Are ssp anschutz,fwb etc rifles over the top for bell target shooting?

[abellringer]

Hi, this is in some ways down to the rules you operate under; some leagues are ''retro'' and only allow specific rifle types; with specific sights. if you use a ''sporter'' type rifle the power may well destroy the target mechanism, so this is usually taken into account when formatting rules. Some leagues such as the one I shoot on [ Wolverhampton] have a limit of 7ft/lbs so allowing all of the more modern ''10m'' to be accepted, although we have some members using reduced power PCP's. When people discuss accuracy recoiless guns are accepted as being more accurate as a weapon than recoiling ones, but then add in the shooter and that changes dramatically. If you take recoiless guns, from the era of FWB 150; OR 60; Walther LGR etc, their test cards are just as good or even better than some £2000+ guns of today. Given that we are in general talking about a competitive sport, in the main people will generally move with the times and so current guns will be used as the norm. In saying that, on our league and in many surrounding leagues people using the rifles above are still more than capable of equaling [and in my case] beating us PCP users. I only relinquished my FWB 600 because I had a shoulder problem and a pneumatic was too painful to use. Adding even more confusion,I used a FWB 3OOS Match for almost 30 years and got a GB record with it; I only changed to the 600 because, mentally I thought I was not as competitive, and needed a newer type of gun. NO MY AVERAGE AND COMPETENCE DID NOT IMPROVE!!! but I had sold my 300 and there was no going back.
So there is no ''proper or acceptable'' gun, you are governed by the rules you shoot under first and foremost, then you make your choice as to what you will be happy with; certainly in most instances the FWB 600 range is most acceptable and still widely used, as are the Anschutz ones; I think the 601 is the best of the four FWB variants as it has the safety system and [only in my opinion] the better trigger mech. again that is open to discussion and personal preferences. You have so many choices but look around your area and see what is used.
Regards
abellringer

[StayOnTarget]

Thank you all very much for you time and information i honestly didn't expect this much response.

[zooma]

I must add that ofcourse some vintage target rifles like the mk3 and Osprey ST are getting more and more rare to buy
SSPs and other recoilless more modern guns are easy to find.
HW30;...dont know..they're great guns, had one, our gunclub has 2, but they dont strike me as vintage for bell target.
HW55 maybe if it has to be HW? Allthough also rare.
Old target rifles already have peeps fitted. Aftermarket fitting of peeps on rifles not originally made for peeps may give you adjustment issues.(height). Especially at short 6yrd range.

Hi Yana,

No need to worry about being able to zero a diopter down to 6 yards on the HW 30S.

I have fitted and used various diopter rear sights on my HW 30S as I have enjoyed playing with as many options as I can find and all of them (so far) have been able to zero down to 6 yards with no problems.

Old Anschultz diopters are a good choice as there are plenty of them about and at good used prices too! The HW Diopter would have to be regarded as a "luxury" as they have been know to sell for more than the price of a new HW30S .but they do look good

The biggest problem with he HW30S for me is the small size. I can fit riser blocks to bring my head into a more comfortable position but I would also need to find an adjustable rear shoulder butt plate to finish the job off properly - and when all of these extra costs are taken into account it would possibly be better to consider a good used SSP for a very similar price!

At the moment I have not been able to find a suitable used adjustable butt plate (at a good price) to fit the HW30S ....so if anyone knows where to find one -please let me know!

Bob.

[yorkiets]

At the moment I have not been able to find a suitable used adjustable butt plate (at a good price) to fit the HW30S ....so if anyone knows where to find one -please let me know!

Bob.

Brian Samson makes them. I have one on mine and it’s great, so have a couple of chaps at the club. The website below is where to order them, it doesn’t show Hw30 as an option for the backplate but just contact Brian and he will do it - he already has the template.

Really good value for money. Highly recommended.

http://briansamson.shop/

[NeilnrLincoln]

I put a Bisley adjustable butt pad on my HW30, £12-15 new.

[PhatMan]

Yana,

I use an Anschutz 6702 (Centra Score front tunnel) on my TX200, and Gehmann 590s on my HW30S, HW99S (both HW front tunnel), and HW95 SuperMatch (Centra Score front tunnel).

There is no problem zeroing them at 6 yards, either with aperture inserts, or post.

Have fun & a good weekend

Best regards

Russ

[zooma]

Brian Samson makes them. I have one on mine and it’s great, so have a couple of chaps at the club. The website below is where to order them, it doesn’t show Hw30 as an option for the backplate but just contact Brian and he will do it - he already has the template.

Really good value for money. Highly recommended.

http://briansamson.shop/

Thanks for your advice - I have sent Brian a request to supply one to fit my HW 30S and look forward to receiving it soon!

Bob.

[zooma]

I put a Bisley adjustable butt pad on my HW30, £12-15 new.

Thanks for your advice - I have ordered a Brian Sampson adjustable butt pad to fit my HW 30S but your reply is appreciated and may come in helpful in the future as I probably have a use for a few adjustable butt plates as I adapt my various springers for target use.

Bob.

[yorkiets]

Thanks for your advice - I have sent Brian a request to supply one to fit my HW 30S and look forward to receiving it soon!

Bob.

Did you get all excited by the colour options?

I did, and chose red. I have felt less conspicuous whilst shooting...

[zooma]

Did you get all excited by the colour options?

I did, and chose red. I have felt less conspicuous whilst shooting...

I also chose the RED colour as I think it will look good against the brown wood stock on the HW 30S - even though I thought BLACK would be a lot more inconspicuous - and a more sensible choice!

Now I need to find some suitable riser blocks - and maybe look at raising the comb a bit too! Does anyone make a target stock for the little HW 30S?

[PhatMan]

Bob,

On my HW30S, I use a piece of sorbothane, held onto the comb with some TubeGauze, to get a better head position.

A strip of skate-board 'gritty' tape on the butt pad helps keep it place.

A bit agricultural, but it works

Have fun & a good Sunday

Best regards

Russ

[RobinC]

maybe look at raising the comb a bit too! Does anyone make a target stock for the little HW 30S?

Hi Bob

I have not a clue, I doubt it, BUT, basically any action will fit any stock with a bit of work. I've had all sorts of things in different stocks over the years and I'm still doing it, small bores, full bores, and yes also air rifles!

Our modern Air ones are very simple, Walther 400 in 300 stocks, just tiny mods. My favourite air rifle transformation was over 30 years ago, for a young lad struggling also with a HW, an HW55, showing promise and shooting 10 mt, he could not afford a better rifle, my wife had just upgraded her Original 65 with a 66 stock, so I put the HW into the vacant Original 65 stock, better shape, more solid, so damped the recoil, it was a great success and if its about now will certainly confuse the classic anoraks!

Just need, a bit of hand work, a pillar drill or small mill helps but is not essential, to inlet the stock to fit, and make the bedding surfaces with Devcon where there is space and should be solid, just wrap up the action in cling film and bolt it in, when dry a bit of a tidy and voile, you have a special in a different stock! I'm sure you've got something kicking about? If you had a mill its easy, just cut up the HW stock and cut it down so you just have the action support areas left as a bedding area, then mill out the new stock to take it and then bond it in, simples!

Could start an amusing trend, clonkers in trick stocks!
Have Fun
Robin

[yorkiets]

I also chose the RED colour as I think it will look good against the brown wood stock on the HW 30S - even though I thought BLACK would be a lot more inconspicuous - and a more sensible choice!

Lol.

Glad I’m no longer alone. First two members of the ‘Red Butt Club’ ! New members welcome.

[zooma]

Hi Robin - thanks for your contribution!

It hardly needs mentioning that the time and cost involved in making some (if not all) of the modifications to my HW30S is illogical ( as Spock would say) and would suggest that it would be better not to bother - buying a target rifle that fits me better and has all these parts on it already would make a lot more sense.

After all - the rifle is basically too small for me BUT it is a delight to shoot and it is accurate, it also has a nice trigger and it is very light - quite a change from anything else that I have ( the closest thing to it in size and weight is probably my Webley Mk 3 Supertarget).

However, that is not the point. I don't NEED to do any of these things to what is already a nice little rifle but I am enjoying playing with it and making it a little more comfortable to shoot is a nice project.

I am not sure how far I will go with it. I have already ordered the adjustable butt plate and that will help a lot and beefing-up the height of the comb would probably be helpful too (as Russ has already done on his).

If I had not mentioned an adjustable butt plate on this thread I would probably never have known about the low cost option that I have now ordered and by mentioning a target stock (even if that was done "tongue in cheek") may just throw up another unknown (to me) option that may exist out there!

If a suitable "doner stock" should crop-up I may well be tempted to graft this nice little action into it, but the most likely scenario would be just fitting the adjustable butt plate, a pair of riser blocks and adding some padding to the comb to make it fit my gangly shape a little bit better!

[zooma]

Lol.

Glad I’m no longer alone. First two members of the ‘Red Butt Club’ ! New members welcome.

.pleased to be a member of the RED Butt Club - but the name of the club would perhaps be better modified to stop it sounding like a Baboons arse!

How about The RED Buttplate Club