HW 35 Piston Seal Change

[T 20]

Singled sided safety introduced around 613000 and double sided by 915000 but may have been in the late 800000. Anyone got a double sided safey in the high 800000's? It may have happened at the same time as the switch to nylon washer corresponding to the intro of the HW80.

Scope rails were 13mm to 11mm, I think Hiller got his dimensions muddled.

Hi Coburn

The safety dates were going to be my next question as I was wondering today whether they coincided with the scope rail change and piston seal change.

Hillier could have measured the scope rails in the cutout instead of their widest point which would explain the difference in dimensions.


All the best Mick

[coburn]

Mike

I got it slightly wrong in my last post. HW intoduced the safety around serial no 611 to 613000, well before the change to 11mm scope rails. Beeman states the change was made around 76 and his guide of that year shows the "new" safety fitted to a HW35 so ties in with your dates. Shortly after this time the full serial number moved from the trigger block to under the barrel.

The earliest double sided safety I have seen was an HW35 advertised on Gunmart with a serial number of 851***. So possibly double sided safety and nylon washer introduced at the same time.

Since HW were using the same trigger block for the new 80 (all of which I've seen have had the double sided safety) it would be fairly reasonable to assume that both these changes happened at the same time? If thats the case then a purchaser of a HW35 should be able to tell at a glance at the trigger block, as to which washer is fitted with final confirmation being the serial number.

Despite mine and many peoples love of the HW80, the 35 is the better sub 12ftlb (and a bit above in some cases) air rifle.

[I. J.]

...... the 35 is the better sub 12ftlb (and a bit above in some cases) air rifle.

Agreed.

ATB
Ian

[Nitro-Express]

I have here HW35E in .177, serial number 751271 with single sided safety and leather piston washer, bought new from Optima Leisure in 1980 or 1981. I believe this ties in with your information.

atb, Nitro-Express.

[T 20]

Mike

I got it slightly wrong in my last post. HW intoduced the safety around serial no 611 to 613000, well before the change to 11mm scope rails. Beeman states the change was made around 76 and his guide of that year shows the "new" safety fitted to a HW35 so ties in with your dates. Shortly after this time the full serial number moved from the trigger block to under the barrel.

The earliest double sided safety I have seen was an HW35 advertised on Gunmart with a serial number of 851***. So possibly double sided safety and nylon washer introduced at the same time.

Since HW were using the same trigger block for the new 80 (all of which I've seen have had the double sided safety) it would be fairly reasonable to assume that both these changes happened at the same time? If thats the case then a purchaser of a HW35 should be able to tell at a glance at the trigger block, as to which washer is fitted with final confirmation being the serial number.

Despite mine and many peoples love of the HW80, the 35 is the better sub 12ftlb (and a bit above in some cases) air rifle.

Hi Coburn

Thanks for the added info and I have penciled in the 613000 to the list.

Your info on the double sided safety makes perfect sense as well, when Weihrauch fitted the nylon HW80 piston seal to the HW35 then they surely would have used the 80 trigger housing as well to simplify production.

I still have a few dates to find such as

Introduction of the 80
When was the 77 breach opened out
Introduction of the MK3 77
Introduction of the 97 MK1, MK2, MK3

Etc


Thanks again for the info




All the best Mick

[T 20]

Despite mine and many peoples love of the HW80, the 35 is the better sub 12ftlb (and a bit above in some cases) air rifle.

I could never work out why people went out and bought a de-stroked HW80 for field target use in the 1980s.

Why not just tune a HW35 which is already a de-stroked 80 ?

Am I missing something ?


All the best Mick

[coburn]

I agree why destroke an 80 when a 35 would do the same job. Perhaps it was fashion or people did not like manual barrel lock on the 35, or perhaps the 35 was seen as old hat!. Couldn't have been a power issue Venom were advertising 35's in various tunes up to 14.5ftlbs. They also listed a FT special 35 with reduced recoil and improved accuracy.

The other trend from the 1980's I don't like was the chopping of barrels down to 14", OK on a std 80 or 35 but criminal on an Export.

[T 20]

I agree why destroke an 80 when a 35 would do the same job. Perhaps it was fashion or people did not like manual barrel lock on the 35, or perhaps the 35 was seen as old hat!. Couldn't have been a power issue Venom were advertising 35's in various tunes up to 14.5ftlbs. They also listed a FT special 35 with reduced recoil and improved accuracy.

The other trend from the 1980's I don't like was the chopping of barrels down to 14", OK on a std 80 or 35 but criminal on an Export.

Hi Coburn

The 35 will run at 12ftlbs quite happily with a shorter stroke so perhaps the one piece cocking arm of the 80 which supposedly gave a lighter cocking stroke was the answer.

In my mind this is as near to the correct use of an 80 as you can get.

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/...1012006191.jpg

A HW80 running at 21ftlbs being used to put meat on the table by some bloke.

After all it's the power level they were designed to run at.



All the best Mick

[muzzle]

had one serial 8451** it had the nylon washer double sided safety and 11mm rail.



ATB
Daryl

[T 20]

had one serial 8451** it had the nylon washer double sided safety and 11mm rail.



ATB
Daryl

Cheers Daryl

That confirms what info we have so far is correct.



All the best Mick