Hypded rifles you bought

[FattMann]

I have been reading AGW on and of since 1979 14 years old and mad keen on airguns. At the time my standard rifle was the BSA Meteor 5 in .22 I got from my mums catalouge. AGW was a revalation has to rifles available, and the following that were allways mentionded caught my eye. The Weirauch 35, FWB124/127, Anschutz 335, Hammerli 401, Bsf55/70, Crossman 766 and the Marshal/ Whaley Crossman. Weirauch 55T.These days I have all of these rifles, they have all been worth waiting for, even the Marshall/ Crossman which was hypded to hell in AGW by Rod Lynton Super gun it isnt, sorry Rod, if its shoot in quick succesion the valve locks up until it cools down and yett The HW35 is to my mind a classic, I have 8 at the present time, FWb127, was a great rifle, let down by a poor triguer, cheap plastic back sight, yert again love its handaling. The 335 is simply superb, accurate and much better built than the FWb to my mind, the BSF,s are built like a tank, love them, Hammerli type 2 is a deligt, accurate but not powerful, 766 is a nice pump up that was championed early on by John Darling(yes really- have the articles from agw 1980,s) and the 55T. it took me nearly 32 years to get one but boy what a rifle the Tyrolean stock is made by hand, not a machine, its a comfortable has a pillow and the eye is unearingly drawn to the sight. So thanks AGW for fuelling my addiction ccos it is an addiction this collecting, but its one that hurts no one.

[I. J.]

Totally agree with your comments F.M except were the Marshall/Crosman was concerned. Ive never been a fan of Crosman and while Ive had a couple, they didn't stay long. Only 8 HW35s?
The one rifle I bought totally of the recommendations and test in AGW was the Sharp Innova. I had never seen one never mind shot one and initial reaction was of disappointment. It was only after fitting a scope and zeroing it I began to see its potential with groups, from a rest, that I could only dream of with my other rifles. That was in the days when I used to look forward to AGW each month and read it from cover to cover.
Keep your eyes open for the airgun magz because I sense another Hammerli rifle test may be in the pipe line.

ATB
Ian

[landymick]

Summed up nicely,the only rifle i bought that was a bit of let down was a brand new RWS 45 in .22 in 1983/4 i think.Bear in mind i already had the Original 45 in .177 & .22 but a bit rough.I new it was an Original in a better stock but the pellets were too tight for the barrel & often did not engage on cocking i think it had a duff piston so i gave up on it.
I thought i still had it but can only find the box must have got rid some time.As for the 35 well still got it & few relatives the Innova i thought was great apart from pumping up shot loads of pigeons with it with the Air Logic Whisperer but could never get that second shot off without them seeing me or hearing me pumping it.

[I. J.]

True - the Innova/Ace were never really good for hunting as it took a long time, and a fair bit of noise, to get the second shot off. They aren't really brilliant at plinking unless you wanted to gain some muscles. I used mine when I first took up Field Target shooting were the average course was only 30 shots and the benefits of a recoilless gun showed in my scores. Then the pcp rifle came along and did away with all that effort.

ATB
Ian

[FattMann]

thanks for the feed back guys, yes have an Innova and an Ace( in a few days again), Original 45 in .22 Mick with period Original 4x40 scope, used with some Umarex domes I got from Welsh Willio, its really accurate.

[I. J.]

I think the 70's and 80's were more of a time of the hyped pellets. Who can forget the success of the Sabo, the various Promethi'arse' (correct spelling) and the copper coated, steel balled or multi ringed pellets that promised to go through a dustbin (if we could hit it). I used to have loads of tins of various 'wonder' pellets with only a few missing as it only took a few shots to realise they were cr@p.

ATB
Ian

[FattMann]

I think the 70's and 80's were more of a time of the hyped pellets. Who can forget the success of the Sabo, the various Promethi'arse' (correct spelling) and the copper coated, steel balled or multi ringed pellets that promised to go through a dustbin (if we could hit it). I used to have loads of tins of various 'wonder' pellets with only a few missing as it only took a few shots to realise they were cr@p.

ATB
Ian

Yes I can remeber the old LEM Moulds my older Sis,s boyfriend was mad keen on guns and fishing/ boxing and taught me to shoot, fish and how to defend myself, he used a Fwb 127, first one I ever saw and a BSF 55 in .22 on the local rabbits, and allso some times prometheoues. The best laugh I ever had was a know it all telling me you could use the sussex sabots in a tap loader well you cant: He jamded it solid and ruinded his Airsporter.

[FattMann]

Another thin g that was heavely favoured were the Optima scopes, on this old Rod was spot on I have the following- 4x32 30/30, 4x32WA, 4x40 30/30/ 3-9x40 30/30,3-9x56 Super Moonlighter, and the fab Gamekeeper 1-5x16, even has p/a.

[I. J.]

Another thin g that was heavely favoured were the Optima scopes, on this old Rod was spot on I have the following- 4x32 30/30, 4x32WA, 4x40 30/30/ 3-9x40 30/30,3-9x56 Super Moonlighter, and the fab Gamekeeper 1-5x16, even has p/a.

But do you have the rare 2-7x32 Optima? (Its cr@p by the way. )

[Hsing-ee]

I had the Hammerli 401 (excellent accuracy, but never got enough power out of it, stupidly sold it)... the Anschutz 335 (never quite as accurate as the mags said it would be, but in retrospect I think it was my poor technique and a low-quality scope), the Crosman 766 (cheap plastic and potmetal thing, not very accurate and wore it out over a few months, definitely not as good as the hype), borrowed a Feinwerkbau Sport but wasnt as accurate as the mags said it would be.. Tried a Webley Vulcan Mk 1, powerful but flappy barrel and dreadful trigger. The most disappointing was an Original Diana 50T01, which I bought on the basis of Rod Lynton's review and which was very, very disappointing and expensive and I gave up shooting FT after it let me down.

Easily the BEST rifle that I owned in the 80s was a very heavily used third-hand Weihrauch HW35 Export in .177. It was powerful, accurate, great trigger, easy to strip and rebuild and was proper 'quality' like a good firearm with a elegant stock. Stupidly sold that one too. The Hammerli was a great gun, but had some design faults (trigger unit screws would work loose after heavy use) and could not (at the time) be tuned over 9 ft/lbs in .177.

The pellets in those days were all rubbish, with the exception of the flat-head H&N Match and RWS Meisterkugeln.

Interestingly the HW35 is still being made and sold, whereas most of the other rifles are gone....

[FattMann]

I had the Hammerli 401 (excellent accuracy, but never got enough power out of it, stupidly sold it)... the Anschutz 335 (never quite as accurate as the mags said it would be, but in retrospect I think it was my poor technique and a low-quality scope), the Crosman 766 (cheap plastic and potmetal thing, not very accurate and wore it out over a few months, definitely not as good as the hype), borrowed a Feinwerkbau Sport but wasnt as accurate as the mags said it would be.. Tried a Webley Vulcan Mk 1, powerful but flappy barrel and dreadful trigger. The most disappointing was an Original Diana 50T01, which I bought on the basis of Rod Lynton's review and which was very, very disappointing and expensive and I gave up shooting FT after it let me down.

Easily the BEST rifle that I owned in the 80s was a very heavily used third-hand Weihrauch HW35 Export in .177. It was powerful, accurate, great trigger, easy to strip and rebuild and was proper 'quality' like a good firearm with a elegant stock. Stupidly sold that one too. The Hammerli was a great gun, but had some design faults (trigger unit screws would work loose after heavy use) and could not (at the time) be tuned over 9 ft/lbs in .177.

The pellets in those days were all rubbish, with the exception of the flat-head H&N Match and RWS Meisterkugeln.

Interestingly the HW35 is still being made and sold, whereas most of the other rifles are gone....

cant argue with any of that really

[FattMann]

But do you have the rare 2-7x32 Optima? (Its cr@p by the way. )

no, never even seen on, from a time I had left the sport