This advert appeared in a 1967 edition of the Meccano Magazine & I thought I'd post an image of it on here. Guess a Falcon might well have been on someones Christmas list 57 years ago & maybe even on someones more recently. Must admit I quite like the idea of getting a .177 version sometime or other. I'd be interested to hear opinions on what owners think of the Falcon, from what I have heard it seems well regarded but if it was that good how or why did the Meteor seem to capture the market? Was it price?
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the Daily hi thread
Webley Falcon
- Thread starter lamin8
- Start date
big dan has just put out a video on one.
OldStock
Member Extraordinaire
My first airgun, it did bite me though, finished target shooting, oiled it, and then for some reason I can't remember, tried to cock it, hand slid along the action and the barrel closed on the web of my hand. I guess that was a lesson in properly bracing break barrels for cocking.
The stocks are a bit slender and ours did snap at the pistol grip.
The stocks are a bit slender and ours did snap at the pistol grip.
Thanks, interesting replies but I'm still wondering why the dear old Meteor took the lions share of the market compared to the Falcon. I'd guess they were both possibilities for anyone in the market for an air rifle of that sort of power & size.
Just been looki g through old magazines & found a couple of other Webley ads. & a BSA one . If anyone is interested I will pop them on here with the dates of publication. Dont think there are any that have not been seen before ......
Just been looki g through old magazines & found a couple of other Webley ads. & a BSA one . If anyone is interested I will pop them on here with the dates of publication. Dont think there are any that have not been seen before ......
flatrajectory
Super member
The Falcon was very well made ( in the traditon of the Webley mk.111 ), all machined steel etc. It was better made than the Meteor by miles. The reason the Meteor sold in vast numbers is `Advertising`. BSA had a huge customer base and a large advertising budget, so could reach out to many more potential customers.
junglie2022
Member Extraordinaire
Lovely looking old things they are, never seen one up here in the flesh though, meteors were common as muck though. I think I read they were made in germany for webley somewhere.
Beretta687
Super member
I got a 2nd hand Webley Falcon.22 in 1971 for £8.50. The favourite was the Mark 3, but they were double the price. Well made with solid blued steel,screws and keeper screws,unlike the BSA meteor,which used pins and rivets more. Meteors were cheaper to buy.
yoshiwolves
Proactive member
i think the main reason the meteor outsold the falcon was down to marketing and availability,
the place where i grew up in the seventies had one proper gunshop where you could buy most makes of airguns, but there was also four sports shops and a hardware and hobby shop that sold airguns, all of them stocked the full range of bsa,s but none other than the gun shop sold webleys,
the place where i grew up in the seventies had one proper gunshop where you could buy most makes of airguns, but there was also four sports shops and a hardware and hobby shop that sold airguns, all of them stocked the full range of bsa,s but none other than the gun shop sold webleys,
That's a good point you make about BSA's being sold sports shops etc & that would make them more easily available compared to something which could generally only be available via a gunshop.
Foxhound71
Super member
We have 2 Falcons, my son got one first and I enjoyed shooting it, although when cooked I found the trigger a touch too far forward.
Recently I picked up another one for me and I really like it.
They both just feel 'right', and are easier to strip / reassemble that my Meteor 1 and II.
Recently I picked up another one for me and I really like it.
They both just feel 'right', and are easier to strip / reassemble that my Meteor 1 and II.
Myatto
Super member
I always enjoy watching his reviews, especially the older rifles, not he's done that many, but it's a great way to go for him, impressed with the Falcon a really useable old rifle, so well built, Im hoping to buy a Webley MK3 of a Mate
when I was a lad a local sports shop had two racks of air rifles one bsa and one webley....the webleys were far better ...looked like firearms blued steel and wood.....I have had a few falcons over the years one in .22 totally inaccurate......I still have a nice mk3
The webley falcon was a nice well made rifle but they were outsold by the meteors by a country mile reason being the meteors produced more power were just as accurate had a better trigger unit and they were a fair bit cheaper, I own an early falcon and it's great fun to shoot with its opensights I don't think I would ever part with it.
Attachments
Interesting to hear your opinion about the Meteor triggers being better than the one on the Falcon. The general build quality of the Falcon seems to be better than the BSA but maybe not in all instances.
Mark Palmer
Member Extraordinaire
My first airgun, and I still have it 
JonM
Proactive member
I have the original outer mailing box, the inner box, the metal target holder, some assorted other bits & bobs of box contents from a Falcon.
All very handy as until I wandered into them all, I had a Falcon in very nice condition, but had never seen the box and accessories for one!
If only all my Webleys had boxes!!
All very handy as until I wandered into them all, I had a Falcon in very nice condition, but had never seen the box and accessories for one!
If only all my Webleys had boxes!!