The Webley Fosbery Automatic Revolver, or more correctly, theWebley-Fosbery Self-Cocking Automatic Revolver is one of the most fascinating handguns to ever be developed, let alone produced.
In 1896 a British Colonel named Fosbery patented a weapon design that combined the reliability of a revolver with an automatic action, so the pistol auto-cocked after each shot. No more fanning or thumbing the hammer or dealing with a long, heavy double action trigger. The gun was manufactured between 1901 and 1915 by Webley-Scott. The gun was large, 40 oz, about 6 oz more then the already standard Webley MkIV, though both were in standard British .455 Caliber. The Webley-Fosbery held six if these rounds. There was a later version in 38 Auto, and this model held 8 rounds in half-moon clips.
There are two main parts for this weapon, the frame and the cylinder/barrel portion. On the frame is a zig-zag. When the gun is fired, the cylinder/barrel assembly runs through this zig-zag and begins cycling the gun to the next round. When the gun returns to its original position, it is cocked and locked for the next round. It was fired by standard double action, though notably lighter then standard Webley Mk IV, V, or VI models. It loads and extracts like most British revolvers of the time, a break open.
It was an ingenious idea, designed at a time when semi-automatic pistols were in their infancy. Problem is, those zig-zags didn't hold up too well in the trenches of World War 2. Basically, they got covered in dirt and debris and jammed the gun.
The gun was extremely reliable and very accurate. Supposedly, due to it's recoil absorbing action, it had extremely tame recoil. The gun was so accurate that it was banned from Service Pistol competitions in England because it created an unfair advantage for shooters, according to Ian Hogg. Apparently, this was due to smooth trigger and ability to make quick follow-up shots.
Less the 5000 were built and the The Webley-Fosbery Self-Cocking Automatic Revolver is an interesting footnote in the annuals of modern weaponry.
