Vintage springers with class - FWB 65 Mk2 & Webley Premier D

[aneijko]

Both are prized possessions and are well looked after.

First up is my FWB 65 MKII. Many years ago I learned to shoot 10m air pistol with the longer barrel version of this classic. Having owned longer barrel models, and now this one, I find this length much better balanced. It has both sets of grips as well as all the paperwork and front sight inserts. This probably is the last one I'd sell. This piece dates to 1990 (I kept the shipping label from the Beeman packaging). 

Next up is my all-steel Webley Premier Model D with .177 and .22 barrels. I've always loved these air pistols and this one is in almost-perfect condition. It still shoots hard and is a delight to hold. The sights, like all Webleys of this design, are quite useless. I've owned Tempests and Hurricanes, but neither of them are close to the standard set by these all-steel models. This one, like the FWB, I plan to hold on to for a long time

 



Both of these ooze character and quality and are pleasures to own and shoot. I don't baby them, but I do look after them as well as I can. After all, what's the point of ownership if one can't use what one owns?  

 

[Bob-in-WV]

Two nice pistols you have there. I have owned both in years past but have thinned the herd considerably in recent years. I shoot mostly co2 or pcp these days and not enough of that. Thanks for sharing those pics.

Happy New Year,

Bob in WV

 

[Michigander]

I have a Webley Senior that I bought for a pittance. It is beautifully made, a tribute to British craftsmanship, but a real challenge to shoot accurately. Your Premier looks like a great find, especially with the second barrel. My Senior is a .22. At the modest power level these guns produce, a .177 barrel would definitely come in handy.

 

[springer]

I love my Senior. Easy to cock, reasonably accurate, not temperamental and rugged, this pistol is a true keeper.

 

[aneijko]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. It's great to hear from fellow fans of Webleys and FWBs. They're both keepers and definitely have their own personalities.

 

[DualMagMike]

Nice, I have a number of the FWB springer pistols and enjoy them all but no Webley's. My most recent one is the 65MKII like yours with a barrel weight also, they handle very nicely.

 

[aneijko]

That's a great collection! Is that an FWB90 in the bottom right? If it is, how do you like it compared to the 65? I've only read about them but never had the chance to try one.

 

[DualMagMike]

65 MKI & MKII on the left, 80 & 90 on the bottom right. Much the same aside from the electronic trigger on the 90.

 

[aneijko]

Thanks for sharing that information Mike.

 

[MDriskill]

Those are two beauties!

I have a very similar shorty 65, absolutely the last pistol I’d part with. An airgun that is great from about any angle.

Selling a similar Premier is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever done! I have a pretty nice Senior but to me the earlier blued Premiers are better shooters. 

 

[aneijko]

Thanks Mike! Having read your many highly informative posts, I know you're a fellow fan of the 65's and I was hoping you'd chime in

The blued Premiers are really something else. I had a Senior and MkI at one time, but they just didn't seem as refined as the Premier (the reason why I still have this and the other two have been moved along).

On a side note: I also have an Anschutz 6702 sight tht's waiting for a suitable break barrel to be mounted on (I've read your thoughts on these sights and thought I'd share). The HW77k I have just isn't that interesting due to being an underlever, although it does shoot really well with it on. When it comes to springers, I guess I'm more of a break barrel person.

Now I'm considering an HW35e or an HW95 with some customization to the barrel length and a custom stock...it never ends, does it