Question about Webley & Scott ‘Junior’ Break-Barrel .177 Air Rifle

[Gear_Junkie]

I may have an opportunity to buy a 1930's Webley & Scott ‘Junior’ Break-Barrel .177 Air Rifle, in excellent working condition.  Can anyone tell me the possible value of this air rifle?  I can't seem to find much information on it.

Thanks!

[Motorhead]

I may have an opportunity to buy a 1930's Webley & Scott ‘Junior’ Break-Barrel .177 Air Rifle, in excellent working condition.  Can anyone tell me the possible value of this air rifle?  I can't seem to find much information on it.

Thanks!

near 90 years old .... LEATHER seals likely all around.   Unique and collectable if so inclined.
IMO ... don' buy it as a shooter tho because even if it does now it likely won't much longer once you start.

Value ... no idea

[Gear_Junkie]

Thanks for the help, Scott!  Based on what little information that I have found, and the parts list at Chambers and John knibbs, both the piston seal AND the breech seal were originally leather.  I can get a new breech seal, but it doesn't appear that I can get a replacement piston seal.  This has me questioning whether or not I should buy the rifle.  I have emailed Tom at Vortek, and Jim at ARH, to see if they can provide replacement seals... I'll see if they respond.

[MDriskill]

The Junior was not designed by Webley, but assembled and finished by them from parts supplied by Milbro in Scotland. The Junior was basically the same gun as the Milbro model 22, which was in turn a copy of the pre-WW2 German Diana model 22.

The Junior was very similar to the later Jaguar and Ranger models. These are not pre-war guns, but were around from about 1949 to 1975. Really nice examples with accessories are quite rare, and valuable to collectors especially in the UK. I don’t have a good feel for what one would be worth, though.

As mentioned above, parts for these old guns are available from John Knibbs and Chambers in the UK:

http://www.airgunspares.com/store/category/64/465/WEBLEY/Junior%252CJaguar%252CRanger/

If the gun has not been abused, odds are good that the original piston seal is still good or can be revived with lubrication. There would not be any advantage to switching to another material in these little rifles. Breech seal can be replaced with a shimmed O-ring easily enough.

If you like Webley rifles, you can’t do better than to buy Chris Thrale’s book, “Webley Air Rifles.”  It’s really excellent.

[Gear_Junkie]

The Junior was not designed by Webley, but assembled and finished by them from parts supplied by Milbro in Scotland. The Junior was basically the same gun as the Milbro model 22, which was in turn a copy of the pre-WW2 German Diana model 22.

The Junior was very similar to the later Jaguar and Ranger models. These are not pre-war guns, but were around from about 1949 to 1975. Really nice examples with accessories are quite rare, and valuable to collectors especially in the UK. I don’t have a good feel for what one would be worth, though.

As mentioned above, parts for these old guns are available from John Knibbs and Chambers in the UK:

http://www.airgunspares.com/store/category/64/465/WEBLEY/Junior%252CJaguar%252CRanger/

If the gun has not been abused, odds are good that the original piston seal is still good or can be revived with lubrication. There would not be any advantage to switching to another material in these little rifles. Breech seal can be replaced with a shimmed O-ring easily enough.

If you like Webley rifles, you can’t do better than to buy Chris Thrale’s book, “Webley Air Rifles.”  It’s really excellent.

This is great info, thank you very much!  The owner said that his friend bought the rifle during WWii while he was in the Philippines.  He is pretty sure that it is from this period???

[oldair]

As Mike noted above, the Webley Junior rifle did not exist until after WWII.  Is it possible the gun being referred to is a Webley Junior pistol, which were made well before the War?

[Gear_Junkie]

As Mike noted above, the Webley Junior rifle did not exist until after WWII.  Is it possible the gun being referred to is a Webley Junior pistol, which were made well before the War?

I asked him the same thing.  He confirmed that it is a rifle.  I think he may just be mistaken about it's age.

Thanks for the confirmation!