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Hello,Originally Posted by duofold
As you are probably aware Webley began producing air pistols in 1924 with the introduction of the Mk1. The basic design and format remained relatively unchanged until the 1970s when manufacturing procedures were radically revised and alloy frames replaced traditional, more expensive, all steel construction.The first pistols made using the new processes were the Mk2 Junior and Mk2 Premier both of which retained the same dimensions as their all steel predecessors.
At around this time, Webley also faced some stiff competition from the German air gun industry who were producing larger more sophisticated air pistols specifically designed for target shooting. Webley's first response was the Hurricane which was much larger than their previous offerings and and featured better sights together with the greater sight radius resulting from the longer barrel.
A telescopic pistol sight could also fitted which made the pistol appear even more ungainly but was quite a popular accessory. The Typhoon was introduced shortly afterwards to replace the Junior and was smaller than Hurricane with a less powerful mainspring to suit younger users. Public reaction to both pistols was cool to say the least and after a relatively short time a more compact and popular design was launched in the form of the Tempest. This was basically a Hurricane with both front section and rear overhang cut off to return the more traditional size of the Premier and earlier Senior and Mk1.
To summarise, the Hurricane offers a more target oriented approach with better sights than the earlier pistols with the downside being its comparative large and rather ungainly appearance and handling.
Most Webley collectors tend to favour the early all steel pistols for their superior manufacturing quality and more compact design, but the later alloy framed pistols, particularly the Tempest, are becoming increasingly more desirable.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Brian
