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Webley Gunmakers - information requested

Hi Richard,
For many years Birmingham City Police had the use of both the Weaman Street Range and later at Park Lane to prepare for the Police Pistol Competition at the Imperial meeting in July each year at Bisley, Surrey.I have fired many rounds on each range from the fifties until the early 70's. also visited Weaman St as a member of the BCP Explosives & Firearms Dept (1960's) Chief tester was 'Ruben' -? also looked after external Weaman St premises with BCP in 1950's. Look after the records.
It's just come to me - Tester - Ruben EDKINS (not sure of spelling of Christian name - sounds like anyway)

Yes, you are quite correct, the person who you are referring to is Reuben Edkins, my late father who had the grand title (but not the pay to match) of Shooting Range Supervisor.

In 1967 the well known journalist John Pilger did a full page article on Birmingham in the Daily Mirror and included a photograph of my father pointing a Webley pistol at the camera !.

Robert Edkins
 
Hi Richard.
Have just picked up this post.
Although I have no memory of Webley & Scott, my ancestors were sort of in at the beginning of the company.
My 4xg uncle, William Davis was a gunmaker in Birmingham & took on a young apprentice called Philip Webley.
Philip subsequently married William´s daughter Caroline Davis & when her father died, Philip Webley bought the business from his mother in law, Sarah Davis.
Obviously this was well before the Webleys joined forces with the Scotts, but I have family info about Philip & Caroline & their children.
 
Hi,

Does anyone remember the advertising display case for W & S at the entrance to Snow Hill
Station in Colmore Row back in the 1950s which contained (dummy?) guns.

Unbelievable today isn't it!

Kind regards
Dave
 
Hi,

Does anyone remember the advertising display case for W & S at the entrance to Snow Hill
Station in Colmore Row back in the 1950s which contained (dummy?) guns.

Unbelievable today isn't it!

Kind regards
Dave
yes i do,i was fasinated by them one a

WEBLEY & SCOTT JUNIOR .177 AIR PISTOL​

dummy.JPG

 
yes i do,i was fasinated by them one a

WEBLEY & SCOTT JUNIOR .177 AIR PISTOL​

View attachment 173364

I remember that 177, my older cousin had one that I used to shoot on his parents farm. We used to go into tow to the farm store, me to buy a tin or pellets and he for 12 & 410 gage ammo. I would ride on the back of his Velocette Viper carrying the ammo in a carrier bag. Great memories for me as a 12 year old!
 
If Birmingham was the locomotive that pulled the British gun trade to world dominance during the 19th century, then Webley and Scott were surely its engine and gearbox.
they also made fans
 
If Birmingham was the locomotive that pulled the British gun trade to world dominance during the 19th century, then Webley and Scott were surely its engine and gearbox.
they also made fans
My father in law had a fan very similar to that. The motor as I recall got very very hot, consequently while the fan moved a lot of air, standing in front of it was like standing by a blast furnace!
 
12ft/lb would be very optimistic for one of these, even when new. Maybe 10ft/lb if you were lucky.

Mine is running at 7.5ft/lb at present, but it is in line for some tlc. :D



Steve.
i did say or less 12ft/lp is max you can have non fac, thats good for a old springer. ps me thinks a optimist is better than a Pessimist:grinning:

 
My father in law had a fan very similar to that. The motor as I recall got very very hot, consequently while the fan moved a lot of air, standing in front of it was like standing by a blast furnace!
looks like a old microphone thats been converted to a fan:grinning:
 
As a young boy in the 1950's most of us had air pistols and rifles, there seemed to be no restrictions whatsoever back then.
Aged 9 or 10 I remember I had a Webley pistol and another cheaply made one called a GAT where to set the action you had to press the barrel against something and push hard till it locked on. Lots of kids had a GAT and we fired tiny little darts at targets on trees or got a box of lead slugs from the barbers shop of all places. Then I got given a broken air rifle and re-glued the stock, it was loaded via a long lever under the barrel and pulling it down compressed the spring. I stupidly pulled the trigger with the lever still hanging down and it snapped up and hit my finger and cracked a bone :mad:
 
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ooo bet that hurt.Vic
springer/break barrel air rifles were noisy and clanky but fun especially at fairground trying to win a prize
 
As a young boy in the 1950's most of us had air pistols and rifles, there seemed to be no restrictions whatsoever back then.
Aged 9 or 10 I remember I had a Webley pistol and another cheaply made one called a GAT where to set the action you had to press the barrel against something and push hard till it locked on. Lots of kids had a GAT and we fired tiny little darts at targets on trees or got a box of lead slugs from the barbers shop of all places. Then I got given a broken air rifle and re-glued the stock, it was loaded via a long lever under the barrel and pulling it down compressed the spring. I stupidly pulled the trigger with the lever still hanging down and it snapped up and hit my finger and cracked a bone :mad:
Interestingly, a pal of mine did the same with a Webley air pistol; snaping the barrel down on his thumb as he pulled the trigger.
 
Webley & Scott - Gunmakers history
 
As a very young kid long before my parents relented and let me get my first air gun, my only chance to fire "real guns" was at the fair. years later I can still remember feeling giddy with excitement at being handed a fist full of pellets, barely being able to see over the counter or cock the ancient old springer chained to it. To a soundtrack of deafening music and girly screams from the waltzers accompanied by the whiff of diesel, candy floss and puke!:grinning::grinning:
 
As a young boy in the 1950's most of us had air pistols and rifles, there seemed to be no restrictions whatsoever back then.
Aged 9 or 10 I remember I had a Webley pistol and another cheaply made one called a GAT where to set the action you had to press the barrel against something and push hard till it locked on. Lots of kids had a GAT and we fired tiny little darts at targets on trees or got a box of lead slugs from the barbers shop of all places. Then I got given a broken air rifle and re-glued the stock, it was loaded via a long lever under the barrel and pulling it down compressed the spring. I stupidly pulled the trigger with the lever still hanging down and it snapped up and hit my finger and cracked a bone :mad:
Izzy, I remember those darts, really like them only they were too expensive for me. Used to get the 177 pellets from the hardware or farm store.
 
As a very young kid long before my parents relented and let me get my first air gun, my only chance to fire "real guns" was at the fair. years later I can still remember feeling giddy with excitement at being handed a fist full of pellets, barely being able to see over the counter or cock the ancient old springer chained to it. To a soundtrack of deafening music and girly screams from the waltzers accompanied by the whiff of diesel, candy floss and puke!:grinning::grinning:

I also remember what they called Winchester rifles at the fair, they loaded 5 little bullets and handed you the rifle, you fired one then used the trigger guard to eject and load the next bullet, can you imagine that happening now!
 
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As a young boy in the 1950's most of us had air pistols and rifles, there seemed to be no restrictions whatsoever back then.
Aged 9 or 10 I remember I had a Webley pistol and another cheaply made one called a GAT where to set the action you had to press the barrel against something and push hard till it locked on. Lots of kids had a GAT and we fired tiny little darts at targets on trees or got a box of lead slugs from the barbers shop of all places. Then I got given a broken air rifle and re-glued the stock, it was loaded via a long lever under the barrel and pulling it down compressed the spring. I stupidly pulled the trigger with the lever still hanging down and it snapped up and hit my finger and cracked a bone :mad:

Those darts are still readily available.

I have an old Diana Mk1.



A child's gun, in fact, so it suits me fine. :D

I bought some darts to try in it, as it has a smooth bore barrel.



Outstandingly accurate at ten feet. :laughing::laughing::laughing:




Steve.
 
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