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STOCK SERIAL NUMBER 5
LOT 3592
Very Rare Webley & Scott “Royal Horse Artillery” Mark 1 No.2 Semi-Automatic
Collector’s Fact
While never intended for commercial sale, an identified range of ten pistols (123300-123309) is known to have been made with these signature features: adjustable rear sight, hammer-mounted manual safety, stock slot.
Pistol with Shoulder Stock - Serial no. 123305, 455 Auto cal., 3 1/2 inch round
bbl., blue finish, hard rubber grips. Originally developed in an attempt to get a “land service” contract, the Mark
I No.2 pistol is associated with the Royal Horse Artillery units it was destined for, with some also attributed to the Royal Air Service
as observer weapons or last-ditch personal defense tools in the days before the machine gun became the weapon of choice for
air warfare. While never really intended for commercial sale, a very limited number are known to have been made, typically with minor
variations in which features were included. An identified range of ten pistols (123300-123309) is known to have been made with all three signature features (adjustable rear sight, hammer-mounted
manual safety, stock slot), making this an extremely rare handgun. Fitted with a blade front sight, with the left side of the slide bearing the Webley “flying bullet” logo
and “WEBLEY & SCOTT Ltd/PISTOL SELF-LOADING 455 MARK I No2/1915”; it has been noted that the “1915” on RHA Webleys is something of a vestigial marking not corresponding to the actual production date, with the full-feature commercial RHAs noted as made in about 1919. The rear sight is a spring-loaded drum assembly with a checkered control button on the right side and graduations for 50, 100, 150 and 200 yards on the left. The bright hammer is fitted with a blued safety lever; when engaged, the lever exposes an engraved “SAFE” marking on the hammer and bears against a specially shaped contact surface on the matching numbered grip safety to block the hammer. The grips are finely checkered, with the right panel covering the full grip frame and the left shortened to make space for the stock mounting groove. A lanyard ring is present on the rear. The correct pattern replacement stock is fine hardwood construction with a blued steel mounting iron bearing “broad arrow” military proofs and a number “5”.
CONDITION: Fine, with 40% of the blue finish, showing areas of brown and gray patina, minor spotting and handling marks overall, and some light dings on the front sight. A thin mended crack is present on the otherwise fine left grip near the slide catch, with some mild dings and scratches overall. The mounting iron is oversized for the pistol slot, with the fine wood showing a few light dents and scratches along with an attractive grain and color. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 9,500 - 16,000
LOT 3593
Webley & Scott Model 1913 Mark I Commercial Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial
no. 100406, 455 Auto cal., 4 7/8 inch round
bbl., blue finish, hard rubber grips. This is one of approximately
1,300 commercial Model 1913 pistols based on the Mark I Navy pattern manufactured by Webley & Scott. The left side of the slide has the Webley & Scott winged bullet logo and commercial Mark I legend. British proofs appear on various parts. The rear sight is adjustable for windage, with a ring hammer, smooth trigger, and checkered grips. CONDITION: Very good, with 30% of the original blue finish, showing bright wear on
the high edges, dried storage grease on much of the surface, and mild spotting and handling marks. The grips are also fine, with a slightly lighter faded tone and the number “200” scratched into the left grip panel, minor flexing around the slide catch, and light scratches. Mechanically excellent.
Provenance: The Gus Cargile Collection.
Estimate: 2,000 - 3,000
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