Webley-Vickers 50:80?

oldbillthundercheif · June 21, 2007, 09:18 PM

Somebody mentioned this pistol in another thread, but I can't find any info on it. Some doofus writer used it in one of his books so all I get is literature in my websearches.

Any information about this mysterious beast would be greatly appreciated.

oldbillthundercheif · June 23, 2007, 01:12 PM

Anyone?

revjen45 · June 23, 2007, 07:20 PM

I think it was joke. Many moons ago there was a kit to adapt a VW engine to a BMW motorcycle and it was called a Webley-Vickers.

oldbillthundercheif · June 23, 2007, 07:52 PM

Post #8: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...ghlight=Webley

I just PMed LightningJoe. Hopefully he will stop by and shine some light on this.

LightningJoe · June 24, 2007, 04:19 PM

James Thurber wrote a very short story about a day-dreaming nebbish named Walter Mitty who was about as boring and mild-mannered as it is possible to be but who fantasized about himself as a rugged man-of-action. He clearly didn't know much about all things manly, so his fantasies contained numerous factual errors. Every gun in every one of his daydreams was a Webley-Vickers 50:80 and every machine went pocketa-pocketa-pocketa.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

NormWilson · August 8, 2009, 08:17 PM

James Thurber's character Walter Mittyn in 'The secret life of Walter Mitty' published in 1841 meatnions the Wbley-Vickers 50-80, nowhere else have I found an article on this pistol (revolver) I'm sure he made it up.

James K · August 8, 2009, 11:32 PM

For some writers, such an error would be a sign of ignorance, but in that case I think it was a deliberate joke.

Jim

LonoTheOno · May 18, 2013, 01:43 PM

The WebleyVickers 50-80 machine pistol was a"prop" in an old comic magazine from the late 60's-early 70's about motorcycles. There was a big, blonde biker on a chopped Harley, with his busty bimbo girl friend, who had a series of encounters with "the Old Poop", a crusty character on a 1928 Indian motorcycle, who shows up and makes the younger tough guy look foolish, beating him in cycle races and such. The Old Poop carries that gun, which looks like a Mauser C96, which he describes several times as being able to "fire 200 rounds a minute, and stop a charging bull elephant. That's 200 charging bull elephants a minute." Eventually, the Old Poop rides off with the girl, leaving Big Biker in the dust.

June 21, 2007, 09:18 PM	#1
oldbillthundercheif Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2006 Location: New Orleans Posts: 2,450	Webley-Vickers 50:80? Somebody mentioned this pistol in another thread, but I can't find any info on it. Some doofus writer used it in one of his books so all I get is literature in my websearches. Any information about this mysterious beast would be greatly appreciated.

August 8, 2009, 08:17 PM	#6
NormWilson Junior Member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Posts: 1	James Thurber wrote that James Thurber's character Walter Mittyn in 'The secret life of Walter Mitty' published in 1841 meatnions the Wbley-Vickers 50-80, nowhere else have I found an article on this pistol (revolver) I'm sure he made it up.

June 23, 2007, 01:12 PM	#2
oldbillthundercheif Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2006 Location: New Orleans Posts: 2,450	Anyone?

June 23, 2007, 07:20 PM	#3
revjen45 Junior member Join Date: May 7, 2006 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 626	I think it was joke. Many moons ago there was a kit to adapt a VW engine to a BMW motorcycle and it was called a Webley-Vickers.

June 23, 2007, 07:52 PM	#4
oldbillthundercheif Junior member Join Date: April 21, 2006 Location: New Orleans Posts: 2,450	Post #8: http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...ghlight=Webley I just PMed LightningJoe. Hopefully he will stop by and shine some light on this.

June 24, 2007, 04:19 PM	#5
LightningJoe Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Location: DFW Metroplex (well, McKinney) Posts: 858	James Thurber wrote a very short story about a day-dreaming nebbish named Walter Mitty who was about as boring and mild-mannered as it is possible to be but who fantasized about himself as a rugged man-of-action. He clearly didn't know much about all things manly, so his fantasies contained numerous factual errors. Every gun in every one of his daydreams was a Webley-Vickers 50:80 and every machine went pocketa-pocketa-pocketa. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

August 8, 2009, 11:32 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	For some writers, such an error would be a sign of ignorance, but in that case I think it was a deliberate joke. Jim

May 18, 2013, 01:43 PM	#8
LonoTheOno Junior Member Join Date: May 18, 2013 Posts: 1	Oooh, I know, I know... The WebleyVickers 50-80 machine pistol was a"prop" in an old comic magazine from the late 60's-early 70's about motorcycles. There was a big, blonde biker on a chopped Harley, with his busty bimbo girl friend, who had a series of encounters with "the Old Poop", a crusty character on a 1928 Indian motorcycle, who shows up and makes the younger tough guy look foolish, beating him in cycle races and such. The Old Poop carries that gun, which looks like a Mauser C96, which he describes several times as being able to "fire 200 rounds a minute, and stop a charging bull elephant. That's 200 charging bull elephants a minute." Eventually, the Old Poop rides off with the girl, leaving Big Biker in the dust.