My "big buy" from the Roanoke show! My apologies to the guys who've seen this on the other fora...I did at least stick in another couple pics for your trouble.

This is a nice example of the BSF S20 pistol. This is the Match variant, distinguished by the click-adjusting rear sight. Probably made early 1960's, predating the later Match variant with hooded front sight and thumbrest grip. The grip is the same as the sporter version of the S20, making for a trim and sleek-looking gun. Nice piece of wood, pretty tapered barrel, and a nice gun to shoot with a good trigger. Note the odd combination of the laboriously machined elevation adjuster on the rear sight, with crude sliding windage piece.

Nice pistol!

how much was it?

I saw two diana V's one for 100 one for 125. I was very tempted. The old dianas are beautiful. The 360fps on the price tag made me think twice....thats a bit too slow for me . They had nice polished bluing, the 100 dollar one had little specks of rust though.

Well I ended up getting more recent beeman 800 for the price of the diana V.

There were so many guns, and i was so excited I didn't get to study each gun carefully.

I found a good deal, 3 diana 6's and one 5 for 435, but I didn't have the money.

I also saw a crosman metalist 150 (chrome) for 100.

Next year i'm coming with 400 dollars :P

on one table, there was a whole collection of webley's from new to old. Prices seemed reasonable too. Which versions are desirable?

James, obviously you spent a lot of time at crafty ol' Philip Barr's table! He had a fine selection of old Diana pistols, and some great prices.

I paid an even $100 for the BSF.

Any of the old steel Webleys are well worth having and highly collectible. The Senior was the top-of-the-line model for many years, with the Mark 1 and Junior as lesser-cost alternatives. The Premier replaced the Senior and Mk 1 in the early 1960's.

How fast did these older webleys shoot?

I can't wait till next year!

James, the older guns are similar in performance to the current Tempest and Hurricane, or possibly just a hair slower.

IMHO the Tempest/Hurricane family, if lacking the visual appeal of the older models, is quite underrated. They are just as rugged, much more ergonomic, and probably the all-round best-shooting Webley pistols of all.

so they are just like progressions of the same gun, All about the same preformance/behavior?

How do you know which one you want when there is a table of 10 webley's, all different years, and different prices but in the same ball park, and all similar condition, and you dont know which ones work.

I know the anwser: get a diana V LOL

Maybe next time i'll get an all steel one with a raked grip. Or the one with the best bore.

I like them, they seem so rugged and compact.

i looked at some pictures, I like the senior

http://vintageairguns.co.uk/photo-library/photos2.asp?dir=%5BWebley+Pistols+2%5D

There is a widely-available book called "Webley Air Pistols," by Gordon Bruce, that is absolutely excellent. I would highly recommend you buy one if interested in the subject, then you can make your own decision which models are of most interest to you.

My personal favorites, if you only own one vintage Webley pistol, would be either a "slant grip" Senior or an early blued Premier.