1943 Albion No2 Mk1**

[MxwllBkr]

Finally got one for a decent price, a 1943 Albion No2 Mk1** revolver the primary issued sidearm for the British military during WWII. Albion motors out of Scotland was contracted to help supplement Enfield in making these revolvers. This one is DA only as most of them are. It originally fired the 38/200 which is a .38 S&W ( not to be confused with .38 special) with a 200 gr. Bullet traveling at a frightening .........625 FPS   .  This ammunition is no longer made so one must settle using regular .38 S&W which does change the POI.

    I have been shooting my S&W airlite .44mag lately, so when I shot this I  thought it was broke    recoil is ............. what recoil 

[spongemonkey]

Neat!   

[Greasemonkey]

Neat top break 

Actually... Smith & Wesson introduced the .38 S&W cartridge in 1876 as a round to be used in top-break pocket pistols, the original loading was a 145 or 146 grain bullet and black powder.

I have a very early production S&W Safety Hammerless(Lemon Squeezer) and a Model 2 double action that take the .38 S&W round.

The Brits designed and used it originally with a lead 200 grain bullet, basically a British copy of the .38 S&W Super Police round, which popped on the scene in the '20's. The Super Police round was slightly hotter and a heavier bullet than the original .38 S&W, and not recommended for use in the older pistols. Now with concerns about Hague Accord violations, a revised FMJ bullet weighing about 30grains less was designed and used. So while the .38/200 name stuck and was also to differentiate it from the .38 Spl rounds that were common at the time and used in the Victory/Model 10 revolvers. After the revision, it became a 170ish grain bullet, it was also known as the British .380 Mk II.

And yes, the .38 S&W is....down loaded. There are thousands of old S&W, Iver Johnsons, H&R and other top breaks that are 110-130+ years old in circulation, that were designed in the black powder days. Not a good spot for super hot smokeless rounds, I have fired Fiocchi in mine with no issues, it is kind of anemic if compared to modern ammo, even a Russian Nagant. 

For your beefier design, I do believe .38 S&W Super Police can be found in some boutique ammo retailers, that would possibly be about as close to the original loading you will find, short of some high dollar .38/200 or .380 MkII British surplus.

[MxwllBkr]

Thanks for the info GM! I somehow missed that they switched to the .380 mkii design........which also used an FMJ bullet. was reading some and looks like with the shortage of ammo during the war they slipped in some of the older MKi (200gr.) ammunition.

[newchi]

I thought you had brought an old surplus british truck with that title.

[carls sks]

neat, thanks for sharing. 

[Phosphorus32]

Nice pick up and from the less common manufacturer, bonus! I don't see many No2 Mk1** revolvers and they are rarely in very good condition like yours 

[Loose}{Cannon]

It still amazes me that primitive designs like this were still being produced this late.  Fascinating