Webley-Fosbery semi-automatic revolver

this quite different revolver is the brainchild of British Colonel G.V. Fosbery. it was made by Webley and Scott famous English gun makers in 1902 in either .455 or .38 caliber. as you can see in the pictures and diagrams the cylinder and barrel and hammer are mounted on the lower part of the frame. to fire the revolver is first cocked and then fired after which the trigger is pulled for each succeeding shot without the hammer being manually cocked. as each shot is fired the barrel, cylinder and upper frame recoil along the lower frame. a stud mounted in the lower frame engages the slots in the cylinder thus turning it to the next shot automatically. the pistol was not a success as a military weapon as it tended to jam when dirty. it was however a good target pistol as it tended to kick less because of the recoiling upper frame. in the two diagrams the upper one shows the barrel, cylinder and upper frame in the forward position. the lower diagram shows the revolver in the recoiled position. the Webley-Fosbery was basically an answer to a question never asked but still is a most interesting revolver.