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Thread: Webley Osprey Supertarget

  1. #1
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    Webley Osprey Supertarget

    Just acquired one of these guns. Oiled walnut stock, very easy to cock, and trigger which is "decent enough" - by which I mean that the first stage is creepy but not heavy, and the second stage is completely creep free and very very crisp, if you can ignore the first stage - simple, as once taken up, it does not reset, so you could consider the movement as a setting of the trigger - then the trigger is very nice indeed.

    Couple of q's

    The ones I have seen have had an Anschutz diopter. Mine has an Anschutz open rearsight (confusingly also marked Theoben). Would this be an original fitment?

    Second - anyone know whether the barrel shroud is easily removable? I have not tried anything yet, just got the gun, I'm suspecting that a grub screw may be underneath the foresight assy (by Parker Hale) and removing the foresight dovetail block will enable the shroud to be removed, a' la' Diana 48/52.

    Third - there seems to be a torsion spring http://www.irvinesprings.com/torsion_springs.htm at the cocking lever pivot but it's end does not contact anything, however it becomes progressively more exposed as the gun is cocked. It sticks out basically. What is this spring for, and is the preceding correct operation?

    Thanks!
    **WANTED**: WEBLEY PATRIOT MUZZLE END; Any Diana/Original mod.50 parts, especially OPEN SIGHTS

  2. #2
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    Hi, as regards question 3 on the common sporting Osprey the spring is to pop the sidelever out an inch when you press the release button, gives you room to get a grip before the cocking stroke. At a guess your spring is a bit tired.

    torrens

  3. #3
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    The Theoben sights are not the original - by a few years!

    I don't think that is a shroud, I think it is all barrel - I think Webley used a cut down barrel from a German '88 to make the Osprey

    I seem to remember the spring was supposed to flick the lever open to about 10 degrees - ie up against the cylinder prior to cocking, not sure about it's position after that
    "But we have our own dream and our own task. We are with Europe, but not of it. We are linked, but not comprised. We are interested and associated, but not absorbed."
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  4. #4
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    The Osprey Supertarget should have an Anschutz dioptre sight.
    The barrel does not have a shroud, and has a 'Bull' barrel as standard.
    The torsion spring is designed to move the cocking lever away from the action when the release button is depressed, as Mr.Gen said.

  5. #5
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    Osprey Supertarget

    Pretty much agree with Troubledshooter.

    The Anschutz diopter is the model 6706 from memory but it mounts on the rear of the scope rails using an adapter block which are pretty hard to find. If you have a diopter to fit, whilst I don't have the adapter block I do have a suggestion that "might" work.

    Webley listed two springs for the O/S, a weaker target spring and the std Osprey one, sounds like yours has the target spring.

    I have one of the earlier ones with the std Osprey stock, whilst no HW55 or Walther LG55 its certainly a fun rifle to shoot.

  6. #6
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    Thanks all. OK re the spring, got that... re the barrel - reason I asked - it's not bent, it's perfectly straight - but not inline with the cylinder! It's off to the left, by about 5mm at the front sight - certainly as-is a diopter would be unusable, would run out of adjustment. Perhaps that is why one is not fitted! Also because of this one must really press hard against the cheekpiece to align rearsight to the front.

    What could be the possible cause for the barrel being off at an angle? Shoddy Webley workmanship? As above - it is straight, and looks to be nicely fitted into the cylinder forward block.
    **WANTED**: WEBLEY PATRIOT MUZZLE END; Any Diana/Original mod.50 parts, especially OPEN SIGHTS

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by air-tech View Post
    Thanks all. OK re the spring, got that... re the barrel - reason I asked - it's not bent, it's perfectly straight - but not inline with the cylinder! It's off to the left, by about 5mm at the front sight - certainly as-is a diopter would be unusable, would run out of adjustment. Perhaps that is why one is not fitted! Also because of this one must really press hard against the cheekpiece to align rearsight to the front.

    What could be the possible cause for the barrel being off at an angle? Shoddy Webley workmanship? As above - it is straight, and looks to be nicely fitted into the cylinder forward block.
    The barrel of the Osprey screws into the block and is threadlocked in place.
    This is a weak spot, as I had one with a broken barrel just at the point where the thread ends and the barrel begins, and I know of several others that had the same problem.
    Is it possible your barrel has a similar problem, with a slight crack at the weak point ? This would possibly explain why the barrel appears out of true.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Troubledshooter View Post
    The barrel of the Osprey screws into the block and is threadlocked in place.
    This is a weak spot, as I had one with a broken barrel just at the point where the thread ends and the barrel begins, and I know of several others that had the same problem.
    Is it possible your barrel has a similar problem, with a slight crack at the weak point ? This would possibly explain why the barrel appears out of true.
    Thanks for that (and the email!) however I don't see a crack and it does not sound too feasible with that thickness of barrel, I suppose that the barrels are made of mild steel or just slightly better, nothing hardened or tempered so they would take a hell of a lot of bending/bashing fatigue etc before they cracked? Of course if humungously overtightened and potentially sheared... but suppose the stresses in the metal would be noticeable.

    I can only imagine that the thread in either the barrel or the cylinder was not cut straight?
    **WANTED**: WEBLEY PATRIOT MUZZLE END; Any Diana/Original mod.50 parts, especially OPEN SIGHTS

  9. #9
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    In relation to the diameter of the bull barrel, the threaded portion is considerably smaller, which leads to a potential weak spot.
    I can't remember exact dimensions, as it was a long time since I had to replace a broken barrel.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Troubledshooter View Post
    In relation to the diameter of the bull barrel, the threaded portion is considerably smaller, which leads to a potential weak spot.
    I can't remember exact dimensions, as it was a long time since I had to replace a broken barrel.
    Thanks again. Yes, I now understand what you may be getting at. Away from the gun now, will be a couple of weeks before I handle it again, will take a very close look perhaps something is revealed, and will update!
    **WANTED**: WEBLEY PATRIOT MUZZLE END; Any Diana/Original mod.50 parts, especially OPEN SIGHTS

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