Webley Air Pistol Batch Numbers

[Josie & John]

l also have an 888 Premier, its a blued E series, the letter stamp under the trigger frame is Z, it has the 888 repeated under the top of the left hand grip, but definately no date stamp (I've checked very carefully with a glass). I bought it s/h in 1972 and the seller who I knew had bought it new in 1971.

Its in very good original condition in the original box, I used it for NARPA 6 yd target shooting, until I saw sense and bought a FWB65 shortly after, but I have kept it as its what started my target shooting career.
Good shooting
Robin

Interesting provenance Robin. We have identified quite a few 'duplicate' Premiers with different letter codes on this thread.

NOTICE TO ALL
PLEASE ONLY INCLUDE DETAILS OF PREMIER AIR PISTOLS IF YOU ARE HAPPY TO SHARE THEM.
Ideally state the Series Code Letter, Date stamp from under left grip and Batch Number

THERE IS NO NEED TO INCLUDE DETAILS OF OTHER WEBLEY MODELS as unlike date coded Premiers, it is impossible to accurately glean sufficient information from post war Juniors, Seniors and Mark Is.

Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread.

Kind regards,

John

[A_Mercian]

[QUOTE=Josie & John;6294374]On the back of a very sensible question around batch numbers on another thread, I realised that I do not know of two that are alike, nor do I know of any collector who does. SO, is there a potential matched pair out there?

Update 2016: several have now been identified but this shared information is best applied to the Premier model only.

PLEASE ONLY INCLUDE DETAILS OF PREMIER AIR PISTOLS IF YOU ARE HAPPY TO SHARE THEM.
Ideally state the Series Code Letter, Date stamp from under left grip and Batch Number

THERE IS NO NEED TO INCLUDE DETAILS OF OTHER WEBLEY MODELS as unlike date coded Premiers, it is impossible to accurately glean sufficient information from post war Juniors, Seniors and Mark Is.

The purpose of this thread is to record as many known post WW2 batch numbers for the Mk1, Senior and Junior air pistols. No need to post pics yet but if two are identified with the same number, then we'll look for further details. We just need to be mindful a pistol may have changed ownership over time and we need to be sure we are not recording the same pistol twice. It is also possible two pistols with the same apparent batch number may be identified, which were made years apart but share the same number. Again, these examples will warrant further study if and when they are encountered.

I'll update the list below periodically as results come in:

Mk1
035 - AC99
49 - Leonardj
58 - Ormicron
62 - Jackieboy
72 - JM
73 - Troubledshooter
83 - Jackieboy
107 - Daveh
115 - Leonardj
162 - Leonardj
163 - Jackieboy
188 - M.Meijer
225 - Jonbaz
262 - Hyscore
250 - Lefrelon
270 - Ormicron
304 - Micky
309 - Troubledshooter
319 - Ormicron
321 - Ormicron
338 - Harry mac
353 - Micky
354 - JM sold 1993
435 - Lefrelon
436 - Micky
607 - Abasmajor
673 - AC99
680 - CHJF177 - bought new 1963
707 - Ashf9999 No 4
770 - Ormicron
784 - Ormicron
847 - Jackieboy
856 - JM
859 - CHJF177
869 - Jackieboy
872 - Micky
874 - Ormicron
938 - Palmerclassic
1053 - CHJF177
1069 - Troubledshooter
1093 - Andy30S&W Also has scratched in (date) 25/10/49
1184 - JM sold 2004
1265 - Hyscore
1286 - Micky
1295 - Ormicron
1684 - Jackieboy
1814 - Snodgrass
2013 - AC99
2290 - Troubledshooter


Senior
19 - Leonardj
035 - private collection. Wartime issue with prewar trigger. Does not match below
035 - JM. Early postwar with extended knurling
054 - Lefrelon
86 -Snodgrass
87 - Troubledshooter
122 - Fronteria (purchased 15/2/64)
126 - Troubledshooter
131 - Ashf9999
132 - Micky
149 - Troubledshooter
153 - JM
173 - JM sold 2000
184 - Abasmajor
209 - Troubledshooter
212 - Jackieboy
257 - Micky
312 - Troubledshooter
317 - AC99
327 - Hyscore
322 - Ashf9999
355 - Ashf9999
374 - Leonardj
380 - Micky SA99
404 - Micky
421 - CHJF177
436 - Micky
442 - Jonbaz
459 - Troubledshooter
488 - Troubledshooter
547 - Jonbaz
557 - Hyscore
617 - Troubledshooter
625 - Leonardj
632 - Leonardj
637 - Ormicron
651 - Daveh
684 - M.Meijer
730 - Garvin
759 - JM sold 2003
742 - Ormicron
831 - Palmerclassic
841 - Troubledshooter
891 - CHJF177
938 - Jackieboy
940 - Fronteria
961 - CHJF177
967 - Jackieboy
972 - Lefrelon
1009 - Leonardj
1043 - Micky
1071 - Jackieboy
1124 - CHJF177
1198 - Ormicron
1209 - Jackieboy
1251 - Hyscore
1261 - thenightstalker
1322 - Troubledshooter
1328 - JM
1366 - JM
1456 - Troubledshooter
1528 - AC99
1530 - Troubledshooter
1601 - Bigseth Also marked SH454 on frame above trigger on LHS
1620 - Leonardj
1648 - Troubledshooter
1856 - Ormicron
1929 - Troubledshooter
1933 - JM sold 1992
1997 - Micky
2039 - Ormicron
2161 - Troubledshooter
2237 - Jackieboy
2246 - Carlos
2301 - JM
2381 - Troubledshooter
3160 - Leonardj
4486 -Snodgrass -early extended knurling


Junior
1 - Troubledshooter
1 -Ali D Both early versions. Potential match
10 - CHJF177
35 - Leonardj
43 - Troubledshooter
46 - CHJF177
74 - JM
99 - Hyscore
132 - dogsbody
135 - CHJF177
145 - Harry mac dated 09/72
164 - Webley ken
165 - Ormicron
173 - AC99
198 - Abasmajor
203 - Troubledshooter
217 - Micky
237 - Jackieboy
259 - Troubledshooter
260 - Micky
299 - Jackieboy
314 - Ashf9999 extended grips
331 - Daveh
332 - JM
356 - JM
362 - CHJF177
368 - JM sold 2003
376 - Jonbaz
423 - Webley ken Extended grips
431 - Leonardj
455 - Lefrelon
493 - Ormicron
503 - Jackieboy
525 - Jackieboy
536 - Ormicron
581 - Troubledshooter
588 - Ashf9999 Suncorite
593 - Webley ken
598 - Palmerclassic
605 - Jonbaz
624 - Troubledshooter
649 - Micky
653 - Hyscore
680 - Abasmajor
710 - Ormicron
711 - Leonardj
725 - Jonbaz
732 - Ormicron
762 - Troubledshooter
773 - Hyscore
780 - Webley ken
796 - Hyscore
807 - Micky
819 - JM
835 - Jackieboy
860 - Ormicron
871 - Bruno27
901 - Ashf9999
920 - CHJF177
991 - Leonardj
1150 - Troubledshooter
1198 - Troubledshooter
1261 - Micky
1292 -Snodgrass
1319 - JM
1330 - Ormicron
1342 - Troubledshooter
1362 - Ormicron
1428 - Leonardj
1507 - dogsbody
1521 - Abasmajor
1523 - Troubledshooter
1530 - thenightstalker
1600 - Micky
1736 - Troubledshooter
1751 - Hyscore
2208 - AC99
2268 - Leonardj
2558 - Lefrelon
2888 - Jonbaz
2677 - JM sold 1996
3102 - Lefrelon
3793 - JM
4100 - thenightstalker
5048 - Lefrelon

Junior Mk2
107 - Webley ken
306 - Johnbaz
346 - CHJF177
426 - Leonardj
473 - Ormicron
504 - Lefrelon
717 - Troubledshooter
909 - Ashf9999

Premier
4 - Ormicron (E)
16 - Hyscore100
44 - Leonardj (E) 1/70
49 - JM (A) 4/65
56 - Ormicron (E)
64 - Jackieboy
70 - Leonardj (A) 3/65
77 - Palmerclassic (B)
78 - Jackieboy
80 - Troubledshooter (E) 7/8
87 - Micky (F)
100 - Hyscore100
108 - Ashf9999 (E)
117 - Micky (D)
121 - Garvin (D)
141 - Troubledshooter
143 - AC99
152 - thenightstalker (E) 1/71
156 - Leonardj (F) 1/70
202 - Abasmajor (B)
205 - Hyscore100
212 - Jackieboy
217 - CHJF177 (E) 5/75
222 - JM (B) 5/65
257 - Jonbaz
275 - Leonardj (B) 2/66
286 - JM (F) 11/72
301 - Troubledshooter (E) 11/71
329 - Leonardj (D) 3/67
392 - Lefrelon (E) coated
405 - Jonbaz
410 - CHJF177 (F) 2/72
421 - Jackieboy
427 - Jackieboy
473 - JM (E) 10/73
477 - Troubledshooter (D) 2/68
477 - Ormicron (E) 1/74 6 years apart, so different batches
522 - AC99
535 - Ashf9999 (E) 6/74
536 - CHJF177 (F) 5/72
553 - Troubledshooter (E) 12/71
614 - Micky
623 - Ormicron (E)
647 - JM (Lacquered) 12/74
689 - Leonardj (C) 7/66
690 - thenightstalker (B) 12/64
806 - Troubledshooter (B)
808 - JM Uncoded blued 5 pin from 1970/71
808 - Troubledshooter N/L N/C
816 - CHJF177 (E) 7/75
837 - dogsbody (E) 7/74
873 - Ashf9999 (E)
877 -Snodgrass (B)
881 - Abasmajor (A)
913 - CHJF177 N/C 3/73
974 - Troubledshooter (B) 9/5
994 - Jackieboy
1172 - Jackieboy
1239 - Jackieboy
1273 - Ormicron (E)
1295 - Leonardj (B) 11/65
1391 - Micky (C)
1398 - Troubledshooter (E) 12/8
1504 - Ashf9999 (D)
1539 - Micky
1720 - CHJF177 (D) 5/68
1815 - JM (C) 7/66
1888 - Troubledshooter (D) 7/7
1944 - CHJF177 (B) 1/66
2072 - JM (D) 7/67
3315 - Troubledshooter (D) 12/6
4219 - Troubledshooter (D) 1/8

Premier MK2
319 - Troubledshooter
382 - Ormicron
398 - Webman
451 - Webman
474 - Ormicron
582 - Lefrelon
614 - Micky
669 - Leonardj
680 - jm
891 - Johnbaz
928 - Leonardj
960 - Webman
962 - Ashf9999

..
Hi Josie & John, I've recently acquired a Mk1 - Numbered 700

[MikeJungle]

Hi,

Several years ago I inherited my Dad's Webley Premier which he had from new, details in the format 'Series Code Letter, Date stamp from under left grip and Batch Number' are:

E 7/74 392

The body is coated shiny black.

Regards,

Mike

[Josie & John]

Hi,

Several years ago I inherited my Dad's Webley Premier which he had from new, details in the format 'Series Code Letter, Date stamp from under left grip and Batch Number' are:

E 7/74 392

The body is coated shiny black.

Regards,

Mike

Thanks Mike,

By shiny black, I'm guessing you mean an enamel type finish rather than blued?

Kind regards,

John

[craig durant]

Hi John if you are still collecting batch no's here are mine

MK1 batch 77 under the grip 77
Premier mk11 Batch 647 under the grip 1554
Senior batch 6 under the grip 6 14
junior batch 169 under the grip 169

regards
Craig

[stevegv8]

I think I'll do a collector thread of my own but for the purpose of this data base I have just acquired a senior in only fair condition that has Birmingham 4 (so assuming pre '58 and from the orientation think it's 6 not 9) with D behind the trigger guard and 6 at the chamber end.

Additionally whilst here my premier Mk1 E is batch 983 with 1 '76 under the grip. It has a mark behind the guard that I can't really make out at all.

[Josie & John]

I think I'll do a collector thread of my own but for the purpose of this data base I have just acquired a senior in only fair condition that has Birmingham 4 (so assuming pre '58 and from the orientation think it's 6 not 9) with D behind the trigger guard and 6 at the chamber end.

Additionally whilst here my premier Mk1 E is batch 983 with 1 '76 under the grip. It has a mark behind the guard that I can't really make out at all.

Thank you Steve.

Is the Premier blued or does it have an enamel baked on finish with name sticker on the right side?

John

[stevegv8]

Thank you Steve.

Is the Premier blued or does it have an enamel baked on finish with name sticker on the right side?

John

Sticker on right , black enamel & blued barrel.
Not wishing to clog this thread up but I have added a pic of the illegible stamp on it and also the batch No. of the senior which seems very low as a 6?

[Josie & John]

Sticker on right , black enamel & blued barrel.
Not wishing to clog this thread up but I have added a pic of the illegible stamp on it and also the batch No. of the senior which seems very low as a 6?

Thanks Steve,

There is no way of dating the Senior from the batch no I'm afraid.

Kind regards,

John.

[stevegv8]

Hi John,
I know the batch number doesn't date them from reading the posts within this thread but what I was getting at is it being only 6 appears the lowest No. listed so far in this thread and were they batched in some sort of sequence, at least suggesting nearer the late '40's than '58?
Being in manufacturing myself I can imagine a number of final assembly benches could mean batch 20 could reach the sales counter before say batch 10, but in general wouldn't the lower the No. mean the earlier the piece? or no?

I've ordered Gordon Bruce's Webley air pistols off the interweb on Friday as it's easier to look up info up than task my old brain to remember so much detail!

Also do you make anything of the premier stamp? I can't.

[Josie & John]

Hi John,
I know the batch number doesn't date them from reading the posts within this thread but what I was getting at is it being only 6 appears the lowest No. listed so far in this thread and were they batched in some sort of sequence, at least suggesting nearer the late '40's than '58?
Being in manufacturing myself I can imagine a number of final assembly benches could mean batch 20 could reach the sales counter before say batch 10, but in general wouldn't the lower the No. mean the earlier the piece? or no?

I've ordered Gordon Bruce's Webley air pistols off the interweb on Friday as it's easier to look up info up than task my old brain to remember so much detail!

Also do you make anything of the premier stamp? I can't.

Hi Steve,
The answer to your question over batches is in this thread. I think there has been a 001 batch no for a Junior recorded. The stamp on the Premier is probably an Inspector's mark.

Kind regards,

John

[Troubledshooter]

Hi Steve,
The answer to your question over batches is in this thread. I think there has been a 001 batch no for a Junior recorded. The stamp on the Premier is probably an Inspector's mark.

Kind regards,

John

As you say, John, there have been two number '1' batch numbers recorded for Juniors, I have one of them.
Unfortunately, without written records of the way batch numbers were issued by Webley, there is no way of knowing how or when they were issued, as they do not appear to follow any particular logical sequence.

[stevegv8]

As you say, John, there have been two number '1' batch numbers recorded for Juniors, I have one of them.
Unfortunately, without written records of the way batch numbers were issued by Webley, there is no way of knowing how or when they were issued, as they do not appear to follow any particular logical sequence.

Sorry guys I didn't mean the lowest batch number in the thread but the lowest for a senior.

[archer24]

Don’t know if this is still going, but I have a 421 senior which appears to be a double

[Josie & John]

Don’t know if this is still going, but I have a 421 senior which appears to be a double

I think this thread has run its course now but thank you for sharing details of your pistol.

NOTICE TO ALL
PLEASE ONLY INCLUDE DETAILS OF PREMIER AIR PISTOLS IF YOU ARE HAPPY TO SHARE THEM.
Ideally state the Series Code Letter, Date stamp from under left grip and Batch Number

THERE IS NO NEED TO INCLUDE DETAILS OF OTHER WEBLEY MODELS as unlike date coded Premiers, it is impossible to accurately glean sufficient information from post war Juniors, Seniors and Mark Is.

Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread.

Kind regards,

John