Webley MK3 Dating?

[andrewM]

Hi I'm brand new to airgunbbs have had air rifles all my life now at 63 still tinkering and plinking , I noticed this thread and wondered if you might be able to help me date my mk3 the serial number is 0139 its the smooth stock type with no scope rail . regards and thankyou in advance .

Welcome to the site webleymk3 (presumably the name says it all!). I joined a little under two years ago and have found the site and people on it extremely helpful in their kind advice and wide knowledge - and they have also spurred a collecting bug.

[Renwahc]

Just got a webley mk3 series 4serial no 27772 can anyone date this .

[deejayuu]

1955/6 is my best guess.

[agg221]

To save starting a new thread, would anyone be able to put a date to my Mk3 B7627? Smooth stock, straight cut lever and clearly very late but just how late?

Thanks

Alec

[Mikeymoo]

6.7.74

[agg221]

Thanks for that, much appreciated. Nice to have an exact date for it.

Alec

[Jonathan G]

I picked up a 0.177 Webley Supertarget last week and it has a serial number A4368. Does anyone have a rough idea when this one was made?

[laverdabru]

I picked up a 0.177 Webley Supertarget last week and it has a serial number A4368. Does anyone have a rough idea when this one was made?

9.1.71, according to Thales.

Bru

[Jonathan G]

Hi Bru - thank you so much. Always nice to know when something was made.

[laverdabru]

No problem. Lovely guns, got 2, but not an ST. The early one (1961) feels better made than the '70's example, but the later gun groups better.

ATB

Bru

[andrewM]

No problem. Lovely guns, got 2, but not an ST. The early one (1961) feels better made than the '70's example, but the later gun groups better.

ATB

Bru

I tried out some testing a few years ago and found the earlier Mk3s suffering from poor grouping, later verified by others on the BBS. However, once 'button rifling' was introduced around 1970-1 (I don't have an exact date), the groups tightened considerably and the Mk3 became an accurate rifle. I have managed 3/4 inch groups at 25yds with two (dated 1974 and 1975) and could possibly improve on that.

Rgds
A

[laverdabru]

I tried out some testing a few years ago and found the earlier Mk3 suffering from poor grouping, later verified by others on the BBS. However, once 'button rifling' was introduced around 1970-1 (I don't have an exact date), the groups tightened considerably and the Mk3 became an accurate rifle. I have managed 3/4 inch groups at 25yds with two (dated 1974 and 1975) and could possibly improve on that.

Rgds
A

Thanks for that - I dimly recall that thread. According to the Thrale bible, 1969, for the button rifling.

Bru

[Swissairgun]

Can someone say when the 3rd series Mk.3 rifles starting with serial # 6001 were introduced?
I've seen it said it was 1949, but that seems quite early as Webley only introduced the Mk.3 in 1947.

My Mk.3 is # 8141, so I figure it's from around 1951/52 unless someone knows better.

[laverdabru]

If I'm wrong, no doubt someone will correct me! Thales excellent book says the Series 2 was introduced in May 1949. That is from Webley, in Airgun World, 1978. I couldn't see a definitive date for the introduction of the Series 3. 1952 is mentioned where pricing is concerned.

[Josie & John]

I believe the 2nd Series Webley Mark 3 was made between 1947 and late 1949. It is included in a September 1949 Webley price list. The 1st edition of the Parker Hale 1950 catalogue dated February 1950 still makes reference to the rifle’s double pull trigger. In fact, existing stocks of unsold 2nd series rifles would have been available for some time after the 3rd series was first introduced.

I once owned a very early boxed 3rd series Mark 3 with the serial number of 6887 and the post mark on the box was from January 1950. This seemingly suggests the change from 2nd to 3rd series rifles came at the end of 1949/start of 1950.

Hope that helps.

John