Webley Bull Dog

History of the Webley Bulldog

The English Webley Bulldog Pocket Revolver is a small but powerful firearm that has enjoyed considerable commercial success in various forms. The type was introduced in 1872 and production was taken over by the Philip Webley and Son Company (often called "P. Webley & Son") of Birmingham, England. The Bulldog was so popular that the type was produced until the 1900s and replicated worldwide by companies such as Forehand & Wadsworth in the United States and others from Belgium to Spain and China, resulting in a large number of clones circulating.

As a "pocket revolver", the gun was specifically designed to be small, compact and concealed in the user's coat pocket - hence the term "pocket revolver" used to describe this type of firearm. Additionally, the Bulldog was a relatively inexpensive pistol at the time, considered by some to be the Colt Single Action, Smith & Wesson, and Remington revolvers of the Old West, a true "gun that won the west."

Externally, the Bulldog follows the traditional revolver design with a solid frame receiver that includes a manually loaded multi-shot, reusable swivel cylinder. The hammer protrudes from the upper rear of the receiver, and the pistol grip is ergonomic for a firm one-handed grip.

The trigger is designed to be deep, curved to accommodate the pull of the trigger finger, and protected by an extended trigger ring. The barrel is extremely short, giving the Bulldog its distinctive appearance and compact character.

A fixed sight was added to the barrel behind the muzzle for precision shooting - although the gun was a short-range weapon at best. The finish is mostly nickel with a wooden grip, while the barrel is rifled on the inside and smooth on the outside. In various forms of production, some bulldogs have fine engravings done on the cylinder and case surfaces.

In fact, there are so many different forms of revolvers that sometimes cannot be accurately identified without the help of "real" bulldog experts. The Bulldog eventually accommodated a variety of cartridge calibers including . 44 Short Edge Fire, . 442 Webley and . 450 Adams as well as other more "exotic" varieties.

One of the most "famous" (or notorious) uses of bulldogs in history was the assassination of then-President James Garfield by attorney Charles Guiteau on July 2, 1881. Garfield eventually succumbed to the infection caused by her assassination and died.

Gito was then executed for his actions in 1882, after which the revolver used in the shooting entered the Smithsonian Archives - only to disappear completely after a while.

Needless to say, if the market and conditions are right, many of todays Bulldogs can fetch a decent price, as she has proven to be a favorite among collectors around the world.

Specification

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Changes