Beeman C1

[Benelli B76]

Thank you Baz! I will think about it. A C1 would be even nicer, as I love the stock design and the American aura (well, made in Birmingham for Mr Beeman ).
Kind regards,
Louis
Ps. Just picked up a Saxby & Palmer Ensign, legal over here, and a Cap Chur Model 50, made by Crosman and based on the 160. Very interesting!

They are also legal here, just need a licence. The C1 is basically a Webley Vulcan with a shotgun stock fitted. Still got my Firebird ? They are the best rifle to use as a testbed, miss all my experiments. You are accumulating and I am selling, must be my stage of life ! You need the Cap Chur in your profession.

ATB, Baz

[jirushi]

They are also legal here, just need a licence. The C1 is basically a Webley Vulcan with a shotgun stock fitted. Still got my Firebird ? They are the best rifle to use as a testbed, miss all my experiments. You are accumulating and I am selling, must be my stage of life ! You need the Cap Chur in your profession.

ATB, Baz

Hi Baz, yes I definitely still have your Firebird. It is a great rifle. John blueprinted it and I enjoy shooting it a lot, with all calibers.
Yes I am accumulating, which sometimes gives me sweaty armpits as it is an addiction, without wanting to be funny.
The Cap Chur is indeed purely out of necessity for my profession as a small animal veterinarian
Louis

[Geezer]

Baz, “Shed”,

You are both wrong and both right.

The C1 is a C1.

Vulcan: Vulcan stock, full power spring. Safety.

Victor: as above, but Victor stock, lower power spring. No safety.

C1 (early): C1 stock, full power spring. No safety. 14” barrel.

C1 (late): as above, but safety.

My gut feeling is that most C1s were the early type, and that most of the later type went to the States.

[Shed tuner]

Baz, “Shed”,

You are both wrong and both right.

I feel better now.. I think

[Benelli B76]

Its not my favourite design, I don't like the long breech seal inserted in the chamber. Got similar one in this week BSA Comet for 10 quid. Guy couldn't understand why huge bang on firing and pellet hadn't moved. Made up a long PU seal and away it went.

Baz

[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]

[Benelli B76]

Bit of rubbing with coarse wire wool and oil, Comet came up a bit cleaner.

Baz

[IMG][/IMG]

[jirushi]

Bit of rubbing with coarse wire wool and oil, Comet came up a bit cleaner.

Baz

[IMG][/IMG]

Great result!

[Thegreg]

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

[Drew451]

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

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

[MDriskill]

Baz, “Shed”,

You are both wrong and both right.

The C1 is a C1.

Vulcan: Vulcan stock, full power spring. Safety.

Victor: as above, but Victor stock, lower power spring. No safety.

C1 (early): C1 stock, full power spring. No safety. 14” barrel.

C1 (late): as above, but safety.

My gut feeling is that most C1s were the early type, and that most of the later type went to the States.

FWIW, I would describe the original C1 as a Victor action (skinny barrel, no safety, flat-faced rear receiver plug) with shortened barrel, full-strength Vulcan spring, and a new stock.

The second-generation C1 was, IIRC, identical save for the addition of the safety.

The third-generation C1 picked up other changes from the “Mk 3” Vulcan family: a heavier barrel, and as mentioned above a wider, ribbed, curved trigger blade whose center is a bit further aft - and beautifully illustrated below by louisvanhovell’s photos.

As Geezer mentioned, the stock wrist angle of the C1 is very flat and quite uncomfortable for many, me included. The lack of drop at the butt heel does a great job of controlling muzzle lift in this light and powerful little rifle, and I found it very easy to shoot well in spite of the pain! . The late trigger gives a more comfortable hand position, and I like the balance of the meatier barrel, too.

Beeman’s catalogs claimed the design inspiration was the old “western” lever-action carbines, like the classic Winchester 94. Where they went off with the C1, is that those guns had a lot more drop at the butt, making the wrist angle more comfortable.

I always admired the gorgeous metal finish and crisp woodwork on Webley rifles of that era, though. To my mind the trigger isn’t even all that bad once you break it in, lube it a bit, and explain to yourself this is a dedicated outdoor sporter, not a target rifle, LOL...

[45flint]

Read the C-1 stock was designed by the famous custom stockmaker Gary Goudy for Beeman. I think the difference in this stock is it’s obvious straightness, but also it’s grip thickness. I compared it to my early Webley Mark 3 in pics below. The Mark 3 is much thinner and can be more easily gripped like a pistol with arm lower. What the C1 stock makes you do is hold the rifle with your right arm straight out? Puts your hand more over the stock and does keep this pretty powerful carbine more stable? This may actually give me better form, but the rifle seems to be more accurate than it should be. I also find the single stage triggers of these two Webleys to be pretty similar.

https://imgur.com/a/NshlMXx

[Geezer]

Read the C-1 stock was designed by the famous custom stockmaker Gary Goudy for Beeman. I think the difference in this stock is it’s obvious straightness, but also it’s grip thickness. I compared it to my early Webley Mark 3 in pics below. The Mark 3 is much thinner and can be more easily gripped like a pistol with arm lower. What the C1 stock makes you do is hold the rifle with your right arm straight out? Puts your hand more over the stock and does keep this pretty powerful carbine more stable? This may actually give me better form, but the rifle seems to be more accurate than it should be. I also find the single stage triggers of these two Webleys to be pretty similar.

https://imgur.com/a/NshlMXx

C-1 works best with right elbow high, like an M1903 Springfield shot off-hand. As you say, the grip is quite thick (it needs to be to avoid breakageand the drop to heel is slight. Whatever it handles like, it does not handle like a good shotgun, or a Winchester 1894. It is different.

On the safeties issue, just skimmed back through Chris Thrale’s book. He has the C1 first reviewed in the April 83 edition of AGW (so, review written 2-3 months earlier?). By the December 84 issue of Airgunner, the C1 is advertised by Webley as “now fitted with a safety catch”.

Working from the adverts, Chris also suggests that the C1 largely dropped off the market (U.K. at least) from 1985-88, before reappearing, and then finally leaving the market in 1990-91.

Which is all kind of interesting, if you are me.

[45flint]

Serial numbers are interesting, the Bluebook says they start with 800000 which I think is true. Later examples have # in the 700000 but I think there is a letter prefix?