The first SSP pistols, were match guns from the late 60s through early/mid 70s like the Walther LP2&3, FAS604, Air Match.
The mid-range SSPs started I think with the Gamo PR-15 and PR-45 as lower-cost derivatives of the Gamo Compact in around 1992-93. Quickly followed by the old (proper) Webley Nemesis in 1994 or 95.
HW saw an opportunity and brought out the HW40/Beeman P3 in 1999.
If you compare the three, they are all the same basic design (as is the HW75). And are based on the FAS.
Yes, you read that right. First Webley, then HW, copied Gamo.
Or, maybe, there is one obvious best way to design an SSP.
Until 1999, Beeman had been selling Webley Nemesises (is that the correct plural?) in the US. He immediately dropped the Webley and sold the HW instead - another nail in old Webley’s coffin. Truth be told, the HW is probably a better pistol (and the Gamo ain’t bad, and was cheaper).
The “Webley” (Zoracki) Alecto arrived on the scene about ten years ago, and is no longer sold as a “Webley”. Which is almost a shame as it’s one of the few modern “Webleys” that actually seems quite good (even if I think it looks stupid).
I did a wee bit of research as well and as far as I can tell, the alecto was manufactured for webley by atakarms, webley then dropped it and atakarms started producing it for themselves. Zoraki seems to be the designation the company gives all it's pistols.
I've had the nemesis, pr15 and my favourite which I should never have sold, fwb100.. what a beauty! One If like the nemesis as well though.. the pr15 I got when they came out, it kept pinching my hand when closing so I got rid.
Last edited by thisisdonald; 03-10-2018 at 06:46 PM. Reason: Clarity
Donald
Atakarms own version of the Alecto, the Zoraki HP-01, was already in production when the Alecto was introduced by Webley.
The only exploded diagram and parts list I was able to obtain at the time, was for the Zoraki HP-01.
I bought one of the first Nemesis in the clam shell packaging and subsequently bought a lot, although not all, of the colour variations both in clam shells and the later boxes. I sold most of them, including a gold coloured presentation model, to another very keen collector, but still have a couple left along with some spares.
In my opinion, the SSP Nemesis was ideal as a relatively low powered plinker.
Last edited by Troubledshooter; 05-10-2018 at 12:36 PM. Reason: Edited to appease the pedants.
Not that low powered, my .177 shoots at near 450fps which is pretty much as you'll see out of the majority of springers let alone SSP'S.
450 fps? Are you sure about that?
That's approx. 60 fps more than the 604 which has a larger compression cylinder.
Four hundred and fifty
The Mayor: Intent? How did you establish that?
Harry Callahan: When a man is chasing a woman through an alley with a butcher’s knife and a hard-on, I figure he isn’t out collecting for the Red Cross.