Hw55

[coburn]

Now please tell me ladies and gents why this rifle is almost completely ignored and yet I thinks its the best rifle old Hermann ever made.

Ok the 35 was a classic but its barrel lock either wore the barrel face/seal away or jammed and took a lump out of the stock. The 80 was and is truely the best spring powered hunting rifle ever. 12 to 24ftlbs take your pick.

All the other HW's are too new and not under the remit of this forum but the 55, three versions SM, MM and Tyrolean were all beautifully made with that excellent barrel lock (which you don't even have to use). Stick a HW50 spring in it and you've got 9-10ftlbs and even at this power its deadly accurate. A mate in the 80's had a Venom 55T it made 12fts with Hobby's and still shot into one hole at twenty yards. A true classic.

So please let me know what you think and if anyone should have a HW diopter surplus to requirements you know where to find me..

[Ideot Savant]

Yep, the 55t has got to be one of the best break barrels ever, so long as you dont expect silly power levels. Interestingly the modern hw99s has the same trigger and cylinder dimensions as the 55 and an articulated cocking link as well, but the breach from the 95 so no latch and a bloody great spring (for such a little rifle). I have run my 99 with a cut-down oem spring and it shoots much like a 55, definatly an option if you arent lucky enough to own the real thing, you can even buy a tyrolean stock from maccari and make a modern 55t from a 99!
At the moment my 99 is full power with a vmach kit and it works well enough, but would run better at lower power levels.

[I. J.]

Count me in the HW55 FAN CLUB. Great rifles is very under stated. The firing action on my example is so smooth and the recoil low. Could this be due to getting the transfer port dimensions spot on? I do admit to converting an early '55 to nylon piston head from leather and loosing its character some what. I have since found another early '55 which was in better condition and I will retain the leather piston washer.

ATB
Ian

[Garvin]

Yep, agreed coburn, the HW55 is the King of the lower powered Weihrauchs. Designed and built to match quality standards and lovely to shoot. I have a minty '70s MM and an early Burgo HW55 variant with barrel weight. With the extra weight the Burgo has just a hint of recoil but is still pushing out match pellets at around 600fps. I've heard they are a bit less smooth when kitted out as sporters with the stronger HW50 spring. I particularly love the adjustable breech lockup, which you just rotate a notch every decade or so to take up any wear.