Webley Patriot

Webley Airguns has recently re-opened its factories in Turkey. Using the same equipment and processes, coupled with the emphasis on quality control, they are once again putting on the market some excellent airguns.

I recently had the chance to shoot and evaluate one of the new Patriot airguns, one of the most powerful spring-piston airguns on the market. This gun is a large gun, a bit much for the smaller shooter or young person.



The Patriot, as mentioned, is a very powerful airgun. In .177 caliber, I was sending RWS Superdome pellets downrange at over 1100 fps. You can see the chrony reading in the picture below.



The Patriot is almost identical in size to the Beeman R-1/RX-2 series of guns. I laid the Patriot alongside my RX-2 for a comparison. With slightly different shapes to the stock, the guns are pretty much a match in size.



One of my favorite things about the Webley line of spring-piston rifles is the location of the safety. It is much handier than other safeties out there, and with a simple flick of the thumb, you can take it off safety and be ready to fire. And if you decide not to shoot, a simple pull backwards on the safety tab is all that is needed to reset the safety.



The sights on the Patriot are top quality, with a nicely adjustable rear sight and a globed sight mounted on the muzzlebrake provided, which helps with the cocking of this stout gun. The cocking effort was less than I thought it would be, but it was still significant. No doubt, with repeated shooting, the cocking mechanisms should wear in, and the effort will ease up somewhat. But one of the trade offs for this much power is a stout spring, and it will require some effort to cock.





The Webley Patriot is one of the more suitable guns for hunting. The power level it provides will bring down the majority of small game, and in the larger calibers, it will really provide a good thump! The accuracy of this gun is quite good, and connecting with your target is easily achieved, either with the open sights provided, or with a good quality scope mounted on the provided scope rail. Be sure to choose a good mount that will grip solidly, for this gun will move your scope if not fastened down firmly.

Available in .177, .22, and .25, this gun provides several options for your needs. Personally, I prefer the larger calibers in this powerful a springer. At a current price of $423, this gun easily competes for your airgunning dollar when looking for a powerful springer.

Airgun Shows

Airgun shows are great fun, both for the collector and shooter. At many of the shows, you will find antiques, desirable collector pieces, and air guns suitable for hunting both small and big game.

Some of the shows that are coming up are as follows:

Airgun Expo, May 2-3, 2008 - Benton, AR (Little Rock area) at the Saline County Fairgrounds

18th Annual International Airgun Exposition, October 24-25 - Roanoke, VA. This one is a big show with lots of table to look over.

Baldwinsville, NY Airgun Show, July 18-19 - Baldwinsville, NY - located at American Legion Post 113 8529 Smokey Hollow Rd. Baldwinsville, NY 13027 - Saturday, the 19th, is the day the show is open to the general public. The first day is the "dealers only" day.

Connecticut Airgun Show, June 7-8, 2008 at Windsor Elks Lodge #2060 130 Deerfield Road Windsor, CT 06095

To learn more about these upcoming airgun shows, go to www.yellowforum.com and click on the "events" tag near the top of the page. You will find several shows, some not listed here, and hopefully one will be near you.

You will meet some really great people at these shows, knowledgeable and eager to help if you are a new initiate to the airgun world, or if you are a long-time shooter, you'll find some great folks with which to discuss your passion of airguns.

Take in a show.....they are fun and informative, and quite often there are events either immediately before or after the show that you can participate in. Target shoots, hunts, and social get togethers for the airgunner to enjoy.

The Beeman RX-2 - A Surefire Hunting Airgun

The Beeman RX-2 is a fantastic gun for the hunter for a number of reasons. The accuracy of the German-built gun is legendary, as are all the guns from the HW factory. But the RX-2 has some advantages over the other break-barrel rifles available.

First, the laminate stock is very eye-catching, and sets off the superb bluing of this gun quite nicely. HW guns have one of the best finishes on the market, and they didn't stint at all with this full-sized adult airgun.

Secondly, the powerplant of the RX-2 is a gas ram, not a spring. This is of importance to the hunter in that you need not worry about leaving your gun cocked for extended periods of time while hunting. There simply isn't a spring that will take a set, and the gas ram operates by compressing a sealed quantity of gas, nitrogen I believe. You still have to follow the practice of not dry-firing a break-barrel, as the piston still needs a cushion of air to prevent it from hitting the breech face during the firing cycle.

I have a few pics of my RX-2. Last week, you saw a review of a Tech Force scope that I mounted on this gun. It is still working fine, and I also used a reddot for a squirrel hunt a few weeks ago. Both methods of sighting worked well, but I haven't used the reddot for an extended amount of time and can't comment on the longevity of such a sighting aid. However, the Tech Force scope is holding up quite nicely after several hundred rounds.

The RX-2 is like most other break-barrel rifles in that you need to learn how to shoot it. It is a heavy gun, coming in close to 10 lbs. with a scope on it, so it may not be ideal for a long session of hiking and hunting. But if you hunt by ambush and intend to wait while hidden for your prey, it will be no problem.

The RX-2 can be de-cocked by breaking the barrel open, holding it firmly with one hand while disengaging the safety with the other, and carefully returning the barrel to the locked position. The safety, shown below, is able to be re-engaged if you decide to pass up a shot after taking the safety off.



The scope rails cut into the receiver accept the standard 3/8" scope rings, but I've discovered that a quality one-piece mount that firmly grips the dovetails is a must on this gun. The alternative is a mount that has a scope-stop pin to aid in keeping it in position. The firing sequence generates a sharp, quick snap of recoil, and plan on fastening your scope firmly in place on this gun.

20+ fpe are easily available in .22 caliber from this gun. Using RWS Superdomes, I've received 26 fpe, and the two squirrels you see in this pic were taken with Crosman Premiers that were putting out 24.5 fpe. The smashing effect of the RX-2 has made it one of my favorites already, and I hope to keep one of these guns in my possession for a long time to come.

The quality of this rifle commands a premium price. Compasseco currently sells the RX-2 for $728.95, and though the price may seem prohibitive to some, you certainly get a quality gun for your hard-earned money.