Make: Webley & Scott

Model: Webley-Fosbery Model 1903

Serial Number: 1910

Year of Manufacture: 1904-1906

Caliber: .455 Webley

Action Type: Fosbery semi-automatic revolver. The barrel is pushed back to rotate the cylinder and cock the hammer, at which time the trigger can be pulled in single-action mode to fire the revolver. Recoil continues to cause the cylinder to turn and the hammer to cock.

Barrel Length: 6"

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade pinned in a slotted base integral to the barrel rib. The rear sight is a square notch integral to the barrel latch.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered hard rubber with "SAFE" molded into the top of the left panel, visible when the safety is engaged. The grips have minor handling wear with a few small scratches and one notable nick at the top of the right panel near the front edge. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Very Good-Fine condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original, numbered parts are matching.

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There are a few spots of minor erosion in the bore, mostly at the muzzle-end. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 8-9 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 80% of its finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is some finish wear on raised features such as the barrel latch, front and rear of the cylinder, and the sides of the holster-guides. The cylinder has a patch of erosion at the cam-slots with some surrounding finish wear from cleaning. The grip areas show handling wear. There is some scattered minor surface oxidation. There are infrequent minor nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this revolver is in Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The disconnector engagement is a little weak. Otherwise, the action functions correctly, including the safety. We have not fired this firearm. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: This a wonderful example of a very desirable firearm. The Webley Fosbery is one of the most interesting firearms ever designed in which it was a stop-gap between revolvers and a autoloading pistols. It has been called the answer to a question that no one asked, and was probably a decade too late. The front of the barrel is pushed-back to cock the hammer and rotate the cylinder. When the revolver fires, the barrel will move backwards under recoil, cocking the hammer and rotating the cylinder automatically. The British Army rejected the idea but the revolvers were still purchased by British Officers before, during and after WWI until 1924 when production ceased. They were very popular with colonial officers for their caliber and ease of firing. They were also very accurate as opposed to the double action revolvers of the time. These revolvers are scarce and growing more so every year. If you are interested in Webley, revolvers, or early automatic pistols, don’t miss out on this revolver as you have the best of all three!