Haenel VIE back in operation

[Phil Russell]

I posted a little while ago about restoring a Haenel VI E and some problems with trigger block removal.
After 4 days soaking in PlusGas, several treatments of heat torture and much abuse with a steel bar for leverage, the block finally yielded. For leverage operations the stripped action was secured in a large vice using rubber sheet as padding. Stock securing nut was 17mm.
Once the block was removed, the innards could be inspected. They were shocking. The 'rod or whatever' I had seen coming into the trigger block trigger housing on compressing the spring was clearly the end of a mangled spring. The spring guide tube had come away from the trigger block, luckily intact, while the leather piston washer had all but disinegrated. The whole was gummed up with a thick, pretty dry, black paste.
All was cleaned up, the spring guide refitted, new leather washer made and new spring fitted (standard Airsporter spring fitted well, giving about 1.25 inches of preload to take up). The trigger pivot bolt was not original, being a standard threaded bolt. I replaced it with a bolt more in keeping with its function. The thread size puzzled me for a while but 2BA fitted well, although somehow I cannot see that this would be original on a German gun. But it was not a metric thread that I had.
The serial number 327 appears under the barrel near the tap and on the tap housing plate with number 27 on the tap housing. 'Made in Germany' is on the barrel with HAENEL MOD. VI E on top of the action along with the entwined HS symbol for Haenel Schmeisser. The tapered barrel is 19.25 inches, piston body 27.6mm diameter, piston rod 11mm diameter and 5.7cm from end of piston protrudes. There is no trigger adjustment. Stock is very similar to the Haenel IV E shown in Hiller. The rear sight was missing but I have made a simple unit to make the rifle look more complete. The underlever catch is a dovetail fitting .. and was prone to falling out so I have made it more secure.
In .22, performance is around 490 fps with AA Field and Wasps (5.6mm seem best) and around 550 fps with Defiants. These may improve as the new leather washer beds in but we do not expect spectacular results. It now shoots quite smoothly.

Cheers, Phil

[Garvin]

Very interesting Phil, thanks. Could you post some pics to complete the picture?

(BTW for anyone interested in pre-War Haenels, I put a thread up HERE. I would have put it up on the BBS but it's not the same with only links to pics. )

[Garvin]

Here are some specs of the pre-WW2 Haenels, dating from about 1932:

Haenel details

[edbear2]

Here are some specs of the pre-WW2 Haenels, dating from about 1932:

Haenel details

Hi Garvin......great photos, and interesting to see how similar in many respects the later one to a midland demon......