Webley!

[R. P. McMurphy]

In my local gunshop earlier this afternoon I had a perusal of the airrifles in stock and I still find it hard to believe that Webley have gone ,the build quality,fit and finish compared to all the other springrifles was perceptibly superior.What a damn shame,I checked out the ExocetXS,Stingray,Tommahawk and the lastest version BSAs Lightning and the Webley was way better engineared,much more sold,no rattles,blued,finished etc and it was cheaper too.
What really finished Webley in your opinions.It couldent have been the rifles themselves.Maybe it was Webleys advertising which I have to say was pretty dull most of the time!

[Eagleman]

In my local gunshop earlier this afternoon I had a perusal of the airrifles in stock and I still find it hard to believe that Webley have gone ,the build quality,fit and finish compared to all the other springrifles was perceptibly superior.What a damn shame,I checked out the ExocetXS,Stingray,Tommahawk and the lastest version BSAs Lightning and the Webley was way better engineared,much more sold,no rattles,blued,finished etc and it was cheaper too.
What really finished Webley in your opinions.It couldent have been the rifles themselves.Maybe it was Webleys advertising which I have to say was pretty dull most of the time!

Now that is an interesting question. I'd like to know why Webley went up the spout. It is a great shame to think the maker of the great Mark 111 has gone for good.

[ikarma70]

certainly wasnt the quality of their springers,they were really well finished.

they only really had the 1 pcp and hadnt made any new rifles and pistols in a while.

who can really say what caused their demise?

[Gareth W-B]

Have been told by a fairly reliable source (not Fat bloke down the pub ), that when the last owner of Webley & Scott took over about five years or so ago, he split the company into two: Webley & Scott Manufacturing (who actually made all the rifles etc), and Webley & Scott International (which traded as an import/export company selling not only the rifles made by Webley Manufacturing, but also those sad swords that appeared in their catalogues etc).

Anyway, the story goes that as Webley International had limited borrowing potential as lacked serious collateral, the money to set them up was borrowed against Webley & Scott Manufacturing. So when the sticky stuff hit the fan with Webley & Scott International, it was Webley & Scott Manufacturing who got a visit from the official receiver (which is why Webley & Scott International are still trading selling crap-n-tack from around the world).

Don't know how much -- if any -- of the above story is true however, but no smoke without fire eh? And the rumours about who may be buying Webley & Scott Manufacturing? Well lets hope it is one of the companies currently in the frame such as A.G.S.? If anyone can ad or subtract to ANY of the above though, PLEASE let us know. ATB: Gareth W-B (a Webley & Scott Supporter).

[Rob M]

I'm a Webley supporter too, I was told by someone at the factory that the company folded because it couldn't meet its pension commitments, whether that is true or not I wouldn't like to say, I also wouldn't like to say why it was that the firm couldn't meet these committments... Possibly bad management practices, but who's to know? I agree though that their advertising was a bit lacking, they should also have been coming out with more in the way of new models, maybe things would have been different if they had made the PCPs themselves, and filled a niche in the market that wasn't already dominated by Axsor, Logun etc...

I am deeply sad that they're gone though... The idea of some kakky chinese airgun being sold with 'Webley' stickers on it saddens me deeply... 215 years of history and heritage and prestige has disappeared down the tubes.

[ashbo]

I was on the phone to Webeley this week ,looking for some mosquito pellets ,there secetery told me that AGS have bought them out lock stock and barrel ,and will finish trading at the end of this month,sad realy

[Carter]

In my local gunshop earlier this afternoon I had a perusal of the airrifles in stock and I still find it hard to believe that Webley have gone

Me too. Sad W#nker that I am, it actually makes me feel gutty thinking about it. I went and bought a new Webley Tempest the other week, purely for nostalgia. Ridiculous 80 year old design I know, but still such a pleasure to shoot. A terrible shame to see part of our heritage go to the wall over a temporary shortfall in the pension provision. I fear BSA will be gone soon.

[allymax]

Did something similar and bought a hurricane from B.A.R.

I always loved the old Webley 'barrel over cylinder' guns.

Lie a 30 odd year old Mk3 against an airsporter of the same age and see the quality the Webley had