davephoto
17-07-2009, 06:20 PM
A review of a HW 98 tuned and restocked by Dave Hall aka Bonnie and Clyde.
I first got my 98 second-hand from another member here on the BBS about 18 months ago and it was as described mint and shot well, but felt a little twangy and very hold sensitive.
After a few months I had come to a point where I was dissatisfied with the performance I was getting with the rifle, as I was a convert from a .22 HW97K to .177. I had been assured that a .177 would dramatically improve my HFT scores and general accuracy, alas this was not the case. The grouping was nowhere near as good as I had expected and at 30 yds I was outshooting the 98 with the 97.
It was at this point I came across an advert in the sales section for the most fantastic looking walnut thumb hole stock for a 98 being sold by Dave aka Bonnie and Clyde. I parted with my money and the stock arrived. Refitting the sock transformed the rifle into the most comfortable airgun I have ever shot, but despite its beauty it still grouped like a shotgun.
Time and work commitments took me away from shooting for a while, and some time passed when out of the blue Dave contacted me and asked how the stock was working out for me.
This was the beginning of an adventure in trust and experimentation that was to last a good few months.
After telling Dave of my disappointment with the new and beautiful 98 he suggested that we worked out a plan to get it shooting as good as it looked.
By now, I was aware of Dave’s reputation as an HW tuner extraordinaire. So once we had worked out the niceties I packaged up the 98 and sent it off to be fettled.
At this point I must stress that Dave and I had agreed that time was not a huge issue as work commitments were not letting me shoot as much as I would have liked so no timeline was agreed. Therefore 7 weeks later I gently nudged Dave and enquired about the progress with the 98.
In hindsight I gather this is when Dave’s personal troubles had come to a head, but as true to his word a week later the rifle returned to London having been buttoned and tuned.
After waiting for so long I was anxious to get to grips with the newly tuned rifle. I set up a pellet trap in the office and got out the Chrono to do some testing.
My initial feeling was that the rifle immediately felt smoother to cock and the lock time had dramatically improved and it felt so much smoother to shoot. More of a gentle nudge and totally twang free.
Unfortunately after about 100 pellets the chrono was giving rather disappointing results. The rifle was averaging about 677fps, which with the HNFT’s meant I was only getting about 9.6. I phoned Dave and told him the situation.
Dave immediately sent me down another kit consisting of spring washers spring guide lube etc.
On receipt of the new kit, I unfortunately found myself in the same situation. Power was down but the gun fired as smooth as silk.
Kit two was despatched as quickly but again no luck but this time there was a bigger problem when I reassembled the rifle the piston jammed.
Again, a north south teleconference ensued regarding the mystifying power issues and the now jammed piston. Dave said send the action back and he would have it sorted within the week. But as we all know Dave’s problems had escalated and the week became a month. But one Wednesday afternoon a call came through to say the rifle had been sorted and some 40 minuets later I hung up the phone with a palpable excitement that eventually I was getting the rifle back and working.
At this point I thought it would only be fitting to get a brass trigger guard for the rifle and I came across a BBS member “Richet” selling said trigger guard. Now I had previously bought brass screw cups for the 97 from him but I was amazed at the quality of the guard. I simply slotted the trigger guard into the stock and I tightened up the screws and all was looking good.
I made my way up the A12 to Pete’s airgun farm, which has an indoor range to 50 yds to test the new and improved 98.
Well after about 100 shots the chrono was giving much more acceptable readings.
HNFT
761
764
762
760
760
761
764
762
761
763
This was one smooth shooting rifle. It was at this point I thought I would give it a go at getting some reasonable grouping at 50yds of the bench.
I had some HNFT’s Some Crossman premiers and a tin of RWS super domes.
First was the Crossman’s. Not what I had hoped for at all but it had been some months since I had shot. So I moved onto the HNFT’s . First two shots practically through the same hole and apart from one flyer “ my wobble” a big ragged hole appeared.
The RWS did not fair so well but at 50 yds did not put themselves to shame.
To say I was happy with the grouping from the HNFT’s is an understatement. An hour later and I was all shot out and had the dreaded journey back into London down the A12.
To surmise, three months seems like a long time to get a gun tuned. But in Dave’s defence neither of us knew of all the problems, personally and mechanically that would arise. Time well spent in my opinion as I now have the spring gun I have always longed for and without Dave’s skill and dedication I would still be searching. The gun now shoots as good as it looks.
Cheers
Dave
Here are the groups
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3729445527/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3730243656/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3729445179/in/photostream/
Oh and a few of the gun
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3701368857/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3702176870/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3702176870/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3701368309/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3702176378/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3702176378/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3701367565/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3702175614
__________________
I first got my 98 second-hand from another member here on the BBS about 18 months ago and it was as described mint and shot well, but felt a little twangy and very hold sensitive.
After a few months I had come to a point where I was dissatisfied with the performance I was getting with the rifle, as I was a convert from a .22 HW97K to .177. I had been assured that a .177 would dramatically improve my HFT scores and general accuracy, alas this was not the case. The grouping was nowhere near as good as I had expected and at 30 yds I was outshooting the 98 with the 97.
It was at this point I came across an advert in the sales section for the most fantastic looking walnut thumb hole stock for a 98 being sold by Dave aka Bonnie and Clyde. I parted with my money and the stock arrived. Refitting the sock transformed the rifle into the most comfortable airgun I have ever shot, but despite its beauty it still grouped like a shotgun.
Time and work commitments took me away from shooting for a while, and some time passed when out of the blue Dave contacted me and asked how the stock was working out for me.
This was the beginning of an adventure in trust and experimentation that was to last a good few months.
After telling Dave of my disappointment with the new and beautiful 98 he suggested that we worked out a plan to get it shooting as good as it looked.
By now, I was aware of Dave’s reputation as an HW tuner extraordinaire. So once we had worked out the niceties I packaged up the 98 and sent it off to be fettled.
At this point I must stress that Dave and I had agreed that time was not a huge issue as work commitments were not letting me shoot as much as I would have liked so no timeline was agreed. Therefore 7 weeks later I gently nudged Dave and enquired about the progress with the 98.
In hindsight I gather this is when Dave’s personal troubles had come to a head, but as true to his word a week later the rifle returned to London having been buttoned and tuned.
After waiting for so long I was anxious to get to grips with the newly tuned rifle. I set up a pellet trap in the office and got out the Chrono to do some testing.
My initial feeling was that the rifle immediately felt smoother to cock and the lock time had dramatically improved and it felt so much smoother to shoot. More of a gentle nudge and totally twang free.
Unfortunately after about 100 pellets the chrono was giving rather disappointing results. The rifle was averaging about 677fps, which with the HNFT’s meant I was only getting about 9.6. I phoned Dave and told him the situation.
Dave immediately sent me down another kit consisting of spring washers spring guide lube etc.
On receipt of the new kit, I unfortunately found myself in the same situation. Power was down but the gun fired as smooth as silk.
Kit two was despatched as quickly but again no luck but this time there was a bigger problem when I reassembled the rifle the piston jammed.
Again, a north south teleconference ensued regarding the mystifying power issues and the now jammed piston. Dave said send the action back and he would have it sorted within the week. But as we all know Dave’s problems had escalated and the week became a month. But one Wednesday afternoon a call came through to say the rifle had been sorted and some 40 minuets later I hung up the phone with a palpable excitement that eventually I was getting the rifle back and working.
At this point I thought it would only be fitting to get a brass trigger guard for the rifle and I came across a BBS member “Richet” selling said trigger guard. Now I had previously bought brass screw cups for the 97 from him but I was amazed at the quality of the guard. I simply slotted the trigger guard into the stock and I tightened up the screws and all was looking good.
I made my way up the A12 to Pete’s airgun farm, which has an indoor range to 50 yds to test the new and improved 98.
Well after about 100 shots the chrono was giving much more acceptable readings.
HNFT
761
764
762
760
760
761
764
762
761
763
This was one smooth shooting rifle. It was at this point I thought I would give it a go at getting some reasonable grouping at 50yds of the bench.
I had some HNFT’s Some Crossman premiers and a tin of RWS super domes.
First was the Crossman’s. Not what I had hoped for at all but it had been some months since I had shot. So I moved onto the HNFT’s . First two shots practically through the same hole and apart from one flyer “ my wobble” a big ragged hole appeared.
The RWS did not fair so well but at 50 yds did not put themselves to shame.
To say I was happy with the grouping from the HNFT’s is an understatement. An hour later and I was all shot out and had the dreaded journey back into London down the A12.
To surmise, three months seems like a long time to get a gun tuned. But in Dave’s defence neither of us knew of all the problems, personally and mechanically that would arise. Time well spent in my opinion as I now have the spring gun I have always longed for and without Dave’s skill and dedication I would still be searching. The gun now shoots as good as it looks.
Cheers
Dave
Here are the groups
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3729445527/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3730243656/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3729445179/in/photostream/
Oh and a few of the gun
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3701368857/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3702176870/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3702176870/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3701368309/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3702176378/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3702176378/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3701367565/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12874546@N02/3702175614
__________________