Webley Air Pistol

[Wolfman Zack]

Hello all, I am from the US and found this site through Bushcraft USA, I am mostly active on that site but you realy seem to have a great comunity on here too.

I recently purchaced an older Webley air pistol, and was hoping that some of the members here could help me out with some info on it, since they are quite rare in the US.

It is a Webley Primier in .177 caliber, and was made by Webley and Scot LTD of Birmingham England.

Any info you can provide regarding the history of this pistol and/or any personal accounts relating to your use or ownership of one of these air pistols would be much apreciated.

 

[fishfish]

ive got one,great fun for plinking,here in the uk theyre not allowed to be over 6ft lbs,i think in the us you can beef them up a lot higher,but then in a country like the us that has reasonable gun laws why not get a .22 pistol?

 

[wicca]

Hello Bushwolf, welcome. If I remember correctly Webley had a range of air pistols, the Junior, Senior and Premier available in .177 or.22. I'm not an expert on the subject but I believe Webley began producing similar weapons beginning with the Mark 1 soon after 1920 which was when English law demanded that gun owners obtain a licence for firearms(Cartridge weapons). Gun ownership had previously been unlicenced, but with the introduction of the new law many gun owners switched to air weapons, which still do not require a licence (except certain exceptions relating to "uprated" weapons of higher muzzle energy than that stipulated in the Firearms Act)
Webley saw the market change and began making both air pistols and air rifles as the demand for cartridge weapons began to decrease.
The weapon design improved over the years and a Webley Premier was at the top of the Webley range until they brought out newer models like the Tempest etc: which I think was sometime around 1970 (approx) So I'm guessing your premier will be at least pre 1970.

Personally I wouldn't butcher the gun just to get extra power out of it, I'd buy a modern weapon and keep the old Webley just for interest. Long time ago I owned both the Senior and Premier air pistols and remember them as well made and surprisingly accurate with the correct slugs, but designed for 'plinking and target shooting, rather than thinning out Wildebeest or Rhinos..

 

[Adze]

I learned to shoot a pistol with one of those in the 70's with my Grandad. Later generations of the same design were the Webley Tempest and the Hurricane (Google is your friend).

The later ABS/Nylon stocked ones just didn't compare with the smell of those brown Bakelite grips on the Premier though - thanks for sharing and the blast from the past!

Some lovely pics here: http://www.davidonline.co.uk/#6.0

 

[Wolfman Zack]

Thanks for the replys guys.

I got to shoot it a bit tonight along with some of my other airguns, and am really apreciating the fine quality of this air pistol, along with its smooth action and excelent accuracy.

 

[Wolfman Zack]

Have any of you taken small game with one of these Webley air pistols???

If so, at what range and with what pellet design???

 

[Wook]

With a pistol of unknown power I'd run it through a Chrono before considering hunting.

 

[rik_uk3]

From my birth town of Birmingham, Webley and Scott have a fine history

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webley_%26_Scott

I know a couple of Americans who own and use the Service Pistols and love them.

 

[wicca]

Have any of you taken small game with one of these Webley air pistols???

If so, at what range and with what pellet design???

I've owned a Webley Premier in .22 and tended to use the old Eley 'Wasp' pellets in it, they were a round nose waisted design, which I found produced excellent accuracy. Wasp pellets are still on the market but I understand they are no longer made by Eley and are not of the same standard of manufacture as the old brand and simply bear the name 'Wasp', not 'Eley Wasp'

I never killed anything with the pistol, vermin or game, as I had better more suitable arms for those tasks and would say that the Premier in it's original unaltered state would be marginal at best, power wise to humanely 'hunt' anything, vermin or very small game beyond a distance of about 15 paces.

 

[wicca]

Have any of you taken small game with one of these Webley air pistols???

If so, at what range and with what pellet design???

Tried to erase double post...machine's beaten me...

 

[AJB]

I spoke to them a couple of years ago, to get a new main spring for my Hurricane (best Christmas present ever C1979), they were very very helpful...

http://www.webley.co.uk/home/index/4371.1

 

[oldtimer]

I still have a Webley Senior that I bought second hand many years ago with a spare 22 barrel. The original 177 is much better for target practice in the garden. I would't use it for anything other than target practice, but there's a regularly visiting woodpigeon whose luck might change if I get hungry enough.

 

[Joonsy]

there is a book called ''Webley Air Pistols, their History & Development, by Gordon Bruce''. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Webley-Air-Pistols-History-Development/dp/0709066198

 

[johnbaz]

Hi

They are smashing old pistols though not overly powerful at around 3.5ft lbs..

I have a small collection of them..

Webley Junior smoothbore .177cal (bottom right is a mk2 with ally frame)

Webley Premier nickel plate (Mk2 at the bottom)

Webley Senior

T to B
Typhoon
Hurricane
Tempest

Webley mk1 straight grip (pivot pins are missing as I only put it together for a pic).

I just posted a cheque for two Webley mk1 pistols, a straight grip and a slant grip one..


Cheers, John

 

[wicca]

Thanks for posting that, it's a very interesting collection and pleasing to know there are still a few of the old guns still being looked after properly. I've never seen a nickel plated version before. When you get a chance , it would be nice to see the two you are waiting to receive, I'm interested because every time I see how the gun evolved, I always think of the early Browning pistols (firearm) like the 1903 pocket pistol or even the Mauser C96 with their almost straight grip/frame angles as used for the Webley Mark 1, and then the Webley Seniors and Premiers went to a grip angle that always felt (at least to me) the same as holding a Luger P08. I'd be interested in seeing the change in the two Mark 1 pistols and knowing when the shape changed..

 

[susi]

I remember shooting a Premier many years ago. Very nice feel in the hand, not dissimilar to the Glock17. Both have a similar angle of the grip that makes it feel like you're actually pointing the pistol at the target. Own opinion is that too many pistol designs feel like you're holding a carpenter's square.

 

[johnbaz]

Thanks for posting that, it's a very interesting collection and pleasing to know there are still a few of the old guns still being looked after properly. I've never seen a nickel plated version before. When you get a chance , it would be nice to see the two you are waiting to receive, I'm interested because every time I see how the gun evolved, I always think of the early Browning pistols (firearm) like the 1903 pocket pistol or even the Mauser C96 with their almost straight grip/frame angles as used for the Webley Mark 1, and then the Webley Seniors and Premiers went to a grip angle that always felt (at least to me) the same as holding a Luger P08. I'd be interested in seeing the change in the two Mark 1 pistols and knowing when the shape changed..

Hi wicca

I'll post pics when they arrive

I also have a few Webley rifles...

The Webley mk1 air rifle (#486) with a strikingly similar action to the overlever pistols..

Webley Service mk2

Webley mk3 air rifles..

I acquired and refinished a stock and was amazed at the grain that was under the 40 years of gunge and crud!!
It's a later stock (no flutes on the foregrip) now with an early action!!

I also have a Vulcan and a sidelever Tracker, not imo of the same quality as the older stuff



Cheers, John

 

[wicca]

I had to smile at the patents stamped on the Mark 1 rifle..Webley guarding their product. I've had the chance to handle the Service Mark 2 when the Pattern Room of the Royal Armoury was at Enfield, it wasn't disgraced construction/finish wise amongst many fine guns. As you say, the quality of the old guns was excellent. You've done a great job on that stock, all that lovely grain hidden away over the years!!
I once owned a Mark 3 that looked identical to the second one down in your photo, mine was minus the peep sight though. A very well made accurate gun and I loved the top loading breech.
Thanks for the photos.

 

[johnbaz]

Hi

I just bought a couple of Webley mk1 pistols, a pre WW2 straight grip and a later slant grip..

I'm seriously thinking of getting them both reblued as they are so nice, no slack anywhere and a nice strong spring inside..



Cheers, John

 

[wicca]

The top one's interesting, I don't think I've seen a Webley barrel protrude that far past the mainspring housing before, at least not on the older models. A re blue for the later model, not sure about the Mark 1 although it would tidy up the barrel pivot/muzzle area nicely. Great collection John thanks for showing them.