HW30s hassles

[eyebull]

So I got my HW30s from Germany yesterday afternoon (top service considering it was ordered sunday), and after firing 3 or 4 shots stripped the whole thing down.

As a matter of interest, particularly with regards to a conversation recently about whether you should 'shoot in' a new HW with a tin of pellets before stripping:
*No synthetic bearing block on the cocking lever.
*Galling evident at the front of the cylinder and front of the cocking slot.
*Internals slathered in nasty grease, including plenty in font of the piston (strong smell of dieseling upon firing)
*Burnt grease on the front of the piston.
*Cocking slot and all other cylinder holes for that matter were as rough as a badgers arse.
*Spring ends were flattened properly but sharp edges still had to be removed.
*Cocking linkage pins now appear to be peened.

The whole thing was stripped, deburred. I made a top hat (a massive hassle without a lathe). Filed gouge marks out of the cylinder. Cut away material from the cocking linkage, made a plastic bearing. Added a slight countersink to the screwhole in the rear cylinder block.
Reassembled.

Then I added a williams peep sight and tried to zero at 6 yards. The rear sight had to go quite far over to the left. Couldn't quite figure out why, until I noticed that the dovetail for the foresight was off center...

Now I went into this with my eyes open, knowing all the issue that HW's and HW30s' in particular have. But I wasn't really prepared for this. A bit gutting seeing that I specifically bought it to use with open sights.

Now, is there any way to turn the barrel in the breech block? Do I have to undo that weird nut where the breech seal sits?


Or have I just completely wasted the best part of £200?

[averageplinker]

Very disappointing to hear that there are still issues with new HWs. Can you contact the seller and see if they will exchange the barrel if you return your dud?

[eyebull]

Very disappointing to hear that there are still issues with new HWs. Can you contact the seller and see if they will exchange the barrel if you return your dud?

Might be worth a try, though they are in Germany and there is no guarantee that the new barrel will not be the same.

Alternative is modifying the foresight I suppose?

[Shed tuner]

Very disappointing to hear that there are still issues with new HWs. Can you contact the seller and see if they will exchange the barrel if you return your dud?

I'd do that...

Alternative is to use a different type of foresight that clamps around the muzzle, i.e. none dovetail type.

[Hsing-ee]

That is a shocker, although hopefully you can unscrew the star thing and turn it around & square it up.

One HW30 I came across had the cocking slot cut at a slight angle to the centre-line of the cylinder. I cleaned up the edges and it didn't affect function, but for Heaven's sake it is supposed to be a quality brand and I got rid of it.

[Shed tuner]

That is a shocker, although hopefully you can unscrew the star thing and turn it around & square it up.

I think they are splined, so not going to turn...

[eyebull]

In that case I'm looking at an over-barrel foresight then. Any recommendations?

[Hsing-ee]

I think they are splined, so not going to turn...

So, uncrew, heat, tap with hammer then re-align and reglue ... massive arsepain.

I guess it is one of the risks of buying from Germany that this kind of problem is a big problem. If the rifles been stripped then it cant be taken back anyway. New barrel is about £50, flog the old one to someone who uses a scope or wants to chop it (a chopped HW30 would make a great barn gun).

[BTDT]

I think they are splined, so not going to turn...

In the HW95 breech block I swapped to an Anschutz barrel, Jon, the HW barrel was splined, but not the breech block, so if the HW30 is the same, and unless there's a cross pin in the block, the barrel could be refitted at any angle.

[Luftgewehr100]

I made a top hat (a massive hassle without a lathe).

You could have bought one on egun.de for 7 € only see item 6802215

Sorry to hear also You have many problems with Your HW30. Never unscrew an airgun or You will loose German warranty (2 years).

[eyebull]

I think the AA diopter is a functional but cheaply made piece of kit, like the old Milbro job. I have a Williams peep-sight on my HW30S and with the square blade it can shoot into a 20mm circle at 30 yards. The Williams (Beeman) sight has a much bigger aperture than the more 'target' orientated sights, which may lose a little accuracy but means you can shoot in a variety of light intensities. I tried one off an old Walther 55 target gun and it was just too small to let much light in, they are made for brightly lit indoor ranges. Or people with younger eyes....

I'll see how I get on with the AA front and williams rear then, the AA rear seems readily available from a few sources so no biggie if I need to get one later.

You could have bought one on egun.de for 7 € only see item 6802215

Sorry to hear also You have many problems with Your HW30. Never unscrew an airgun or You will loose German warranty (2 years).

If I hadn't opened it up then it would have been completely ruined after a tin of pellets! This isn't a one-off friday gun, this is the norm now sadly.

[Hsing-ee]

You could have bought one on egun.de for 7 € only see item 6802215

Sorry to hear also You have many problems with Your HW30. Never unscrew an airgun or You will loose German warranty (2 years).

Problem is that all the new HW30 rifles need to be dismantled, finished and rebuilt or they damage themselves. The same goes for the HW99S and HW50S. If someone in the UK buys from Germany, it is assumed that the guarentee is not going to be used.

[eyebull]

It reminds me of the worst steak I ever had, in a Wetherspoons last year . Ordered medium rare.
Steak came to the table Well (over) Done, chips were undercooked, veg looked like it had been stewing for a week in a bain marie. It was not a busy night, maybe one or two other people eating.
Missus said I should send it back, I didn't see the point - the chef obviously thought this crap was entirely acceptable, there was no reason to think it would be any better if he had another go at it. If he had to be told what was wrong with that plate then he's an incompetent moron. I haven't eaten there since.

HW are the same - they obviously think it's acceptable to send their guns out in this state, so what's the point in sending it back, just for them to send out yet another badly finished gun that I will still have to fettle in my precious free time?



Just like the wetherspoons, I think it's time i voted with my feet - this will be the last time I buy a HW new.

[Rickenbacker]

[...] Just like the wetherspoons, I think it's time i voted with my feet - this will be the last time I buy a HW new.

I think it was a mistake to assume your local Wetherspoons employs any kind of a qualified chef.

The question - Is there a parallel with whom HW employ on the production line?

Wetherspoons do cheap food and drink - HW are not cheap airguns.

[archie]

I think quite a few different makes of air rifle use a push fit 15mm fore sight. Just a matter of finding the right one !