Belgian Webley RIC No. 1 ½ Copy, .450 Adams, 4.6" Octagonal Barrel, 6-Shot Revolver
This Liège-made Webley RIC No. 1 ½ copy offers collectors an authentic Victorian-era service revolver chambered for Britain’s first center-fire service cartridge, the .450 Adams. Built on a solid steel frame with classic side-gate loading and a spring-return ejector, it represents a significant piece of 1870s–1880s handgun history and carries Belgian proof marks that confirm its commercial export heritage.
Condition
Overall Condition: Fair condition, showing extensive signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Fair – Generally clean, some residue or smudges, slight corrosion.
Rifling Condition: Fair Rifling – Worn rifling, slight loss of definition.
The revolver remains functional. Bluing displays widespread discoloration with scattered rust and pitting. The cylinder free-spins at rest, and the ejector is a period replacement.
What’s Included
- Wood-framed glass display case with white padded interior (broken)
Produced in Belgium for the export market, this revolver mirrors the dimensions and handling of the British Webley RIC No. 1 ½ while bearing Liège oval “ELG” proofs and individual inspector star-over-letter marks on its cylinder and frame. These stamps authenticate its origin and compliance with Belgian proof laws of the era.
The forged steel frame, cylinder, and 4.6-inch octagonal barrel are finished in blued steel, now muted by age yet still showing the crisp lines typical of RIC-pattern revolvers. A one-piece checkered walnut grip provides secure purchase, and the external spur hammer offers both double- and single-action operation.
Fixed iron sights—a rounded-blade front and shallow groove rear—deliver service-grade sighting, while the six-shot cylinder loads through the right-side gate. After firing, the shooter swings out the swivel ejector rod, which automatically returns under spring tension once released.
Serial number 1472 sits on the frame, placing this specimen firmly within early production for Belgian commercial RIC copies. Collectors of British Empire sidearms and antique revolvers will recognize the historical relevance of a .450 Adams chambering, tying the piece to the earliest days of metallic-cartridge military handguns.