Webley Patriot-a review

[Rapidnick]

I've just been using my Patriot and thought I'd post a few comments on this thread.
Firstly, I chronoe-ed it. Not something I do very often but I wanted to see what it was actually doing. The answer is 800 ft sec with H & N FTT 20.1 grain pellets so 28 ft lb. Perfectly acceptable and a remarkable 3 ft sec variation over my test.
I set about shooting a few pellets and can report a) it didn't kick b) my shoulder is more than up to cocking the rifle c)the accuracy was perfectly acceptable-one big hole group over my 30 metre measured range and d) a nasty audible whack as the pellet struck my target board.
All this shooting pleasure for £200 including a good scope-Simmons Pro Air 6-18x40 which is ideal for the rifle so I am 'well pleased.'
For those of you who are interested in a comparison with the Eliminator well here goes.
I have owned 4 Eliminators and used several more including a very refined .25 owned by my friend Lionel on here which was formerly owned by Jon Budd who knows a thing or two about shooting. I sold my last one-a .20-to Brian747 as I found the cocking effort too much for my bad shoulder. He can speak for himself but I believe that he is delighted with the rifle unlike the rabbits on his shoot. Now for the conclusion: ignoring the cocking for a moment, for me the best self contained air rifle I have ever used is the .20 Eliminator. Taking cocking effort into account I would choose a Venom tuned Weihrauch HW80-probably in .22. which would however cost quite a lot more.
As it is my current 'bad boy' is a .25 Patriot with a garish stock and that is likely to be with me for a long time.

[R. P. McMurphy]

If I had FAC it'd be the first rifle I'd buy no doubts, mucho bargains in my opinion. 2nd would be a a .25 cal mk2 Huntsman thumbhole as Ive allways wanted one of them too

[cinstone]

Had a few shots with a .25" set at 34lb.ft. Two arms to cock it and the vibration through the trigger blade when shot left a mark in my finger.

Quality rifle to look at and build quality seem good, but totally impractical at that lb.ft if you ask me. At the time I was shown a replacement F.A.C spring for the rifle. It was knocking on for twice the length as a standard jobbie.

Interesting experience, but not a rifle I'd change a .22" rimmie for.

Chris.

[baz]

The rifle Nick has was mine at one time and it has non std spring and piston washer, the Patriot Brian speaks of had a gas ram fitted

The usual achilles heel of the Patriot was too much spring and too little piston washer, they can run themselves in eventually and sweeten up (if you havent expired by then)

But IMO the Eliminator in .22 or .25 will beat the Patriot as far as shootability goes, once of course you have got used to it

When the Pat first came out Webley and Theoben had a back to back gruelling test (which was in AGW I believe) Ben told me about it and brute performance wise there was little in it but the Eliminator pipped the Pat in silly long range testing, I seem to remember Tony at Theoben was hitting a litre plastic bottle at around 150yds consistently, my memory may be not as sharp as it was but thats the gist of what happened

[Rapidnick]

The rifle Nick has was mine at one time and it has non std spring and piston washer, the Patriot Brian speaks of had a gas ram fitted

The usual achilles heel of the Patriot was too much spring and too little piston washer, they can run themselves in eventually and sweeten up (if you havent expired by then)

But IMO the Eliminator in .22 or .25 will beat the Patriot as far as shootability goes, once of course you have got used to it

When the Pat first came out Webley and Theoben had a back to back gruelling test (which was in AGW I believe) Ben told me about it and brute performance wise there was little in it but the Eliminator pipped the Pat in silly long range testing, I seem to remember Tony at Theoben was hitting a litre plastic bottle at around 150yds consistently, my memory may be not as sharp as it was but thats the gist of what happened

Funnily enough I saw Tony last week with Costas and we were chatting about long range use of the Eliminator. I am very pleased with this Patriot-it certainly isn't difficult to cock and shoots pretty well. 28 ft lb with 20 grain pellets gives a pretty reasonable trajectory. The rifle maybe isn't as smooth as an Eliminator but it certainly isn't the twanging beast I had heard about. You did a good job on this rifle Baz so thank you!!

[Vulcanator]

Glad to hear the Patriot is agreeing with you. Perhaps more owners will speak out and address its undeserved reputation. For the money you pay for them in the UK they are hard to beat.

[verminhunter]

After shooting nikos's .25 patiot I have changed my views on the rifle.
Easy to cock and I mean easy, lovely trigger, and deadly accurate without too much recoil, one of the best springers Ive shot in a long time, top bit of kit. You lucky man nickos from Mogador.

[R. P. McMurphy]

Are the .25 cal Webley barrels true .25 sized or undersized like BSA's .25 barrels???

[baz]

I think the Patriot is the best Webley ever made too, excellent quality and far better than the other Webleys, they should have cost a little more and had decent guides, springs and piston washers from new, plus forget the 30+ftlb in .22 and set them up at cruising power

Same can be said for the Eliminator too, sweetest at around 25/26ftlb in .22 in my opinion

[hwtyger]

Same can be said for the Eliminator too, sweetest at around 25/26ftlb in .22 in my opinion[/QUOTE]

O, oh! Sounds like I have to pump up mine to above factory pressure than!
The newer Eli's all seem to settle as very low velocities, mine's around 23/24Ftp now, and its standard and not leaking..

I agree good tune is better than gasstrut. I have my Pat stock back, stockholes have bushings now, also, Maccari kit is OUT, standard spring + tight guide is IN. Welcome back!! Now replacing the bent screws and we're back in business!
Imo Pat is nót their best rifle. Longbow is more civilised design, has a nice LW barrel, no twang, no link play, and FAR better trigger..Patriot is pre-venom design, its a tool but not refined at all.., Kinda antique design..

[Rapidnick]

Are the .25 cal Webley barrels true .25 sized or undersized like BSA's .25 barrels???

They certainly aren't tight like the BSA .243 barrels so I reckon 'true sized'.

[Hellequin]

This is a cracking review and very interesting thread Nick, not sure how I missed it until now!

As you know I've been tempted by a Patriot for some time, especially in .25 calibre and think I might get round to putting in a variation soon so I can look for a decent one. Actually this thread almost makes me wish I'd gone for this option in the first place, instead of all the fannying around I've had with my HW80!

ATB
Paul

[Rapidnick]

Had a few shots with a .25" set at 34lb.ft. Two arms to cock it and the vibration through the trigger blade when shot left a mark in my finger.

Quality rifle to look at and build quality seem good, but totally impractical at that lb.ft if you ask me. At the time I was shown a replacement F.A.C spring for the rifle. It was knocking on for twice the length as a standard jobbie.

Interesting experience, but not a rifle I'd change a .22" rimmie for.

Chris.

That is an awful lot more power than mine running at 28 ft lb-and for what? It sounds like nothing but grief.
In a self contained rifle 6 ft lb more-or 21% more-power than mine means one thing: a bigger more powerful spring which twangs like the devil shouting for more sinners to feed the furnace. My conclusion is the same as yours-that your rifle was running way beyond its limits and that the spring should be changed.