Friday, March 30, 2012
Gunnie trivia time!
OK, Borepatchians, here a trivia question for you: Sherlock Holmes' companion Dr. Watson was an officer in the British army in Afghanistan (circa 1880s). As such, he would have been responsible for purchasing his own side arm. So the trivia question is: which revolver would be have packed? A Webley, or an Enfield?
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14 comments:
Oddly enough, I've been reading "The Complete Sherlock Holmes" lately. If memory serves, Sherlock refers to Watson's gun as an Eley.
For some reason I was under the impression it was a Webley, but I'm not sure if that's just something my brain made up.
Enfield in .476, I'd guess. "Eley" was a manufacturer of firearm cartridges, not firearms.
If Watson purchased his own sidearm it might have been a Webley R.I.C. (Royal Irish Constabulary) model.
The .476 Enfield Mk. I was used in Afghanistan during Dr. Watson's service period, so if he used an officially-issued revolver, it was probably that model. However, many officers bought and carried their own sidearms, so he might have used an Adams, or a Webley RIC or British Bull Dog model (both pre-dating the Webley service revolver, adopted in 1887 as a result of unsatisfactory experience with the Enfields in Afghanistan). He might also have carried an American revolver such as a Colt or Smith & Wesson (not an uncommon choice among British officers at the time, particularly because the British .476 round was considered underpowered for dealing with uppity fuzzy-wuzzies in the colonies).
I would think the Webley. It occurs to me that a novel going into the details of Watson's life before Holmes would be really good if the right author took it up.
I was leaning towards the Enfield because IIRC the Webley hadn't been introduced when Watson would have been in Afghanistan.
But you're absolutely correct, Peter, officers bought all sorts of weapons, to their own taste. Churchill's Broomhandle Mauser in the Sudan is one well known example.
I knew Eley was a cartridge maker, I was trying to recall the reference. So I went and dug it out.
From "The Adventure of the Speckled Band", with footnote:
"I should be very much obliged if you would slip your revolver into your pocket. An Eley's No. 2* is an excellent argument with gentlemen who can twist steel pokers into knots. That and a tooth-brush are, I think, all that we need."
* - Actually a Webley's No. 2, .320 caliber pistol that used Eley bullets.
ZerCool FTW!
i dunno if a .32 is "an excellent argument with gentlemen who can twist steel pokers into knots."
Okay how about a .450 Second Model Adams revolver?
I cheated....
http://archives.gunsandammo.com/content/guns-sherlock-holmes
Gotta go with a Webley MK IV in .450.
The .577 Tranter still holds a certain fascination for me.
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