Originally Posted by
Abasmajor
As stated above, Chris Thrale's excellent book confirms that the .25 calibre was believed to have been first introduced in the third series around Ser No S7000 in April 1937.
A bit of information that might be of specific interest is that during the period 1932-1935 Webley sought to establish an agency using A.F Stoeger and the Modern Arms Company in the U.S. The Modern Arms Company were not impressed with the contractual terms offered and declined to operate an agency. Another U.S. company, Salter & Varge were also denied full agency status, but were authorised to sell Webley products. Relations with the Stoeger company were never harmonious finally resulting in final dissolution of the relationship in 1937. What the book goes on to say is that during 1936 Mr S.E. Laslo (of Hyscore pistol fame) also applied for an agency and actually visited the factory in February 1936 for further discussions which ended in failure in March 1936.
Personally, I would not consider a Mk2 Service of any calibre without matching Ser Nos unless it were offered at a bargain price.
Brian