HW30S for target shooting. MPL and Bell Target?

[zooma]

Some time ago my very good friend IJ and I bought a pair of new HW30S together from a German dealer at a very good price.

The two rifles were delivered to IJ (he master-minded the operation) and when they arrived he brought them both over to the Rossendale club and was keen to let me have a shoot with his so I could see what he had done to "improve" it.

I have to admit that his HW30S felt really smooth (especially for a brand new air rifle) and the trigger was superb too.

Almost before I had time to think about it Ian had my new HW30S apart and had performed some minor surgery (involving a copper washer and a light weight trigger spring) and mine instantly felt as good as his did a few minutes earlier.

I have always really liked this small airgun - but I always had a problem shooting it as despite physically shrinking in my old age (over 70) I am still not too far short of 6 ft and I found the rifle just too small to make it fit me and to be able to shoot it in comfort.

Naturally it is a perfect size for IJ (maybe a little on the large side perhaps?) but a bit on the small side for many grown-ups.

Adding to the problem of fitting this small size air rifle to my comparatively slightly lanky frame, I also have a damaged neck and spine (now with the joy of arthritis thrown in too) so I found that I was unable to take more than a few shots with this small "junior" sized air rifle before having to reluctantly stop and take a rest.

Crouching down to get the sights into view was just uncomfortable, so I started to look for ways to change the stock. I had various plans over the years and actually acquired an HW98 stock at one stage as I thought with its adjustable cheek piece and being slightly longer it could solve all my problems, but the more I looked at it, the less I was able to convince myself that this was the best solution.

Recently, I began to appreciate just how far the FT and HFT air rifle stocks that are in regular use have come, with some of them being as well developed and sophisticated as the adjustable match rifle stocks that I was used to shooting with. The main difference is that many of these stocks are made by custom stock makers and are not supplied by the rifle manufacturers.

I decided to give Warren Edwards a call as I was impressed with some of his designs (and with his workmanship) and I asked him if he would make one of the designs that I liked to fit my HW30S.

The upshot was that I sent my HW30S to Warren so he could measure it and make a new stock (of the design I had chosen) to accommodate the small '30S mechanism.

Warren did a great job, and now I have a full size rifle stock (with adjustable cheekpiece and butt plate) custom made to fit my HW30S - and it fits me, and has all the adjustment that I could ever need.

The main reason for writing this is because over the years I have met and spoken to a lot of HW30 and HW30S owners who really like the way their HW30S air rifles shoot, but to a greater or lesser degree find the rifle too small to fully enjoy it.

Now that Warren has all the measurements taken from my HW30S he should be able to chop out any of his designs to accommodate this mechanism in the future. This could be helpful to anyone who like myself really likes the HW30 air rifles but finds them a bit too small to enjoy fully.

.....other custom stock makers are available ..

[I. J.]

Its good to hear that your giraffe style neck has been catered for and you can now use a very underrated German rifle - the HW30.
You should have a word with Warren (CLARETSMAD) on here, (from Burnley Rifle Club) another of my HW30 converts. He bought a s/h HW30 for club use and liked it so much he went and bought another for himself which came with a homemade multi adjustable stock. I should have worked on a commision basis.
.

[zooma]

The new stock has made a huge difference to the usability of my HW30S for me and I am hoping to be able to shoot it fairly regularly in the future.

What I would like to find is a raiser block to fit under the front sight tunnel. I have gathered several raiser blocks over the years and finding one to fit under the rear sight is not really a problem as the dovetails are a fairly standard width apart, but the front sight dovetails are very narrow on the HW air rifles and I don't have anything that will fit them.

Does anyone know if there is are any front raiser blocks made to fit the narrow HW front sight dovetails?

[averageplinker]

You can't add a post like this without putting up a picture

I have always wished I had the skills to make a FWB300 style stock for an HW30 ( or pockets deep enough to pay someone to do it for me).
Rich.

[PhatMan]

averageplinker,

Please find enclosed (crappy) photos of my HW30S in the Warren Edwards stock.

( Adjustable butt pad removed to reduce length of pull )

Have fun

Best regards

Russ

[zooma]

Hi Russ,

I didn't mention that we had two stocks made at the same time - just in case you wanted to keep it to yourself for the time being.

Your have already taken a rasp to yours to make space for your lay-back trigger and removed the adjustable butt plate to shorten the reach.

I will send you some pictures of mine. It looks slightly different to yours as I still have the adjustable butt plate that came with the stock on mine, and I use a standard trigger so I have not had to modify the grip either.

I will order some M6 stainless cap-heads to replace the black steel ones that came with the stock and I will send you some when they arrive as I know you like the bling

Stay safe!

Bob.

[PhatMan]

Bob,

Many thanks

Have fun !

Best regards

Russ

[RobinC]

Bob and Russ

If its bling you want, you'd like my polished alloy stocks (sunglasses job!!) I have on my KK 500 and my TR 7.62!

I stock 6 mm stainless button heads, they look much nicer polished! Let me know the length, and how many to do both, and if I have them I'll shoot some off, I have the address of Chateau Zooma!

Have Fun

Robin

[zooma]

I have just been looking at the pictures your sent to me this morning of your super-shiney rifles.

You have taken bling to a whole new level and probably contribute quite a lot to the profitability of Solvo Autosol

Have you considered wearing several gold rings and heavy gold chains and taking up rapping to complete the image?

Stay safe,

Bob.

[TonyL]

Wow!

Thank you for posting.

I love the little HW30S, as do many learned peeps. I have four of the little gems and was thinking how nice it would be to have a FWB300S stylee stock made for one. Now Warren's done one and has the dimensions, this would open the door even more.

Now all we need is some spare dosh..

Thanks again.

[PhatMan]

Robin,

You definitely need some 'Beat-Boy gold' to go with those rifles - and don't forget to wear your hat backwards

I agree - shares in Solvol Autosol will be increasing in value

My long-range F class target rifle looked kind of boring by comparison - no bling, perhaps anti-bling ?

Have fun

Best regards

Russ

[zooma]

Bob and Russ

I stock 6 mm stainless button heads, they look much nicer polished! Let me know the length, and how many to do both, and if I have them I'll shoot some off, I have the address of Chateau Zooma!

Have Fun

Robin

Hi Robin,

The HW30S only uses two cap head screws to hold the mechanism into our new WE stocks, a 45mm in the front and an 80mm in the rear, but these are inserted from the underside so the bling would be somewhat hidden!

Russ and I could walk around holding our new toys above our heads so whenever we look up we can see the undersides of the stocks and admire the polished heads of the bling-bolts peeking out from their recessed mounting holes, but apart from that (and when they may be put into a rifle rack) they would remain invisible in normal use....but we know they won't rust!

Not being a clever type with the MAC, I am unable to post the pictures on here of my HW30S with its new WE stock fitted, but I have sent some pictures of it to Russ (and yourself) , and you will be pleased to see that the "left handed" Anschultz rear sight that you gave me to use on my new HW30S (about 3-4 years ago?) is still being used on this rifle - and it works very well for me.

The sight stands up well and with the new WE adjustable cheek piece it gives me a good comfortable sight picture.

BTW - I notice that even your 7.62 barrel needs its own sun shade (very trick) and with so much bling you should be able to dazzle any opposition - even without the rapping

Stay safe!

Bob.

[I. J.]

Bling screws in this case a HW95. They will fit a '30.

[RobinC]

Hi Robin,

BTW - I notice that even your 7.62 barrel needs its own sun shade (very trick) and with so much bling you should be able to dazzle any opposition - even without the rapping

Stay safe!

Bob.

The sun shade is a mirage band, its stops the heat from the barrel disturbing the sight picture, a 60 shot match they get ****ing hot! As you can guess on Pam's rifles they are purple, mine are usually orange!

The glare disturbing competitors? No point getting old if you don't get devious!

Have Fun
Robin

[Brimfire]

The new stock has made a huge difference to the usability of my HW30S for me and I am hoping to be able to shoot it fairly regularly in the future.

What I would like to find is a raiser block to fit under the front sight tunnel. I have gathered several raiser blocks over the years and finding one to fit under the rear sight is not really a problem as the dovetails are a fairly standard width apart, but the front sight dovetails are very narrow on the HW air rifles and I don't have anything that will fit them.

Does anyone know if there is are any front raiser blocks made to fit the narrow HW front sight dovetails?

I needed to raise my HW30S front sight and Ryan at Intershoot recommended a Centra 8mm raiser (Walther fitting.)
It bolted straight on to the barrel's dovetails but needed 5 minutes of very easy filing to accept my HW80 sight and is rock solid.