Though recoiling spring-piston pistols are WAY down the list of my favorite airguns, the all-steel vintage Webleys are at the top of that spring-piston pistol list. And pre-war, slant-grip Seniors top that list! I never expected to find a clean enough example at enticing enough price to ever own another, but... "never say never!" Suffice to say it was a bargain.
The description states the seals are fine and she's mechanically healthy. The many excellent photos show a near-mint example with only small chips in both grips. I'll make a set of exotic wood custom grips for her; probably Ziricote.
As excerpted from my last book, Custom, Classic and Otherwise Awesome Air Pistols! -
"Long-historied British firearms manufacturer Webley & Scott started producing spring-piston pistols in the 1920s to the same high quality as their firearms. All Webley spring-piston air pistols evolved from the over-lever design of their original Mark 1, where the barrel doubles as a cocking-lever for a very simple, logical and compact design. Vintage Webley air pistols were also of blued, all machined-steel construction requiring hundreds of operations. Virtually bullet-proof; unfortunately not rust-proof!
As consumer goods devolved toward more economical materials and production methods, so eventually did Webley airguns. Though still of the same design as the original models, current Webley spring-piston pistols lack the machined-steel aesthetics of their vintage guns. And much as I mock maddeningly-challenging non-recoilless spring-piston pistols, my admiration for the old-school quality and mechanicals of old Webleys runs so deep that I actually enjoy shooting them. (In moderation.)
BTW, Awesome Air Pistols! Is still available... but won't be forever.
The description states the seals are fine and she's mechanically healthy. The many excellent photos show a near-mint example with only small chips in both grips. I'll make a set of exotic wood custom grips for her; probably Ziricote.
As excerpted from my last book, Custom, Classic and Otherwise Awesome Air Pistols! -
"Long-historied British firearms manufacturer Webley & Scott started producing spring-piston pistols in the 1920s to the same high quality as their firearms. All Webley spring-piston air pistols evolved from the over-lever design of their original Mark 1, where the barrel doubles as a cocking-lever for a very simple, logical and compact design. Vintage Webley air pistols were also of blued, all machined-steel construction requiring hundreds of operations. Virtually bullet-proof; unfortunately not rust-proof!
As consumer goods devolved toward more economical materials and production methods, so eventually did Webley airguns. Though still of the same design as the original models, current Webley spring-piston pistols lack the machined-steel aesthetics of their vintage guns. And much as I mock maddeningly-challenging non-recoilless spring-piston pistols, my admiration for the old-school quality and mechanicals of old Webleys runs so deep that I actually enjoy shooting them. (In moderation.)
BTW, Awesome Air Pistols! Is still available... but won't be forever.