Technical Advice Please - re Longbow Lubrication

[andrewM]

I bought a mint Longbow recently - the owner was a collector and put six shots down the barrel once a year and then returned it to its box. However, between buying it two months ago and after shooting probably less than 50 shots, the power has diminished by over 1/2 ft/lb.

The helpful gunsmith from whom I bought it, says that he thinks the cylinder needs greasing. The piston head and breech seal are as new, so he thinks this is the problem, which he will fix. I am just wondering if readers think I should suggest any other possibility.

Meanwhile, I looked at the Manual, kindly supplied to me by Troubledshooter, here. It says that occasionally, three or four drops of Weblube gun oil should be applied to the piston skirt, via the loading lever slots in the stock and body tube assembly. This is double-dutch to me. Does anyone know to what they are referring, here?

Also, the same drops of oil should be administered to the piston seal, via the air feed hole in the breech face. It then adds that serious damage could be done if there is over lubrication!

I was under the impression that unlike with leather washers, no oil should be introduced into the transfer port/air feed hole.

Any advice re the above would be much appreciated.

Many thanks.
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[Troubledshooter]

Whatever lubrication you use, make sure it is synthetic oil like 'Weblube', and not mineral oil which Webley refer to as 'Weboil'.

[Geezer]

50 rounds is not really enough to form an informed judgement.

I'd say you need to do one of two things.

Either fire 500+ rounds through it in short order to see if it is currently going through a lube-related "phase" like a grumpy teenager - it may settle down to perform more consistently - or strip, clean, and re-lube/service/tune. What your smith is suggesting sounds to me like an unsatisfactory half-way house.

[andrewM]

Thank you, both, for your helpful advice, much appreciated.

I rather suspect that the rifle has not even been run in yet, given its condition and lack of use, so probably it needs some shooting. Still, it might have dried out over a period of some 12 years. Two further queries:

1 Do you know what the manual means when it says: "...three or four drops of Weblube gun oil should be applied to the piston skirt, via the loading lever slots in the stock and body tube assembly." What are the loading lever slots? I cannot see anything obvious, unless I need to remove the stock (not in itself simple because these are not ordinary screws for ordinary screwdrivers).

2 Is Weblube still available these days, given the closure of the factory? Presumably, this is not a silicone based lubricant - I have read enough about silicone on this site to have sleepless nights!

I will have to ask the gunsmith to carry out the lubrication procedure and perhaps the service and cleaning, as you suggest might be needed Geezer. I have not the confidence and tools to do this personally.

[hwtyger]

Forget lubing. It doesnt need it. Its not fitted with a leather pistonseal. Itll only cause dieseling or slowburn.
If it has new pistonseal than it certainly shouldve been relubed sufficiently.
Cilinder never needs lubing. Unless you totally degrease it with brake-cleaner of something like that, there will be suffficient lube in the manufacturing ribs.
Its probably just running in. Shoot another 500 pellets and see where it settles.
While waiting for that, give the barrel a good clean. Might be years ago, if ever

[andrewM]

Thank you for that, hwtyger.

I think the piston seal is almost certainly the one fitted at the factory but has hardly ever been used. The barrel looks spotless.

It is just rather strange that the power should fall so markedly. I will fire some more shots through it but it could have dried out, somewhat, especially if kept in a warm place.

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