Just arrived Webley Mark II Target - US import

[harvey_s]

No slur lol, after I opened up the box I had a few minutes with the pistol and then went on a afternoon trip with my wife. All the time I was thinking this had to be reblued, just too nice, then I get home and continued to examine I thought it seems original? Part of collecting that adds to the fascination. The double stamping of the US patent was interesting as well?

If that's the original finish - that's an amazing find in that condition - well done.

[45flint]

Warm enough to give it a quick Chrony out in the back yard with RWS 7 grain Hobbys. 5 shot string: 403, 402, 407, 407, 405. Wow is that consistent or what. So solid cocking it and a nice but firm trigger pull. Probably have to wait till spring to have a accuracy test and a shootout with its Premier cousin. Guarantee this will shoot rings around my Haenel 28s. I think my 3 day trial is over. Lol

[Josie & John]

Hi,

Sorry for my late contribution to this thread!

The JJ is indeed an inspector's mark. I have come across it before along with several others. I'm sure I have seen reference to who some of these inspectors were somewhere but can't quite place it - may have been one of John Atkins' excellent articles on Webleys. Whenever I read one of John's articles on Webleys and virtually anything else, I always seem to learn something new!

I would not expect to see any white paint over the stampings as I believe this was a post war feature. The brass and leather washer is a spare breech washer, which came supplied as standard with all Webleys back then.

Is the action tight when you cock the pistol? Likewise is there any lateral play at the barrel pivot during cocking. If as new, I would expect this to be very tight. The pistol certainly looks like it just left the factory and I agree, it looks almost too good, which is a terrible thing to say, I know. Strange the box looks to have a lot more wear than the pistol?

A nice find nonetheless and I'd be tempted to keep her myself.

John

[Benelli B76]

What were the differences other than the grips between the MK 2 Stoeger and the MK 1 below ?

Baz

[Abasmajor]

What were the differences other than the grips between the MK 2 Stoeger and the MK 1 below ?

Baz

The Mk2 Target was essentially a deluxe development from the Mk1 following requests for a more powerful pistol particularly from the American market. Apart from the grips, the Mk2 also used two split metal rings instead of the traditional leather washer to maintain an air-tight seal between the piston and cylinder. The rear sight was also improved by using two interconnected components one being a notched sight blade and the other a guide plate secured together by a single screw. The barrel catch on some of the earlier pistols also used a small screw rather than a pin to secure it to the frame. As this variant was aimed at the higher end of the market, I'm surprised Webley didn't continue with the provision of wood grips similar to the Stoeger ones rather the experimenting with the synthetic grips fitted to those destined for the UK market.

Regards
Brian

[45flint]

Must say that this pistol has been worth the entertainment value of these posts, plus it has started my interest in prewar Webleys when my core prewar collection has been four Haenel 28s over the last two years. I like all of you have the “too good to be true” issue staring me in the face since I opened the box. I am a novice to vintage Airgun collecting but not to blued pistols, have loved them all my life. It’s easy for a new owner to want it to be true but the gun is what it is, but here are my observations.

1. I have purchased 4 Haenel’s in the last four years. One is very similar to this Webley. The Box looked extremely old but the pistol almost factory new. No question in my mind it was the original factory bluing, just brilliant and the gun was extremely tight. I say almost because there were some light indents on the wood grips. Wood grips can’t really lie because they are softer than steel and once marked can only be sanded and refinished. The Haenel grips are smooth but the Webley grips are checkered, almost impossible to fix. When you see the pistol what strikes you in person are the wood grips which are just perfect, they look like replacements.

https://imgur.com/gallery/NxS8J pull up to see both sides.

It’s hard for me to believe that the pistol had enough wear to have to be reblued and the grips remain perfect?

2. Examining the gun the linkages look new, it is very tight, looking into the oil port the cylinder looks new.

3. It has been shot for sure, but the wear around the breach where it snaps shut looks normal to me.

4. Actually still having the original replacement breech seal adds to the case it never had to be used?
https://imgur.com/gallery/XIdEt

5. It Chronys at 405 fps which is to factory specs.

6. Looking at it from all angles it looks good but not reblued to me, in fact the bluing looks very similar to the quality of the Haenel of the same period. (It was probably a mistake to take the first pics right after I oiled it down, that excentuated the gloss.)

Just for fun: England and Germany together, the bluing in real life looks like they came from the same factory, seriously. https://imgur.com/gallery/G619n

[ccdjg]

I am entirely with you on this one. Apart from all your convincing observations I would also say that no one in their right mind would bother to go to all the trouble and expense of rebluing a pistol to that standard if it was just suffering from normal wear and tear. Only a major accident that destroyed the finish, or required welding work etc, might induce an owner to have it refinished, and then only if it had some special sentimental value. Clearly your pistol has never undergone any such mishap. So well done on snaring a superb find!

[45flint]

Another learning experience from this pistol is that I convinced myself that Haenel produced the best finished pistols of the period. This pistol shows me that prewar Webley was every bit as good. As I said above you would think they came from the same factory. That era was just had pride and craftsmanship and probably the identical bluing technics of the day.

[Benelli B76]

Were the two pistols produced in the same period ? You say yours was imported before Stoeger, but mine is a MK1 with Stoeger markings on it.

Baz

[45flint]

Were the two pistols produced in the same period ? You say yours was imported before Stoeger, but mine is a MK1 with Stoeger markings on it.

Baz

Good point my Webley would be 1925-6? The Haenel 28 went from 1928- 1939? Your Stoeger 1927? to 1938? What’s your serial number?

[Benelli B76]

Only had this in my possession for a short time as I work on Webleys but do not collect them (like old U.S. CO2 more). Think it began with 357--.

Baz

[micky2]

Did the Mk 11 Target get white paint in the lettering from the factory? I thought that was a post war finish

Lovely pistol there Flint - keep it !

l stand corrected on the white paint. as you say on post war pistols. but there is a photo in Bruce's Webley pistols book page 40 that show's one with white paint? but probley done by the owner at some time.