In the lead-up to the Second World War attempts by British government arsenals to make a cheaper alternative to the commercial Webley revolver that would meet with limited success.

The first smokeless powder handgun adopted by France was an interesting revolver designed with cavalry in mind, but would serve on long after the demise of the horse soldier.

With the onset of the Second World War the British found themselves short of handguns, and just as they had in the Great War they looked across the Atlantic for a solution. They found the popular Smith & Wesson Military and Police Model, and promptly placed an order for a large number in their .38/200 cartridge.

The large .455 Webley MkVI revolver was the standard service sidearm of the British Army during the First World War, and remained in service through the Second World War as well despite being replaced by .38/200 designs for the latter conflict as the primary arm.