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.