Webley Premier prods buttock!

[tinbum]

I got a Premier and Tempest to strip for an upcoming article, and today I finally got time to have a play.

The Tempest is a new arrival, tatty and used, but for its intended purpose that was fine. The Premier is (I think) a model B with an F serial number. Both are .22 and both were doing sub 2.5 fpe with superdomes. Can anyone tell me roughly when this one was made from that info?

I got service parts (springs and seals), polished the pistons and fitted teeny top hats to kill the twang they both suffered, relubed with quality moly paste and tested again.

The Tempest is now 3.2 fpe, which is a jump of exactly 1, not bad and not far off the performance it would have had out of the box.
The Premier is now pounding them out at nigh on 4 fpe!! (350fps) There's not a whiff of smoke and recoil is short and sharp, mighty impressive in my book, it feels great too.

I've always liked the Tempest, but it's a giant next to the Premier, but strangely it weighs quite a lot less. The effect of this in the hand is profound, the Tempest has been relegated down the ranks.

I'm now just waiting for a Senior, Mk1 and Hurricane to complete the set I want.

[Geezer]

I got a Premier and Tempest to strip for an upcoming article, and today I finally got time to have a play.

The Tempest is a new arrival, tatty and used, but for its intended purpose that was fine. The Premier is (I think) a model B with an F serial number. Both are .22 and both were doing sub 2.5 fpe with superdomes. Can anyone tell me roughly when this one was made from that info?

I got service parts (springs and seals), polished the pistons and fitted teeny top hats to kill the twang they both suffered, relubed with quality moly paste and tested again.

The Tempest is now 3.2 fpe, which is a jump of exactly 1, not bad and not far off the performance it would have had out of the box.
The Premier is now pounding them out at nigh on 4 fpe!! (350fps) There's not a whiff of smoke and recoil is short and sharp, mighty impressive in my book, it feels great too.

I've always liked the Tempest, but it's a giant next to the Premier, but strangely it weighs quite a lot less. The effect of this in the hand is profound, the Tempest has been relegated down the ranks.

I'm now just waiting for a Senior, Mk1 and Hurricane to complete the set I want.

My set is an early post-war Mk1, a post-war Senior, a Tempest and a Hurricane. I need a Premier. And a couple of pre-WW2 guns, but nice ones are really quite spendy now.

I have the same views as you - the newer guns feel less substantial (the Hurricane at least shoots very well, my Tempest may be a bit tired and need a service) because of the use of alloy. The Senior in particular is a joy to hold and shoot, even if the Hurricane is more accurate.

An F stamped on the left side of the grip frame indicates an F series premier, the last of the blued Premiers, and only made in 1975.

[tinbum]

My set is an early post-war Mk1, a post-war Senior, a Tempest and a Hurricane. I need a Premier. And a couple of pre-WW2 guns, but nice ones are really quite spendy now.

I have the same views as you - the newer guns feel less substantial (the Hurricane at least shoots very well, my Tempest may be a bit tired and need a service) because of the use of alloy. The Senior in particular is a joy to hold and shoot, even if the Hurricane is more accurate.

An F stamped on the left side of the grip frame indicates an F series premier, the last of the blued Premiers, and only made in 1975.

I look for cheaper, tattier examples. I shoot them, I don't want boxes etc!

This one is stamped "B" on the side and "F" under the trigger guard.

[Geezer]

I look for cheaper, tattier examples. I shoot them, I don't want boxes etc!

This one is stamped "B" on the side and "F" under the trigger guard.

Then it's a B series. From 1964, I believe.

PS - what is the title of this thread on about?

[tinbum]

Then it's a B series. From 1964, I believe.

PS - what is the title of this thread on about?

If I'd put "Kicks Ass!" I would have been in trouble for swearing.

[Geezer]

If I'd put "Kicks Ass!" I would have been in trouble for swearing.

Or animal cruelty. I believe the RSPCA types frown on putting the boot into donkeys.

[mrto]

I have in the region of fifteen blued steel Webley's,MK1's,Senior's and Premier's,the Senior's and Premier's are the best in terms of ease of cocking and power output.

I had a Tempest for many years,but despite it being a good shooter at around 3.5ftlbs with a good trigger,the crummy build quality of it,(the rot had set in with the MK2 Premier,unfortunately) cheap casting,lots of plastic,cheap roll pins and black paint meant I never got fond of it,so I swapped it recently for a Spanish air rifle!

I feel I got the better of the deal!