Webley Stingray.indd

airguns | webley
A SOLID
dependable
workhorse
Mark Camoccio revisits the Webley
Stingray II, a traditionally-styled, breakbarrel spring/piston air rifle that really
bristles with features
Overa ll the St ingray I I is a
good springer, wi th a very
good stock and trigger
for the money
70
july
2014
|
GUN MART
This latest Webley St ingray I I
is a wel l thought out and
shootable rifl e at good money
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webley | airguns
to reality, I still managed to get
some joy - shortening the first
pull; ending up with something
that tripped predictably and
crisply. Take another look at the
asking price here, and the fact
that this trigger is way above
average for a gun of this class,
is genuine cause for celebration.
Manufacturers continue to
ignore triggers on rifles in the
lower price bracket at their peril
in my view, as an increasingly
sophisticated shooting fraternity,
look for more across the board.
The rear sight assembly
has fibre optic dots and is
fully adjustable
F
irst impressions of
the Stingray II are
highly favourable,
and it’s difficult not
to be won over by the eyecatching walnut woodwork
and attention to detail.
Pick this rifle up and it
feels like a Webley and for that
read a solid and dependable
workhorse. Starting with the
woodwork, the Turkish walnut
sporter stock largely follows a
reliable, conventional pattern,
then add in the gold coloured
trigger and reddish brown,
English-style rubber butt pad,
for a really tasteful looking rifle.
The forend is now extended
and nicely squared off, whilst
extensive, laser-cut chequered
panels do their job but also
give a certain pleasing look
and feel. Incorporating a ‘W’
into the pattern is a nice touch,
as is the white line spacer at
the butt, and the end result
is a highly attractive rifle that
shows intent. Grain pattern
was excellent on my test gun,
and with pride of ownership all
part of our world, the Stingray
owners club should be a
satisfied bunch; surely prepared
to overlook the odd scuff mark
underneath the varnish!
Finish
Precisely engineered
components, and a level of
blueing, to satisfy all but the
sternest of critics, puts this latest
offering in a different bracket
altogether. Attention to detail
is another impressive factor.
Fibre optic, ‘Tru-glo’ open sights
are fitted as standard, including
a fully adjustable rear, and a
protector up front housing the
element. Many of us cut our
teeth so to speak on ‘iron sights’,
and with fibre optics now offering
a much brighter sight picture in
poor light, today’s new intake are
spoilt without even knowing it!
The muzzle comes prethreaded for a silencer and
has a knurled, protective cap.
An automatic safety comes
in the form of that slick T-bar
style push-pull design, sited at
the rear of the cylinder – very
reminiscent of the famous
old Webley Omega rifle.
Improvements…
The stroke to compress the
‘Powr-lok’ mainspring was
fairly easily achieved, and a
pretty smooth operation all
told - finished off with a very
solid barrel lock-up. Nudging
off that T-bar auto safety is
easy, although for the record,
no de-cocking of the action,
once primed, is possible.
One thing that many of the
old original Webleys were never
known for, was a decent trigger,
and whilst giving many of us
hours of pleasure and valuable
experience, they were truly awful
in this regard! However there
are such issues with this new
Stingray; in fact quite the reverse,
for the Quattro trigger design is
a triumph by comparison. An
adjustable mechanism allows
for the length and weight of
pull to be altered, whilst that
flat surfaced, near perfectly
shaped blade, is a delight in
use. I tweaked around with
an Allen key, and whilst the
instruction leaflet clearly showed
pictures of a different layout
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Feel & Performance
Shoot this latest Stingray II, and
if my test gun is anything to go
by, you’re in for a surprise, as the
relatively mild, super slick, firing
cycle hammers home the point.
Mild recoil, very little resonance,
and no spring reverberation, just
about stopped me in my tracks,
and with just a slight metallic
ring the main accompaniment
of pulling the trigger, I was
left mightily impressed.
On the range, I suspected
that that Quattro trigger would
play its part, and I wasn’t to be
disappointed. Sub-1/2”clusters
over 25yards, with Air Arms
Diabolo Field pellets, and ¾”
groups with some Webley
Harriers that I happened to
have handy, proved the action’s
capabilities beyond all doubt.
Conclusion
I was impressed when I first
clapped eyes on this model,
and now having spent time
with it, the quality of that lovely
woodwork, super slick action,
and well thought out design
throughout, left me convinced
that this famous old British brand
name will continue to flourish.
The price may suggest that
this is an ideal starter/novice
gun, but in truth the accuracy,
power and overall performance
indicates that this rifle is far
more than that, and it will also
be quite at home for pest
control and hunting duty. GM
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Model:
Type:
Calibre:
Weight:
Length:
Barrel:
Stock:
Power Source:
Trigger:
Average Velocity:
Spread:
Energy:
RRP:
Contact:
Webley Stingray II
Break-barrel sporter
.177 on test/ .22 available
7lbs
42.5”
17.5”
Walnut sporter
Spring/piston
2-stage adjustable
758fps using Air Arms pellets
(over a10 shot string)
14fps
10.8ft/lbs
£203.49
Highland Outdoors,
www.highlandoutdoors.co.uk
‘W’ pattern chequering on
the grip (and forend) is a
nice touch
GUN MART
| july
2014
71