HW55T advice please.

[Gwylan]

I've been offered an HW55 target rifle with a Tyrolean stock.
Is this based on the '35, as I'd like to upgrade the spring, and use it for classic springer HFT.?

Gus

[Garvin]

The HW55T is one of the most attractive and sought after recoiling 10m target springers. The T version was made from the 1950s to sometime in the 70s(?). It's a beautifully made match quality rifle and has a much superior lever latch lock up to the HW35 (sorry I.J. ), because it is adjustable for wear with a little dial visible under the breach. The HW55 was designed to shoot at normal match velocities (ie. a little under 600fps) but you can easily uprate them with an HW50 spring to get about 9ft/lbs, but at the expense of harsher recoil. They can even be tuned up to maximum legal power - I think Venom used to do it.

[jonballs]

i`m after a stock for one if anyone has one kicking about as mine hasn`t had i stock since i got it and i`ed love to have a shot, otherwise i`ll have to make one

cheers
jon

[Garvin]

http://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=184415

[kram245]

Someone was using one on the Southern hunters at Shepreth, did'nt speak to him, so dont know how he did, but looked pretty effective on the plinking range. A true classic.

[pennineway.fswo]

A lovely rifle Gus and on my wish list
As standard they give about 6 ft lbs and as Garvin says they can be upgraded to about 9 ft lbs. I doubt if they can give much more than 9 ftlbs without accuracy suffering a fair bit. (My .177 HW35 only gives 9.7 ft lbs in .177 and has a much bigger cylinder than the HW55 range)
You have a pm in case you decide you do not want to buy or keep it.
John

[Gareth W-B]

I've been offered an HW55 target rifle with a Tyrolean stock.
Is this based on the '35, as I'd like to upgrade the spring, and use it for classic springer HFT.?

Gus

Hi Gus, this thread has really caught my eye. I have paid lip service to springer class F-T (a couple of comps), and flirted with the idea of Sporting Rifle in F-T, but neither have ever fully got my mojo working baby . In fact and imho, F-T is so lacking in excitement and fulfilment compared to hunting that I figured it was the prescribed weekend pursuit of insomniacs who don't respond to hard drugs .

Many have suggested I dabble with HF-T (including Darren at my club who is a bit good at it ), but to date, I have not bothered as my club doesn't do HF-T as a discipline and I never seem to find the motivation to visit the clubs that do. This is because I am far too embroiled in collecting good airgun examples and hunting to look into it in any depth. But (and I quote) classic springer HF-T . Now this really could be a bit of me .

This in mind all/any information you could pass on to me either by private message and/or here on open forum regarding classic springer HF-T would/will be gratefully received and appreciated .Yours in anticipation: Gareth.

[I. J.]

It's a beautifully made match quality rifle and has a much superior lever latch lock up to the HW35 (sorry I.J. ), because it is adjustable for wear with a little dial visible under the breach.

I must agree that the barrel catch/lock up on a '55 is better than the '35 because they catch is easily adjustable and 'cams' the barrel into the action. The only difference Ive noticed on my '55s Rekord triggers over the standard unit is a locking collar on the weight adjustment screw.
I too followed the quest for a more powerful '55 and changed the leather piston head to the more modern nylon and fitted a Venom (?) spring. Sadly, all I managed to do was increase the recoil more than the power. Perhaps experimenting with the transfer port size, which I was unwilling to do, would improve matters.
I have since reverted to a '55 with standard internals (leather washer, 13mm scope rails) and it shoots sweet as a nut at around 6 ft. lbs m.e.

ATB
Ian

[coburn]

The 55T was available right into the 1980's I remember them being on sale until at least 1984 at Jim Johnsons and Streatham Armoury in South London. The later versions had a nylon piston washer and Venom did tune them getting around the 10ftlbs plus mark.

[Mike95]

I think it would be sacrilege to use an HW55T as a field gun!! I agree with other contributors, you can put in an HW50 spring to bring up the power but the cylinder is just too small to get up to HW35 potential. Maccari has a number of tuning offerings but indicates a difference between the older and newer models. I have two SM models , 1971 and 1974. I recently stripped the 1971 to get rid of the twang and found it had a "parachute" type synthetic piston seal. No sign that the gun had ever been opened before so I assume this was factory spec for later guns, rather than leather. At around 630fps the gun has just a slight nudge on fireing and is very accurate. Beautiful piece of engineering and some of the best blueing I have ever seen.

Mike95

[Gwylan]

Thanks for the replies, and the PMs fellas, most informative. I'll keep you posted.
Mike... I realise it is set up as a dedicated target rifle, and it would probably be a shame to alter it..!

Gus

[Mike95]

Took me 2 years to find an SM then two came along in rapid succession!
A class air rifle and I wish you much pleasure with your Tyrol.

Mike95

[scgevans]

let me know if you don't want it - and I have interesting toys to swap.......

Cheers

Stu