Stupid HW45's!

[clarky]

Yeah, I've read that. I'm gonna have a look inside soon and see for myself. I'm not keen on running un lubricated, but I wouldn't mind testing some powder alternatives. I also want to check what can be done to improve the flow through the TP as well as reducing the spring and using some nylon bar for fancy bits.

What surprised me most was the gun dieseling on half cock, that must just be too much lube.

Its the swept volume which is too high. Not too high in the sense of power for which it was originally devised but for flash over with oils. Its a little heat generator so don't put anything in it and clean out whats in it or your wasting your time.

As regard the finish, never wipe it over with lube...Alum is etched by petroleum's and silicones found in most oils.
It will slowly break the finish with patchy blotches over a period of a few years

[Rickenbacker]

Y'all wanna get a HW75!

[tinbum]

Y'all wanna get a HW75!

I don't need to now. I can just use my 45 uncocked, make a "pfffft!" noise and pretend I've shot something.

[clarky]

Y'all wanna get a HW75!

I agree it is very...very accurate. Had a few people at the club out shoot top notch match pistols with it. Its just so dead when it goes off, its hard to not turn in a good group. Can be adjusted into match trigger territory and the bigger grip seems to balance out the top heavy appearance of the gun much better than the flat panels do on the 45. For all that though, even a tweaked down 45 will double its velocity.
Its disappointing that HW didn't do something more with the 75. There is a lot they could have done. redesigning the valve for a second stroke, or as a minimum could have ran the barrel full length through the long void in the muzzle.
You can get in a good 30mm more barrel length before it protrudes which will add a good 25 fps. It made no sense to have the barrel so far short of the muzzle when SSP need all the barrel length they can get.

[Rickenbacker]

I agree it is very...very accurate. Had a few people at the club out shoot top notch match pistols with it. Its just so dead when it goes off, its hard to not turn in a good group. Can be adjusted into match trigger territory and the bigger grip seems to balance out the top heavy appearance of the gun much better than the flat panels do on the 45. For all that though, even a tweaked down 45 will double its velocity.
Its disappointing that HW didn't do something more with the 75. There is a lot they could have done. redesigning the valve for a second stroke, or as a minimum could have ran the barrel full length through the long void in the muzzle.
You can get in a good 30mm more barrel length before it protrudes which will add a good 25 fps. It made no sense to have the barrel so far short of the muzzle when SSP need all the barrel length they can get.

Cheers Clarky Tinny & I have been discussing HW pistols, and your HW45 modifications thread (which is very interesting ).

We've both owned more than one HW45 before, and universally hated them. So his idea was to buy another one!

I'm sure they can be fettled and modded to be a much nicer-shooting pistol - but I wonder if it will always have that awkward 'forwards recoil' (like a Webley) to spoil the fun - due to the piston traveling the wrong way... ? ... that's what spoils it for me, and makes shooting one at 'half cock' even more horrible...

I'm sure I'll want more power out of the HW75 (I'll let you know when it arrives in the post, cos I've never shot or handled one yet!). I had a HW40 though, which was exactly the same FPS (410 according to HW), and that was poxy... I wonder if a 2 stroke valve could be a possible custom upgrade for a HW75? Is it complicated to make? Could you do it??

[clarky]

Cheers Clarky Tinny & I have been discussing HW pistols, and your HW45 modifications thread (which is very interesting ).

We've both owned more than one HW45 before, and universally hated them. So his idea was to buy another one!

I'm sure they can be fettled and modded to be a much nicer-shooting pistol - but I wonder if it will always have that awkward 'forwards recoil' (like a Webley) to spoil the fun - due to the piston traveling the wrong way... ? ... that's what spoils it for me, and makes shooting one at 'half cock' even more horrible...

I'm sure I'll want more power out of the HW75 (I'll let you know when it arrives in the post, cos I've never shot or handled one yet!). I had a HW40 though, which was exactly the same FPS (410 according to HW), and that was poxy... I wonder if a 2 stroke valve could be a possible custom upgrade for a HW75? Is it complicated to make? Could you do it??

Yeah, when designers of springer pistols considered rear moving pistons as being the better option (more easily controlled recoil toward the hand) they never fully understood the effects of secondary recoil.
Turns out that secondary reverse recoil is actually worse in the rear moving piston design because the secondary jolt is actually forward lol. I don't need to explain that your ASI Center and similar get secondary recoil toward the hand! Thus your regular 70s springer pistol like the Original 5, ASI Center and HW70 are easier to shoot more accurately, even before we consider the Dieseling issues which so plague the 45.
We pretty much mirrored the MPL findings here. HW45 comes nowhere when an individual is skilled with both types.

The 75 is potentially better than the 40 and made of nicer materials. You should get a shade more out of it but you would need to get an 8.75 inch barrel made for it to realise the 440/450fps like figures.
I have yet to come across a 40 doing the often claimed 410fps though. Closer to 380fps would be more accurate, even with the lightest of match pellets.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I once had a HW75. It was a nice gun, but essentially an upmarket plinker.

If I ever fancied another single stroke pneumatic, I would save myself some money and buy a HW40.

Yes the 75 is potentially more accurate (more weight and better trigger) and certainly of superior build quality. The sight line is much too high above the grip for it to be a good target pistol though, and balance is not particularly good.

That said it is a nice gun to own and to shoot, and I can understand why many love it.

[Rickenbacker]

Worst thing (for me) about the HW40 is the grip. Slick plastic and the light weight pistol makes it slip in my hand. Euch.

I don't like the 45's grip shape either, but my last one had a Pachmayer wrap-around black rubber replacment grip. Which was a lot better, with the rubber front strap.

I figure if I don't like the semi-target 75 grip, I could fit something made for the 1911, like the above? If the screw holes are in the same place as a 45?

The low power and high sight line is a worry, but hopefully it'll be cool And the dry firing option? Is it true that the 75's hammer cocks the trigger, like it should?

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

The Hogue rubber wraparound grips are said to be good, and they aren't expensive.

Not keen on the black ones, but they're also available in olive drab and flat dark earth, which would probably complement a HW45 nicely.

Wouldn't buy from UK though. Think they're about thirty quid here. Much better order a set from the USA (about $20 there) or get someone you know who goes on holiday in Florida to bring you one.

[peteswright]

Worst thing (for me) about the HW40 is the grip. Slick plastic and the light weight pistol makes it slip in my hand. Euch.

I don't like the 45's grip shape either, but my last one had a Pachmayer wrap-around black rubber replacment grip. Which was a lot better, with the rubber front strap.

I figure if I don't like the semi-target 75 grip, I could fit something made for the 1911, like the above? If the screw holes are in the same place as a 45?

The low power and high sight line is a worry, but hopefully it'll be cool And the dry firing option? Is it true that the 75's hammer cocks the trigger, like it should?

As for "slick plastic". I don't know if its just me but I've never worried too much about the side panels of gun grips, as my so called technique is to only use any pressure on front and back strap, pushing the butt into the web and valley of the palm with the lower three fingers at the front (only supporting pressure on back and sides of butt). Therefore I have very little contact with side panels of the HW40 or 45 or 75 come to that, except that the 75 is a much fatter affair and some contact is unavoidable. If guns slip around in the hand a change in hold technique might be needed. As far as the grips on the HW75 being replaced by 45 type, you can't do it! its a different fitment system. Yes the 75's hammer cocks the pistol and works great as a dry fire tool, with a very similar feel to live fire. ATB. Pete.

[BigEars]

Dieselly, dieselly Mr Diesel from Dieseltown!

Bearing in mind I was using it on the lower power setting on my 6yd range I was surprised by the quantity of blue smoke I got! I tried a couple at full power too, just for a laugh and it was worse!

My groups, if you could call them that, were around one and a half inches, but that was without my glasses, domed pellets and no target to aim for (just the backstop). My wife had a dozen shots too, her group was smaller, I reckon the dieselling must have eased off by then, so its coming apart this evening....

Still loving the gun though!

I put a catalytic converter on mine.

[BigEars]

I once had a HW75. It was a nice gun, but essentially an upmarket plinker.

If I ever fancied another single stroke pneumatic, I would save myself some money and buy a HW40.

Yes the 75 is potentially more accurate (more weight and better trigger) and certainly of superior build quality. The sight line is much too high above the grip for it to be a good target pistol though, and balance is not particularly good.

That said it is a nice gun to own and to shoot, and I can understand why many love it.

Don't agree with that Arfur, once you get it zeroed it's fine. Lovely smooth firing whoaaaarr!

[Rickenbacker]

As for "slick plastic". I don't know if its just me but I've never worried too much about the side panels of gun grips, as my so called technique is to only use any pressure on front and back strap, pushing the butt into the web and valley of the palm with the lower three fingers at the front (only supporting pressure on back and sides of butt). Therefore I have very little contact with side panels of the HW40 or 45 or 75 come to that, except that the 75 is a much fatter affair and some contact is unavoidable. If guns slip around in the hand a change in hold technique might be needed. As far as the grips on the HW75 being replaced by 45 type, you can't do it! its a different fitment system. Yes the 75's hammer cocks the pistol and works great as a dry fire tool, with a very similar feel to live fire. ATB. Pete.

Hiya Pete, My hold is similar to yours - but I find the HW40 is a pistol that 'wants' to swivel about in the hand. It's very subjective I suppose. I have seen examples of 'stipple' being added with a Dremel or soldering iron, like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpXxP32Hf7c Not my video, just the first one on a google search.

ATB - Phil

[TonyL]

Love my 40! I find it really easy to shoot accurately.

Love my 45 for its looks, heft, character and feel.

Would love a 75, too, one day.

[peteswright]

Hiya Pete, My hold is similar to yours - but I find the HW40 is a pistol that 'wants' to swivel about in the hand. It's very subjective I suppose. I have seen examples of 'stipple' being added with a Dremel or soldering iron, like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpXxP32Hf7c Not my video, just the first one on a google search.

ATB - Phil

Yeah,seen that vid, but honestly it wouldn't be any advantage to me personally. I've seen rubber cycle inner tube of correct size slipped over gun grips to mold to the form and give a different feel. What I would prefer is a flat front strap on all pistols. Not keen on these finger grove front straps. Universal flat front straps give me the feel I like. In fact, I've been thinking of filling in all my grooved grips to get them flat. Any ideas for this on polymer/plastic grips? ATB. Pete. PS. Just thought. Brian Zinns (google) does a piece on grip, and mentions this butt slipping thing.