Webley Tempest Target Grip

[nishijin]

Daft ideas often need to be realised.

A short while ago I acquired a Tempest in fair condition from Biker Bob (thanks!) and have really enjoyed hitting cola cans at the range when taking a break from the rifle. It's also so quiet that I can get away with it down the side of the house, in my own personal mini range.

As I've been waiting for the cash and impetus to order some nice proper grips from Airgunner, I came across a dodgy looking old target grip on everyone's favourite auction site. The price was so low it was cheaper than buying some timber to make one from scratch.

The grip was covered in putty and in worse condition than the photo. There was a maker's mark on the inside, but I assumed these grips hold very low value considering what I paid.

I chipped away at the awful layers of putty and wood filler, finding some amazing stippling and woodwork going on underneath.

Then, having found the more beautiful grip undernath, I took a hacksaw and hand drill to it.

Fast forward to the end, I now have the biggest daftest most comfortable grip I could imagine on the little plinker.



I still need to painstakingly clean out all the stipples, and maybe work it a little more, but it's solid and mounts using the original grip bolts through the new middle holes.

[laverdabru]

That's amazing - how does it shoot?

Bru

[nishijin]

That's amazing - how does it shoot?

Bru

It's even more comfortable whilst chasing barn-doors.

[Garvin]

Excellent! It looks like it may have started life as a FWB65 grip.

[MDriskill]

Those are nice! Very good-looking too I must say.

A couple of years ago I bumped into a set of the Tempicane target grips that Beeman sold here in the US. A lesser level of quality - made of some sort of tropical wonder wood, no texturing, brass fittings - but fit me well and look pretty decent.

This particular Hurricane is a good shooter with a tuned trigger, so they are not entirely inappropriate

[laverdabru]

It's even more comfortable whilst chasing barn-doors.

That nearly got coffee all over the keyboard!!!
Out of my half dozen Wobbleys (all fitted with wood grips) can only hit the door regularly with an old & battered .22 Hurri I've had for 30 odd years, rest I have trouble even hitting the barn...Still love them, tho'.

Bru

[Dornfelderliebe]

That nearly got coffee all over the keyboard!!!
Out of my half dozen Wobbleys (all fitted with wood grips) can only hit the door regularly with an old & battered .22 Hurri I've had for 30 odd years, rest I have trouble even hitting the barn...Still love then, tho'.

Bru

I gave up trying to shoot my premier one handed back in the 70's with it always shooting too high and a gentle two handed grip was the only way to get some sense out out it since then. I also still love it

[nishijin]

That nearly got coffee all over the keyboard!!!
Out of my half dozen Wobbleys (all fitted with wood grips) can only hit the door regularly with an old & battered .22 Hurri I've had for 30 odd years, rest I have trouble even hitting the barn...Still love them, tho'.

Bru

Mine isn't too bad, but it is inconsistent and very hold-sensitive. Wadcutter Hobby pellets are typically a bit loose, so I put a lot down to that but I'm loathe to spend big bucks on pellets for it.

At the range I'll chuck a bottle or can out past 10-15 feet and pop a dozen pellets until one of them sends it flying.

Down the side of the house is roughly 7 or 8 meters to the backstop, and the pistol is so quiet that the main noise is the pellet hitting the paper, or cola can filled with water).

Standing, two-handed, I can more or less consistently hit the cola cans. They're big enough to see, but I don't like to disturb the neighbours.

Hitting paper targets is a little more frustrating, so normally I rest my forearms on the low gate. One minute I'll get three pellets sat on top of one another, and then a flyer so far left or up or right, I can't understand it.



All the same it's looking really tarted up even in the morning light.

[Modski66]

The Tempest looks great! Someone online had adapted a Gamo Compact grip to fit a Hurricane, it didn't look half bad either. If I could have found the grip at a reasonable price I would have done the same.
Those grips on the Hurricane are a joy to behold, were they a Beeman item in the US? I seem to remember reading about them being made from rose-wood.

My all-steel Premier in 0.177 is the most accurate Webley pistol I have owned, I can even score a hit on the bell-target at six yards - admittedly it is the one with the 3/4" hole, but I could never have done it with any of my other sprung Webleys. Maybe I should fit some target grips to it!

[MDriskill]

Those grips on the Hurricane are a joy to behold, were they a Beeman item in the US? I seem to remember reading about them being made from rose-wood.

Thank you...yes, Beeman offered those in his catalog. They only seem to have lasted a couple of years though, as they were quite pricey and most buyers realized the Webleys were not really top choices for target work! The wood is fairly soft, definitely not rosewood.

I got my set from a friend who really disliked them! But they fit me decently, and this Hurricane with the trigger tamed is a creditable practice-grade paper-puncher at least.

[Troubledshooter]

I had a Tempest fitted with Beeman 'Hyeda' grips; whilst not being match grips, they were very nice wrap a round grips.
I did a straight swap with another BBS member many years ago, as he bought his Tempest already fitted with the Beeman grips, but wanted standard grips, so we did a grip swap.
I've had Walther and Weihrauch pistols fitted with match grips, but have to say I'm not a fan.

[laverdabru]

According to the G Bruce book, the Beeman Rosewood grips were available in the UK, £15.50 in 1981. Which was about half the price of a Tempest! They also did a trigger shoe. £4.50.
As I said, I've got airgunner177 grips on all mine. Don't help me shoot any better, but look good, often admired even by non shooters, mean the originals don't get damaged, & gives me an excuse for giving them a yearly going over with teak oil or similar.

ATB

Bruce

[hwtyger]

Looks good those target grips! Tempests can shoot ragged holes at 5 yards, and within 1"at 10m. 1cm spinners were fun. Shot a 47 ex 50 once one handed with one as well. Ive had bad luck with the forgiving hold, bad accuracy, held firmly they shoot great. Hurricane, Typhoon, same thing. Just try out how to hold them. Its not the pistols fault

[harvey_s]

. There was a maker's mark on the inside,

Interesting...who was the maker ot of interest?

[harvey_s]

Those are nice! Very good-looking too I must say.

A couple of years ago I bumped into a set of the Tempicane target grips that Beeman sold here in the US. A lesser level of quality - made of some sort of tropical wonder wood, no texturing, brass fittings - but fit me well and look pretty decent.

This particular Hurricane is a good shooter with a tuned trigger, so they are not entirely inappropriate

Very nice indeed, would love to find a set of these here...