New Webley Tempest

[Jeff Higgins]

For you air gun fans, the Webley Tempest needs no introduction. A spring-piston gun, it was one of the icons of the air gun world for decades. Alas, like many English manufacturers, Webley and Scott ran into financial troubles and went belly up about a decade ago. With them went my opportunity to buy that Tempest I had always wanted, but kept putting off.

That has all changed - again, like many English companies, they have risen from the ashes under new ownership. The Tempest is back, at least for awhile (it's marketed as a "limited edition"). It is no longer made in Birmingham (it is made in Turkey), but I actually see that as a good thing.

Compared to Birmingham Tempests I have had the pleasure of handling and shooting over the years, the Turkish one is hands-down better in just about every respect. Fit and finish are every bit as good but, more importantly, the mechanism feels much tighter and more precisely made. The trigger is head and shoulders above any of the Birmingham guns I've fired.

Mine is a .22 caliber (I hate fumbling with tiny .177 pellets). It's no powerhouse - it clocks right at 336 fps with 14.8 grain H&N field trophy pellets - but it is very, very accurate. Very fun little gun for basement target practice and/or backyard plinking.

[Jeff Higgins]

My all-time favorite air pistol that I actually did have the good sense to buy way back when the originals were still made is my 1972 edition Benjamin 132 pump-up pneumatic. Another .22 caliber, this one is a bit more powerful than the Webley, just breaking 400 fps with the same H&N pellet. It is also just a bit more accurate, as pneumatics tend to be - they don't suffer from the jarring movement of the piston being driven by the spring when the trigger is released. The only downsides are the pumping and the noise. It takes ten pumps to reach full power, and they have a pretty sharp crack, where the springers are virtually silent.

Here is the old Benjamin. Lots of patina, along with lots of memories on this one. I have had it in continual use since I was 12 years old. It's fired dozens upon dozens of 500 count boxes of pellets in that time. I only hope the new Webley holds up as well.

[RWebb]

thx for this post

BTW - do you know a good repair shop for a Benjamin pump rifle?

[Jeff Higgins]

I had a place called Pinto's Gun Shop rebuild a Sheridan Blue Streak about ten years ago. They are up here in Kent, so that's probably a bit far for you unless you want to mail it. Crossman (who now own both Benjamin and Sheridan) has a list of authorized repair stations on their website. I bet there is one close to you somewhere.

Another option is a place called Mac1 Airguns. They rebuild Benjamins and Sheridans with their own proprietary parts, calling them "Steroid Conversions." They provide a noticable bump in power, with the .20 caliber Sheridan knocking on the door of 900 fps with the 14.5 grain pellet. They have a website with all of the information on these. I had an old Bluestreak rebuilt by them about five years ago - quality work, fair price, and a much more powerful rifle.

[RWebb]

Thanks, Jeff

BTW it's a memories or heritage rifle -- I did always like the Bluestreaks tho

[Jeff Higgins]

Well, I've now been shooting this thing for a few minutes after work every day. The first thing I learned was that I can no longer see its tiny little front sight, so I filed it off and replaced it with a nice tall, wide, white dot patridge type meant for a 1911. I think it's an old Novak or something. Huge improvement.

I thought that would help me shoot this thing better. I thought the odd flyers I was getting were attributable to the fact I couldn't see the front sight. Alas, such was not the case. The flyers continue, even with a crystal clear sight picture. I think this gun is possessed - it is truly evil. The little bastard might actually teach me to shoot...

You see, I actually thought I could shoot most anything well. This little gun defies me. The combination of relatively low velocity (and therefore long barrel time), light weight, and that big old piston slapping back on every shot have conspired to make this a truly frustrating gun to master. There is a lot of movement before it releases the pellet. If that movement is not absolutely the same, shot to shot, it will throw random flyers.

Hold is absolutely critical - any deviation shows up as a flyer. Trigger control is likewise absolutely critical. Where other guns can allow some level of inattention and laziness in those aspects, this one will punish you for them. Every time. While it is a very accurate gun, very easy to hit with, it is far easier to miss with. This thing is going to teach me some real discipline, on a whole new level.

I can see wht spring piston handguns have fallen out of favor. They are tough.

[RWebb]

you shot it on a bag or fixed to be sure that's the reason, right?

[Jeff Higgins]

Yup. I've shot it from sandbags, offhand with two hands, and offhand with one hand. Tight grip, loose grip. It's very, very sensitive to grip. Springers do have that reputation, but I guess I didn't know just how bad it could be.

I actually see it as a good thing. The discipline this thing will instill should carry over into all of my shooting.

[Don Ro]

Jeff,
Other than your dislike of handling the tiny .177 pellets, any other reason why you chose the Webley in .22 cal?
TIA

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

Jeff,
Other than your dislike of handling the tiny .177 pellets, any other reason why you chose the Webley in .22 cal?
TIA

No, not really. They are equally accurate and, having the same powerplant, equal in power. The .177 gets a good deal more velocity with its far lighter pellet; 430 fps or so vs. 350 or so, but even that really doesn't matter for the kind of shooting for which it is intended. It really just boils down to personal preference. Most guys like the .177's better. Ammo is cheaper for the .177, if that means anything.

Funny, since having purchased this pistol I have been kind of surfing the local Craigslist and other sites looking for old airguns. I found an exact match for the old Benjamin shown above, even made in the same year, in .177 caliber. The guy was less than ten miles away, the price was right, so the deal was made in a local supermarket parking lot (that evil supermarket parking lot airgun loophole at play - no background checks, paid in cash... shhhh... don't tell anyone...). So, now I have a .177 pistol after all. If someone was loading them and handing them to me to shoot, I honestly could not tell you which was which.

When I was a kid and first bought the Benjamin, I also had a Sheridan rifle in 5mm (.20) caliber (I still own that rifle, too). We were using them for plinking, of course, but also to go after squirrels, possums, starlings, crows, rats, and other critters. The Sheridan hit very noticably harder than my various buddies' Benjamin, Crossman, and Daisy .177's. When I decided to get a pistol as "backup" (quite the romantic visions of "big game" hunting with this young lad), bigger seemed better, so I got the .22.

I soon discovered that even in .22 caliber, the pistol had nowhere near the power as the Sheridan, and was no match for even a small squirrel. So much for the "big bore" sidearm. Now, as an adult, I realize it's pretty irresponsible to even try to kill small game with an air pistol, so caliber really is moot. In the end, then, it just boiled down to ease of handling for my big ol' sausage fingers.

Air rifles are another story. Powerful pneumatics like the Sheridan and Benjamin, powerful springers like the RWS Diana 34 I just bought (there is another thread floating around here on that one), or the new pre-charged pneumatics can be very effective against small game. With these, I feel caliber makes a real difference. I'll go 5mm if it's available in the rifle I'm buying, or .22 if it's not. Not many 5mm's available outside of the Sheridan (still in production) and a few select Beemans, so I wound up with the RWS in .22 caliber to serve as the new backyard pest gun.

[Don Ro]

Thanks for your reply, Jeff.
.
I will likely go w/the .177 as I may not be pesting much w/it...I'll leave that to my RWS Mod. 38 (once on-sight, not much gets away from that rig)...but rather back yard target/plinking.
.
BTW, found wood grips for your Tempest:
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Beeman Combat Grips for Hurricane & Tempest Pistols, Rosewood, Finger Grooves - AirgunDepot.com
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Happy shootin'.


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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osMj8kVGD6o

[Jeff Higgins]

Very cool, Don - thanks for the link to the wood grips. Those will really dress up this little gun.

And yes, your 38 is head and shoulders above this pistol for pest control work. These things, as charming as they are, just don't have the poop for that. In light of that, you will be very happy with the .177.

So, several weeks into ownership (and over 500 pellets down range) I can now re-iterate with even more conviction that this is the most challenging gun I have ever fired. It's really teaching me the fundamentals again - hold, squeeze, follow-through, etc. If not done exactly the same, each and every time in every little detail, this thing will throw a flyer. I'm getting on top of it now, but boy, I had not realized how sloppy I had gotten. The Webley is a pretty demanding little task master, and will not suffer that. It's been very frustrating, challenging, and most of all, great good fun.

[silverc4s]

Jeff,
Thanks for putting this up. I have an older 4.5mm Webley Tempest kicking around. It is labelled as a Beeman Airgun, out of San Rafel, CA, and says made in England on the bottom of the plastic spring housing.
Are these becoming collectible? i just bought it for varmint plinking when I lived in Silicon Valley years ago (another story..)

[Jeff Higgins]

I don't think the Tempests (or Hurricans) are yet, Bill. Many see the plastic grips and front shroud as a major afront, as well as the safety. That, and there were an awfull lot of them made.

The Premier, Senior, and to a lesser extent the Junior are certainly collectable today. Good ones go for much more than the new Tempests.

[silverc4s]

Thanks, again Jeff. I really wanted to hang onto it anyway. That makes it easier.
Regards,

[Don Ro]

Jeff & all,

I also purchased the Webley Tempest, but in .177 cal.
I like the piece (a b!tch to cock) - nice feel, but I'll be doing some work on the action.
In spite of the absurdly hard trigger pull, I was able to hit a Campbell's soup can at 29' eight times in a row...both hands, resting on patio table.
I searched and found some links reflecting trigger pull mods.
HTHs you and anyone else.
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Another Airgun Blog: Derrick Lightens His Webley Tempest Trigger
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Beeman/ Webley & Scott Tempest Trigger Mod - RimfireCentral.com Forums

[Jeff Higgins]

Fun little pistol, isn't it, Don? Yes, a real bugger to cock, and a heavy (but crisp) trigger, but great good fun nonetheless. I find grasping the grip in my right (shooting) hand, barrel in left, and cocking it over my left thigh to be about the easiest way to do it. As far as the trigger, while I've just learned to live with it, I think I'll check out those web sites. Thanks.

[Don Ro]

Calling Jeff Higgins.
.
Did you ever do a trigger job on your Tempest?
Thinking about it on mine...I want to increase its accuracy. Trigger spring screw is no help, really. Cut a coil or two off the trigger spring...and polish the parts, maybe.
Also, the sights are crude and I'm thinking of fabbing up a set of peep sights or even some sort of beam light.
.
I now cock the gun by using an upside down "wishbone" technique...like I would break a wishbone upside down.
Much easier to cock that little sweetheart.
.
Using Meisterkugeln 8.2gr (.177) pellets lately - better accuracy (if one could call the Tempest accurate) given that the gun, as it is, is not so terribly accurate beyond 30 feet. I can hit a Campbell's soup can about 5 - 6 times out of 10 at that distance...using both hands and my forearm resting on my patio table.
But THAT trigger! Holy Crap!
.
Thoughts?

[Jeff Higgins]

Yeah, that trigger "adjustment" screw - it fell out on mine I had it backed out so far. No discernable affect. As far as the sights, I installed a big fat post with a white dot meant for a 1911 on the front, and re-filed the notch on the rear to suit. That, and once I had it zeroed, I glued the darn thing in place. It's amazing how much that rear sight would eventually creep off zero under this pistol's "recoil".

After that cursory work, it has turned into a real shooter. I too use a standard Campbell's soup can as a plinking target. At about 25 yards, I get upset if I miss it one out of ten shooting offhand. This confounding little pistol does teach (and reward) good form, and punishes bad form even better. I have to say, it has very noticably improved my shooting.

[Don Ro]

LOL...I thought I had a sudden case of polio recently...I couldn't hit anything...rear sight screw was so loose that they almost fell off.
I put a white dot of paint on my fronts but not so much improvement.
Agreed...if you can shoot that Tempest well you can shoot anything well.
.
When and if I ever have the time a trigger job is in its future.
Thanks for your reply.