Some notes on stripping and rebuilding the WEbley Victor and Vulcan Hopefully I have not forgotten anything. If so, just put me right or ask me.

WEBLEY VULCAN / VICTOR STRIP and REBUILD

The Webley Vulcan and Victor are basically the same rifle. The MK1 Vulcan had the same barrel length as the Victor (17.125”) but later Vulcan models had 19.25” barrels. The Vulcan has a safety catch and an adjustable trigger; the Victor does not. The Vulcan stock is longer than the Victor. Advertised power for the Victor was 720fps when new (pellet not specified).

These notes on striping and rebuilding the rifles do not include advice on tuning. Where they include reference to the safety catch or trigger adjustment, the notes apply to the Vulcan only; ignore them for the Victor.

Stripping:
Remove the stock: two screws in the forend and two screws in the trigger guard. I recommend removing both foresight and rear sight to prevent accidental damage. The rear sight can be removed as a complete assembly by undoing the two 4BA screws in the top.

To remove the spring and spring guide assembly: it is necessary to remove the trigger. This is not difficult but it pays to have a good look at the assembly before starting, or even take a photo to aid reassembly. It is only necessary to remove the actual trigger, not the complete trigger and sear assembly. To do this, remove the circlip and then the pin that acts as a pivot for the trigger and remove the trigger and a coiled trigger spring that fits into the end block.

To remove end block and spring assembly: Either hold the gun upright and press down on the end block while removing the pin that holds the end block to the action or use a spring compressor or vice to hold everything firm while the pin is removed. The preload is not excessive but is present nonetheless. With the end plug removed, the spring and spring guide can be removed.

To remove the piston assembly: it is necessary to remove the trigger sear and the cocking lever. To do this, remove the remaining two pins in the trigger assembly and remove the safety slide (for the Vulcan) and the sear and its spring (Vulcan and Victor). Be sure to note how the safety slide fits on the sear. Draw or photograph as appropriate.
To remove the cocking lever use a 5mm drift to remove the pin that holds the cocking lever to the breech. On some rifles it can be convenient to remove the complete barrel and cocking lever assembly by removing the pin or bolt that the breech pivots on. Unless you want to get at the barrel fixing / lock-up plunger, do not remove this pin on the Victor or Vulcan as if you do, the barrel plunger will be released. It is acted upon by a very firm spring and refitting it can be a bit awkward. By removing the pin from the cocking lever, the lever can be removed but leaves the barrel assembly in place. Once the lever is removed, the piston can be removed. The piston seal is in two parts, a seal and a cushion washer. Clean or replace as necessary. If the seal needs replacing, it is advised to cut the old seal away with a sharp knife, but the cushion washer simply lifts off.

Clean or replace parts as required.

Rebuilding:
Generally, rebuild is a reversal of the strip procedure.
A new cushion washer will slide on. To fit a new seal, place the seal against the retaining flange on the piston and press firmly with both thumbs until the seal clicks into place. A piston sleeve can be added if you wish. With the piston cleaned, lubricate as appropriate.

Lubricate the inner surface of the cylinder and refit the piston assembly, making sure the slot in the piston lines up with the slot in the cylinder. Refit the cocking lever into the cylinder/piston slot and refit the lever and its pivot pin in the breech.

The Webley Manual says to replace the trigger sear before replacing the spring and guide and end plug. In practice I have always replaced the spring, guide and end plug first.

Refit the spring and spring guide.
Refit the cylinder end plug and secure with its pin.

It is now time to refit the trigger.
Victor: I can do no better than give instructions from the Webley Manual: locate the sear spring onto the RH side of the sear with the cranked end through the small hole in the sear and its central hole aligned with the sear fulcrum pin hole. Feed this assembly into its correct position in the trigger housing, lining up the fulcrum hole in the sear with the relevant hole in the housing. Insert the fulcrum pin through the housing and sear from the left side and fit the circlip.
Vulcan: As above except that you need to position the safety slide on the sear as you feed it into position.
Fit the front fulcrum pin (nearest the barrel) making sure it passes through the forked end of the safety slide (Vulcan only).

Replace the trigger spring in the body end plug. Replace the trigger, holding the long leg of the sear spring out of the way towards the cylinder. Refit trigger pivot fulcrum pin and let the long leg of the sear spring rest against the fulcrum pin.

That should be job done. Refit the sights and reassemble into the stock. Test that the trigger sears engage and that the safety works. The safety can only be set (then unset) when the rifle is cocked. It is not set automatically on cocking.

Cheers, Phil