Primary Milspec Handguns 1865-1901

[Hangtown Frye]

Grant, just to let you know I picked up that Webley the other day.  It looks virtually identical to the one you posted, but with the shorter .450" cylinder rather than the longer .455" cylinder.  Sweet little pistol, I have to say, and came complete with a holster and 100 rounds of Fiocchi ammo for it, too!  I'll post a photo as soon as I can manage to get one of it.

Cheers!

Gordon

[RattlesnakeJack]

Sounds great, Gordon.  I look forward to seeing the photos!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I'm jealous of both of you!

[Hangtown Frye]

Grant, here is the little RIC, complete with it's original holster (at least it was original to it when my friend bought it!).  I haven't done any real research on this specific piece yet, but the fellow I got it from said that his research indicated that it was manufactured in 1885 or so, which sounds good to me!



Looks a little stubbier than yours due to the shorter cylinder, but what the heck, still a "secondary service revolver", even in .450".  Ought to shoot nicely, too!

Cheers!

Gordon

[RattlesnakeJack]

Mmmmm ..... very nice looking revolver!   

[pony express]

Very VERY nice looking revolver........excuse me while I wipe the drool off my keyboard.....

[Hangtown Frye]

Thank you, Gentlemen!  Now all I need is either a Snider Carbine, a Martini-Henry Carbine or, better yet, a Winchester '76 Carbine to round out the set! Might take a while for the Winchester though... 

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

I don't believe that the NWMP received any Martin-Henry carbines.  10 were ordered in 1874 for test purposes but a delay in approving the weapon, or specifically the ammunition, put off their availability until 1877.  What was issued to the force in 1874 were 10 M-H rifles.  They were not adopted for service, and only one per troop were issued.  As far as I can see they were only of any use in shooting matches with the Militia.

What is interesting is that in 1874, due to the poor condition of the stock of Adams revolvers, 30 S&W "Old Model Russian" revolvers were purchased in Fort Benton and issued to recruits.  One officer, Sub-Inspector Allen, owned a private purchase S&W OM Russian as well.  This is the only NWMP revolver that is available as a newly made reproduction.

[Hangtown Frye]

Sir Charles:  I didn't put down the Martini-Henry Carbine as something to use for a NWMP impression, I just want one for a general British Cavalry impression...    However, were I to do a NWMP impression I would acquire either the Snider or '76 Winchester  Carbine. 

Cheers!

Gordon

[RattlesnakeJack]

It is not well known that the "NWMP Model" 1876 Winchester perhaps would be more correctly referred to as the "NWMP & Militia" model.  A fair number (600, if memory serves) were also acquired by Canada's Department of Militia & Defence for issue to mounted troops during the 1885 North West Rebellion.  Although their primary use was by provisional militia units raised in the Territories, they were also issued to regular cavalry units on active service.

This photo shows members of the Governor General's Body Guard  (cavalry regiment from Toronto) in camp -

[liten]

awesome picture

[Long Juan]

What about a Walker conversion?  It was "milspec" during the Mexican American War as a cap & ball behemoth.  I can imagine that some enterprising soul might have had one converted (I have two converted to .45LC) and carried it into the Indian Wars, along with a Sharps or even Trapdoor.  I normally shoot a Sharps Carbine and Schofield when shooting Milspec, but am planning to shoot my Walker in GAF category for a local match with the Plum Creek Shooting Society in December.  What say you experts?  Do I have to shoot Scout or am I ok milspec single-shot? 

[Drydock]

Absolutely!  Rule of thumb: you can use a handgun of an earlier period than your rifle, but not later.  Can't get much earlier than a Walker!

[Jake C]

Just curious, what're the thoughts on the 1875 Remington? If this is somewhere else in the forum, forgive me.

Been asking you folks for a ton of information on old military rifles, and it turns out, I had never even looked into GAF. It sounds fantastic!

[pony express]

No problem, an 1875 Remington could be used in any GAF category. Although they weren't issued(at least not for US) they were from the time period and could have been used as a private purchase.

[Galen]

Colt type single action revolvers/ what is an acceptable caliber and barrel lenght?

[Drydock]

Any caliber .38 or greater, any barrel length.   A scout/contractor might carry anything. 

[pony express]

Since I now have a functional Kropatchek rifle, does anyone have any ideas as to what handguns might have been issued to Portuguese soldiers? A brief internet search seems to show only that Portugal's military is pretty much ignored. I know that they previously used Snyder and Martini-Henry rifles, did they also use British revolvers?

[RattlesnakeJack]

Pony Express:

For the era in which the Kropatchek rifle was in use, the official military handgun of Portugal was the 9.1mm (approx. .36 caliber) "Abadie" revolver of Belgian origin - "Model 1878" (officers) and "Model 1886" (enlisted personnel) -







Here are a few links you might find of interest ... and if you do a Google search it should turn up lots more (many of them in Portuguese, French, German, etc. ... but the online translation services should help with that ...)



https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.488959277905943.1073741875.453306668137871&type=1

http://tonnel-ufo.ru/eanglish/weapon/revolver-abadie-m-1878-m-1886.php

[RattlesnakeJack]

Forgot I had this set aside to scan, also ... it is from the third volume of British author A.W.F. Taylerson's epic three-volume "The Revolver"  (Vol. 1: "1818-1865", Vol. 2: "1865-1888", Vol. 3: "1889-1914") ...