My Temple of Doom Webley

[Indiana Bond]

After a five year search for the elusive Webly MK III .38 nickle Commercial Contract as used by Chen to shoot Wuhan in Club Obi Wan, I have finally found one!! Payment has been sent and it should arrive at my FFL next week. The serial number dates it to the early 1930's and it even includes the original holster! Here is a quick pic that I have from the seller:





Our fellow COW member Curator Rick owns the actual screen used Webley and here is a pic for comparison:





This pretty much completes all the major pieces for the entire collection. A five year journey almost at it's end! Once I get everyting together I will post some more pics.

Thanks again for everyone's help and support!

[Indy's brother]

WOW! Congrats, IB! What a fantastic find, I am truly jealous, as I have yet to acquire a single webley yet myself (though it is on my long list of Indy must-haves). You simply MUST post more pics once you get it! Preferably at a range in full gear, also with video!!!

[Michaelson]

They're out there, though the older models are sure pricey!

http://www.adamsguns.com/2824.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regard! Michaelson

[Indiana Bond]

You simply MUST post more pics once you get it! Preferably at a range in full gear, also with video!!!

Pics will be posted. At a range in full gear is a problem as my gear is in storage in L.A. and we have no shooting ranges here in Hawaii on the Island I am on. However, I may be able to let off a few rounds in my backyard since I live on 5+ acres. Plus to be screen accurate going to the range dressed and looking like Chen below would be a little strange!

They're out there, though the older models are sure pricey!

http://www.adamsguns.com/2824.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Regard! Michaelson

Yes I almost purchased that exact gun from Adams Guns. I emailed him a few weeks ago to ask if he would come down on the price. He didn't reply. I finally called him last week and he said it just had been sold that morning. Strange that it's now been over a week and the listing is still up.


The gentleman I purchased this from had put up a thread about the Webley over a year ago on one of the gun forums. About a month ago I found his thread, contacted him, asked what he had paid for it, and mentioned if he ever wanted to sell it to let me know. A few days ago he contacted me and asked me to make him an offer which I did. He drove a hard bargain and I ended up buying it from him for $300 more than he had paid for it (he had bought it from a friend at a real good price). So he made a good profit. But I still got it for 3/4 of the price of the Adams gun and as you can see it is in far better shape. Plus the Holster itself is probably worth at least $100. It's not an antique so I still have to do the FFL transfer but that's OK as it is probably closer the same age as Curator Ricks screen used Webley. I need to ask Rick if he knows when his was made.

Once my FFL gets it I'll get some more pics and post them. My Wuhan S&W Revolver and my Luger are now in my possesion and the Mauser "Broomhandle" will be released tomorrow. I'm keeping an eye out for an Inglis eventhough I do have a more recent made FN Hi-Power. I've caught the "bug" regarding these vintage handguns plus the Inglis would be more accurate to have for Indy's Hi-Power. I'll keep the FN as a representative of Mac's Hi-Power in KOTCS. It's too bad that the other half of my Indy handgun collection is sitting in storage in L.A., but I will make a photo collage to bring them all together and will post it here. I may have the chance to get back to L.A. this July so then I will be able to bring them back here to Hawaii.

Thanks again for all the kind words. I'll get more pics and keep you posted when it gets here!

[Curator Rick]

The original screen-used gun was made in the late 20s. I've not been able to nail down actual production dates but some info I found stated these were not produced after 1927. Can anyone locate the prod. dates?

The most interesting bit of side history to the screen-used gun is that it was purchased by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Co. for use as a Senior Officer's side arm aboard ship. The company went out of business in 1932 before their 100th Anniversary. Bapty & Co. obtained it shortly after for film use. Oh if the thing could talk!

[Indiana Bond]

Thanks for chiming in Curator Rick!

I've done some more research. These Webley MK III's started production in 1897. At the end of 1933 we have serial number number 39999 being produced. I've read that they ended production somewhere in the early 1940's. From the 36 years of production between 1897 and 1933 we have roughly 40,000 guns. If you would distribute production equally across those years it would give us roughly 1100 guns per year. Records on these Webleys have been kept by the factory and there is a place in England that you can contact to find the date of manufacture and other information from these records. From what I've seen from folks that have retrieved this information from the factory records, the dates and serial numbers match up to being very close to 1100 a year. Based on this my gun has a serial number of 160XX which would date it somewhere around 1913, give or take a few years. Ricks gun has a higher serial number that would place the manufacture at around 1916.

Now I could be way off on these dates if the yearly production runs wern't consistant which is highly possible. But at least it should be somewhat close. Rick says his was made in the late 20's and not around 1916 so that would make the estimate 10 years off. I'm considering contacting the record source to find out for sure. They charge about $40.00 to provide you the records.

Maybe we can dig up some more info to get things a bit closer. I guess this would be considered "internet archeology"!!

[Curator Rick]

Sounds Great, I'd really love to nail down the actual production history of my screen-used Webley. The more documentation on an item the better!
"Internet Archeology" I love it!!!!

[Indiana Bond]

I'd really love to nail down the actual production history of my screen-used Webley. The more documentation on an item the better!

Here is the website in England that has all the records for the Webley Company. It's called the Webley and Scott Archive. They have a form you can fill out and mail to them and they will return whatever info they can find based on the serial number. They won't charge you if they don't find anything. It might be a good idea for you to do for your screen used Webley.

http://www.armsresearch.co.uk/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Let me know if you decide to get your report done. I'm sure they will be able to at least substantiate the info you already have. I'm still deciding whether I will have it done for my Webley.

Here is another interesting bit of info I found on one of the gun forums. It's a page from a Webley catalog dated October 1939. It shows that the Mark III and it's various options were still being offered for sale in 1939.




I'm going to "dig around" on the internet a bit more to see what I can find. At least with this new form of "Archeology" you don't get your hands dirty!!

[Indy's brother]

to be screen accurate going to the range dressed and looking like Chen below would be a little strange!

Ok, I'm man enough to admit it, I thought this was Indy's gun that Willie dropped in the car chase. Myyyy bad.

[Indiana Bond]

Ok, I'm man enough to admit it, I thought this was Indy's gun that Willie dropped in the car chase. Myyyy bad.

The TOD car chase gun was a Colt Official Police 4" barrel. For the story on that gun including pics of mine you can click on this thread:

GUN IDENTIFIED!!! - ToD car chase

Enjoy!!

[Indiana Bond]

The Webley just arrived at my FFL today. What a beautiful piece of work!! It looks far better in person than the photos. Even my FFL was impressed. The original holster that came with it is also in great shape. No hardness or brittleness and looks and feels like it was only 5 years old.

Below are a few more quick pics I made at my FFL. I will be working on a photo expose that will highlight all my Indy guns very soon. I also have a major surprise that I will share with you all in a few weeks.

Thanks again!

[Indiana Bond]

WOW!

Both the Webley and holster look outstanding!!! Your perseverence (along with a little cash ) really paid off!

I got first dibs if you and this pretty set ever need to part ways!!!

Michael

Thanks Michael!

Yes this is definately a very nice addition to the collection. It wasn't cheap, but like I have said before, it's better than money in the bank. Plus I know if I ever do have to sell the collection I have all of you great COW members waiting in the wings ready to snatch up whatever I got!!

Thanks again!