What is it about the 80?

[C.V]

An HW80 with a vglide 25mm piston, walnut stock...nothing better. Mach 1.5

I would second this.

I have one in .22 and it is such a joy to shoot. There is a very gentle nudge of recoil and is probably my easiest spring gun to shoot accurately.
The 98 barrel shroud does add weight and probably does not improve the balance point but as i only shoot bench rest it doesn't really effect it.

The only other 'standard' gun i have that comes close to the firing cycle is an equivalently tuned pro-elite, which is arguably more special due to its rarity, but not as good all round as the 80.
The only spring gun that surpasses it is my Venom 80 which is hard to put into words how nice it is to shoot (let alone own).

I understand the arguments about it not really being suitable for our laws but if you are into tuning / fettling with air rifles, the results can be fantastic with them.
Coupled with the fact that they are timeless, iconic, so robust and easy to improve, I believe that makes them the ultimate air rifle. (just not out of the box,).

This may be a bit contradictory but anyone who has a reduced cylinder one with a nice stock (as Mach 1.5 stated) would fully understand.

And the only reason i don't put any under levers n this bracket is because i don't really like under levers.