I viewed "The Maltese Falcon" last night. Something struck me as, not exactly odd, but supremely unusual. Miles Archer was shot with a Webley-Fosberry revolver. These are scarce, and studios would have been unlikely to have such a firearm, or to acquire one for use by a first-time director. In fact, Warner's "house" handguns were Colts. The first S&W revolver I viewed in a motion picture distributed by Warner Brothers was used by one of the assassins in "The Enforcer" (1952).
Where did Warner Brothers get the Webley-Fosberry revolver? Why? Few movie goers would know what this revolver is. And in 1941 fidelity to that sort of minutiae occurred almost never.
It's so simple to be wise. Just think of something stupid to say and then don't say it. Sam Levinson
Posts: 1531 | Location: Seeley Lake | Registered: 21 November 2007
Interesting bit here. 2 years ago I traded a dealer who was ex APD (+looking for P.D. pieces for his collection). I had one that I bought from a retired DPS officer that turned out to be 1 serial # off another airweight that the guy already had. He had to have it. He had a S+W in .38 S+W (not spl.) that was used in the lend lease program during the war.It was termed the 380/220 by the brits as it fired a 220 bullet from a shortened 38 case. In making my brass + loading it I had the best luck with a cast 120G. It still only gave M.V. of about 900. Pretty anemic as most european small arm rounds were in that day.Don't get me wrong,they could kill.Just not as certain as a .45 cal. Also the Germans were concerned enough about this (new powerful cartridge) that if a RAF pilot was captured with lead rounds then he was to be executed immediatlly.Luftwaffe justice.Fun little gun to load + form brass for.I've given him a 120 G. bullet cast (I can't remember the charge at the moment.Trifling though,4.5 or so of 700X,blue dot,etc.(THIS IS NOT LOADING DATA!!!). It is a fun little piece to shoot + the history is good as well.