Enfield Mk I Revolver
Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield · Pistol · Discontinued · 1880
Also known as: Enfield Revolver Mk I, Pistol Revolver Enfield Mark I, Enfield Model 1880
Overview
The Enfield Mk I is a British top-break, double-action service revolver chambered in .476 Enfield, adopted in 1880 as the first standard military sidearm produced at the government's Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock. It used the unusual Owen Jones extraction system, in which opening the break-top action slid the six-chamber cylinder forward along its axis so spent cases were stripped against a fixed extractor plate. Issued from 1880, the Mk I proved underpowered and mechanically troublesome in service and was refined into the Mk II in 1882.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1130 g (39.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 292 mm (11.50") |
| Barrel Length | 146 mm (5.75") |
| Action Type | Revolving |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Revolving Cylinder |
| Muzzle Velocity | 183 m/s (600 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 288 J (212 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .476 Enfield · primary — also known as .476 Eley, .455/.476
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Revolver Cylinder
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Top Break Action, Owen Jones Extraction, Six Round Cylinder, Lanyard Ring
Variants
- Enfield Mk II Revolver - Improved Model
Service history
Operators
- British Armed Forces · adopted 1880 · as Pistol, Revolver, B.L., Enfield (Mark I)
- North-West Mounted Police
Conflicts
- Mahdist War (1881-1899)
- First Boer War (1880-1881)
Production
Production years: 1880-1889
Manufactured at the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield; superseded as the standard British sidearm by the Webley Mk I from 1887.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Owen Jones
Discontinued: 1889
Notes
Early Mk I revolvers had nickel-plated internal parts whose flaking caused cylinder jams, and the rifled chamber mouths collected lead and hurt accuracy. The Owen Jones self-extractor was meant to eject fired cases while retaining live rounds but was complex and unreliable. The pattern was sealed on 10 August 1880 (List of Changes 3776).
Background
The extraction mechanism was patented by Owen Jones, an American engineer of Welsh origin, yet neither Jones nor the Enfield officers who developed the revolver are recorded as having received any reward for the design.