Beeman C1

[Geezer]

I recently picked up a nice C1 after being on the lookout for quite some time.

The Vulcan never had any appeal to me but something about the C1 did, I imagine it was the straight grip stock which is novel on an air rifle. It does feel slightly odd bringing it to shoulder but I might try removing the scope and just use the open sights.

Mine must be the early variant with no safety.

Does anyone know what years they were produced?

Cheers
Greg

'81-'96 according to the Blue Book of Airgun. Nifty looking guns

https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2009...rtillery-hold/

More like 1983-91, I think. If the Blue Book guys saw them on sale in 96, those were probably old stock.

Definitely good with iron sights.

Mine wears a Beeman marked period Williams peep. Nice.

If you want to scope it, stay period, small and low.

Webley Teleskan (not a great sight, though), Beeman SS1, SS2, SS3 (good glass, can be pricey these days, like as much if not more than a decent C1), Optima Gamekeeper (ditto), maybe a 1990s Simmons 1.5-5x20.

Personally, I find the stock too straight, the wrist angle too acute for proper trigger engagement, and the overall feel not quite as good as I thought it would be before I owned it. Quirky, interesting, nice bit of Webley history, but if I needed a fast-handling short Vulcan/Victor variant for ratting or similar, my carbined Xocet beats it hands down.

[Drew451]

Slight tangent: did the Victor/ Vulcan successors (Excell?) share the Vulcan action? The C1 could have ran on into the 90s if so, and evolved/ been refined slightly ?

[Geezer]

Slight tangent: did the Victor/ Vulcan successors (Excell?) share the Vulcan action? The C1 could have ran on into the 90s if so, and evolved/ been refined slightly ?

The Excel (1988-2000), Stingray and Xocet ( 2000-05) definitely do. All at 12 ft-lbs in the U.K. The youth model (Victor replacement - Excel, Xocet, though the Xocet moved more into being a value adult gun than a youth one) moving up to full power. A lesson from the Victor being that even youth guns then needed to be “full power”.

The Omega (1984-94), Eclipse (88-2000), Tomahawk (2000-2005) and Longbow (2002-2005, then briefly continued by the Turks) have Vulcan/Hawk/Osprey/Tracker/Viscount DNA, same cylinder diameter for one, but different stocks, triggers, etc. The more Webley varied them, the less DNA there was. A bit like the relationship between an old 1950s HW35 and the current HW95K. Definitely from the same stable, but not the same horse.