AndrewM,

Sadly, it is my experience, and also of many others, that a lot, if not all, new made air rifles, out of the box generally leave something or much to be desired.

I have had three (3) new HW rifles (HW99S, HW30S, & HW95 SuperMatch) in the last couple of years, and ALL of them needed fettling to achieve smooth shooting.

The HW99S, and in particular the HW30S needed surgery to cure the known galling issues, and the 95 short-stroked & tuned to make the most of it.

After fettling, these three (3) rifles shoot superbly.

Would you consider buying a vintage rifle ?

Have fun & a good weekend

Best regards

Russ