Webley and B.S.A.

[redial 81]

What were the last models to be made in the U.K. Thank you.

[pianoman 3,587]

With Webley I think it was the Tommahawk break barrel around 2000. BSA are owned by GAMO of Spain and their spring rifles from here are just not what they were.

The whole Webley BSA saga is a very sad one really. Thanks to poor managements and bottom line bean counters, two great air rifle makers are over and out in all but name now.

 

You can have the recipe for the perfect shepherd's pie, but, you can't make it with dogmeat. That's what the last board of directors at Webley tried to do.

[Phantom 631]

Hiya Simon,

 

From what I heard from a local guy (rfd) Webley got shut of the two dick head's that tried to cut costs and sell on the name only.

 

I gather that the new Owner of Webley is intent on restoring the good name, and has paid a personal visit to all webley stockists over the last year to try to restore confidance in the name.

 

Tony

[pianoman 3,587]

Hi Tony, I sincerely hope so fella.

 

My first air rifle, ever, was a webley and I've grown with the company over many years of my shooting. I've owned tempest air pistols as a schoolboy, a Vulcan carbine and Osprey rifle, a little Excel which was absolutely superb on rats and ferral pidgeons, an Omega rifle which was a phenominally accurate .22 rifle for rabbit. and an FAC Patriot that was an awesome powerhouse and my first FAC air rifle after getting my FAC.

 

All of them had the most beautifully rich, deep blueing and the overall build quality of all these rifles were amazingly high. On the original Eley Wasp pellets, they were as good as anything from Germany. I really wish I still had them in my collection. To see there has been no developement of improving models on these magnificent air rifles is a criminal disgrace of poor, inept management.

 

Let's hope the new guy sets the stall out properly this time. But God knows how he'll get a range of air rifles up as good as the ones that went before.

 

Simon

[Phantom 631]

Me too Simon.

 

It will be so good to see a British brand back in the forefront of things again

[Daz 7 563]

Hope both companys can get back to there best, Had both makes of Springers as a Kid Webley Victor & Vulcan, BSA Air sporter, But wouldn't touch the Modern stuff load of Dog Turd.

Thats why i'm sticking with HW or Air arms for Springers And for my PCP a Theoben Rapid a Design thats 20 yrs old but tried and tested updated British Quality. '' Except for the Walther Match Grade Barrel"

Well the Gemans are about the best at that.

 

regards Daz.

[redial 81]

What would of been B.S.A.s last model before Gamo were on the scene.

[pianoman 3,587]

I think the Lightning springer and Super Ten PCP were the very last home produced rifles from BSA that passed into Gamo's hands, who then killed off the Super Ten and produced the R-10 and Ultra in it's place. To be fair, Gamo have maintained a good degree of standard with BSA-branded rifles, but, if you know your guns, you'll will have seen a noticeable drop from what once they were.

 

Before the Lightning, the Goldstar underlever and the venerable Meteor were in full British production. The Goldstar was a great underlever flagship rifle that was a creditable answer to the Weihrauch HW77. But was killed off to save production developement costs on other products..unlike Weihrauch who have survived and prospered simply by producing and maintaining a small, plain-as-a-pikestaff looking but practical range of spring air rifles and one PCP that are superbly accurate, easy to maintain and utterly reliable.

 

Webley would do well to bring their name to a similar business model and produce a small range of spring and PCP rifles that people actually want to shoot with for superbly practical accuracy. There's enough plastic faddy, gimmicky piles of cheap tat that Gamo and Norica flood the market with.

 

Simon

[tonyponty 6]

hi simon where abouts are you in i live in ponty lol what guns do you have?

[gurtwurz 792]

Me too Simon.

 

It will be so good to see a British brand back in the forefront of things again

 

 

at least air arms are flying the flag and producing quality rifles in both the springer and pcp markets though tony(not that i'm at all biased towards them at all due to very recent purchase )think also that the beeza pcp's are designed by an englishman and assembled in the birmingham factory, which recently came under a new manager who gave a royal arse kicking to all and sundry after the early dodgy R10's,or so i was led to believe, so hopefully they'll be returning to form too.

 

cheers, wurz

 

edited to sort my late night spelling!

Edited May 11, 2011 by gurtwurz

[Phantom 631]

Hi John,

 

My S200 was made in Uherský Brod and has the factory stamp on it, so its multi-national :laugh:

 

Tony

[gurtwurz 792]

hi tony, yep mate, youre right, the s200 is eastern european, made by the same factory that does CZ rimmys? i meant the springers that air arms do, the tx200(which i hated when i tried, didnt like the ratchet thing, or the underlever release button effort) and the venerable pro sport, which quite frankly rocks!!

 

cheers, wurz