Webley Straight Grip Owners Thread!

[Prewar]

I thought it would be interesting to start up a thread about the pre war straight grip Webley pistols.

I first saw one of these, an early MK1 'Patents applied For' Model in a gunshop* window in Shrewsbury in the early 1990's. The owner had a Christmas window display of vintage air rifles and pistols and although they were NFS he did let me have a good look at the MK1. It took me quite a few years of looking to find my own. In 1999 I saw one advertised in Airgun World classifieds & was lucky enough to be the first to speak to the seller on the phone. I sent off a cheque and it arrived a couple of days later.

I was really pleased with it & still am. It's the one I have always kept, it shoots well. These are accurate pistols if in good order. It's a fairly late version with the trigger adjustment & locking screw. I have always loved the shape of the early pistols there is something of an 'Edwardian Automatic' look to them. The build quality is great.

I was shooting a MK1 today, its getting on for 85 years old but put every pellet where it was pointed. You have to concentrate though!

Here is a pic of my favourite Mk1 (top) with another very nice one one.

http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/...e-war/mk1s.jpg



* The gunshop in Shrewsbury was Ebrall Brothers, near the Welsh Bridge, it closed a few years ago.

[Atlantia]

If it's a role call, then 'here'
I've got a mid age MK1 with an original period military style holster.


I agree with yuor comments about them, but I'd have to add though, that they are horrible to hold due to the angle of the grip and positioning of the trigger.

[Prewar]

I don't think they are horrible to hold, I prefer them to the slant grips!

[johnbaz]

Hi


I have a Webley mk1 with straight grip but it has the short barrel so i'm not sure whether it's original or not, I vaguely recall reading somewhere that they could be bough with either the longer (Target) barrel or the shorter one that is common to later pistols..

I tried rebluing it with G96 gel Turned out absolutely rubbish just the same as all the other bluing kits did

Here


T'uther side..

I ought to send it off for a proper job

BTW, it was dry fitted in the pics after the reblue attempt..



John

[pnird]

I have been collecting these for a while now, and have most of them; the most elusive is the first model (with the spring barrel clip/s), but I have specimens of all the other series - then there are the Seniors, the earlier one being quite elusive, and the three variants of the Mark 2.
If I can find a way of posting the pictures, I would be happy to do so.

[mrto]

The straight grip MK1's etc are a lot more interesting than the far more ubiquitous slant grip Webleys,but far less comfortable to shoot,presumably why the change was eventually made to the slant grip.Also the MK1 was introduced by Webley in I believe 1924 as a result of legislation(nothing new these days) affecting private ownership of pistols.The pistol shooting public in those days was far more infatuated with the more modern style of the semi-auto hence the straight grip that mimicked a pistol with a mag in the grip rather than the boring old revolver design of slant grip.So here we are then.I have something in the region of 15 Webley pistols MK1's,Seniors,Premiers and juniors all slant grip with the exception of one early straight grip Senior and an early MK1 that opens from the rear,but for shooting I seem to favour my slant grip Mk1's.

[Josie & John]

Excellent thread Scott.

I am a huge fan of the straight gripped Mk1 as it is the pistol that started it all for Webley and with those walnut grips, has that classic 1920s look. The Webley badge on the grip adds that touch of class. Maybe not the most comfortable Webley to shoot, the Mk1 is no slouch in the accuracy or power stakes and swept all before it back in the day. I currently have or have previously owned the following examples:

515 -Double spring clip with early (very slightly) smaller frame
6037 -Early Foreign Patents Pending model
18587-Etched patents on right side
22895-No adjusting screw for trigger adjuster. Also early style of adjusting screw
35092-Securing screw to trigger adjusting screw. Exceptionally fine condition
44281-Late variant. Pistol strips from both ends

Not rare enough to be impossible to find good examples, the Mk1 is one of those classics that every air pistol collector ought to own.

John

[Atlantia]

I don't think they are horrible to hold, I prefer them to the slant grips!

LOL, You must have hands like a Star Wars figure!

[Prewar]

Etched Patents MK1

Here's the one I used to own:

http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/...f/PICT0237.jpg

and a woodgrip Junior

http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/...f/PICT0238.jpg

A fairly early Mk1 'Patents applied For' with slim walnut grips 2482

http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/...ofPICT0040.jpg

I bought the Gordon Bruce book when it came out and at one point had an example of every variant of straight grip pistol with the exception of 'the clip' . It got to be a bit stupid. I lost count but certainly has too many.

[Prewar]

I have been collecting these for a while now, and have most of them; the most elusive is the first model (with the spring barrel clip/s), but I have specimens of all the other series - then there are the Seniors, the earlier one being quite elusive, and the three variants of the Mark 2.
If I can find a way of posting the pictures, I would be happy to do so.

It would be great to see them!
If you open an account with Photobucket (or similar hosting site) upload your photographs there and then post a link here.
If you get really stuck pm me and I will put them up for you

[Gareth W-B]

I have a lovely condition pre-war straight grip Senior in .22, and an equally as lovely pre-war straight grip Mk.I in .177. I also now have two extra sets of bespoke made replica walnut grips for my Mk.I, too, which have been made to the exact same original spec and design as the originals.

Being something of a horder, these extra grips are for if (when) any other Mk.I's come my way, which may benefit from a good set of grips to set them off (so many sets of said grips have been lost and/or damaged over the years).

One of these sets of bespoke original pattern walnut Mk.I grips hosts an original Webley brass flying pellet button, and the second set, a reproduction brass coloured plastic (but you'd never know it was plastic) flying pellet button, and all are very lovely -- very lovely indeed (and all are mine, mine, mine).

[Troubledshooter]

I'm a fan of the larger straight gripped models, the Senior and Mk.II Target, although being the first air pistol of it's type from Webley, the straight grip Mk.I in all it's guises will always have a special place in any Webley collection, mine included.
Pictures of some are in my sig. site.

[Prewar]

I have a lovely condition pre-war straight grip Senior in .22, and an equally as lovely pre-war straight grip Mk.I in .177. I also now have two extra sets of bespoke made replica walnut grips for my Mk.I, too, which have been made to the exact same original spec and design as the originals.

Being something of a horder, these extra grips are for if (when) any other Mk.I's come my way, which may benefit from a good set of grips to set them off (so many sets of said grips have been lost and/or damaged over the years).

One of these sets of bespoke original pattern walnut Mk.I grips hosts an original Webley brass flying pellet button, and the second set, a reproduction brass coloured plastic (but you'd never know it was plastic) flying pellet button, and all are very lovely -- very lovely indeed (and all are mine, mine, mine).

We need pics!

[Troubledshooter]

One of these sets of bespoke original pattern walnut Mk.I grips hosts an original Webley brass flying pellet button, and the second set, a reproduction brass coloured plastic (but you'd never know it was plastic) flying pellet button,

Told you the Nemesis grip insert was an excellent reproduction of the original.

[Gareth W-B]

We need pics!

Will sort over the weekend.