brittish-made airguns - help me understand this

[ranedouglas]

i had a chance to shoot an air arms underlever this weekend (thanx, ron b. !!).   it was a magnificent piece of machinery/craftsmanship/art.   these airguns have been the only brand i've seen that blues as dark as the birmingham webs.   i'd never heard of them in the 80's and it was last year before i fully returned to this wonderful sport.  after i saw that the bluing and trigger of the air arms reminded me so much of webleys, i did some research on air arms, which appearently has been around since the 70's.    i shot a BSA supersport XL, also (thanx, again, ron).   what happened to webley in the u.k. that they chose to move into turkey ?    BSA, Air Arms, (and it seems there's another english brand) still produce fine air rifles there.   can someone explain the full story on the intial problem w/ webley in birmingham ?    i thought it was a government issue, but there's others still making nice springers there.     thanks for your help.    -paul d self in ft.worth,tx.

[RedFeather]

I don't know that BSA currently builds guns there. Maybe they do. Were acquired by Gamo way back in the last century, so they are not entirely a Brit company. (Where Gamo got its 1250 from.) Webley's finances were waaaaay wobbley is why they moved operations to Turkey. The present company is to the old Webley what the second owners were to the original Beeman. Nothing like it.

[arathol]

Gamo has owned BSA since 1986. Currently all BSA spring guns are made in Spain, PCP guns in England. Webley was driven into receivership by a combination of new regulations, governmental  antigun pressure and a 25% drop in sales in the last year. Webley did not move to Turkey, the Webley & Scott name was sold to Hatsan, along with all existing parts and machinery. Hatsan then began making rifles marked Webley. No different than Walther marked rifles made in China.

[Gene_SC]

Thank you Dave...

[ranedouglas]

i comprende better now.    webley.uk FINALLY answered all of my questions about shipping and about where this and that are manufactured - sounds like everything except a pcp or two is made in turkey.   the others are made in korea.    guess i'd better keep one of these webley raider 10's which were said to be made by FX.     i'll keep 2 or 3 of these really solid 'transitional' springers, too.   i'll post some pics and video on my site asap.   the omega i took out and shot today is great - acts more like a tomahawk.   paul d self.    http://raneair.webs.com .