Question about modern BSA and Webley Rifles

[Rob M]

Hi,

I am thinking about adding an up-to-date British break-barrel springer to my collection.

I would rather buy a BSA or Webley than anything else, but I dislike guns with alloy cylinders and would rather get one with a steel tube. Please, can anyone tell me whether modern Webleys and BSAs have alloy or steel tubes?

I actually prefer Webley style breeches, I am thinking about putting together a rifle with swappable barrels and the Webley breech would make this easier, but I would prefer a steel cylinder if possible...

Cheers

Rob M

[ora8i]

I have had a Webley Xocet XS and currently have a Longbow Sidewinder both are of all steel construction and very well put together. BSA ARE NOT BRITISH they are Spanish owned by Gamo.
So if you’re serious about a British springer it will have to be Webley or AirArms.
Good guns one and all!!



Ora

[Snapshot.]

Ignore Ora's jingoism. BSA still manufacture in this country and the foreign ownership doesn't seem to make any difference to the products. Having said that, I prefer Webley's springers and have a Longbow.

Jonathan

[Rob M]

I know that Gamo own BSA, but they still make their own products in this country, so that's good enough for me. I like Webleys too, but I don't like the fact that some Webleys have Walther barrels on them now! At least BSA have their own barrel making plant and turn out some excellent barrels. Having said that, Webley have made good barrels in the past, so I don't know why they are buying German ones in.

[EddieP]

Theoben are british
But maybe you don't want a gas ram?

[ora8i]

Jingoism?

Hardly, the man said he wanted to buy British. Ford makes cars in the UK, but Ford remains American. While BAS guns are still made in Birmingham (?) they are Spanish owned.

If it’s Spanish owned it’s not British ergo off his list ……..

Like it or not BSA are not a British owned company anymore, for some reason (possibly sentiment) a lot of people like to go on thinking BAS/British. Those days are gone, however the BSA end of Gamo still seem to be the vanguard of product development. Guns like the SuperStar and the GoldStar seem to be getting reworked into “new” Gamo models with the truly new stuff coming out first at BSA.


Regards Ora

[Rob M]

OK Then, to clarify I want to buy a British-made rifle, by BSA or Webley...

[Snapshot.]

See, Ora. Pure jingoism and not what the man wanted.

[Doobin]

Webley still make most of their own barrels, AFAIK. I find Webley springers generally easier to shoot that BSA's (might be because I started on a Webley though) and the quality of the woodwork and the metal finish is definately superior. Webley have a fantastic supplier of stocks, even in standard beech.

With break-barrels, Webley win every time, as you can tighten up any play in the lockup via a screw. Can't do this with a Beeza though. I'm not a big fan of BSA's barrel lockups, with the barrel being slapped agains the rest of the rifle. Much prefer the Webley system with a big chunky breech block.

Try both, see which performs best. I have to agree with others about BSA though- they may be made in Britain but they're owned by the Spaniards.

[Johnny - Sweden]

Why not a Pro-Elite..?

British and stylish..

[R. P. McMurphy]

Go for a Webley,Longbow,Stingray or ExocetXS.They beat the current BSA breakbarrel range hands down in my opinion.Ive owned a couple and they have been crackin rifles and i couldent fault them at all.

[Dave Stringer]

Perhaps its me, but I only own one BSA, a lightning. Done a lot of work on it and it's ok. But I find the barrel to be very pellet fussy and seems overlarge, in that some pellets, notably premiers/accupels actually fall through the barrel. Anyone else had this happen?

[bedlam]

Ihad some .22 matchpells left when some towrag stole my hw90, i gave them to a friend and his lightning loves em, better then the wasps he was recomended to try.

[civvy]

Just to muddy the water further. Someone told me that the majority shareholding in Air Arms was a german company. Still made in England. Last time I went to BSA to get my Lightning serviced by the makers Small Heath didn't look much like sunny Spain to me. Civvy