Why was the Webley Viscount such a flop?

[MDriskill]

I'd be interested to hear from Swedes around at the time whether their recollection accords with that of Capn Dahlman.

I wouldn't want to impugn the man's integrity but his report can't have hurt Webley's PR efforts to challenge the dominance of Weihrauch springers. In fact it could almost have been written by Webley... "poor balance, simple varnished stocks and two-stage triggers, German air rifles are not popular at all. They have not proven to be that reliable, either."

Did Dahlman definitey exist?!

What? Surely you are not suggesting that mere advertising money can influence “truth” in the publishing world…! I’ve had similar thoughts, but decided to post those quotes at face value, LOL.



For what it’s worth, the cover of this issue sported an atmospheric photo of Capt. Dahlman’s lovely scoped walnut Tracker Deluxe, modified with a heavy Osprey barrel, with accompanying powder horn bearing his name! And as noted earlier in this thread, it appears the Tracker was genuinely more popular in Scandinavia than in the UK.

I should mention that the author described “field target,” as practiced in Sweden in those days, as a very informal event exclusively fired with sporter rifles from a standing position, often with open sights. He is not suggesting the Tracker would be competitive in the modern FT environment.

As an aside, at that time I subscribed to AGW. In those halcyon pre-internet days, I wrote an actual letter to the editor praising this article, noting that in those days of burgeoning PCP technology, etc., an occasional piece about the joys of older, simpler airgun technology was enjoyable. The letter was published, but “edited” to render me a slack-jawed hillbilly incapable of comprehending state-of-the-art airguns, field target competition, or the vastly superior English shooting scene. Follow-up letters from other readers confirmed my idiocy of course...but I'm not bitter!

[Garvin]

The letter was published, but “edited” to render me a slack-jawed hillbilly incapable of comprehending state-of-the-art airguns, field target competition, or the vastly superior English shooting scene.

You a slack-jawed hillbilly, Mike.

Never!

[Thegreg]

I should mention that the author described “field target,” as practiced in Sweden in those days, as a very informal event exclusively fired with sporter rifles from a standing position, often with open sights. He is not suggesting the Tracker would be competitive in the modern FT environment.

That was a very interesting article, thanks for sharing. I'm glad you clarified their definition of Field Target though...even as an ambassador for the Tracker I'd be the first to admit that'd it be completely hopeless as an FT rifle!

There are elements of truth in there. The finish of the Weihrauchs of the time (and even the modern day ones) couldn't hold a candle to that of the Webleys. They did have plain beech stocks, average bluing, and did not balance as well as the Tracker did. Why anyone would prefer the agricultural trigger of a Tracker over a 2-stage Rekord does sound rather suspect though!

Cheers
Greg