Weihrauch HW70 Pistol

[Jon]

I have been looking for an accurate, well made indoor plinking/target pistol for some time but just haven’t been able to decide what to get. The HW40 I had before Uni was a possibility but I was sure I wanted something different, so I decided to get out the plastic and buy a Weihrauch HW70, case and target holder from Uttings for about £155 (£109 for the gun only). There doesn’t seem to be much information out there regarding this pistol and a search on Google reveals little in the way of in depth-reviews, with most sites having the copied-and-pasted Beeman blurb. As a frequent BBS-browser I have noticed a distinct lack of discussion about the HW70, with many people citing the HW40, amongst others, as an ideal ‘general-purpose’ pistol. Here I present the HW70 as an overlooked alternative.

First impressions

The first thing that struck me when I opened the box was the black grip. All the pictures I had seen prior to this, including the one on Uttings’ site, showed a brown wood-effect grip. A chrome-plated model with a cocking aid was also available, but has been discontinued by Weihrauch. The current HW70 is a design that has been going strong since the 1970’s with only minor modifications and it really does have a simple-but-good feel to it. Some may not like its archaic looks but I for one prefer to have my air pistols look like what they are. It may also be a bit less likely to scare the neighbours but I can’t really comment as I shoot it indoors.

Design and safety features

The whole gun has a sturdy feel to it, as would be expected with a Weihrauch. The metalwork has a high quality black epoxy resin finish that looks attractive but seems susceptible to scratches. A blued finish would be better in my book, but I do like the precision-etched white markings, which stand out nicely from the glossy black epoxy. The one-piece grip is a matte black, wood-effect synthetic affair with chequering and stippling on both sides. It is ambidextrous, with a thumb rest on either side which helps keep this ‘narrow’ gun level. Although relatively comfortable in my smallish hands I think anyone with massive mitts might have difficulties. Some finger grooves á la HW40 would be nice and things do tend to get a bit slippery over a long session. The barrel lock-up itself (a sprung ball detent) feels very solid, with adjustment in the form of a large tightening screw and a smaller locking screw to keep tabs on any wear.

Cocking is achieved by breaking the barrel and swinging it down until the sear engages, just as on a full-sized break-barrel rifle. The barrel requires a gentle tap on the foresight and then approx. 35lbs to complete the stroke (according to the Beeman website). I find it much easier to cock than an HW40 and younger shooters/women won’t struggle too much. Cocking engages the automatic safety which is located on the left-hand side of the frame only. Ideally I would prefer a manual safety but the unit is functional enough for right-handers and feels good when you thumb it forwards. After sticking a pellet in the obvious place, swinging the barrel back up produces what I can only describe as a silky, metallic noise – something that Weihrauch aficionados will be familiar with.

Shooting

Before shooting the pistol I removed the grip and had a look at the state of lubrication. Good thing too, because it was bone dry. I applied a small amount of moly grease along the cocking slot, on the spring, pivot pins, ball detent and around the trigger mechanism. I also put a few roll-up cigarette filters (with a pellet behind) through the barrel, and they came out covered in dirty grease. The trigger is a very acceptable two-stage unit that can be adjusted for weight by turning a flathead screw clockwise for a lighter let-off and vice versa for a stiffer pull. It is not, however, a Rekord (or HW40/45) unit and needs a bit of polishing and proper lubrication to achieve a crisp, predictable release. I have mine pretty light (~1.5lbs) and I expect the firing cycle and trigger to become smoother still once the gun has had a few more tins of pellets through it. I don’t see why it wouldn’t be just as ‘tunable’ as the Weihrauch rifles although it would no doubt be a case of high expenditure for relatively little gain. One thing this pistol really lacks compared to other similarly-priced guns is a scope rail. There is certainly plenty of room for a red dot/pistol scope to take full advantage of the accuracy this gun is capable of. I know the design long predates popular scope use on airguns but Weihrauch should move with the times on this one, and a dovetail certainly wouldn’t hurt in my view.

Consistent hold and follow-through are vital factors for accuracy with any lightweight spring gun, but the HW70 is very forgiving and altering grip pressure doesn’t seem to change POI anything like as much as a Tempest, for example. The sights are excellent, and the same rear sight is seen on other Weihrauch models. I can’t decide whether or not I prefer a hooded front sight to standard ‘opens’ but it’s easy enough to line them up on this gun, so happy days. Upon firing, recoil is more of a blip than a kick, but feels, in the words of Borat, “very nice”. The quiet report may be beneficial to the indoor shooter, as there is no real muzzle crack as with a SSP like the HW40. The gun’s balance point is just in front of the trigger guard, and it certainly feels light (a bit too light!) in the hand.

Initially accuracy was average, with my first few groups averaging 1.5” from 7.5m (indoor range). However, with a couple of tins’ worth in the pellet trap, I am now getting consistent 0.5-1” groups at the same distance and see more than the odd clover-leaf Power is nothing special, but is nonetheless adequate for plinking. Without a chronograph it is impossible to know for sure, but I would say it is around the 2.5-3ft/lbs mark and has a bit more poke than my HW40 did.

Summary

Pro’s:

• Smooth, twang-free firing cycle.
• High build quality – will last forever.
• Very accurate for a spring pistol
• Easy to shoot
• Good (but not great) trigger.
• Very quiet.

Con’s:

• At £109 the HW70 is £20 more than the admittedly brilliant HW40 and has less in the way of accuracy potential.
• Lack of scope rail is annoying.
• The safety should be ambidextrous.
• Concerns over the size and shape of the grip.
• Not quite there ‘out of the box’.


Overall I would thoroughly recommend the HW70 as an indoor or backyard plinker that is plenty accurate enough for informal target work. It’s a quality bit of kit and anyone considering spending £100 on a general purpose air pistol should give this a look – I certainly won’t be selling mine. It is also worth noting that the Baikal IZH-53, another break-barrel springer, is held in high regard (with a bit of work) by many on the forum and is an absolute bargain at from JSR. If anyone would like to know anything else about the pistol, I’ll be more than happy to help.


Cheers,
Jon

[arjimlad]

Thank you for this comprehensive and interesting review of an oft-overlooked pistol, from one happy HW45 owner.

[Cloonsey]

Very interesting mate.
Never really looked at pistols before.
I've got a 10 yard indoor range which i built in my cellar,maybe pistol shooting is something else i'll have a go at.

[Iain K D]

I had one of these a few years ago although I already had a HW40, I do like the ease of use of break barrels. Never really persevered with it but I do remember the following points.

The brown grip felt very "plasticky" and cheap, completely different to the material used on the 40. In fact, it ended up cracking around the front fixing screws. Are the newer ones better?

There was no free travel in the barrel before the cocking stroke began, which made it hard to clean the barrel and would have been awkward at a club, where the gun should ideally be broken to show one and all it is safe.

I thought the safety catch a bit annoying - just as you were reaching the end of the cocking stroke (and expecting the sear to latch) the safety goes on as well with a click. Would've been better if the safety went on as soon as you open the gun, then the end of the cocking stroke would be more noticeable.

[Carter]

Thanks .... a fair review of an overlooked pistol

Mine is a definite keeper.......

[Enthusiast]

I note in this months AGW there is was a "Black Arrow" version of the HW70 at the IWA at Nuremburg. This version has a muzzle weight (or silencer, can't tell) plus can take a scope, in fact it looks as though the opens have gone completely. Shame that you don't seem to be able to have the option of both, as this has always put me off the HW70.

[pennineway.fswo]

That was an excellent review Jon.
The HW70 is now on my wanted list
John

[Jon]

Thanks for the feedback...after playing around with the HW70 I have decided that I want a proper old-school break-barrel pistol - perhaps a BSA Scorpion? Can anyone else recommend an alternative?

Iain - the grip, in my view is the only real let down, it could indeed be described as 'plasticky' but at the same time it feels sturdy to me. Sweaty hands cause problems with this gun, and some HW40-like material would be so much better. Perhaps even an anatomical 'target' style grip could be obtained - I'm sure that would help get the best out of the gun and it's inherent accuracy. Fair comment re. the barrel lock-up issue for club shooting, I hadn't thought of that!

Cheers,
Jon

[diabolo]

Hi. Just a point with the HW70 stock. It is attached with four separate screws with spring washers and they do not therefore need to be tightened up like the stock bolts on a rifle. I think that perhaps the cracked stocks are due to the screws being over-tightened.I do mine up until they just bite, then give them a quarter of a turn. My action has never come loose.

[Bill50]

Hi. Just a point with the HW70 stock. It is attached with four separate screws with spring washers and they do not therefore need to be tightened up like the stock bolts on a rifle. I think that perhaps the cracked stocks are due to the screws being over-tightened.I do mine up until they just bite, then give them a quarter of a turn. My action has never come loose.

Crikey another reply to a post over six years old lol.

[SparkUK]

Crikey another reply to a post over six years old lol.

And your point is?