Webley Mk 3 - Sights & performance

[dumdum]

I just inherited an old Webley Mk3 rifle. I took it apart and cleaned and oiled it and it seems to work OK.

But I don't know if it really compares well to a modern gun for power/range/accuracy (I have no experience of this stuff - but would like to hunt rabbits/squirrels for the pot)

Can anyone tell me if it is worth persevering with an older gun like this or should I just plumb for a newer gun.

Also the gun I have has open sights - it does have a plate spot welded to the barrel - I presume for sights - Is there a specific type of sights I should be looking for - again will it make much difference?

Thanks for any pointers

[Lakey]

The spot welded scope ramp on the MK3, was only designed for very light telescopic sights, which were common back in the 1960's and 1970's. I would not recommend fitting a modern telescopic sight to it as eventually the weight of the sight will pull the ramp away from the cylinder. This will snap the spot welds and the whole thing will fall off. If you do fit a telescopic sight then only fit up to 4X28 power as this is still light enough not to break the welds.

The open sights are very accurate, but do require a fair bit of practice before you can compare the accuracy to that obtained when you you a telescopic sight.
I personally line up the fore sight blade in the centre of the 'V' Notch on the rear sight, making sure that the top of the fore sight is level with the top of the rear sight. Then through careful adjustment I then set the point of impact at the top of the foresight blade.

So that when the open sights are lined up you still have a complete view of what you are shooting at. If you do what many people do - YOu line up the sights then obscure the target you are shooting at with the lined up sights, you cannot see the target properly and lack of precise shooting results.

Good luck

Lakey

[dumdum]

Thanks Lakey - and do you have a view on the performance of the Mark 3? Is it as powerful/accurate as modern guns?

[Rob M]

I have been shooting my .22 Mk3 quite a bit lately, and with practice I believe it could well be. I have tried a few different pellets, and found that Milbro TR are surprisingly good in it. At the moment I am finding my .22 Longbow more accurate but it's scoped, I am sure that if I persevere with the open sights on the Mk3 it will put in decent groups!

Loads of people have hunted successfully with Webley Mk3s in the past! I would say that, give a good lube job with modern lubricants and a new spring, they can develop 10.5, maybe 11 foot/pounds if you're lucky.

[johnbaz]

hello dumdum

the mk3 is as good as anything that you can buy today, everything was machined from billet stock, in fact, i was told that the reason the mk3 was discontinued was because they were too expensive to make!!.

on my .177 mk3, the seal is so good that, if you cock the gun then open the tap and then pull the trigger whilst holding the cocking lever, it holds the pressure within the cylinder, there arten't any other underlever rifles that i know of that will hold the piston back in this way, certainly, my mk5 airsporter won't, i believe this to be due to the fact that the loading tap is tapered in the same way that a gas tap is, it was lapped in for a gas-tight seal- quality or what!!!

john
accuracy too is excellent as long as the rifle isn't dieselling

[Prewar]

If dumdum wants hunt rabbits with the Mk3 wouldn't he be better off with something slightly more modern?
I had a lovely 60's Mk3, and agree they are very well made (gorgeous blueing and stocks!) but with the recoil, fairly heavy trigger & open sights I would have thought the range to be quite short to avoid the risk of maiming animals.
I think mine ran at about 9-10ftlbs, it didnt deisel, but it did kick! I would have been more comfortable hunting with a HW or something.
best wishes
Scott

[wonky donky]

hello dumdum

on my .177 mk3, the seal is so good that, if you cock the gun then open the tap and then pull the trigger whilst holding the cocking lever, it holds the pressure within the cylinder, there arten't any other underlever rifles that i know of that will hold the piston back in this way, certainly, my mk5 airsporter won't, i believe this to be due to the fact that the loading tap is tapered in the same way that a gas tap is, it was lapped in for a gas-tight seal- quality or what!!!

john
accuracy too is excellent as long as the rifle isn't dieselling

Conversely, I have 2 MK3's in .22 & a MK3 Supertarget in very good condition none of which will hold the piston back in the manner you describe; but my Airsporter MK2 & Airsporter Club that are in poorer condition both will! My personal view is it's a bit of a lottery in this area with all tap loading guns due to manufacturing tolerances & W & T over the years?

[04gordjac]

i have also just inherited a webely mk 3 but it a little bit rusty but it still workes it is a 22 i was wandering how much power it had because it does not seem to gave a lot also is it worth anything cheers.

[jazzman]

I bought my Mk3 from a gun shop a few years ago, still going strong. When I bought it, it was firing at 1000fps, but I'm sure that must have decreased over the years. Still incredibly accurate and powerful. I've stuck with the stock sight, no scope needed for this beauty. With me at the trigger, so down to my mistakes, it hit a 50p piece from 100ft 3/5 times prone, with no gizmos at all. It's a fantastic rifle and you should definetly keep it. Maybe you ought to get the fps checked out for sure before you start hunting with it, just to make sure it is fast enough to be humane, also use some good pentraters.

[Sam Vimes]

When I bought it, it was firing at 1000fps

Are you sure about that? Sounds awfully high for a MKIII. Only if the pellet was 5.4gn or under would that be sub 12ft.lb!

[fat man]

Clasic Webley rifle. good looks, top workmanship, open sights with practice fairly accurate. Ok trigers not up to Rekord model form Germaney but then what is! mines in.22 a late model, great stock. I do not hunt no need but i use eley wasp in mine in the blue tin proper .22 5.6 not the german 5.5 we have been forced to use. Thanks Mr Beeman !!!. Dont use a scope of modern type or it will pull the spot welded scope ramp of. Enjoy the gun in the understanding of its limitations and practice, practice, and more practice if your going to use it for hunting even a rat deserves a quick end, regards to all .

[gedfinn 2]

I bought my Mk3 from a gun shop a few years ago, still going strong. When I bought it, it was firing at 1000fps, but I'm sure that must have decreased over the years. Still incredibly accurate and powerful. I've stuck with the stock sight, no scope needed for this beauty. With me at the trigger, so down to my mistakes, it hit a 50p piece from 100ft 3/5 times prone, with no gizmos at all. It's a fantastic rifle and you should definetly keep it. Maybe you ought to get the fps checked out for sure before you start hunting with it, just to make sure it is fast enough to be humane, also use some good pentraters.

Your too polite Sam Vines ! 700 fps tops in .177 & 500-550 in .22 & thats with a little dieselling, Great gun, I have 2, for sale, One in in good condition & 2nd repaired stock & tap but still nice, but shoots OK with its square spring,

I was going to put a pic of them up & ask a valuation ( Anyone !! )
As an aside, I see a rear sight for a MK111 went on Fleabay for £35 + post, And a front sight is on there now,
I hope you take this in to account when you make a valuation, Thats £50 + post, just for the sights, ?
break the 2nd one, If enough intrest .

Cheers,

[edbear2]

Yup, I would agree with geds figures, unless the gun had an acetone spray bar inside or was firing zaps or cleaning pellets 1000fps does seem high!....as an aside on dieselling...I seem to remember all the full size guns (airsporter/mk111 pre war bsa's) that I owned or shot in the 1970's, smelling a bit of burnt oil!....not the proper bang and flash effect you get from a warm gun/big spring combo , but they normally gave a bit of smoke from the breech/barrel when reloading...in the 70's I grew up in a haze of 3 in one!!.......in fact in the original bsa booklet you got with the prewars, the book states "after each session, fill the loading tap with oil, close and cock the gun, then fire to oil the bore and piston"..not sure what reaction you would get at a club if you tried this, but so many have survived in GWO that maybe its a good method to preserve the leather washers and bore!!

[gedfinn 2]

Yup, I would agree with geds figures, unless the gun had an acetone spray bar inside or was firing zaps or cleaning pellets 1000fps does seem high!....as an aside on dieselling...I seem to remember all the full size guns (airsporter/mk111 pre war bsa's) that I owned or shot in the 1970's, smelling a bit of burnt oil!....not the proper bang and flash effect you get from a warm gun/big spring combo , but they normally gave a bit of smoke from the breech/barrel when reloading...in the 70's I grew up in a haze of 3 in one!!.......in fact in the original bsa booklet you got with the prewars, the book states "after each session, fill the loading tap with oil, close and cock the gun, then fire to oil the bore and piston"..not sure what reaction you would get at a club if you tried this, but so many have survived in GWO that maybe its a good method to preserve the leather washers and bore!!

Hiya mate, Your right !!! I only replied because of the outrageous performance figures quoted, !
If the Information being supplied is ( At the very worse ) Is Incorrect, Where does that leave us, & Yes they do smoke,
Cheers, ged,

[Muskett]

I first started with a MKIII in .22 and have one now fitted with a Tasco 1.75? x40, a classic combo circa 1979. They group fine out to 20m or so but I've never had one that could compare to the accuracy of a HW or Sport. Sorry, just don't think much of them. But for their original purpose of shooting with open sights around the farmyard they do the job fine; not that I do that anymore as I use more modern stuff.

At open sight ranges they are as good as anything.