Webley mark 3 help please

[Stevenlee]

please help !! I recently got a Webley mark 3 from my father who long ago got it from my uncle who recently passed. The gun had been left in a shed with a broken roof. Rain and allsorts had gotten on the gun as it stood there for 20 years. I have just finished lovingly restoring it back to its former glory. I have removed all rust back to bare metal and re-blued the metal and sanded down the stock and Tru-oiled it back to a beautiful deep shiny lustre. It truly looks like new and after thoroughly cleaning the inside of the barrel and replacing the leather piston seal it fires perfect. I really wish to know more about this classic. mostly I want to know its age. its serial is 28181. I think that makes it series 2 but I don't know enough. What I know is they developed the mark 3 in 1946 then started producing them in 1947 until 1975. I don't know how many series there were or what the changes in each series were or the years they were. I know there are two books that talk about it but both go from £30,00 to £80,00.I really want to know as much as I can so I can put it all on paper and put it in file along with description and all photos of restoration. this is a sentimental project of love for me and one last connection to a great uncle. As I have tried to research I have seen many for sale saying there an early year yet I think they have a later model stock or loading tap according to chambers. I have learned as much as is available on internet without purchasing those books which the wife would kill me for and now need the help of an expert or experienced person in mark 3 history. Firstly I need the year of manufacture for my rifle then as much about all the other series of mark 3. again please help this is more than just a rifle to me !!

[ashf9999]

please help !! I recently got a Webley mark 3 from my father who long ago got it from my uncle who recently passed. The gun had been left in a shed with a broken roof. Rain and allsorts had gotten on the gun as it stood there for 20 years. I have just finished lovingly restoring it back to its former glory. I have removed all rust back to bare metal and re-blued the metal and sanded down the stock and Tru-oiled it back to a beautiful deep shiny lustre. It truly looks like new and after thoroughly cleaning the inside of the barrel and replacing the leather piston seal it fires perfect. I really wish to know more about this classic. mostly I want to know its age. its serial is 28181. I think that makes it series 2 but I don't know enough. What I know is they developed the mark 3 in 1946 then started producing them in 1947 until 1975. I don't know how many series there were or what the changes in each series were or the years they were. I know there are two books that talk about it but both go from £30,00 to £80,00.I really want to know as much as I can so I can put it all on paper and put it in file along with description and all photos of restoration. this is a sentimental project of love for me and one last connection to a great uncle. As I have tried to research I have seen many for sale saying there an early year yet I think they have a later model stock or loading tap according to chambers. I have learned as much as is available on internet without purchasing those books which the wife would kill me for and now need the help of an expert or experienced person in mark 3 history. Firstly I need the year of manufacture for my rifle then as much about all the other series of mark 3. again please help this is more than just a rifle to me !!

Sure it's 28181? Not a number listed in Chris Thrale's book (s/n log at back)... But as those are post 1964 numbers I guess that's the reason. Must be earlier. Troubledshooter?

[deejayuu]

Series 2 for sure. Probably 1958 with serial number stamped in the stock which finished around '59.
P.S. Welcome. You're doomed. We luv pictures.

[Stevenlee]

definitely 28181 its stamped on it in three places including stock which is early type I think all smooth no grooves on sides or base. it has the smooth leading tap lever not the squared off one all original parts nothings been changed on it

[Stevenlee]

I don't know how to add pics but have lots of them

[stevegv8]

Flicking over the pages of Thrales book (and it would need better reading than flicking) it would be vital to have a number of photos of crucial areas.
The real experts will know straight away, probably from description alone, but the loading tap, top of the air chamber, medallion/disc in the stock, a serial inside the stock and any patterns in the stock, the trigger would all be valuable clues for the novice to work it out as to which series of the mark seeing as it ran from '47-75 so the book says.
I'd love to see photos to help work it all out.
The book claims serials stamped in the stock ceased around serial 32000 about 1959, mine is 32504 with a stock stamp so at the moment I'm assuming series 3 about 1960 which is a precise as I can be so far.
The Thrale book is a delight and you really have to slip one into the house some how mine was £41 inc post through Amazon.

[Stevenlee]

I would love to add all my photos but it wont let me it offers no option to do so. I really want to find as much as I can about my rifle including its value not that I would ever sell for all the money in the world

[deejayuu]

Series 2 for sure. Probably 1958 with serial number stamped in the stock which finished around '59.
P.S. Welcome. You're doomed. We luv pictures.

Thanks for letting me off with that. I meant 4th series. Grooved front sight for hood and graduated rear sight are clinchers.
Where's my hat. Tin that is.

[Josie & John]

Off the top of my head, this sounds like a late 3rd series rifle from 1958/59. It would have been one of the first to be fitted with the new rounded stock and unlikely to have a factory scope ramp.

Chris Thrale produced a well researched and incredibly detailed book on Webley Air Rifles and you will find all you need to know within it. The top quality images are worth the cost of the book alone.

John

[abellringer]

For info you can't get much better than Josie & John, I have only recently started to swap info with them but they are superbly knowledgeable; I have to agree that Chris Thrale is a great source of knowledge also. I have some info on an insider basis and also a detailed knowledge of later production, but I do struggle to attach 'series' numbers to various models. I can confirm No 44370 was made W/E 7-11-1964 and can go to the end of production in some detail. No doubt there are other people on the forum who will be able to help, just give it a little time.
ATVB
abellringer

[gingernut]

They make most of it up as they go along.







Im joking.
Brilliant knowledge and happy to share it too.

[Geezer]

Chris's book (p 66-67) suggests this is what he calls a Series 4, introduced in 1957, on which the lowest serials he has seen are 28072 and 28120, both of which had chequering on the grip. According to the book, a Series 4 should usually have a smooth walnut stock, though chequering was an optional extra. Should have a pair of grooves on the front sight sides to allow fitment of a hood, and little gradations marked on the rear sight. One piece machined trigger housing. No telescope sight ramp.

[Stevenlee]

Why do some of the numbers have a letter prefix ? Thanks for all the great info can now narrow mine down to series 4 about 1958 one of the first to feature the smooth finish walnut stock. How much would you approxamate the value to be and would the full restoration i did affect that. It did have to be restored it was in to much of a state and unusable. Now its beautiful and like new.

[ashf9999]

Why do some of the numbers have a letter prefix ? Thanks for all the great info can now narrow mine down to series 4 about 1958 one of the first to feature the smooth finish walnut stock. How much would you approxamate the value to be and would the full restoration i did affect that. It did have to be restored it was in to much of a state and unusable. Now its beautiful and like new.

Link didn't work for me. As you say, it needed restoring so it will definitely be worth more now you've done it, but a little less than a mint original. On that basis, and not seeing the photo, around £120 to £160ish I'd expect (upper end of the range).

[Stevenlee]

I dont know how to add pictures or would gladly swamp you with loads