Webley Mk1 Slant Grip Prototype?

[Lakey]

Thanks for the comments. Yes, the grips are secured each side with a screw. There are no machining marks visible on the grip frame, and the front end of the trigger guard is 'keyed' into the original frame very precisely. The rounding off of the edges of the grip frame all around match exactly that of what remains of the original frame, which as a model engineer myself would not have been an easy operation. It is a fact that there is no provenance with this pistol hence why I posted on here for any views and information. One point that has not been covered thus far though, why are there no patent markings on it? What is the likelihood of a Mk1 with that serial number having etched markings on it that have long worn off...

If the pistol had been earmarked by Webley's for "chopping about", why would they go to the trouble of putting patent markings on it, surely the frame and bits would have gone straight up to the design shop in a fairly unfinished format. That might also explain why the safety catch block is missing ( or it was removed as being surplus to requirements ( or maybe by this time in the designing process, webley had already made the decision to lose the safety catch?) The thing that bothers me, is why the barrel catch has been redesigned in such a crude way. If Webley was testing the feasibility of a new grip shape, they would have just used a standard barrel catch wouldn't they, since there would have been thousands on hand at the factory ?
Either way, an unusual pistol to have in your collection.

[Diabolical]

I would agree that the barrel catch was not produced by Webley, as it is not as well made - and why do it when they could have reached into a parts bin and pull one out? Likely explanation is that this was a home-engineered part made by an owner at some point in the 80 years that have passed. The missing safety catch could have just been removed by an owner, or indeed deliberately ommitted as part of the trial design work IF it was a prototype......

[ggggr]

Something else came to mind. Those safety catches are difficult enough to use with a straight grip, with the grips being well clear of the catch. With those grips coming close to to the catch it would have been very difficult to use.
I still think if it was a factory prototype that it would have had wooden grips. They might have painted them silver but why make those alloy grips?

[WebleyWombler]

Something else came to mind. Those safety catches are difficult enough to use with a straight grip, with the grips being well clear of the catch. With those grips coming close to to the catch it would have been very difficult to use.
I still think if it was a factory prototype that it would have had wooden grips. They might have painted them silver but why make those alloy grips?

I have been mulling this over for a while and have come to a conclusion. Webley used their own special thread screws on all their pistols. If the screws holding this together are a known thread type eg BSF. BA. ME etc. then it is an amateur built piece. If they conform to Webley series standards, it was built by them as there is no chance that an amateur would possess the correct taps and dies.

Webley stampings are often not that deep and I have seen them mostly obliterated by a refinishing job.

The screws are the key as I can't see Webley engineers deviating from their normal working practices, even for a prototype.

Personally, I think its amateur, but would love to be proved wrong.

[ggggr]

I have been mulling this over for a while and have come to a conclusion. Webley used their own special thread screws on all their pistols. If the screws holding this together are a known thread type eg BSF. BA. ME etc. then it is an amateur built piece. If they conform to Webley series standards, it was built by them as there is no chance that an amateur would possess the correct taps and dies.

Webley stampings are often not that deep and I have seen them mostly obliterated by a refinishing job.

The screws are the key as I can't see Webley engineers deviating from their normal working practices, even for a prototype.

Personally, I think its amateur, but would love to be proved wrong.

BUT--if it was done by somebody at Webley---an apprentice or just somebody who fancied tinkering and altering the straight grip then it would have Webley threads.
It was common years ago in engineering places for "foreigners" to be done on Saturday mornings

[WebleyWombler]

BUT--if it was done by somebody at Webley---an apprentice or just somebody who fancied tinkering and altering the straight grip then it would have Webley threads.
It was common years ago in engineering places for "foreigners" to be done on Saturday mornings

Agreed. But that gun was not built in the Webley factory. Webley grip screws are a very fine thread and have a slightly raised head. The grip screws shown in the photographs are standard countersunk screws with a much coarser thread than I have ever seen on any Webley.

I am now firm in the belief It is a home built (or Saturday engineering shop ) Modification by someone reasonably proficient at engineering and at the time of modification, it was polished and refinished so all the parts match. I do have a full set of Guns Review bound volumes from 1968 until it ceased publication. I remember the article mentioned earlier and will dig them out. It will be interesting to compare serial numbers.

[Abasmajor]

The strange thing for me about even genuine prototypes is that although I find them fascinating, I'm really only interested in owning examples from production runs, especially if these were limited.
Weird ?
Brian