My last springer purchase.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Don't want to get into a calibre debate, or HW vs AA debate.

I've had them all in 177 over the years, and have made up my own mind.

I am a born again 22 shooter and, whatever the virtues of the TX, I prefer Weihrauchs.

So my choice will be between two guns that are very different. The HW35E from a British retailer will set me back almost 300 quid. I have hungered for one of these for many years, and can't abide the thought of going to my grave without having one. Even though they are pretty heavy,. I could always put a simple light weight scope on one, and I am confident that I will really enjoy shooting it.

Unfortunately, I happen to feel the same way about the HW77. A totally different gun I know, considerably heavier in carbine version, and a great lump in full length.

Unfortunately I have a preference for the full length version of this gun. I don't normally like very heavy guns. Although I shoot from the bench, the thought of dragging a heavy springer across a car park and up a couple of flights of stairs to the range is a daunting prospect at my age.

However, like many old farts, I do like retro and have got a bit fed up with the fashion for carbines. My 99s is great for standing shots but I am looking for a bench rest gun.

I am an old geezer on fixed income, and can't afford to chop and change like I did in the past. Currently I have a HW99s in 22, HW30s Kit in 177 and Walther LGV in 177.

I have owned 35 and the 77K but in 177, so I am not unfamiliar with both guns, but believe I would prefer them in 22.

So, what do you reckon?

I would appreciate any responses, but especially from 22 Weihrauch enthusiasts.

[landymick]

Two good rifles but different in many ways, out of those 2 I would pick the 35 as I prefer break barrel .

[Scubashot]

I have had an HW77 rifle in 0.22" for the last 30 years, which I have played with on and off throughout that time.
I have put a few tuning kits into it, fitted an adjustable butt plate, had a comb riser fitted and spent hours looking for the perfect pellet.
After rekindling my enthusiasm for airguns a couple of years ago and lusting after the HW100S rifle in the magazines I bought one in 0.22" to see if they were as good as they appeared.
What a piece of engineering! I bought it some toys to do it justice - a Harris bipod, a new side focus scope on the lowest possible mounts and another adjustable butt plate to get the perfect gun fit. I bought the pressure gauge kit and set the regulator pressure and twiddled with it when it needed turning down. I oiled the walnut stock until it glowed.
However, it is still the '77 that I pick up most evenings when I go out into the garden to wind down with some quiet time, target shooting.
You are right, it is a big, heavy old gun but it has stability and is a much better shot than me. Mine has the 25mm internals which I suppose helps too but it is a world apart from my wife's lightweight, jumpy 0.22" HW50S.
When I get everything right, it will put pellet on pellet at 30 metres and 5 pence piece groups are not too hard to achieve at longer ranges. I really feel a sense of pride when I shoot it well, rather than "cheating" with the PCP!
I would be upset to see the HW100S go but they'd have to take the '77 from my cold, dead hands!

[lensman57]

Don't want to get into a calibre debate, or HW vs AA debate.

I've had them all in 177 over the years, and have made up my own mind.

I am a born again 22 shooter and, whatever the virtues of the TX, I prefer Weihrauchs.

So my choice will be between two guns that are very different. The HW35E from a British retailer will set me back almost 300 quid. I have hungered for one of these for many years, and can't abide the thought of going to my grave without having one. Even though they are pretty heavy,. I could always put a simple light weight scope on one, and I am confident that I will really enjoy shooting it.

Unfortunately, I happen to feel the same way about the HW77. A totally different gun I know, considerably heavier in carbine version, and a great lump in full length.

Unfortunately I have a preference for the full length version of this gun. I don't normally like very heavy guns. Although I shoot from the bench, the thought of dragging a heavy springer across a car park and up a couple of flights of stairs to the range is a daunting prospect at my age.

However, like many old farts, I do like retro and have got a bit fed up with the fashion for carbines. My 99s is great for standing shots but I am looking for a bench rest gun.

I am an old geezer on fixed income, and can't afford to chop and change like I did in the past. Currently I have a HW99s in 22, HW30s Kit in 177 and Walther LGV in 177.

I have owned 35 and the 77K but in 177, so I am not unfamiliar with both guns, but believe I would prefer them in 22.

So, what do you reckon?

I would appreciate any responses, but especially from 22 Weihrauch enthusiasts.

I'd love a 77 .22 in the Summer Forest stock.

A.G

[mrto]

Three hundred and fifty pounds should get you both 35 and 77 if you don't mind second hand and being a little patient.

[TonyL]

That's a really tough one, Arthur, as they're both lovely.

As above, I think you're going to have to have both of them.


Oh, and......last springer purchase? Don't think so........

[bozzer]

I have owned 35 and the 77K but in 177, so I am not unfamiliar with both guns, but believe I would prefer them in 22.

So, what do you reckon?

This isn't really advice ... just ramblings.

I'd normally ask what people want to use the springer for. However, this seems a desire to just own one of the rifles, for the sake of owning it, and that's just fine.

I am struggling to get my head around this a bit though.

The best 77k I have ever owned was an old dog of a 0.22 in 25mm that I rescued from a local shop. It was in a dreadful state. I did the usual ... polished up internals ... new seals ... finished off the spring properly ... Top Hat and Rear guide ( Delrin ) ... relube. It shot absolutely superb. It was the easiest 77k I've had to hit things with. Hardly a nudge in the shoulder etc etc. The problem was it was doing about 14.5fp. So it had to be turned down to under 12fp. It was still nice at 12fp ... but my word it was sweet at 14.5fp. It felt like that's where it should be.

So, if you are buying a brand new 26mm 0.22 ... it's going to want to be around 17-18fp plus. So running it at about 11fp ... it's a crippled gun.

Hence the ravings about the 0.177 25mm 77s as they are, tuned up, pretty much where they should be at 11-12fp ( ok prob more like 12-13fp ).

So I'd struggle having a rifle that was running crippled in it's standard out of the box form and I'd have to start ripping it open and doing things to the insides so it was running more efficiently ( reducing volume etc ).

Most 0.22 springers, running non crippled, are usually better to shoot than 0.177. Usually less kick because the gun is making the power with less effort ( usually less spring ).

You obviously shoot at Atherton up the stairs, off a bench. So that's about 40 ish yards max.

Off the bench if you are zeroing or dialling for each range you shoot at it won't make any difference if you are shooting 0.177 or 0.22 ... just aim on and shoot. The 0.22 would be more challenging in that scenario if you didn't zero or dial, and just aimed over and under. You'd have to know the amount to aim over/under. More so than a 0.177. However, with modern multi point scopes that won't make that much difference either unless you stick with a basic 30/30 ret. Up to 40 yards there won't be that much aiming off but it's an added challenge if you are shooting at tiny kills or looking for very tight groups on paper.

I suppose my answer/advice ( ... and you've sort of already had it above ) comes down to whether you insist on buying a brand new rifle. If you don't ... then I would be screaming at you to get hold of an old 25mm 0.22 77k. If it isn't already tuned up then throw in a basic kit ( is Tinners still doing these ... I've been away for a wee while ? ). Then enjoy shooting that at Atherton. If it's not really what you'd hoped then sell on and try the HW35 0.22. You won't lose hardly anything if you bought at the right price. As above, you could even buy both second hand for under 400 notes.

If it's defo brand new then I'd get the HW77k in 0.22. You already have the break barrel LGV. If you want to play iron sights ... full length 77 ... but indoors ... off a bench ... scoped ... I don't see the need ... unless you need something very long to compensate for other issues. The rifle version is slightly easier to cock due to the longer cocking arm leverage but it's not that hard to cock a 77k in 0.22 that's doing 11fp. The extra weight of the 77k or 77 rifle isn't going to make that much difference from Atherton car park and up the stairs.

[Arthur John Smithsplease]

Thanks for the replies.

And sensible advice.

[rabbitwrecker]

Two good rifles but different in many ways, out of those 2 I would pick the 35 as I prefer break barrel .

Ditto - but the choice is ultimately yours Arthur....

[PCPShooter]

I bought another HW77K, the only rifle I regretted selling and re bought, I sold my HW35s, nd have not replaced -

[Punchsteve]

Well, it sounds to me that you really want the HW35E you've been hankering after for years, and are feeling obligated to look at the HW77 as a maybe more practical, and so justifiable item to spend your money on.

I'm guessing if you get the HW77, you'd still be hankering after the 35E, so I'd get the latter personally.

Popgun psychology.

[Telephonepete]

it sounds from the previous posts that the prime function of this gun is going to be target shooting and plinking if there is a difference. this being the case i dont see how you can prefer .22. i have about 12 guns AA and HW and i have struggled for a couple of years now to enjoy shooting the .22 calibre. i only shoot paper it being the most challenging target of all. i,speaking personaly cannot convince myself that the .22 is as accurate as the .177 for this discipllne. i also find very irritating how the .22 pellet rips the hell out of the paper target. i also having had both really dont subscribe to the 25 mill being better than the 26 mill. i believe that if you keep the power down on a .177 to say no more than 11 ft lbs you will not be able to tell the difference. my 26 mill 77k which i mean to take down is running bang on 12 ft lbs and is a tack driver with opens or a scope. a few days ago i did a group half the size of a 5p at 20 yds rested with opens. i have just sold my .22 99 and i only now have a beautiful mark 2 tx200 in .22. i dont like parting with it but i expect it wil be going soon. good luck with whatever you decide. pete

[NTSOG]

Hello Arthur,

Having been laughed out of a local gunshop two days ago when I said I would only buy one more air-rifle - the staff remember me saying three guns ago that I wasn't buying any more - is your statement absolute legally binding, as in "Yes dear this is the very last rifle I'm going to buy - ever!"?

Jim

via Ballarat
Australia.

[robhw97k]

ive had two .22 weirauch hw97k which was a ton weight no good to ya,and a hw95k which was nice n light but i thought it was weak.if i had to pick 1 weirauch it would be the legendary hw80 the best break barrel rifle ever,hw35 supposed to be good aswell but hw80 all the way for me.

[tinbum]

There is nothing else quite like an HW35e. Thank God!

Buy one, it'll be funny.