Hw30s appreciation society

[Rickenbacker]

Mine finally arrived today. Yay!
It took a week from Germany, which is odd, when it turned up it was swathed in French customs tape with an opened box. Thats fair enough, I'd rather live in a world where suspicious packages are checked, but the gun was left cocked!

Hey-ho!

I got the one with tru-glo sights, and rather smashing they are too. I spent an hour pushing pellet after pellet into puddles and I absolutely love it! Its currently doing 5.5fpe as its "F" stamped but I'm gonna play with it tomorrow. I have a 99s spring here I could shorten as I would like to get something over 9 as long as the shot cycle doesn't suffer too much.

I'm glad I read all your reviews on it though.

Strewth, and I wonder how many times those dirty frogs dry-fired it for ya.

[fatttmannn]

top little rifle.

[tinbum]

Strewth, and I wonder how many times those dirty frogs dry-fired it for ya.

I think it was left cocked because Johnny Foreigner couldn't figure out the safety catch!

[Rickenbacker]

I think it was left cocked because Johnny Foreigner couldn't figure out the safety catch!

Good point Mr Field-Sports.

To be fair, I wouldn't have a clue where the safety is on a HW30 either.

Do they even need one? I mean, they're not very powerful, isn't it?...

[tinbum]

I got up extra early this morning through the excitement of working on this gun!

I was straight on the lathe polishing the piston skirt having given it a little deburr last night. A small top hat and slip washer totalling 15mm extra preload were added and a correspondingly shorter spring guide made. Small amounts of lube in just the right places were added and then it was all put back together.

As my first coffee of the morning was cooling I headed for my backstop/test range to try it.

What a disappointment. It felt absolutely no different at all. The twang had gone, but that was it!
I was scratching my head trying to figure out what it could be? Had I put too much preload to allow the spring to do its thing? Had I forgotten to put the top hat in? Did it need excess lube to diesel and produce power?
After a few shots I put it over the chrono so I knew exactly where I stood. FTT averaged 460fps and Hobbys were 537. Hang on! Thats a rise of 1.5 & 2 fpe respectively!

Well knock me down with a feather! I did all my sums again to be sure, but its right! This is with an "F" spec spring. A uk one with about 10mm preload should produce even more.
I have the 99 spring here waiting to be tested, but I think I might just enjoy this a while longer first.

[I. J.]

I think it was left cocked because Johnny Foreigner couldn't figure out the safety catch!

Didnt they have that same problem in WWI & WWII ?

Lovely little gun the '30. Mine, a pre safety catch, has been retro fitted with a Rekord unit although the Perfect unit wasn't all that bad.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Airs...ml?sort=6&o=43

ATB
Ian

[TonyL]

Nick, not sure about this, but does the 25mm '30 use the older type piston seal and not the newer type as per fitted to the 26mm guns?

So, I'guessing that, unless you have gone and sized the seal, there may well be at least another half a FT.lb lurking there, just on current set-up??

So, if you're liking the way this little sweetheart is shooting, I'd definitely be letting it fully settle down?

[tinbum]

Nick, not sure about this, but does the 25mm '30 use the older type piston seal and not the newer type as per fitted to the 26mm guns?

So, I'guessing that, unless you have gone and sized the seal, there may well be at least another half a FT.lb lurking there, just on current set-up??

So, if you're liking the way this little sweetheart is shooting, I'd definitely be letting it fully settle down?

Its the same style as in my 97, and it moves quite freely in the tube, so I'm not gonna muck about trying to size it.

I will try a cut down 99 spring at some point, maybe after I'm bored of an easy cocking stroke and negligible recoil........

One problem is its already outperforming its open sights (or my eyes) So I may have to find a suitable scope.

[TonyL]

Indeed, as some put it, they are proper little "tack drivers".
It almost seems right to keep them on opens (as is my original one) to maintain the sleek and compact lines. But then it also seems a crime not to put some glass on there to fully realise the incredible inherent accuracy.

I assume you have read both the Todd Cooper and Dave Hoffman reviews?

[tinbum]

I assume you have read both the Todd Cooper and Dave Hoffman reviews?

They don't ring any bells....

[Rickenbacker]

Didnt they have that same problem in WWI & WWII ?

Lovely little gun the '30. Mine, a pre safety catch, has been retro fitted with a Rekord unit although the Perfect unit wasn't all that bad.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Airs...ml?sort=6&o=43

ATB
Ian

Hey, that's nice I.J. It has a little ballbag pistolgrip, like a baby '35. Awww, bless

[TonyL]

Hey, that's nice I.J. It has a little ballbag pistolgrip, like a baby '35. Awww, bless

Trust you!!

Nice long sight line there, IJ.

Bet it's lovely.

[averageplinker]

I would love one in .20" but it looks like this is only available to our American cousins as the Beeman R7

[I. J.]

Trust you!!

Nice long sight line there, IJ.

Bet it's lovely.

That little rifle has been in the club nearly 30 years. It originally belonged to a club members son who out grew it so I bought it for my son. He used it for a few years until he also outgrew it and went on to use a Daystate. Hes now over 30 years old.
I hadn't the heart to sell the '30 and only recently serviced it with a new spring etc (Chambers) out of guilt.

ATB
Ian

[tinbum]

This morning I've had another play. I've now put in a 99 spring reduced to 190mm, 3.0mm wire and 24 coils. I've made another guide set to suit and it just has 5mm preload provided by the top hat and slip washer. Cocking has noticeably changed, not badly, its still a doddle, but you can feel its a different spring.

Chrono results were:

Hobby.
569
571
577
577
580
578
579
577
573
580. Avereage 576fps = 8.7fpe

Theres more to be had from this spring in the 3mm or so I have left for preload which I'll try later. However, I think a uk spec spring would be worth a go, I'll start trawlng the spares companies later.