Enfield revolver
A British service revolver with a complex extraction system and limited popularity.
The Enfield revolver was a British handgun produced at the government-run Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield. It used a self-extracting mechanism and was first made in .476 calibre (11.6 mm). The .476 calibre Enfield Mk I and Mk II models were the standard sidearm for the British Army and the North-West Mounted Police, and they were also issued to various colonial units across the British Empire. The term "Enfield revolver" does not refer to the Webley Mk VI revolvers built at the same factory between 1923 and 1926. A separate, unrelated model is the .38 calibre Enfield No. 2, which became the standard sidearm for British and Empire forces during World War II.
The earliest Enfield revolver models were the .422-calibre Mark I (around 1880) and the .476-calibre Mark II (around 1882). These were the official British military sidearms from 1880 to 1887. The .476 Enfield cartridge fired a 265-grain lead bullet with 18 grains of black powder. However, during the Afghan War and other colonial conflicts, this cartridge was considered underpowered, lacking the stopping power thought necessary for military use at the time.
Unlike most other self-extracting revolvers—such as the Webley service revolvers or the Smith & Wesson No. 3—the Enfield Mk I and Mk II were complicated to unload. They used an Owen Jones selective extraction and ejection system. This system was meant to let the shooter eject spent cartridges while keeping live rounds in the cylinder. The revolver had a hinged frame; when the barrel was unlatched, the cylinder moved forward, operating the extraction system so spent cases would fall out. The idea was that the cylinder moved forward just enough to fully extract and eject fired cases (by gravity), but not enough to remove live cartridges, which were longer due to their bullets. This system was already obsolete when the Enfield Mk I was introduced, especially because reloading required inserting one round at a time through a side gate (similar to the Colt Single Action Army or Nagant M1895). Combined with the revolver’s cumbersome design and a tendency for the action to foul or jam during extraction, the Enfield Mk I and Mk II were never popular. They were eventually replaced in 1889 by the .455 calibre Webley Mk I revolver.
In Canada, the Enfield Mk II was the issued sidearm for the North-West Mounted Police from 1883 until 1911.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Service
- 1880–1911
- Used By
- United Kingdom & Colonies
- Wars
- First Boer War / North-West Rebellion / Second Boer War / Boxer Rebellion / First World War
- Designer
- RSAF Enfield
- Design Date
- 1879
- Production Date
- 1880 – 1889
- Length
- 11.5 in (292 mm)
- Part Length
- 5.75 in (146 mm)
- Cartridge
- .476" Revolver Mk II
- Caliber
- .476 Enfield
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Enfield Mk I and Mk II revolvers were the official British military sidearms from 1880 to 1887. The .476 Enfield cartridge fired a 265 gr lead bullet with 18 gr of black powder, but was found underpowered during the Afghan War and other Colonial conflicts, lacking the stopping power believed necessary for military use. Unlike most self-extracting revolvers such as the Webley or Smith & Wesson No. 3, the Enfield was complicated to unload, using an Owen Jones selective extraction/ejection system. When the barrel was unlatched, the cylinder moved forward, allowing spent cartridges to fall out while retaining live rounds due to their greater overall length. Reloading required inserting one round at a time through a side gate, similar to the Colt Single Action Army or Nagant M1895. The system was obsolete upon introduction, and the revolver was prone to fouling or jamming during extraction. It was replaced in 1889 by the .455 calibre Webley Mk I.
In Canada, the North-West Mounted Police adopted the Enfield Mk II in 1883. Commissioner Acheson G. Irvine ordered 200 in 1882 at C$15.75 each, shipped from London and arriving in December. He ordered another 600 in 1885, and his successor Lawrence W. Herchmer reported the force was entirely outfitted with Enfields (1,079 total). The first batch was stamped NWMP-CANADA with an issue number; later purchases were not. The revolvers were fitted with lanyard rings. Complaints arose from 1887 onward, influenced by the British switch to Webleys. By 1896, hinge wear and barrel loosening were real issues. The Enfield began to be phased out in late 1904 in favour of the .45 calibre Colt New Service, but remained in service until 1911.
Reader's Guide
The Enfield revolver's significance lies in its brief tenure as the standard British military sidearm and its adoption by the North-West Mounted Police. Its Owen Jones selective extraction system, intended to eject spent cases while retaining live rounds, was innovative in concept but proved impractical and obsolete upon introduction. The revolver's cumbersome reloading process and tendency to foul or jam made it unpopular with users. The .476 cartridge's lack of stopping power in colonial conflicts further diminished its reputation. The Enfield was replaced by the Webley Mk I in 1889, marking a shift in British service revolvers. In Canada, the NWMP's experience with the Enfield highlighted issues of hinge wear and barrel loosening, leading to its replacement by the Colt New Service. The Enfield revolver is distinct from the later Enfield No. 2, a .38 calibre revolver used in World War II. Its legacy is that of a transitional design that failed to meet the demands of military service, yet it remains a notable example of British firearms development at the Royal Small Arms Factory.
Did You Know?
- The Enfield Mk I/Mk II used an Owen Jones selective extraction system that ejected spent cartridges but retained live rounds.
- The .476 Enfield cartridge was considered underpowered during the Afghan War and other colonial conflicts.
- The North-West Mounted Police purchased 1,079 Enfield Mk II revolvers between 1882 and 1885.
- The Enfield revolver was replaced in British service in 1889 by the .455 calibre Webley Mk I.
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