IMO the best variant of the vintage Webley was the MK1. Many will make a case for the own personal favourite, bringing various advantages that each model has but in regard all these things considered, the MK1 is the best.
The Webley Senior was considered a deluxe, more expensive version, with its thumb catch, a curved, polished trigger and its Phosphor Bronze piston ring. They thought this more expensive ring would be a big improvement but this was not born out in practise as you cannot beat a nicely set up leather seal and it caused too much slam once worn in. Also due to a lack of any trigger adjustment, a 6lb pull, few could hit a barn door with it. Pistols really require a delicate trigger ...much more so than a rifle. No one ever understood why the MK1 trigger adjustment was dropped for this gun. The trigger adjustment was re-instated later on for the Premier and the Tempest/Hurricane but it was never quite as good as the Mk1 due to a slight change to the sear geometry.
Despite the Senior and Premier having the improved thumb catch, i find it less comfortable than the Mk1 catch in operation and the Tempest/ Hurricane even more uncomfortable on the skin of the thumb. Aesthetically, i also prefer the cleaner lines of the Mk1 for not having the offset of the thumb catch and the pivot hump welded on top of the front of the cylinder.
The disadvantage of the Mk1 is its simpler cocking link which offers 40 percent less mechanical advantage than the duel linkage of the later models. Its a tough little beast to cock but if adult, you can get use to it. Suffice to say, i would not recommend it as a youths gun, or adult of low arm strength, but it is not a problem for me.
Some pictures...
The Webley Senior was considered a deluxe, more expensive version, with its thumb catch, a curved, polished trigger and its Phosphor Bronze piston ring. They thought this more expensive ring would be a big improvement but this was not born out in practise as you cannot beat a nicely set up leather seal and it caused too much slam once worn in. Also due to a lack of any trigger adjustment, a 6lb pull, few could hit a barn door with it. Pistols really require a delicate trigger ...much more so than a rifle. No one ever understood why the MK1 trigger adjustment was dropped for this gun. The trigger adjustment was re-instated later on for the Premier and the Tempest/Hurricane but it was never quite as good as the Mk1 due to a slight change to the sear geometry.
Despite the Senior and Premier having the improved thumb catch, i find it less comfortable than the Mk1 catch in operation and the Tempest/ Hurricane even more uncomfortable on the skin of the thumb. Aesthetically, i also prefer the cleaner lines of the Mk1 for not having the offset of the thumb catch and the pivot hump welded on top of the front of the cylinder.
The disadvantage of the Mk1 is its simpler cocking link which offers 40 percent less mechanical advantage than the duel linkage of the later models. Its a tough little beast to cock but if adult, you can get use to it. Suffice to say, i would not recommend it as a youths gun, or adult of low arm strength, but it is not a problem for me.
Some pictures...
