What killed Webley?

[grantb]

Both Webley and BSA airguns were poorly marketed here in Canada. Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, I seldom saw British airguns being advertised or sold in Canadian sporting goods stores. I recall seeing mostly Crosman, Daisy and Sylvia products.

[cinedux]

When Weihrauch rifles came on the NZ market you couldn't give a Webley away! The pistol scene was a different story. Crosman's hand-guns ensured fine old Webleys remained on shop shelves. In a country starved of pistols and revolvers,replicas filled the bill.Of course now,or up until recently(and importation prohibition),Umarex products dominated.

[abellringer]

I have to agree with many of the comments about management and investment. I had first hand experience, there were directors who came into W & S mid 70's, they had no knowledge of guns and shooting ethos; I fell out with both fairly quickly. REASON. A conversation -- me why are we putting in cheap split pins and spirol dowels; answer -- how much do you think it costs to put in screws, never mind those bloody locking screws, dowels will do the same thing and make 50 times more profit. Me, I can understand the economics, but customers have expectations and the new German guns have super quality and engineering as standard, surely anything they can do we can at least match, reply if people want foreign guns it's up to them, but there will always be people who buy Webleys because of the history. Me -- ok so when are we going to make at least a proper 10m rifle if not pistol??, reply we aren't, there's more money in cheap and cheerful. Me -- yes but we had a reputable gun in the MKIII, we now only make low to mid range quality guns now, we need to keep up or lose customers, especially as the Hawk stocks and front screws aren't up to the job. Answer we make more money getting 4 stocks out of a plank than 3, even if the grain is no good through the grip. they don't all break and we are looking at the screws anyway, but we don't want to get into top quality or 10m stuff, our way forward is cheap and cheerful, if they don't last folk will always buy another anyway. Me -- isn't that a way to losing customers full stop? no one can carry on with that way of thinking. Reply -- what are you going on about, a gun is a gun, ''piece of wood, metal tubes on top, pull a lever and bang'', what more do want. Me -- sorry I don't agree, there's a whole lot of history, craftsmanship and personal pride in being in this trade and if I can't be allowed to have that in my mind I think we are on a parting path. Reply that's the trouble with trades like this, if you don't look at profits first you'll never succeed. etc. etc.
It was explained years later; ''they all went to the same school of mismanagement and now we feel the effects'', from a craftsman about to retire at 70, this in the 80's and sadly; I think he was right.
Accountants and non engineers have a lot to answer for.
That's my grumble out of the way and actually I feel better for it.
ATVB
abellringer