifications because of the perceived recoil.

[@CatsT.M]

Suggestion to the Royal Armouries: please add proper captions to the videos on the channel, it would be a great way to be able to teach a larger group of people and would be much appreciated by many. Thank you to everyone at the RA for this and your other series, they are all quite interesting

[@martkbanjoboy8853]

When I was a youth I would often sneak downstairs to watch Sherlock Holmes with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. They usually had sidearms like this. The series had very high production values for its day and the two actors were destined to play their respective roles. Very entertaining classic programming.

[@peterclarke7240]

I loved those films (some are lurking on KZbin for free...): you always knew when Holmes asked Watson if he'd remembered to bring his Service Revolver, that shit was about to get real.

[@Safetytrousers]

Watson was fictionally injured in the battle the lion sculpture in my home town commemorates (Maiwand).

[@CrimeVid]

Authors are still to this day terminally confused about guns in general ! But most particularly with handguns, which makes me quite cross, mainly because they could do the research/ fact check on their mobile phones !it’s not hard !! And some of them seem to think it does not matter.

[@peterclarke7240]

@@CrimeVid Yeah. It's almost as though slavish attention to accuracy with regards to firearms in literature isn't actually that important, except in the sort of books where the author's name is printed bigger than the book's title, which is normally something on the lines of "The Euripedes Protocol," or "The Archimedes Covenant," and which nobody ever admits to buying anywhere other than from charity shops.

[@billlexington5788]

Rewatching it as an adult, it’s not kid friendly, but sometimes I used to see Miami Vice, they always had interesting firearms in that show.

[@derekp2674]

Thanks Jonathan and team. In the early 1970s, I do remember those Webley Mk.IV revolvers being listed in the same catalogue as their air weapons. Under UK law, air weapons ARE classed as "firearms" but are exempted from firearms certificates below muzzle energy thresholds of 6ft.lbs for pistols and 12 ft.lbs for long guns. From a technical standpoint, I would distinguish between air weapons and other types of weapons, including cartridge powered weapons. However, irrespective of the technology employed any "barrelled weapon" with a muzzle energy greater than 1 Joule is counted as a firearm in the UK Firearms Act 1968.. So bows and crossbows do not fall within that definition, but railguns would and coilguns might.

[@stremmify]

Wow! You've solved your sound volume problems at last! Kudos!

[@derekp2674]

Yes indeed - audio is great.

[@RoyalArmouries]

We got there 😅

[@dude126]

Was just mesmerised with the EM2 family in the backdrop.

[@foodofthemasses]

Loving the rack of EM2’s behind you 👌

[@zoiders]

All the EM2s.

[@idontcare-ct7jm]

Awww a baby Webley 💜

[@supervortex8363]

as a webley collector,,,that is lovely little revolver

[@Getpojke]

You talking about the lack of safeties & soft trigger pulls reminds me of an old story about a court case that went badly. A man was on trial for shooting someone in a billiard/pool hall. His defence was that he was passing the gun to someone by picking it up with a cue through the trigger guard. it slid down & the gun went off. The prosecution didn't believe it & asked for a demonstration in court. The gun was brought in & with the pool cue & the defence lawyer demonstrated. Unfortunately the gun hadn't been cleared & he proved it could happen as the gun went off, shooting someone in court. Gun safety & safeties are important!

[@RazerWolf]

There's another similarly legendary case in which former Ohio congressman and lawyer Clement Vallandigham attempted to prove in court that his defendant was innocent of a bar-room shooting by demonstrating that the victim had in fact accidentally shot himself when his gun caught on his clothes as he stood up. Vallandigham reenacted the motions, not realising that the gun he'd chosen to do so with was in fact loaded, and shot himself in exactly the same manner as described. The defendant was acquitted and Vallandigham died from his injuries the following day.

[@Getpojke]

@@RazerWolf The crueller amongst us may think it a win - win. The defendant goes free & one less lawyer in the world. 😄 being brought up in the UK it was really hammered home that gun safety was paramount. So I always find it odd that in such a gun soaked culture like the US that people can be a bit lax on the subject. Cheers for the story though, I like these little nuggets of history.

[@AnOldYoungPerson]

Ironically, I was watching Ice Station Zebra yesterday and (Ernest Borgnine), who plays Boris Vaslov in the film. Was wielding this exact same revolver in the scene near the climax od the film, where he knocks Jones out and then holds Lieutenant Webson at gunpoint to get attack him, then he shoots him wirh this gun! Such a cool and iconic piece of militaty and cinmatic history!

[@Getpojke]

Great film, always enjoy watching it.

[@skunclep1938]

The first thing that ever “shot” was a junior Webley & Scott air rifle (c 1978). My father & I plinked Double Diamond cans in the back yard. 😢😊

[@billlexington5788]

I’ll admit I’m here because I recently saw a social media post about the Wesley Scott India mark IV

[@sixgunsymphony7408]

That is a fine carry revolver. Webley should put them back in production for the US market

[@iansnell8897]

I have seen and fired a full size Webley Mk 4 with this "cross bolt" safety. I think it came from Singapore and it was some kind of bank security service. Totally superfluous.

[@Gorslax]

I just got a Webley MK IV in the 38/200 caliber at my local shop. It’s the war finish and in relatively good condition. I’m now ordering a Brodie helmet and some of that funky ammo for it

[@AlfJDale]

I got one in 32swl long, Made in England 😊Fun gun to shoot! Greetings from Norway

[@samham3408]

Cool, loved cap guns when I was young... Don't see them much these days.

[@taff1538]

Ah, yes, a nice Webley revolver, and of course another interesting and informative video from John, however, as always, my eye get's pulled to the weapons on the rack behind him, and just look at all those lovely EM2's.....

[@terryfowler6090]

I have a mkvl would love that little cutie.

[@grahamstubbs4962]

That's the Ronnie Corbett model. If you saw him advancing towards you on the battlefield, you'd just die laughing.

[@jefffoutz4024]

Straight out of an old Sherlock Holmes movie.. 👍

[@aeloswindrunner]

Getting the two Webleys together was real "don't talk to me or my son ever again" energy xD

[@TheOwlGuy777]

I have one. It's a 1916 Lyon and Lyon import, then it made its way back to the states.

[@JediViking117]

No I think is perfectly average in size

[@skunclep1938]

Motion in da ocean mate

[@kbjerke]

I think it's really cute! I would love to have one. Thanks for sharing, Jonathan!

[@rickansell661]

Why is there not an arrangement like the British Library has? An example of every new Firearm produced by a British firm to be deposited with the Royal Armouries? Or even just a posh logo 'Example deposited with the Royal Armouries' made available to firms who do just that to use in their publicity. Worth a try?

[@aussiebloke609]

India seems to like anachronistic things. They continued making the Royal Enfield motorcycle long after the company seemed to disappear to the rest of the world (and still do), and now they have the old Webley back. 👍

[@chaimafaghet7343]

They're probably just making them on the same machinery left in 1947.

[@zoiders]

Harley Davidson continued to use the Bullet engine.

[@loddude5706]

Good luck with the 'Smashes' - jousting's OK if you know how to stick with it : )

[@Getpojke]

Had a look on Webly India's website & they're still doing the MK IV pocket with the short/compact grip. Comes in a nice wooden presentation case too. They are also doing a MK IV with long/standard grips & lanyard ring, both in .32 S&W Long as you said. Always enjoyed firing my Webly when we were still allowed them. Some think they're a clunky old design, but I liked the feel & look of them.

[@brittakriep2938]

As far as i know, the quality of Indian revolver is often low, and the few Indian civilians who can buy it, are ripped of by Gouvernement.

[@SurajSinghTomarArya]

​@@brittakriep2938 That was true for government made firearms but recently the government liberalized the industry and allowed private manufacturers, so someone bought Webley brand licence as Webley was very popular in 2nd hand market and made them here. Since they are a private manufacturer the quality is good. Now they are also selling .45 1911 pistols.

[@brittakriep2938]

@@SurajSinghTomarArya :Your Name Sounds very indian, so your comment is believeable. I also have noticed that there , that an assumingly private company started production of pistols ( revolvers are a dibcategory of pistols) in India under name Webley. I am no expert , german gunlaw is restrictive, but: A pistol in.45 Acp with only seven cartridges seems a bit dated. Pistols in .32 Acp are also dated, and revolvers in .32 S&W Long are also dated ( in late 1940s FBI ended use of .32 S&W ). In my oppinion the .45 Acp pistol of , Webley ' company is totally outdated for modern civilian use. The .32 Acp should be replaced by .380 Acp, and .32 S&Wlong should be replaced by .38 S&W, .38 Special or .32 H&R Magnum., or .455 Webley. The ( to few!) indian citizens who can buy firearms should be able to be equiped with with firearms, useable for selfdefence.

[@tomwinterfishing9065]

I had a webley tempest, for a while.

[@invisibletosociety8338]

Really cool little revolver, would love to have one.

[@user-ru6gp6km1c]

Reminds me of a cap gun I had as a lad.

[@BradMurray]

Webley & Scott also make this (with the larger frame but in 4" and 2.5" (!) barrels) in .177 and .22 CO2 pellet.

[@PLAYINGAROUND]

I think it's prudent to say, for those that may not know, that whilst not firearms in the sense that airguns don't go "bang", in UK law airguns are indeed firearms.

[@robertl426]

The white table covering is much better, good job. Much easier to see the firearms against a white background.

[@TheMyname707]

2:42 Rock n Roll 🤘

[@hetrodoxly1203]

Webley & Scott make a wide range of Airguns, Shotguns and rim and centrefire rifles.

[@SaturnianDragon]

Hey Jonathan, speaking about revolvers, you mentioned in one of the Gamespot react videos (I forgot which) that there are revolvers that eject spent casings. I'd like to know more about them if the Armouries have an example, or maybe their names so I can browse about them. Thanks, Jonathan!

[@F1ghteR41]

What sort of ejection are we talking about? If it ejects spent casings when the gun is opened, then this Webley is an example.

[@mky45lg]

I want one. It would look great next to my 3" S&W 36😋

[@wrxs1781]

In the world of concealed carry, this size is perfect in .38 special. Also it is reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and doctor Watson's pistols in the overcoat pocket carry.

[@gerald8573]

Yes, my "little finger" is also swinging in the breeze.

[@dun0790]

That's something that gets me in video games the sizes for hand guns are usually to large so it would be funny to see this in game

[@944devster]

I’d love to see more revolvers from you. Especially 38s and 357 magnums.

[@wilsonlaidlaw]

Jonathan, unless I missed it, you did not say the calibre of this Webley revolver. I assume it is in .38 S&W short.

[@williamromine5715]

He did mention the caliber towards the end of the video. It is .38.

[@thesarcasticsettler252]

Still think this is a case of the giant curator. i like to think jonathan stalks the exhibits, rarely emerging like some mythical BFG of the Armouries.

[@2009Berghof]

I saw a short barrel Webley .38 here in the USA and thought that this had its barrel shortened. The revolver also had been nickel plated. I was unaware that any shorty versions had been produced for the military. Then I saw, again, the film THE THIRD MAN. This movie was filmed in Vienna shortly after the war and dealt with British occupation MP investigating Black Market sales of penicillin. The MP was using a short barreled Webley.

[@toxiecrusader5323]

I wish Australia didn't see air rifles as firearms I would definitely be collecting them

[@robertlinke2666]

airsoft rifles might be a solution or is that also regulated?

[@Legitpenguins99]

They have to use a loophole called gel soft or something. You can look it up

[@onii-chandaisuki5710]

​@@robertlinke2666Airsoft also requires a firearm licence. It's absurd. Gel blasters are a alternative but only for some states, like QLD.

[@toxiecrusader5323]

Airsoft is banned here not even allowed blow darts. But gel blasters are our only option for now anyway

[@robertlinke2666]

@@toxiecrusader5323 man, and then i thought Dutch firearms law sucked.

[@The_Flannelmeister]

Really interesting. One small point. as I'm sure you are aware, our odd gun laws do regard air weapons as firearms. In cases of misuse, you may be prosecuted under firearms legislation and if you have an air rifle with a power above 12 foot pounds you need a firearms certificate.

[@mattvanderwalt6220]

I was involved with doing some work for W&S a few years ago (Probably 2015-2016) when they were going to do a reissue of the MKIV (Service model I guess) manufactured in India - I believe mainly aimed at the US market. At the time they were trying to get pre-sales. They first tried to do so on eBay (eBay rejected this as it was firearm related). They did have a website advertising these guns.

[@Manco65]

Interesting as I'd love to buy one eventually.

[@mattvanderwalt6220]

Looking at the current Indian Webley site - I suspect they are 100% Indian based - the poorly drawn logo and bad English use 'Make in India' point heavily in that direction.

[@SurajSinghTomarArya]

​@@mattvanderwalt6220Wrong. "Make in India" isn't bad English, its the name of official Indian policy of promoting domestic manufacturing. It's common to see this written on products but it's referring to the name of policy that promoted such ventures. Yes the Webley India is 100% Indian.

[@mattvanderwalt6220]

@@SurajSinghTomarArya Made in India or Manufactured in India but not make in India.

[@7amaamanj]

I have one of these

[@lastfire77]

I'm begging and crying for an episode on the an94, im preeeeetty sure you guys have one too

[@tarmaque]

That's not tiny. I have my Great Grandfather's .32 Iver Johnson Safety Automatic Revolver. (A branding thing. It is not actually a semi-auto.) It is truly tiny, in .32 S&W short. It's basically the same break-top design as the Webley, but with a safety bar that drops when you pull the trigger. They used to advertise it by hitting the hammer with a bigger hammer to show it wouldn't even go off it you dropped it on the hammer. (Hence the "Safety Automatic" part of the brand.) My Great Grandfather was a school teacher in the 1920s and carried it to shoot rabbits when he rode his _horse_ the 11 miles to the school house every day. My hands are so large I find it difficult to shoot, but certainly rabbit accurate at anything up to 10 yards/meters.

[@Sgtklark]

What always interested me in the Webley revolvers were those flanges in front of the cylinder. I assume they are to spread the hosler when inserting the gun. But no other revolver seems to use them, or even need them.

[@F1ghteR41]

Other revolvers might need these flanges as well, but I don't see how they could be implemented. With any gate-loader you can only get it on one side, because ejector rod needs to run on the other. With swing-out cylinder one of those flanges has to be put on the crane, adding weight, and thus inducing additional wear on the locking mechanism, and it would also hamper ejection.

[@FEEDMEKITTENS]

That was an interesting tidbit about police Glock triggers. I'll need to look into that further!

[@Tunkkis]

New York City, I believe.

[@chaimafaghet7343]

There are a few people who swear by a NY1 spring paired with a polished minus connector and internals. Idea being the trigger's heavy for extra peace of mind, but also smooth so you don't notice it so much.

[@MrStringybark]

Utterly amazing. It took a while and although my first thought was this pistol is tiny it only truly dawned on me after constant repetition hammered into my brain by the narrator that this tiny 'pocket' Webley Mark IV gun was indeed tiny!!

[@lawrencemartin1113]

What a 'cute' version! I love revolvers and especially the Webley Service revolvers. I had seen small versions with the bird beak grip but never this version with that safety. Great review. Interesting that in a world flooded with so many compact hand guns for self defence, many very cheap to make no doubt, that there seems to be a market for such a revolver which must be relatively expensive to manufacture. Also fascinating that the 'new' build from India, will carry 'England' on the frame. Now.....where did I put my pith helmet and fly whisk?.....🤔

[@archstanton1628]

They're making the mk 4 now too, in India obviously.

[@RonOhio]

Always wanted a Webley revolver, when Webley India announced theirs I had hopes of getting a new one but so far no sign that they are going to be imported into the US.

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

A Webley boomstick!

[@jponeill2151]

Discussing pistols in fiction reminded me of Geoffrey Boothroyd and 007. Mr Boothroyd wrote to Ian Fleming to critique his choice of pistol usd by James Bond in Casino Royal (if I recall correctly). Fleming took the advice to heart and appointed Boothroyd as "Official Armourer to James Bond".

[@audacity60]

Do you have any of Webley experimental revolvers in .38 Special? I know there were at least two. Or the Sterling .357 revolvers of the early 1980s.

[@juandemarko8348]

My pop pop who was from Ireland bought my granny who is from Poland one of these and she didn't like it for some reason and switched to an American top break .32 from iver Johnson. 84 years old and she still lives by her .32 in the purse lol

[@pontiouspilotman]

The Indian Ordnance Board model is more closely related to the Enfield No 2 in that it is not a miniature Webley mk 6 as it does not have a separate trigger guard, which leads me to a question when Webley bid for the .38 revolver and before Captain Boys revised the trigger lock work did the Webley submitted have an integral trigger guard and side plate? The changes of course led to the stolen (In Webley’s eyes at least) Enfield design? I would love to see a model of the original Webley .38 submitted pistol if one exists? Thanks Johnathan!

[@Pachitaro]

smol

[@PURPLECATDUDE7734]

How much does the top-break really weaken the frame? Could the Webley handle something stronger than the .455?

[@chaimafaghet7343]

Anderson Wheeler was making them in .357 a while back. Problem is they're all so old that Americans have been shaving and wrecking already-shonky war production models with .45 ACP. Don't even get me started on Indian manufacturing standards.

[@TheWitchfinderGenral]

What's this? A Webley for ants?!

[@k-mc94]

😆

[@Stevarooni]

Send it to the Webley School for Newbies Who Don't Shoot Good.

[@yb7875]

Hey Jonathan, I just saw the previous video about the russian pump action launcher, I am writing here because you probably dont check old videos. Did you know that someone made a 3d printed version of that firearm? It is a 37mm launcher pump action, kind of like what you showed. It has a couple versions wiht longer and shorter magazines. I would love to hear what you think of it, and what you think about 3D printed firearms in general.

[@yb7875]

They are called AWCY SMALLS and BALLS in case you have difficulty finding them

[@kalliste23]

Some studies done by police forces indicate a pistol (or revolver) with a safety catch reduces the incidence of a policeman being shot with his own gun that's taken off him. So for colonial police force use maybe the slightly awkward safety is a good thing.

[@roygardiner2229]

Who is the intended user of, or customer for, this pistol? It's a very svelte weapon. Could the pistol grip not have been designed to be extendable when in use?

[@ryangsluke]

:40 Jon doing an even British-er accent

[@engineeredlifeform]

Airgunner here (no offence taken) there are several replica CO2 Webley pistols available, in both .177 and .22 (if your tin cans have been really naughty). I think we need a replica of this cute fella now.

[@thescotishclonetrooperecho7773]

Speaking of webleys that are rather odd Does the Royal armouries have a Fosbery in their collection? Would love to see Johnathan go over that weapon

[@TerryDowne]

I remember seeing these fairly often in "The Avengers."

[@JDizzlePowah]

Royal Armouries / Forgotten Weapons cross over?

[@bobhill3941]

Isn't the Bulldog smaller?

[@bamaboni]

Don't tell me you have to hold like a teacup

[@gratonuemetrix6702]

At first I thought it was an Indian IOF revolver. Both are close to the same size but one is chambered in .32 SW long.

[@paultomlin7021]

Sorry... distracted by the EM-1 and EM-2s

[@alfazagato1455]

I live in the US. Somehow, I don't own a Webley revolver. I do have a Webley .32 auto, along with an Enfield No. 2 and a S&W 11 with BNP marks.

[@shooterinthedark]

There's the even smaller "WP" which has a slightly less military profile than the MkIV. It comes in hammered or hammerless versions, blued or nickel and usually in .320. Glad to hear MkIVs are being produced in India. I thought Webley was only producing air weapons there.

[@ALASTAIRARMITAGE]

Since 2006, Webley branded air rifles and air pistols are manufactured in Turkey by the Hatsan Arms Company, who also make their own branded range of air weapons.

[@amazed2341]

Whooooo remembers the Anderson wheeler mk7? Did anyone ever buy any of those?

[@sierra1513]

the real question is "why are normal webleys so chonk"

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

Good grief, a Webley that's younger than me!

[@RoyalArmouries]

😅

[@joshmeads]

Are those all EM2's behind you? 😳

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

It is a snooty "tea" gun, designed to force the user to have the "correct" placement of the little finger, i.e. poking up in the air daintily.

[@MrSloika]

The Maltese Falcon movie of 1941 opens with private detective Miles Archer being murdered with a Webley-Fosbery 'automatic' revolver. When I found out how the thing actually worked I thought to myself, "That could only come from the mind of an Englishman." BTW, the Webley-Fosbery is also featured in the movie Zardoz where as an added bonus you get to see Sean Connery in a diaper.

[@Swedishmafia101MemeCorporation]

The Wee Webley

[@gunvideosofficial]

Aww so cute

[@grahampalmer9337]

OK. Straight off the bat (to use a very british phrase) how does this little fellow compare to its american cousin the Colt D1/Detective Special?

[@davidjernigan7576]

A safety on a double action revolver seems like a redundant feature considering the force needed to pull the trigger.

[@CGM_68]

When you say "so smol" is there a reference I'm missing here? Obviously you are correct, in that it is so smol, but what do we mean by smol?

[@pyeitme508]

Smol?😂

[@NKA23]

Webley revolvers are as "very British" as tea&biscuits are.

[@zoiders]

I was almost right on FB with Webley India as they still make this revolver in .32, probably on the same shagged to death machine tools.

[@johnfisk811]

That would be the Indian Ordnance Factory not Webley India.

[@zoiders]

​@@johnfisk811If you actually watched the video and listened to Jonothan and then made a cursory use of Google for ".32 Webley" you will find "Webley India" selling this very pistol. Mansplainers 😂

[@PointyHairedJedi]

A Webley for ants.

[@Ryan.90]

Remember reading about the Indian gun laws, apparently as well as been strictly limited to a few designated calibres, importing forign firearms for civilians is either very strictly regulated or downright prohibited. So it's basically a captive market and those Webley clones aren't cheap. IIRC, £800/$1000+. 😮 Always facisnating as a Brit to look at other countries, obviously we've got this reputation as been one of the most anti gun places on earth, but compared to many we are pretty lucky really. 💁🏼‍♂️

[@Wolvenworks]

So is this a Webley Jr or a Baby Webley?