Hw30s appreciation society

[TonyL]

Thanks.

I think my '30's a keeper.

No worries and, yes, make sure you do.

Don't want to do the hard sell, matey, but if you possibly can, get yourself and your lovely little 30 down to the April Boinger Bash. You're located within very easy striking distance of Mick's and I guarantee you'll have a fantastic time spent in the company of like-minded folk.

[18 Wheeler]

I know they are nice, but in what way are they better than a 99S ?...

I'm going to suggest it's not about outright accuracy, but manners. If accuracy was the only criteria then 97.4% of people would be better off with a pcp.

The 30 is an easy cocking, accurate, air rifle with a lovely trigger and sufficient power for plinking out to reasonable range.

The stock sizing means it can be shot by just about anyone aged 10-100 all day without any duress or fatigue in a well made package that may well last a lifetime.

In short it offers a lot, to many without demanding much in return.

[Hsing-ee]

30[/I] is an easy cocking, accurate, air rifle with a lovely trigger and sufficient power for plinking out to reasonable range.

In short it offers a lot, to many without demanding much in return.

I beg to differ! The stripping, de-burring, anti-galling, re-lubing and piston-seal-sizing rigmarole was quite demanding, and I have had four examples of the modern 30. Not the case with the 77s I have owned, which were better finished. The little guns need a MAJOR fettle to get them up to spec. They are not nice to strip either, with a small grub screw securing the back block, one with a very fine and easy-to-strip thread, which has to be precisely aligned to avoid knackeration. The block need wiggling East and West and the spring compressor adjustment North and South to get it in square.

I agree it is a sweet rifle to shoot, but it needs work.

[TonyL]

I know they are nice, but in what way are they better than a 99S ? Are these 25mm bore, vs the 99 @ 26mm ?

Personally I'd not want anything lighter than the 99 or it will just float of aim

And if I collapse a coil on the 99, get it down to 9 FP, it'd be near recoilless...

I wouldn't say that they're any better than a 99, Jon. Just different.

I view them as the little darlings of the range. As 18Wheeler says, can easily be enjoyed by a wider spectrum / age of shooter.

They are 25mm and not 26mm, by the way.

Like you say, if the 99 were turned down, it'd be mega benign in its firing cycle manners.

The little 30 does balance very nicely, you know. And a barrel shroud would take care of any wandering off aim, if required.

It's nice to have both.

[Mole trapper]

Gawd dammit! All this talk of hw springers has brought on an attack of nostalgia!
So I've ordered a hw35e from the gun room this morning
Be interesting to see how it compares to my 1981 version.
These Springer threads should come with a warning.

[Patrick 2]

I tend to agree with Jon Budd why would any adult shooter buy an HW30s when for a few pounds more they can buy an HW99s unless they specifically wanted a low powered gun for back garden plinking or for a youngster to shoot.Admittedly it does come with interchangeable front sight elements and the 99s doesn't but as most shooters fit a scope and unless you wanted to use the open sights this isn't particularly relevant.Sizewise there's not a vast difference.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

I beg to differ! The stripping, de-burring, anti-galling, re-lubing and piston-seal-sizing rigmarole was quite demanding, and I have had four examples of the modern 30. Not the case with the 77s I have owned, which were better finished. The little guns need a MAJOR fettle to get them up to spec. They are not nice to strip either, with a small grub screw securing the back block, one with a very fine and easy-to-strip thread, which has to be precisely aligned to avoid knackeration. The block need wiggling East and West and the spring compressor adjustment North and South to get it in square.

I agree it is a sweet rifle to shoot, but it needs work.

I didn't realise the HW30s was a bugger to strip. I assumed it would be the same as a HW95 ie. the end block held in place by four four inserts.

What do you mean by the spring compressor adjustment?

Do you happen to know if the HW99s is as difficult to strip as the 30s or is it the same as the 95?

[flatrajectory]

I didn't realise the HW30s was a bugger to strip. I assumed it would be the same as a HW95 ie. the end block held in place by four four inserts.

What do you mean by the spring compressor adjustment?

Do you happen to know if the HW99s is as difficult to strip as the 30s or is it the same as the 95?

I am sorry to disagree with Guy , but the 30s is no more difficult to strip than any other HW and I find the 4 blocks in the 99 end block a pain in the butt. As for the spring compressor giggling...!!!! I have no idea what he means...I have never had a problem with working on the 30s.
Pete.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Thanks.

No need to reply Hsing-ee. I've googled it to get the information.

[Trumpetier]

Never needed a spring compressor on my 99 or 95,s

[Hsing-ee]

You don't need a spring compressor for the HW30 because of the strength of the spring, you need it so you can align the hole in the back-block up accurately. If you don't, then you stand a good chance of screwing the hard steel grub screw into the soft alloy back block at a slight angle and destroying the threads. You cannot line it up accurately by hand unless you have three hands or some kind of prehensile penis. Perhaps one might get away with the screw going in at an angle once or twice, but after that it will just fall out and you will need to drill, tap and fit an oversize screw.

Honestly, I don't know why I bother.

The problems I have found on HW30 rifles which I have not found on larger HWs include

1. Galling between the cocking arm and the cylinder. This is NOT an easy fix, as popping in a bit of plastic often makes it impossible to get the cocking arm into the cocking arm bracket, there is almost no clearance. I had to file down the cocking lever by a couple of mm to get my current one to work.

2. Poorly finished cocking arm tip. The rifle does not have a cocking shoe, and the tip of the cocking arm rides directly in the piston and cocking slot. As this part is a stamping it must be perfectly finished by hand. One of mine had one which was so badly finished it shaved coils of steel off the cocking slot on the cylinder every time it was cocked.

3. Poorly finished rear section of the cylinder. Sure, the air seal is not on this section, but the piston skirt rides on it and it is as rough as a badger's arse on some of them. It can also catch and damage the delicate edge of the parachute seal.

4. Razor-sharp edges EVERYWHERE on the compression cylinder. You need to deburr the cocking slot, the trigger slot, the holes for the trigger pins, safety and the grub screw securing hole. Otherwise the piston seal with get knicked.

5. A cocking slot that was several degrees off parallel with the axis of the compression chamber. While this didn't seem to affect performance, it was damn shoddy workmanship and not what you expect from German engineers.

Basically the action of the rifle is not made to the same standard as the barrel, stock and trigger unit. If you don't believe me, ask Wonky Donky, he won't work on them.

Having said that I love mine. Although I have a new-to-me older version that has a longer stroke and I may let the modern one go ...

[TonyL]

Gawd dammit! All this talk of hw springers has brought on an attack of nostalgia!
So I've ordered a hw35e from the gun room this morning
Be interesting to see how it compares to my 1981 version.
These Springer threads should come with a warning.

Haha! Job done.

Now you just need to get yourself to a Boinger Bash!!!

[TonyL]

I tend to agree with Jon Budd why would any adult shooter buy an HW30s when for a few pounds more they can buy an HW99s unless they specifically wanted a low powered gun for back garden plinking or for a youngster to shoot.

If higher power was a requirement, and especially if the gun in question was as an only gun, then yes, the 99 wins hands down. Even at full power, they're very refined. Turned down a little, they become even more sublime.

But, as an ADDITIONAL gun, especially for shorter range duties, and to just shoot for pure enjoyment, the little 30 is lovely!

Two 30Ss, two 99Ss and lots and lots of other Weihrauchs.

[averageplinker]

I confess, I am wavering. I am now thinking HW35 instead so that it can run it at HFT power I.e. circa 11ftlbs of smooth power!

[tinbum]

I confess, I am wavering. I am now thinking HW35 instead so that it can run it at HFT power I.e. circa 11ftlbs of smooth power!

Dirty boy!