Webley Mark 3 vs BSA Airsporter

[45flint]

You English collectors would know, looking at a early gun 1950s? which is the better gun of the two to own?

[Troubledshooter]

This may sound strange from a Webley collector, but I prefer the Airsporter.
A Mk.1 .22 Airsporter was the first air rifle I owned, and I prefer the loading tap on the left side.
I've never been a great fan of the Mk.3, particularly once they put that pathetic scope rail on it, even though I have a few in my collection.

[smallholder1]

I like the early mk3 solid rifle including the stock which is a bit flimsy on early bsa

[DAVALI]

The WEBLEY Mklll for the build and accuracy.
The BSA AIRSPORTER for power and looks,
In my youth, which was long,long ago I had many of both models pass through my mits, it’s all in the eye of the beholder!,

DaveM.

[rockdrill]

I have a very early Webley Mk3 (serial number 31) with the 'double pull' (two stage) trigger and it is a really nice rifle. The trigger is streets ahead of anything offered on their later guns until the likes of the Omega. Just a pity they didn't continue with the design.



I also have a nice Mk1 Airsporter.

I would agree with the Airsporter being the more elegant rifle, but the Webley does seem to be a touch better engineered.

As to which is best to own - just get both and enjoy them.

[D10bore]

I too have a first series Webley mk 3 and mk 1 airsporter I would say airsporter mike

[mrto]

Get both they are real classics!

[cinedux]

The Airsporter Mk1 and Mk11 are a high water mark for BSA. The Webley Mk111 was a bit of a step down from the 'Service' and was rather pre-warish itself. Waaaay back,I recall fellow kids saying,'Webley make good pistols but for rifles buy BSA". Of course we were probably biased one way or t'other!

[vbull]

Lovely wood on the early MK3 rifles.

[45flint]

For those who say get both you are assuming infinite resources and opportunity. Not sure life works that way?

[Abasmajor]

I prefer the more elegant appearance of the early Airsporter especially the Mk1 with its wheel adjustable rather than flip-up rear sight. Both the Mk1 & Mk2 also feature the neat little automatically opening tap mounted on the more convenient side which was dropped for a while before reappearing on some later models.

Another discriminator for me anyway is the history of the designs with the BSA being entirely original, whereas the Webley was almost directly derived from the German Diana 45 immediately after the war.

Both have there own merits though, so the easiest thing to do is own at least one example of each.

Regards
Brian

[45flint]

I prefer the more elegant appearance of the early Airsporter especially the Mk1 with its wheel adjustable rather than flip-up rear sight. Both the Mk1 & Mk2 also feature the neat little automatically opening tap mounted on the more convenient side which was dropped for a while before reappearing on some later models.

Another discriminator for me anyway is the history of the designs with the BSA being entirely original, whereas the Webley was almost directly derived from the German Diana 45 immediately after the war.

Both have there own merits though, so the easiest thing to do is own at least one example of each.

Regards
Brian

I like your logic, certainly held true on the Webley Straight Grip Senior. I can absolutely see why it’s your favorite Webley pistol. You have to hold one, something about it? Assume your experienced and well thought out here as well.

[johnbaz]

I like both, The Mk3 is so well made made and nicxe to look at yet seems small in the hands, The Airsdporter is also nice looking but bigger, My mk3's are sealed so well that the piston will hold back if the tap is opened and thew pressure let off the spring, None of my Airsporters will do that

The build of the Airsporter got progressively worse as the newer marks were introduced



I have to confess to preferring the later mk3 stocks to the early fluted ones, The early ones i've seen were very plain, All the later ones were figured quite nicely!!



BTW, The early mk3 on the right has the two stage trigger, Serial #3970


John

[Geezer]

The correct answers are:

Falke model 80 or 90.

Anschutz LG54 (sporter Hakim).

Diana 50.

Oh, all right then. Both.

I genuinely can't decide. And I have both.

The Webley is a higher quality product, but a shameless pre-war D45 copy. The Airsporter by contrast is a fairly original piece of design. The Webley is better made and finished. The BSA handles better. The BSA auto-tap is nice and never fails to raise a smile. The Webley's manual one is on the wrong side, but you quickly get the hang of using it and it's not an issue. I've never used a double-pull MkIII, but the later MKIII and BSA triggers are similar. Sights are another draw (scopes on these are just wrong).

Once you get beyond the MkII BSA, the Webley (despite cost-cutting) stays at a progressively higher level of fit and finish over time. An early 70s Airsporter is quite a sad thing, whereas even the lacquer stock MKIIIs are still in "pride of ownership" territory.

Ultimately, they shoot about the same size groups at the same rough power level.

Final thought. If Dan Dare (Google him, Americans and younger readers) had had an air rifle, it would have been an Airsporter. It must have felt very jet-age future when it came out, even though it's just a good old boinger inside.

[Geezer]

My only disagreement with johnbaz is that while I think the later MKIII stocks probably handle better, the earlier ones win me over with their quirky neo-Victorian Gothic lines. And some are very well finished.