I do recall reading that back in the early 1900's when the change from black powder to smokeless was ocurring, the .455 Webley cartridges in smokeless powder were loaded to match the pressures of the black powder cartridges so that they could be used in either type of firearm. Please correct me if I am wrong on this.
I also remember reading that. They had to be ESPECIALLY careful with top break revolvers, as the lock up was the top of the gun. The lock had a tendency to break with to much recoil if a too powerful load was used. Smith and Wesson had the same problem with their top breaks too. Even with the same psi involved, the black powder 'pushed' the round out, where fast burn of smokeless whipped the gun rearward, fracturing a lot of parts that the older round gave no stress to.
Colt had to redesign their cylinder pin on their 1873 Peacemaker, as the recoil (even when matched with the old black powder load) caused the black powder model cylinder pin to back out of the gun. After several rounds, the cylinder literally fell out of the gun!
Maybe he wasn't using a real Webley at all, maybe it was a modern replica, I wouldn't want to take the chance of damaging the Webley or Mr. Ford. I am still waiting to hear from Vic Armstrong, I will write to Louis Fleming, the prop master for LC. Maybe he can clear this up. I would like to be as accurate as possible.
Oh, I'm sure he was using a real Webley. The 4 in 1 blanks they use don't have enough power to hurt the weapon, and special effects add the sound in post production.
I guess that, unless new info comes into the mix, it is entirely possible that both WG's & MK VI's were used in the making of LC. I had started to worry, but looking at so many people on this forum creating replica MK VI's & WG's it appears that I am not the only person who feels that Indy had a VI.
Was there a difference between the power (Stopping & Accuracy) of the Black Powder WG -vs- the smokeless VI?
Well, even Guns & Ammo magazine released in their Q&A section back in 1989 that Indy's revolver in LC was a Mk VI, so you're definitely not the Lone Ranger!
A difference? Not in stopping power. That's a product of section density of the bullet, not the powder delivering it. Smokeless tended to hit higher than point of aim when compared to blackpowder....but then with all the smoke that rolled out of a black powder revolver after a round was fired, who knew!?
You saved my bacon...I bought the VI and was afraid that my wife would think that I wasted money and had not done enough research. I never even NOTICED the bird beak until I saw the screen capture, I had always assumed that it was always a MK VI.
Now it is a point of Toe-may-toe, -vs- Tom-ay-toe, Webley MK VI -vs- Webley WG
Now, I just need to pick up a Morgan whip and I will be ready for 5/22.
I guess that, unless new info comes into the mix, it is entirely possible that both WG's & MK VI's were used in the making of LC. I had started to worry, but looking at so many people on this forum creating replica MK VI's & WG's it appears that I am not the only person who feels that Indy had a VI.
IB