Webley junior problem----hmmm

[ggggr]

Can anybody date this, tin grip J27647. I got this today and tried a few shots and it was very feeble. I stripped and lubed it and tried to fit a slightly bigger mainspring I had knocking about as the old one was bent. It wouldnt cock because it was coilbound. Not wanting to cut the spring down as it may fit another Webley pistol, I refitted the original. The thing wouldnt always fire the pellet out of the barrel. I fitted a new rubber breech seal and it was only slightly better. Stripped it again and there was suction and compression when the piston was moved with finger over the breech seal. I tried 3 washers to get a bit of pre-load on the spring but it wouldn,t cock unless it only had one washer. Sometimes it would fire and sometimes you could hear the piston bouncing and the pellet stayed in the barrel. I picked up a couple of the used undamaged pellets and tried to fire them. It seemed much better. I was using caledonians and thought I,d try lighter Norica wadcutters. They were just the same. SO I sized the pellets by pushing them through the barrel with a kebab skewer before using them Much better. I think that as the barrel is a little pitted and the gun so weak,the pits are stopping the pellets. I think a brass cleaning brush and a new mainspring will cure this. Anybody else had this problem? I know the Zenit is weak but that does work better with the lighter pellets.

[webman]

This gun dates from around 1935/36.
I've had similar problems with a later Junior, and it seemed to relate to the state of the leather piston seal. This was quite dry and hard, and the velocity didn't improve much with a correct new spring. I softened the seal with some oil and it was better, but not as good as other Juniors I've got.

Ian

[ggggr]

Thanks for reply----The piston washer is in pretty good nick and not dry. Ive been cleaning barrel out tonight and will try gun tomorrow but it does need a new spring.
Now got a new spring and working pretty good. The spring I got was too long but I just kept cutting coils off it until it would cock without too much strain.