Webley Senior prices.

[gazzalene]

Seen a couple of Webley Seniors recently in antique shops.
.177 and a .22 but in ok condition,no rust but marks on the metal work,both in display cases.
i have no idea of values. is there a rough guide to values? They look the same to me condition wise and shape/model veriety.
the .22 is marked at £120 the .177 £90
do not want to pay over the top but also do not want to haggle if the price is low.These antique shops normally know the prices

[AC99]

Antique shops are run on a commercial basis and I think they often expect customers to make sensible offers on items and if they have been in stock a while then there is a chance they will accept a lower price with maybe a bit of haggling.

There is no harm in going in, showing interest and then make an offer. I don't think the proprietor will be offended. Often they buy in items at rock bottom prices and impose a high mark-up and at the end of the day they just want to turn a profit.

[ashf9999]

I agree to some degree with the above, but remember you can pretty well guarantee that at any gun shop they’d be significantly more, even if ropey. Whilst there is no harm in asking if there’s anything they could do on the price (maybe if you took both) they also have overheads etc to cover. If they’re in decent condition I’d only be after a token discount given the prices mentioned.

A different scenario here. Years ago I bought a mint Mk1 straight grip, boxed, pellets and paperwork in a face-to-face deal (near St Albans, as I recall). I could tell the young chap selling didn’t really want to get rid of it (it was his great-grandfater’s from new) but having just had a baby they were short of cash, and his Mrs was a little reluctant to have an air pistol in the house with a little man about (despite she knew there was clearly no danger to him). He’d put the pistol up way too cheap. No way was I going to agree to that, so I paid him extra to make it a fair deal.

I like a good deal, but I’d feel guilty if it was too good because the seller was in the dark.

[gazzalene]

ashf9999, i get the point totally.You pay what you think is right and fair.
For me ,i know nothing about the pistol. no idea if spares are easy to get.
i have no passion to collect it, just a whim to shoot a old british item.
i could by a new and better performing pistol for £90 ,so for me £40- £50 seems the right price for the "well used" condition BUT that well used condition might be worth £90 all day long,so not right for me to offer that.

[Mark D]

Seen a couple of Webley Seniors recently in antique shops.
.177 and a .22 but in ok condition,no rust but marks on the metal work,both in display cases.
i have no idea of values. is there a rough guide to values? They look the same to me condition wise and shape/model veriety.
the .22 is marked at £120 the .177 £90
do not want to pay over the top but also do not want to haggle if the price is low.These antique shops normally know the prices

Generally a .177 is the rarer calibre . Check the grips and the rear plug, as that's where most Seniors and Premiers suffer. If no rust and no missing parts or abuse, then seem good value to me.

[ashf9999]

The good thing about the Webley spring pistols is that they are very easy (and quite cheap) to service. They don’t generally need anything doing to the piston as they use a ring seal, much like in a car engine. All you’d usually use to get one up to speed is a spring, seal and some SAE30 (or similar grade) motor oil. You can do a complete service in about 5 minutes. If they’re in reasonable condition they will still last a lifetime. Sears can wear over time, but can be replaced. By all means ask what they’d take. If there is a batch number stamped into the end they’ll be post war, if they have a serial number stamped by a grip (and plain grips with no Webley logo) they’re most likely pre-war. Either way they are a good fun pistol.