In praise of Webley air pistols

[laverdabru]

I really like Webley pistols, having started with a tin grip Junior back in the '70's. I have an early Hurricane now, but wish I still had my placcy grips Mk 1.
I was interested in Trevor's remark re the banana barrel on the .22. Mine had this, & at the time I assumed that it was due to 'bear trapping' - I think that's the term for when the trigger is operated when the action is open.
Does anyone make wooden grips for the Hurricane? If so, what's a ball park figure re cost?

[ggggr]

I really like Webley pistols, having started with a tin grip Junior back in the '70's. I have an early Hurricane now, but wish I still had my placcy grips Mk 1.
I was interested in Trevor's remark re the banana barrel on the .22. Mine had this, & at the time I assumed that it was due to 'bear trapping' - I think that's the term for when the trigger is operated when the action is open.
Does anyone make wooden grips for the Hurricane? If so, what's a ball park figure re cost?

think some of the earlier pistols could benefit from a slightly lighter spring to reduce the stresses on the guns. On a lot of old rifles, I just fit a spring that will do for plinking. A lot of ASI paratroopers get trigger failure because strong springs have been fitted.

A few people on here or that auction site do grips. Airgunner.177 has done me a few pairs of Walnut grips. Prices usually around the £28 mark but seen them go for more at auction.

[Muskett]

I have two Tempests, one in each calibre. To me they are the nearest thing to shooting handguns pre ban. Both are a bit new and shoot well off to the right but that I put that down to the twist in the spring firing cycle. Accuracy wise they are excellent and overall, including their size and the triggers, mimic full bore handguns well. Get your marksmanship and full bore handling right and these air pistols deliver. Other makes, and specifically target air pistols, are very different animals and just don't give "the real deal". Tempests are just the best in my book. Older Webley's are pretty great too.

[Abasmajor]

I have two Tempests, one in each calibre. To me they are the nearest thing to shooting handguns pre ban. Both are a bit new and shoot well off to the right but that I put that down to the twist in the spring firing cycle. Accuracy wise they are excellent and overall, including their size and the triggers, mimic full bore handguns well. Get your marksmanship and full bore handling right and these air pistols deliver. Other makes, and specifically target air pistols, are very different animals and just don't give "the real deal". Tempests are just the best in my book. Older Webley's are pretty great too.

I fully agree with Muskett that these spring powered air pistols do feel alive when shot and not at all like the dead, recoilless feeling you get from PCPs. However, I much prefer the earlier steel Webleys with the pre-war slant grip Senior being my favourite combination of appearance and functionality.

Regards

Brian

[ggggr]

The force was with me

Last night I decided to have a little plink with a Webley Tempest that I bought after being offered it by a nice chap on here. It looked a little rough but in fair working condition. The mainspring was bent and broke when i was trying to polish the ends. Anyhow the gun was cleaned and lubed, the piston seal and breech washer were reused. I had a Typhoon mainspring knocking about so I fitted that. The trigger and sear were polished and a lighter, slightly shorter spring fitted for the trigger. After cleaning the barrel out and a few shots the other week, it started to settle in nicely.
Sorry, I was just setting the scene.
So yesterday evening after a 1 sip of wine to relax my arms, I had a plink. Shooting 2 handed, from about 7 or 8 yards, I had a few sighters at some circles drawn on a bit of cardboard. I was shooting low and slightly left. The shooting low is because it is set for shooting at bottle caps on the floor.
I set up some bottle caps and hit 14 on the trot
For my 15th shot, I stood on one leg and I pulled the shot to the right. Another 3 shots, still standing on one leg, hit the caps.
So---17 out of 18 and 3 out of 4 standing on one leg.
Next week, the blindfold

[eyebull]

...Next week, the blindfold

Bloody hell, It's like the first 10 minutes of Casualty


I do like the early Webley pistols, real firearm quality - really must get a good Senior to go with my Junior. .

[flatrajectory]

The force was with me

Last night I decided to have a little plink with a Webley Tempest that I bought after being offered it by a nice chap on here. It looked a little rough but in fair working condition. The mainspring was bent and broke when i was trying to polish the ends. Anyhow the gun was cleaned and lubed, the piston seal and breech washer were reused. I had a Typhoon mainspring knocking about so I fitted that. The trigger and sear were polished and a lighter, slightly shorter spring fitted for the trigger. After cleaning the barrel out and a few shots the other week, it started to settle in nicely.
Sorry, I was just setting the scene.
So yesterday evening after a 1 sip of wine to relax my arms, I had a plink. Shooting 2 handed, from about 7 or 8 yards, I had a few sighters at some circles drawn on a bit of cardboard. I was shooting low and slightly left. The shooting low is because it is set for shooting at bottle caps on the floor.
I set up some bottle caps and hit 14 on the trot
For my 15th shot, I stood on one leg and I pulled the shot to the right. Another 3 shots, still standing on one leg, hit the caps.
So---17 out of 18 and 3 out of 4 standing on one leg.
Next week, the blindfold

Guy, that standing on one leg shooting is only supposed to be used in the Freemasons competition, as you know only too well..tut tut.

Pete.

[ggggr]

A bit of an update and a big "THANK YOU" to Richard H for doing a cracking bluing job on a barrel.
The Hurricane to go with the Tempest for the eldest niece was in fair nick but the barrel was a bit crappy. It was sent to Richard H who did a cracking job of bluing it. It was a case of nickel plate it or blue it. I know Richard spent a lot of time but the casting would not take nickel. However he polished it up and blued it and the casting is nearer in colour to the rest of the barrel than the original Webley job, which is matt and sticks out like a sore thumb.
I manage to get the foresight hood on without scratching the barrel at all. The barrel was cleaned out just in case and then put back on the gun.
It plinks very well although it does not feel right to me as the trigger is too heavy and the grips are not shaped to my hand---BUT---the pistol is not for me but my niece.
Anyhow, with the pistol finished, I glued a couple of wooden inserts covered in baize in the box been doing for it,
So niece now has a .177 Tempest and a .22 Hurricane, both with walnut grips and both boxed.
It,s a pity I don't have a camera, not for the boxes but to show off the bluing on the Hurricane barrel.
Thanks Richard.

[ggggr]

I've not tried a good plink after a "sip" of wine for quite a while----but I did demonstrate the "standing on one leg, shooting a bottle cap" technique the other week.
The rough pistols mentioned in a recent thread are still on the table and I'd like to get a set of wooden grip blanks for the leather piston seal/brass barrel linered .177 Tempest, that is currently sharing a set of placky grips with the Hurricane. I'd offered this back to the chap who sent it me or even just an extended loan period.
Sometimes these crappy old things surprise me

A slightly tipsy plink (bottle and half of 14.9% home made apple wine) tonight ,18-20 shots at 7 1/2 yards,shooting at bottle caps, with a Scorpion, Hurricane, Premier mk2, Tempest and Pre War Junior and only 2 misses ----and they were with the Premier that I have not lightnend the trigger on yet. Not bad some of these old guns eh?

[45flint]

My first Webley was a Hurricane bought 20 years ago. Good pistol but my favorite fun 22 has been a 1938 Colt Woodsman designed by John Browning, a classic. My goal in getting back into airguns has been to reproduce the feel of cartridge shooting in my backyard. Got a Webley Premier "E" last week and it gives that experience in the same blued steel. It has the same nice trigger, great grip, similar accuracy, feel and weight of my Colt. The rearward piston movement is a key I think. Similar dimensions see below;

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps9fibhcis.jpg