Because the trigger mechanism did not rotate the cylinder, shots were smooth and consistent, permitting rapid and accurate shooting.

Walter Winans, a famous contemporary target shooter, preferred the Webley–Fosbery,[3] and in 1902 he used it to place six shots in a two-inch (5.1 cm) bull's-eye at 12 paces in seven seconds.

At over 11 inches (28 cm) long and weighing some 44 ounces (1,239 grammes) unloaded, the Webley–Fosbery was a heavy and unwieldy sidearm even by the standards of the day.

[5] Reports from the field suggested that the Webley–Fosbery, with its precisely machined recoil surfaces, was more susceptible to jamming in wartime conditions of mud and rain than comparable sidearms of the period.

It has been commonly alleged that the Webley–Fosbery required a tight hold in order for the cylinder to properly cycle and cock the weapon.