Holy Grails.

[Abasmajor]

Your photography is excellent Brian - it really shows off these rarities very well indeed.

I would be very interested in learning how each performs if you ever decide to undertake accuracy/performance testing, perhaps at 6 yards?

Kind regards,

John

Hi John,

Although I haven't done any extensive testing with any of these pistols, my limited testing suggests that none of them would be a match for the Webley Mk1 in terms of compactness, reliability, handing or accuracy.
The WR 'Concentric' displayed the most potential being easiest to use and grouping into sub three inches at 10 metres. Although it might seem to have been a bit of a retrograde step to produce this model with fixed sights and a smoothbore barrel rather than the vertically adjustable sight and rifled barrel present on the non-concentric model, I haven't found a significant improvement in accuracy between smooth and rifled barrels at six to ten yards ranges using any non-precision oriented air pistol.

Smoothbore v Rifled barrels might make an interesting subject for one of your future AGW features.

Brian

Brian

[Binners]

It would probably be a bit unfair for me to directly compare how these pistols shoot compared with the Webley Mk1 as I have only shot them sparingly whereas I shoot my Webleys on a regular basis. However, for compactness, reliability, usability and accuracy I don't believe any of them come close to the Webley with the nearest being the Westly Richards Highest Possible Concentric.

Brian

You are a lucky chap Brian, I have never seen a 'Concentric' and was told 'maybe less than 100 were made' I have a couple of tired examples of the common type, but would sooner have just one like yours.

[Jerry Cornelius]

You are a lucky chap Brian, I have never seen a 'Concentric' and was told 'maybe less than 100 were made' I have a couple of tired examples of the common type, but would sooner have just one like yours.

Yes but Pete you can duel with your set (which certainly do not look tired to me). You couldn’t do that with a single concentric

[Binners]

Yes but Pete you can duel with your set (which certainly do not look tired to me). You couldn’t do that with a single concentric

Did I say concentric?

I meant Eccentric

[lightning22]

BSA S2000??? Some exist, but I believe one gun shop owns all the examples. They once had an example on a gun rack at the Game Fair. I tried to buy it but they realised the mistake. Quality of finish was not so great.

The VS2000?

Didn’t John Knibbs have an example advertised for a long time? £4K rings a bell.

[Mobiasstrip]

Mine are, in approx order:

• Westley Richards Concentric & Heart Cut Highest Possible
• The three Tells
• Abus Major
• H28R
• Prewar slant grip Senior to represent all forged steel Webley air pistols :-)

Still missing the H28R :-(

Steve

[45flint]

Mine are, in approx order:

• Westley Richards Concentric & Heart Cut Highest Possible
• The three Tells
• Abus Major
• H28R
• Prewar slant grip Senior to represent all forged steel Webley air pistols :-)

Still missing the H28R :-(

Steve

The Haenel 28R was so ahead of its time and so well executed.

[rapidresponse1]

some lovely pistols you have there

[45flint]

It is fascinating also that so many eccentric pistols are English? Nowhere else is this happening to this degree?

[Jerry Cornelius]

It is fascinating also that so many eccentric pistols are English? Nowhere else is this happening to this degree?

It’s because anything worthwhile invented in England, radar, jet engines, automatic teasmades, gets invented in a shed by a bloke escaping his wife. Probably wearing a cardigan

The scope for eccentricity is great.