WWII Tech Pubs Briefing

Written by
Justin Riggir

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Overview

During the colonial conflicts of late 19th and early 20th century, British forces’ standard sidearm was the .455-cal (11.56-mm) Webley No. 1, a truly massive revolver with a formidable reputation.  This heavy and violently recoiling revolver could only be put to good use in the hands of a highly skilled operator, a problem that led to the adoption of a 0.38-in (9.65-mm) caliber standard.

The Webley & Scott Co. submitted for trial a .38 revolver it had been developing for military and police use. Although this revolver was not selected, the designers at the Enfield Royal Small Arms Factory then based their own model on the Webley, with a slightly different lock and trigger mechanism. The Enfield design was eventually approved for service June 2, 1932.

Like the Webley, the Enfield No. 2 was a top-break, hinged-frame, self-extracting, six-chambered, cylinder revolver secured by a prominent stirrup-latch.  This revolver, the Mk I, was capable of single or double-action opera­tion.  The Royal Tank Regiment, however, objected to the hammer spur, which would often catch on various parts as crews entered or exited their tanks, a potentially dangerous situation.

The hammer spur was removed, resulting in the Mk I*, approved June 22, 1938.  The lack of a hammer spur precluded thumb-cocking, in effect converting the revolver to double-action only.  Additional changes included a slight alteration to the grip side-pieces to afford a better grip, a lighter mainspring to reduce the trigger pull 2 lb (0.9 kg) to 11-13 lb (5.0-5.9 kg), and a brass identification disc secured in the grip’s right side.

To ensure that the Tank Corps were always supplied with Mk I* models, the Mk I was declared obsolete and, when periodically withdrawn for overhaul or repair, converted to the Mk I* pattern.

The Mk I**, introduced July 29, 1942, saw a final change in the revolver’s design.  In a step intended to simplify and speed up manufacture, the lock mechanism was slightly modified and the hammer safety stop removed.  This rendered the revolver liable to fire if dropped on its hammer, but this unlikely event was accepted as a wartime concession.  At the end of World War II, the Mk I** models were recalled and modified back to Mk I* standards of safety.

The Enfield Mk I*, although serviceable enough as a defensive weapon, was unpopular as the heavy double-action-only trigger pull made accurate and deliberate shooting almost impossible. A single-action revolver generally has a trigger pull of 3-5 lb (1.4-2.3 kg), and the Enfield’s minimum trigger pull of 11 lb (5.0 kg) invariably ruined aim with the effort required.

The Germans took captured Enfield revolvers into service as the 11.55 mm R665(e).

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Specifications

Figures are for the Enfield No. 2 Revolver Mk I*.