Webley .45 ACP clips
 

I just acquired a Webley Mk VI with the cylinder cut down for .45 ACP with half-moon or full-moon clips. I have searched the internet and the usual sources such as Marstar, Numrich Arms, etc. for such clips without success. I have found .45 ACP clips that are listed for use in both Colt and S&W revolvers (same clip). Will the same clips also work in the Webley? If not where might I find a supply of Webley .45 ACP clips? KFS

Karl,
These Webleys were modified to use the half moon/full moon clips developed for the Colt and S&W revolvers. The original British cartridge was very hard to come by and this modification made shooting them practical again.

45 Moon Clips Sources
 

I didn't find any half-moon clips... but these are functional:

http://www.cactustactical.com/osc/pr...oducts_id=1143

Also:

Search ebay for "Dozen 45ACP Full Moon Clips with Case Removal Tool"

The auction ad states that these clips work with the Webley as well as Smith & Wesson revolvers.

http://www.cactustactical.com/osc/im...h/moonclip.jpg

They do, I used ones just like them, from ebay and usem them in the Webley and my S&W 25-2.

Be aware that the half moon many times don't work well in the Webley or the S&W 25-2, the ones I had, I had to grind down the corners, these were older ones made for the 1917's and just don't work as well.


Ed

Question about these clips from someone who simply does not know the answer: Do you HAVE to have these clips to make the Webley work or are they just for speedloading? Can the revolver be loaded and fired without the clips, or do these clips provide some other function that makes shooting possible? May sound stupid, but I just don't know much about revolvers, esp British ones. Thanks for the info......

The clips hold the .45 acp by their rimless groove and allow for ejection function... otherwise rimless rounds would have nothing to grab them and eject them...

and no question is stupid if you don't know the answer... this whole forum is about sharing knowledge...

I hope my answer was clear to you.

Good answer John. The 1917 Colts had the chambers bored straight through with no shoulder. The clips would also prevent the 45 acp rounds from falling out the front of the cylinder.

I believe the answer is yes you need clips Half or full moon. The main reason is to hold the rounds at the correct depth in the chamber for the firing pin on the hammer to strike the primer and fire the round. The clips also make it possible to extract the rimless cases. Bob

Thanks to all for the information. I ordered some of these: http://www.ezmoonclip.com/ and will look for some old half moon clips at the next gun show.

I have another ignorant question about the Webley - the rifling seems more pronouned than usual. Should I shoot lead bullets or is FMJ OK? KFS

I appreciate getting/having thisinformation. I just purchased a very nice Webley leather holster and am looking for the right pistol to put into it. Now I know what to do when looking for clips and ammo. Thank you.

I seem to remember that the Webley was designed for a somewhat underpowered cartridge...

I would be careful to shoot only mild 45 acp loads in a Webley.

I'm probably very much in the minority, but I've never liked the clips.

If you handload invest in some .45 Auto Rim brass which eliminates the need for the clips. Also, the reloading data for the AR, in the recent Speer manuals at least, is more in keeping with the lower pressure needed.

I've handloaded both the ACP and Autorim using 5g Unique powder and 250g lead ball. I was warned by the Webley guys that modern ACP loads may damage the pistol. Since I already handload, I decided not to risk it.

You're a wise person, Steven.

My Webleys are "uncut" so I don't reload AR/CP for them. I have loaded some pretty warm for my Smith 625, but I don't do that any more either. I have enough handguns that I don't need to really hotrod non-magnums.

The gunboard forums have some guys who are very adamant that the Webleys will blow with .45 ACP loads over time. The pix they've posted are pretty scary.

The only manual I have access to at this moment is the Speer #12. It lists the max SAAMI pressure for the AR round as 15,000 CUP (not PSI) and says its loads are within that limit.

Thanks again to everyone for your knowledge. The consensus seems to be that standard .45 ACP ammo is not a good idea. I know nothing about handloading ammo. How many gadgets would I need to handload small amounts of .45 ACP or .45 auto rim? Best source? KFS

I use a Dillon 550B. It allows me to load both pistol and rifle calibers with relative ease. If you shoot alot you may want to look into reloading, particularly with ammo prices always on the rise. Here is a link to a site with some helpful info on the Dillon product. http://www.brianenos.com/pages/dillon.html
If you are not interested in doing other calibers at this time, you may want to visit the Lee Precision website. They have some inexpensive single stage presses for starters. Also check out Ebay for used equipment.

Thanks again,

I did some internet research and may end up with a basic Lee reloading package. I don't shoot all that much (except skeet) but I shoot mostly unusual rounds: 9mm Steyr, 30-40 Krag, etc. and reloading was probably inevitable. I have avoided reloading for years because the last thing I need is yet another hobby. Now I wish I had saved all that brass. KFS

Karl, I strongly recommend a "kit" which contains most of the things you need to reload (it sounds as if that's what you have in mind).

Also, at least three reloading manuals is a good idea.

I wish you the best in this foray.

Karl, that sounds like a good start, especially if you are shooting alot of obsolete rounds. For most pistol shooters, reloading is a matter of economics. For rifle shooters its more about accuracy. As Rod had suggested, read up on the subject. There are also some fine forums on reloading. One such site is http://www.reloadbench.com . Good luck, be safe and have fun.