I would like to replace the breech seal on a .22 cal webley senior. Can anyone tell me where I might find one?
Webley Senior breech seal
- Thread starter Trunion
- Start date
As a follow-up to this thread, I finally got around to addressing replacing the breech seal on the pistol. in all honesty I hate to admit that once I received the part and tore down the gun for a good cleaning did I discover there was no seal in the darn thing... not even a hint of one. When I first received the gun it had very low power which I figured might be because of a broken main spring and perhaps a worn out breech seal. After receiving the replacement parts I opened the action up I discovered the main spring was in excellent condition as well as the piston and its split ring. After donning a jewelers loupe and probing around the breech with a dental pick I was relatively certain all I needed was a new seal. I lubricated the spring and piston and reassembled the gun. Installation of the new seal was the biggest challenge but with a fair amount of determination I got it in. The good news is there isn't a thing wrong with this ole gem... what an excellent little pistol this bad boy is. It's built like a Sherman Tank.
Upvote 0
They are extremely fine. Forget the Premier, this is the gun.
The breech seal is meant to go in counterintuitively the square face inward and the slight radius facing the barrel.
The phosphor bronze piston ring can last forever. Simply lube with 2 stroke motor oil.
I have had Seniors running 500 fps but no other webley over lever pistol gets as close…its to do with the volume the piston ring allows.
The disadvantage of the Senior is that ring needs constant lubrication but you can do that.
If you need any advice just ask….ive had many and tuned too many to remember.
The breech seal is meant to go in counterintuitively the square face inward and the slight radius facing the barrel.
The phosphor bronze piston ring can last forever. Simply lube with 2 stroke motor oil.
I have had Seniors running 500 fps but no other webley over lever pistol gets as close…its to do with the volume the piston ring allows.
The disadvantage of the Senior is that ring needs constant lubrication but you can do that.
If you need any advice just ask….ive had many and tuned too many to remember.
Upvote 0
Thanks for your input Steve. They really are fine examples of ingenuity and craftsmanship. I wouldn't hesitate an instant to pick one up in .177 if I'm ever lucky enough to see one.
Upvote 0
Sorry if this is a repeat of any of the conversation or if I just missed some important points but I just got a synthetic breach seal for my Webley Senior, along with a seating tool. I got the "counterintuitive" part...thanks... but I'm wondering if the seal or seating tool is caliber-specific. Mine is .22. I think I specified .22 when I ordered it but there is no designation on the parts or packaging. The nib on the end of the seating tool is 0.129 inches in diameter, and it is a loose fit in the hole in the seal. Is this normal? Will it provide sufficient air transfer to get decent velocity? Any other installation hints? Thanks!
Upvote 0
I would yield to a different opinion from Stevoo, but to the best of my knowledge the synthetic breech seal, including the transfer port size, is the same for either caliber. The same part is used for a lot of other guns as well, not only the older ones but the later Hurricane/Tempest family.
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Thanks. Second question.... should I lube the sides of the seal or the walls of the breach chamber before installing, or leave it dry and lightly lube the exposed front face? I was thinking clean the seal and breach with alcohol and install dry to provide for best surface cohesion on the sides of the seal.
Upvote 0
This man is correct. The Generic seal (a type of nitrile rubber) moulded for Webley pistols after the earlier design of Leather with brass insert was known for crumbling off the brass liner and eventually dropped.
The bore diameter is the same regardless of caliber as is the O/D. As all seatings were the same dia for eons.
It's a good idea to ensure the seating is clean. Then use a touch of silicone oil around the O/D before pushing it in.
The idea is to get the squared flat side down hermetically flat to the base of the location so not to have any lost volume of it sitting up from its base. I've known many put the radius in first with the flat side facing the breech, believing the radius must be there to assist seating. I have tried the seal this way without issue. However, Bruce himself stated that the radius side had been intended to be outermost, allowing more grab of more material by the short seating or it can occasion to pop out when gripping the radius side.
Apparently the radius side facing the breech was supposed to end up more or less flat anyway after a few 1000 cycles..
I never had any trouble with sealing these guns regardless of which way round you chose to apply it, unlike the highly problematic seal fitted to the BSA Magnum pistol, employing a bad design of flange of rubber trying to seal against an angled breech which ended up distorting the seal.
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Thanks. All makes sense. To me, the flat side in creates a better seal with the back wall of the breach. Then having a radiused surface outermost creates a nice, smooth surface for the barrel to slide down and engage, slightly compressing and sealing as it locks down. I notice a very slight radius at the bottom of the barrel chamber. This, along with the outer radius of the seal, seems to work nicely to create a smooth, tight seal as the barrel closes. And keeps the front of the seal from getting worn down by repeated contact with the barrel chamber edge.
Upvote 0