A CLASSIC WEBLEY

Tim Finley is pleased to find the Webley Raider Classic lives up to its name

- Tim Finley

‘Raider’ is a well-known Webley name, and the latest rifle to bear it is a cracker. This up-to-date version, the Classic, has all of the features that a classic PCP should have, including a built-in pressure gauge on the underside and a quick-fill system to fill it up. Its mainframe is capable of multiple or single shots, guarded by a manual safety catch, and it comes ready-threaded for a moderator or muzzle brake. All these features and more are impressive in such an affordable sported, but it’s the little design touches that set the Raider Classic apart.

ACTION POINTS

Let’s start with the action. It’s a sturdy, solid chunk of aircraft grade aluminium. Machined across the top is a scope rail, but not a normal one because there are two specifications of scope rails available; a 20mm Picatinny type normally seen in the firearms world, complete with ten slots to accommodate Weaver and Picatinny scope mounts, and an 11mm dovetail for normal airgun mounts, running raised along the centre of the Picatinny rail, so the owner can use either type of mount. It’s a very clever idea and one that more manufacturers should use, in my opinion.

TWO MAG’S

The breech block is split by the magazine slot – the rear section is 97mm long and the front is 50mm – with the cocking bolt is on the right-hand side of the action, where two recessed rings and a matte finish give it a nice grippy surface. One point to note is that the bolt is not part of the pellet probe. It sits lower in the action and puts it closer to the shooter’s hand, thus making cycling the action quicker and slicker.