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Thread: Short-Stroked HW85 Old School

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    Short-Stroked HW85 Old School

    Just got my old school HW85 together. It is short-stroked with a Wonky Donky nose extention and a buttoned piston, and is fitted with a short 95 .177 barrel. It has a somewhat snappy cycle, a bit like a gas-ram, and if I can get my technique sorted it is just as accurate as my HW77K. Accuracy at 30 yards is under 10mm c-c off a rest, with a better shooter that might go down considerably.

    I just don't like it very much, feels too big in a way that the 77 doesn't even though the 85 weighs less. Spent a fair bit of money on it and I don't like it!

    Once I have the .22 barrel sorted I will try that out, but I can't see that helping.

    Anyone else fettle a rifle only to not get on with it?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hsing-ee View Post
    Anyone else fettle a rifle only to not get on with it?
    My MK3 TX. It's got all sorts of goodies in it, a walnut stock and the firing cycle and accracy are fantastic!

    It just seems smug to me though and I spurn it as I would spurn a ginger step child.
    God rest ye jelly mental men

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    You two swingers should do a deal. Throw down a stiff drink, and toss your keys onto the coffee table.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rickenbacker View Post
    You two swingers should do a deal. Throw down a stiff drink, and toss your keys onto the coffee table.
    I know your game! Anyway, I told you I'm not playing that anymore. And no more rhohypnol! I must be allergic or something, every time I have it I wake up with a sore arse!

    Where's Barry? This thread needs a Diana
    God rest ye jelly mental men

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    Quote Originally Posted by tinbum View Post
    I know your game! Anyway, I told you I'm not playing that anymore. And no more rhohypnol! I must be allergic or something, every time I have it I wake up with a sore arse!

    Where's Barry? This thread needs a Diana
    That's odd, doesn't sound like a common reaction... alien abduction maybe? *shrug*.

    By the way, I've finally found out what "a friend of Dorothy's" means!

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    Quote Originally Posted by tinbum View Post
    My MK3 TX. It's got all sorts of goodies in it, a walnut stock and the firing cycle and accracy are fantastic!

    It just seems smug to me though and I spurn it as I would spurn a ginger step child.
    I had the same with mine - replaced it with another 98...….

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    It's a mental thing, it's because you mentioned gas ram and as we all know you detest the things, so your brain doesn't like it anymore, if it shot like your 77 or even better, a Prosport, then you'd like it.

    I had exactly the same thing a few years ago, I asked Tony at SFS what was the best lightweight springer and calibre for longer range rabbit shooting, he replied .177 HW95 (I think it was before the Webley Longbow was out), my heart sank and I didn't really want it but I took the plunge and ordered a .177 Spectre spec tuned 95 (full length silencer but without the CS custom stock), the rifle arrived and I have to admit the rifle shot superb and handled fantastic with the standard HW stock on it (it must have been an early version as the stock seemed to have better checkering on it than the modern versions), the problem was I couldn't hit anything with it, now whether it was because I was used to shooting a .22 Mercury S and it was the different calibres that was affecting me or because of my dislike of HW's? shortly afterwards I was offered a Mercury Challenger by someone I knew and I asked Tony if I could return the 95 (which he did gracefully) and spend the refund on getting the Challenger tuned and a .22 Lightning barrel fitted, the deed was done and the Challenger was my go to rifle for years afterwards and I lost count how many rabbits and pigeons where dropped with that rifle.

    Pete
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hsing-ee View Post
    Just got my old school HW85 together. It is short-stroked with a Wonky Donky nose extention and a buttoned piston, and is fitted with a short 95 .177 barrel. It has a somewhat snappy cycle, a bit like a gas-ram, and if I can get my technique sorted it is just as accurate as my HW77K. Accuracy at 30 yards is under 10mm c-c off a rest, with a better shooter that might go down considerably.

    I just don't like it very much, feels too big in a way that the 77 doesn't even though the 85 weighs less. Spent a fair bit of money on it and I don't like it!

    Once I have the .22 barrel sorted I will try that out, but I can't see that helping.

    Anyone else fettle a rifle only to not get on with it?
    Restoring the stroke to original may well give a softer feeling cycle, Al. Or reducing power output. What power's it running at now? What spring is fitted? Maybe a "softer", longer spring will help?

    Fitting the .22 barrel (longer, also?) should again soften it further as this will allow scope to reduce preload further.

    Not quite getting the "feels too big" thing.

    Stick with it. Lovely rifles with almost legendary status. Get it more to your liking and I'm sure you'll grow to love it.
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    That's odd!I put a TBT short stroke kit into an impossible to shoot accurately .177 HW95.The kit turned it into a very accurate gun with a pleasant shot cycle and a very legal and healthy 11.2ftlbs with 8.44 pellets.

    I only mention this because of the similarities between the 95 and 85,(are the stroke and cylinder ID the same)?the old school 85 trigger block being better made,though,of course.

    Possibly,the shortened barrel is the cause of the snappiness/slamminess?
    Last edited by mrto; 07-01-2019 at 07:43 AM.

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    I know what you mean A. I think it’s because they’re just sooooo long.

    Looks like a Sport, weight like a Sport, handles like a set of ladders.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rusty[HTML
    [/HTML]Buzz;7624046]I know what you mean A. I think it’s because they’re just sooooo long.

    Looks like a Sport, weight like a Sport, handles like a set of ladders.
    That's exactly it, well put Richard.

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    Quote Originally Posted by mrto View Post
    That's odd!I put a TBT short stroke kit into an impossible to shoot accurately .177 HW95.The kit turned it into a very accurate gun with a pleasant shot cycle and a very legal and healthy 11.2ftlbs with 8.44 pellets.

    I only mention this because of the similarities between the 95 and 85,(are the stroke and cylinder ID the same)?the old school 85 trigger block being better made,though,of course.

    Possibly,the shortened barrel is the cause of the snappiness/slamminess?
    It shoots fine, I just don't like it!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Hsing-ee View Post
    Just got my old school HW85 together. It is short-stroked with a Wonky Donky nose extention and a buttoned piston, and is fitted with a short 95 .177 barrel. It has a somewhat snappy cycle, a bit like a gas-ram, and if I can get my technique sorted it is just as accurate as my HW77K. Accuracy at 30 yards is under 10mm c-c off a rest, with a better shooter that might go down considerably.

    I just don't like it very much, feels too big in a way that the 77 doesn't even though the 85 weighs less. Spent a fair bit of money on it and I don't like it!

    Once I have the .22 barrel sorted I will try that out, but I can't see that helping.

    Anyone else fettle a rifle only to not get on with it?
    I too am in the middle of short Stroke hell!! Firstly I got a 10mm nose extension on my 95 and spent ages trying different spring set ups only to end up buying a new HW spring and setting it about 10.5. Any more and accuracy seemed to struggle. So now I have moved on to a 177 80. Not happy with it yet after many many strip downs. I will persevere though! The 95's have a very long cylinder which may be why it feels big for you.
    Last edited by maximus; 07-01-2019 at 08:39 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hsing-ee View Post
    It shoots fine, I just don't like it!


    'tis true an unliked gun can be accurate,but an inaccurate gun can never be truly interesting!

    Old Chinese proverb.

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    Hsing-ee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by maximus View Post
    I too am in the middle of short Stroke hell!! Firstly I got a 10mm nose extension on my 95 and spent ages trying different spring set ups only to end up buying a new HW spring and setting it about 10.5. Any more and accuracy seemed to struggle. So now I have moved on to a 177 80. Not happy with it yet after many many strip downs. I will preserve though! The 95's have a very long cylinder which may be why it feels big for you.
    I think it MAY be better in .22, the barrel is a bit longer. Although sold as the 'R1-lite' (HW80-lite) rather than being a proportionally reduced 80, the 85/95 just has a narrower compression chamber, or so it feels like. It would probably suit a taller bloke fine.

    I really like my 77K, it's got that 'solid piece of artillery' feel to it.

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