Webley Self-Loading Pistol facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Webley Self-Loading Pistol Mk. 1 |
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Webley-Scott automatic pistol
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| Type | Semi-automatic pistol |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1910–1942 |
| Used by | United Kingdom |
| Wars | World War I World War II |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Webley & Scott |
| Designed | 1910 |
| Manufacturer | Webley & Scott |
| Produced | 1910–1932 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1.13 kilograms (2.5 lb) |
| Length | 216 millimetres (8.5 in) |
| Barrel length | 127 millimetres (5.0 in) |
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| Cartridge | .455 Webley Auto |
| Caliber | .455 in (11.55 mm) |
| Action | Short recoil |
| Muzzle velocity | 236 metres per second (770 ft/s) |
| Feed system | 7-round detachable box magazine |
The Webley Self-Loading Pistol was an early type of pistol. It could fire many shots without needing to be reloaded. The Webley & Scott company designed this pistol in 1910.
The first version, called the Mk. 1, was used by the London Metropolitan Police in 1911. This police version used a smaller bullet, the .32 ACP. In 1912, the Royal Navy started using a larger version of the pistol. This was the first automatic pistol ever used by the British military. The pistol was also used by the Royal Horse Artillery and the Royal Flying Corps.
Who Used the Webley Pistol?
The Webley Self-Loading Pistol was given to pilots in the Royal Naval Air Service. These pistols were mainly used as sidearms. A sidearm is a small weapon carried for personal defense. Interestingly, there was also an idea that pilots could use these pistols to shoot at other planes during air battles.
What Problems Did It Have?
Early versions of the pistol had a problem. The original bullets used a type of gunpowder called cordite. This cordite left a lot of sticky dirt inside the gun's barrel. This dirt often caused the pistol to jam, meaning it would stop working.
This problem was fixed in 1914. A new type of gunpowder, called nitrocellulose, was used instead of cordite. This new bullet for the Mk.1 pistol was named the Mark Iz. It helped the pistol work much better.
How Was the Pistol Improved?
The first models of the Mk. 1 pistol had a safety switch on the left side of the hammer. The hammer is the part that strikes the bullet to fire it. Later, this safety switch was moved. It was placed on the left side of the pistol's frame. This new safety could also lock the slide, which is the moving part on top of the pistol.
Pistols used by the military also got another safety feature. This was called a grip safety. A grip safety means the pistol will only fire if you are holding it correctly. This helps prevent accidental firing.
