Hw30s appreciation society

[tinbum]

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.

[averageplinker]

Have fun and do please keep us posted on your tinkering and the results.
Rich.

[Bob P]

I loved mine, who ever tried it at the club fell under its infectious spell.
Mine was .177 doing about 8ft/lb if I remember right, it was on the cusp
of becoming harsh. Fitted with the interchangeable front sight elements
and 4 way selectable rear sight, Rekord trigger too, superb gun.
Bob

[hotversion]

Can we see a pic of her?

[tinbum]

Can we see a pic of her?

Its currently in bits across the kitchen table awaiting the firing up of the lathe in the morning.

The rear of the piston is flared to meet the cylinder, so I already know thats all I need to polish. That'll leave the rest to hold some of the lube which is a bonus. If anyone (Alistair?) has some measurements written down I could do with the length of the UK spec spring. This ones a 2.8mm wire 12.5mm ID 23 coil 155mm long.

[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.

[evert]

If anyone (Alistair?) has some measurements written down I could do with the length of the UK spec spring. This ones a 2.8mm wire 12.5mm ID 23 coil 155mm long.

These are some measurements off a HW30 spring from the official HW importer here in Norway(they only do the full power stuff):

ID:12,2mm
Number of coils: 28
Wire diameter: 2,8mm

I did a "max power setup" on dads old HW30mII, the type with the "perfekt" trigger some while ago. The above spring, with a Vortek seal was pushing 7.3grs JSB's at 680fps, thats around 7.5fpe. The gun felt a bit "snappy", but accuracy was great. It has the same spring now, but a bit softer seal that slows things down a bit, and the tophat removed for less spacing. Much more pleasant to shoot that way.

[tinbum]

These are some measurements off a HW30 spring from the official HW importer here in Norway(they only do the full power stuff):

ID:12,2mm
Number of coils: 28
Wire diameter: 2,8mm

I did a "max power setup" on dads old HW30mII, the type with the "perfekt" trigger some while ago. The above spring, with a Vortek seal was pushing 7.3grs JSB's at 680fps, thats around 7.5fpe. The gun felt a bit "snappy", but accuracy was great. It has the same spring now, but a bit softer seal that slows things down a bit, and the tophat removed for less spacing. Much more pleasant to shoot that way.

Thanks Evert, this ones a .22 and I'm pretty sure 9 is the max it could do nicely. I'm gonna try adding preload to the current and a short stouter spring to see what happens. It would be nice to keep the original spring though.

[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!

[mashed104]

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.

Keep us informed on what you do to it and how it turns out firing cycle etc ,

Now I've finished my 99 for now I'm gonna be ordering one of these in the next 2 week think I'm also gonna order straight from Germany too ,

How much was it shipped if you don't mind me asking ( pm me if need be ) and did you get it from sportwaffen ,

Cheers ....

[TonyL]

Nice one, Nick.

And yet another shooter falls for the undoubted charms of this sweet shooting, accurate and oh so very enjoyable little rifle.

For target work and medium range hunting, they're truly awesome. Light and easy to carry and light cocking effort means you can shoot all day and enjoy it.

I've not had either of mine to bits so, sorry, no measurements. One is completely stock and the other, which I got last year from Oldskoolzzz, had been tweaked down by Brucie Boy for indoor targets; that's at about 5.5 and so, so sweet, virtually recoilless!!

Although I've not tried tuning for power myself, I'd say 8.5 to 9 max is where you'd need to be to keep it sweet. It would be nice, as you say, to be able to employ the original spring and space it, but might not be the best solution, more active coils I'd guess would control any piston bounce better. As you say, a cut down 99 spring might do it. Or I wonder if Wonky would have a nice, suitable spring, from thinner diameter wire?

Be very interesting to see how your little tinker develops.

[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