WW1 British service pistol

**HARRY THE MOLE** · 10-27-2020, 09:49 PM

Here's a pistol you don't often come across... a Spanish copy of the Smith & Wesson Model 1884 double action revolver. Early on in the Great War, the British armaments industry was struggling to keep pace with the demand for weapons to arm their servicemen. There was an acute shortage of Webley pistols, and to help plug the gap they turned to the US and purchased quantities of Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers in .455 ELEY. A further source of weapons was the Eibar region of Spain where about 30,000 S&W copies in .455 were purchased from November 1915 onwards. Quality was not as good as the British and US guns, and several failed British proof house tests. These guns were later sold on to Italy. the two main suppliers were 'Garate Anitua' and 'Tracaola y Aranzabel', both guns being referred to by the British as: 'OP (Old pattern) Mk1' and 'OP Mk11'. These weapons were usually issued to British machine gunners and tank crews, but they were also available as private purchase to officers.

This example has full British proofs, although it does not have WD stamps on it, but it is still likely that it was used by a serving officer or issued to 'other ranks', such as mg or tank crew. The pistol was eventually withdrawn from service in 1921 and sold off to various police forces around the world.

The leather holster is the 'Pattern 1908' which was issued to 'other ranks' for attachment to the standard 'P08' web belt via the two large brass hooks on the reverse. This is a 1917 dated example in excellent condition when one considers that it is 103 years old! The holster still retains it's original pistol cleaning rod.

The binoculars in the picture were once the property of captain P. A. McGrath of 8th battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, and were purchased by him from W. S. Whiting Opticians, Royal Exchange, Manchester. McGrath served with the battalion at Passchendaele and survived the war. The map case is dated 1918 and contains several wartime dated 'area maps' with protractor and ruler. The trench map is of the 'Plug Street' (Ploegsteert) area of the Western Front. Click on images twice to enlarge.

Cheers,
Steve

**lithgow** · 10-28-2020, 03:53 PM

Great set you have there!-I've only seen one of these 'Old Pattern' revolvers here-often wondered what happened to them after the war-I assume they would have been sold off as non standard weapons but you simply don't see them around compared to Webley, Colt or S&W .455 equivalents.

**Bill Grist** · 10-28-2020, 04:51 PM

Very nice. BILL

**HARRY THE MOLE** · 10-28-2020, 08:44 PM

by lithgow

Great set you have there!-I've only seen one of these 'Old Pattern' revolvers here-often wondered what happened to them after the war-I assume they would have been sold off as non standard weapons but you simply don't see them around compared to Webley, Colt or S&W .455 equivalents.

Apparently the pistols supplied by UK after the war to the Australian police were converted to snub nosed revolvers. The RUC in Northern ireland were also equipped with them where they remained in service to the 1950's/60's.

The revolver had a major design flaw though, the cylinder was free to rotate while the hammer was in the forward position. The cylinder only locked up when cocked in single action as the 'hand' rotated the cylinder and engaged with the locking bolt. In 'double' action the locking bolt engaged when the hammer was almost fully to the rear. It was possible for a partially fired cylinder to rotate under the weight of the unfired rounds and present a 'fired' chamber to the top of the pistol, certainly not a situation you wanted if someone was charging at you!

Cheers,
Steve