About how many pistols were part of a typical Webley batch post War?

[45flint]

The way it was explained to me, in a article in Airgun World I think was.
Each piece that had to be unique to the gun, body, screw in spring guide, trigger guard and barrel catch, were put together pre bluing.
Then machined to fit, then stamped with a batch number, taken apart and send for bluing.
When they got back the batch number was used by the assemblers to identify which parts went together.
This is why buying these bits are a lottery on how well they fit.

If this is true batch number must be on various parts? Never had mine apart, is this true? If so how many parts have the number?

[Geezer]

If this is true batch number must be on various parts? Never had mine apart, is this true? If so how many parts have the number?

According to Gordon Bruce’s book, post-war Seniors had the batch number on the frame (under the left grip) and on the spring guide. Premiers had it on the frame in the same way and on the “flange at the front of the air cylinder”. For post-war Mark 1s, he says they were batch numbered on the frame, trigger guard, barrel catch and the “spring guide flange in front of the air cylinder”.

[45flint]

According to Gordon Bruce’s book, post-war Seniors had the batch number on the frame (under the left grip) and on the spring guide. Premiers had it on the frame in the same way and on the “flange at the front of the air cylinder”. For post-war Mark 1s, he says they were batch numbered on the frame, trigger guard, barrel catch and the “spring guide flange in front of the air cylinder”.

If this is true of the Seniors then I question that the number was there because they were hand fitted and as they went off to be blued they could tie the parts back to the same gun? If just the frame and spring guide are numbered? Makes no sense.

[Geezer]

If this is true of the Seniors then I question that the number was there because they were hand fitted and as they went off to be blued they could tie the parts back to the same gun? If just the frame and spring guide are numbered? Makes no sense.

My view, too. I can see it for the Mark 1 with four separate marked parts, but not for the Senior or Premier, assuming Bruce’s information is accurate and complete (which it usually is). It’s a mystery.

[ccdjg]

A possible reason for marking only the frame and muzzle plug/spring guide is that these are the only two components where perfect mating is important. When the muzzle cylinder plug and the cylinder had been threaded, the muzzle plug would have been screwed in fully and then the pivot hole drilled and barrel recess milled out to ensure perfect alignment. As it is very difficult to ensure exactly the start and end of the threading process it is most likely that if a different muzzle plug were to be used and screwed in fully, the pivot hole and barrel recess would not line up exactly.

[45flint]

A possible reason for marking only the frame and muzzle plug/spring guide is that these are the only two components where perfect mating is important. When the muzzle cylinder plug and the cylinder had been threaded, the muzzle plug would have been screwed in fully and then the pivot hole drilled and barrel recess milled out to ensure perfect alignment. As it is very difficult to ensure exactly the start and end of the threading process it is most likely that if a different muzzle plug were to be used and screwed in fully, the pivot hole and barrel recess would not line up exactly.

Good point, I actually was confused when they talked about spring guide, and frame. I didn’t know the number on the front end was endplug/spring guide. I never took off my grips (did just now) to see the batch number under them. Thus the matching of these to parts would warrant numbering as they went off to be blued.