Webley hawk mk 3 vs diana g80

[Hsing-ee]

It's November 1979, and your Dad has said he will get you an airgun for your Christmas. Because of the economic climate, it can't be a new gun, but there are a few second-hand in Exchange & Mart that are within Dad's price-range. As all your mates have second-hand BSA Meteors, you want to try something different and are caught between a Webley Hawk Mk 3 and a Diana G80.

Which do you choose and why?

[harry mac]

It's November 1979, and your Dad has said he will get you an airgun for your Christmas. Because of the economic climate, it can't be a new gun, but there are a few second-hand in Exchange & Mart that are within Dad's price-range. As all your mates have second-hand BSA Meteors, you want to try something different and are caught between a Webley Hawk Mk 3 and a Diana G80.

Which do you choose and why?

Hmm, let me transport myself back. No dad, not t' Diana, they on'y meck kid's guns, and t' stock's a bit fat an' chunky.
Wot abaht t' Webley 'awk then?
Awgh yeah, t' stock looks better (we weren't saying things like cool and boss or top in Yorkshire yet), an' t' catalogue sez it duz 50 foot per second faster than t' Diana.

[Gareth W-B]

From a collectors point of view, am very fond of both marques and models, but I'd tell Dad to stick it, ad next Birthday's money to the pot, and get me an HW35 ... There ya go, managed to send yet another thread off on a tangent . Ha ha. Atb: G.

[lodmoor]

I bought the right thing then and I've still got it. (slight cheat it was 1980).

[monkeywrench]

Right i'm back there now,

and as my Hawk 111 has just fallen to pieces in my hands i'd be asking for the G80

[harry mac]

Right i'm back there now,

and as my Hawk 111 has just fallen to pieces in my hands i'd be asking for the G80

You must have put an Ox spring in it then.

[monkeywrench]

You must have put an Ox spring in it then.

Nope, standard everything apart from a plastic Tasco 4x20 , which i thought was mutts nuts

[alanssaab]

i'de have to go for the g80 , my dad got one for me , the neighbours father made it in the milbro factory in motherwell . just thought i'd share that with you

[Gareth W-B]

i'de have to go for the g80 , my dad got one for me , the neighbours father made it in the milbro factory in motherwell . just thought i'd share that with you

... That is a great insight into localised air gun history there, thanks for sharing it with us (just love these anecdotes ). Atvb: G.

[coburn]

Now if it had been a Mk2 Hawk I'd have been over the moon. However I had already had a Webley MK3 for my ninth birthday in 1974 so it was all down hill from there.

I'll always remember Christmas 1979 for another reason, it was ten days after I'd kissed my first girlfriend.

[Silent Sniper]

i bought a mk3 hawk for myself around this time it was my first airgun and cost me 50p a week from my mums club book not the best gun in the world but started something thats lasted all this time i actuelly saw one for sale in my local gunshop on monday

[Neil.]

The 80 was a better gun than the MKIII Hawk. Having said that, nearly everything was better than a MKIII Hawk.
Horrible things.

[Hsing-ee]

The 80 was a better gun than the MKIII Hawk. Having said that, nearly everything was better than a MKIII Hawk.
Horrible things.

This is what I have heard. Yet the Mk 3 was the 'top of the range' Webley for a while. There was some overlap with the Osprey, but that was even lower in power than the Hawk. You rarely see any Hawk Mk 3s around which have been used regularly, rather specimens that have been pulled from cupboards and attics and haven't been fired for 30 years. The metal piston-rings were interesting, and I suppose the rifle formed the basis for the Vulcan (or did it?).

I am suprised anyone has any fond memories of this rifle!

[T 20]

The metal piston-rings were interesting,

and I suppose the rifle formed the basis for the Vulcan (or did it?).

Piston rings were copper impregnated PTFE.

Considering the Vulcan MK1 had the same barrel, breach, and trigger assembly as the MK3 Hawk, it would be fair to say that the Hawk formed the basis for the Vulcan.


ATB Mick

[Neil.]

All the lads I kicked about with when I was 18, had Meteors and Diana's in their various guises. One had a MKIII Hawk, that had an elongated hole that the mainspring retaining pin sat in. It had the disturbing trait of discharging when you closed the barrel. Another had a Vulcan that used to ring like bell when it was shot and had a 1/4 stage trigger with a 22lb pull.
One worked for the Gas Board and had a bit more dough than the rest of us. It was only when he purchased an HW35, that we realised that things smaller than a Top Deck shandy can, could be hit beyond 25 yards.