Spanish-made Old Pattern .455 revolver question

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by TTH, Feb 13, 2015.

  1. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    The .455 Old Pattern (O.P.) revolver was a British secondary weapon of the First World War. Some survived into the Second World War and were used by police in Northern Ireland and Australia. The gun was made by a consortium of Spanish firms: Orbea Hermanos, Garate Anitua, and Trocaola Aranzabal. The O.P. was essentially an inexpensive copy of the Smith & Wesson hinged-frame New Model No. 3 Double Action, but chambered for the British .455 round rather than the American .44 S&W. Unlike the S&W original the O.P. lacked a cylinder block, which meant that the cylinder spun free.

    My question is: could an armorer or gunsmith install a block on an O.P. to remedy this defect, possibly by using parts from a New Model No. 3? If anyone knows or knows where I could find out I would be glad to hear from them. This has to do with something I am writing.
    Thanks.
     
  2. Bernard85

    Bernard85 WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    good day tth,sm.yesterday.05:14 pm.re:spanish made old pattern .455 revolver.i have looked at google on this subject,i think you will find what you are looking for.regards bernard85
     
  3. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    OK, giving this a bump. I have looked on google without getting any clear answer, so here goes again.
     
  4. ceolredmonger

    ceolredmonger Member

    Not a great deal to add I am afraid. When mentioned in First World War docs (e.g. unit standing orders) 'OP' or 'Spanish Pattern' revolvers seem to be considered 'substitute standard' throughout.

    I have never seen anything like "must be handed to armourers for modification" or even "unofficial modification is strictly forbidden" (which usually implies it was going on somewhere).

    They do seem keen to be rid of them. For example (I don't have access to the docs or transcript) a company of a PWO Territorial Bn. was told to hand in any "Spanish Revolvers" "immediately" in Sept. or Oct. 1916.
     
  5. TTH

    TTH Senior Member

    I have checked some firearms websites about the O.P. Some are still around and for the most part modern shooters report that examples in good condition work perfectly well with the right ammunition. I have read that examples rejected by the British in WWI were passed on to the Italians, so that any surviving guns with British markings would be sound enough. The sole mechanical objection to the gun was the free-wheeling cylinder, and I am trying to find out if that can or could have been corrected. I don't know enough about the weapon or about gunsmithing to guess at it.
     

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