HW 35 Piston Seal Change

[I. J.]

While we are on the subject of HW35 trivia Dennis Hiller [looks to the east and bows very low] writes - 'Up to serial number 754999 they have 12mm (*) scope groove and from 755000 they have a 9mm groove".

* I always understood it as 13mm but who am I to argue with God.

ATB
Ian

[T 20]

While we are on the subject of HW35 trivia Dennis Hiller [looks to the east and bows very low] writes - 'Up to serial number 754999 they have 12mm (*) scope groove and from 755000 they have a 9mm groove".

* I always understood it as 13mm but who am I to argue with God.

ATB
Ian

Cheers Ian

And noted.

First HW rifle produced: 1951
5100 Manufactured 1955
5138 Manufactured 1955
31151 Manufactured 1955
44485 Manufactured 1956
51322 Manufactured 1956
58446 Manufactured 1957
72243 manufactured 1959
76244 Manufactured 1960
120662 Manufactured 1962
142447 Manufactured 1964
149423 Manufactured 1965
195863 Manufactured 1965
200000 manufactured 1966
241065 Manufactured 1966
395231 Manufactured 1968
296000 Manufactured 1969
309345 Manufactured 1969
322960 Manufactured 1969
332966 Manufactured 1969
333015 Manufactured 1969
333219 Manufactured 1970
346900 Manufactured 1970
357053 Manufactured 1970
373816 Manufactured 1970
375788 Manufactured 1970
400000 Manufactured 1972
401391 Manufactured 1972
423452 Manufactured 1972
469655 Manufactured 1973
480574 Manufactured 1973
496842 Manufactured 1973
512990 Manufactured 1974
583245 Manufactured 1975
600000 Manufactured 1976
612502 Manufactured 1976
613000 Single sided safety introduced ?
623997 Manufactured 1976
624554 Manufactured 1976
670138 Manufactured 1977
671143 Manufactured 1977
702045 Manufactured 1979
741394 Manufactured 1979
755000 HW35 changes from 12mm to 9mm scope rail
778058 Manufactured 1980
785538 Manufactured 1980
800000 Manufactured 1980
843636 HW 35 changes from Leather to Nylon Piston seal and double sided safety.
890268 Manufactured 1980
902189 Manufactured 1981
902315 Manufactured 1981
926011 Manufactured 1983
1000000 manufactured 1983.
1000375 manufactured 1983
1001845 manufactured 1983
January 1984 MK 1 HW 77 released in UK
1003486 was delivered in 1984
1003582 was delivered in 1984
1003986 manufactured 1984
1007970 manufactured 1984
1011026 was delivered in 1984
1011108 was delivered in 1984
1016650 was delivered in 1985
1016823 manufactured 1985
October 1985 MK2 77 anounced
1021358 Earliest known MK2 so far
1023310 manufactured 1985
1037060 Purchased new 16th July 1985
1032802 purchased new 1986
1036521 was delivered in 1987
1036528 was delivered in 1987
1041261 was delivered in 1987
1139541 was delivered in 1988
1139761 purchased new 1988
1178259 born 1989
1181401 was delivered in 1989
1181555 was delivered in 1989
1181588 was delivered in 1989
1182580 manufactured 1990
1183140 bought new in 1990
1186081 manufactured 1990
1188451 was delivered in 1990
1233526 Manufactured in 1991
1288125 was delivered in 1993
1288752 manufactured 1993
1289991 manufactured 1993
1302969 manufactured 1993
1364279 was delivered in 1994
1370364 produced in 1995
1446049 HW 77 switch from 25mm to 26mm cylinder
1459697 was delivered 1998
1538821 bought new in 2001
1551576 was delivered in 2001
1576934 was delivered in 2002
1616583 produced in 2004
1687223 was delivered in 2006


All the best Mick

[coburn]

Singled sided safety introduced around 613000 and double sided by 915000 but may have been in the late 800000. Anyone got a double sided safey in the high 800000's? It may have happened at the same time as the switch to nylon washer corresponding to the intro of the HW80.

Scope rails were 13mm to 11mm, I think Hiller got his dimensions muddled.

[T 20]

Singled sided safety introduced around 613000 and double sided by 915000 but may have been in the late 800000. Anyone got a double sided safey in the high 800000's? It may have happened at the same time as the switch to nylon washer corresponding to the intro of the HW80.

Scope rails were 13mm to 11mm, I think Hiller got his dimensions muddled.

Hi Coburn

The safety dates were going to be my next question as I was wondering today whether they coincided with the scope rail change and piston seal change.

Hillier could have measured the scope rails in the cutout instead of their widest point which would explain the difference in dimensions.


All the best Mick

[coburn]

Mike

I got it slightly wrong in my last post. HW intoduced the safety around serial no 611 to 613000, well before the change to 11mm scope rails. Beeman states the change was made around 76 and his guide of that year shows the "new" safety fitted to a HW35 so ties in with your dates. Shortly after this time the full serial number moved from the trigger block to under the barrel.

The earliest double sided safety I have seen was an HW35 advertised on Gunmart with a serial number of 851***. So possibly double sided safety and nylon washer introduced at the same time.

Since HW were using the same trigger block for the new 80 (all of which I've seen have had the double sided safety) it would be fairly reasonable to assume that both these changes happened at the same time? If thats the case then a purchaser of a HW35 should be able to tell at a glance at the trigger block, as to which washer is fitted with final confirmation being the serial number.

Despite mine and many peoples love of the HW80, the 35 is the better sub 12ftlb (and a bit above in some cases) air rifle.

[I. J.]

...... the 35 is the better sub 12ftlb (and a bit above in some cases) air rifle.

Agreed.

ATB
Ian

[Nitro-Express]

I have here HW35E in .177, serial number 751271 with single sided safety and leather piston washer, bought new from Optima Leisure in 1980 or 1981. I believe this ties in with your information.

atb, Nitro-Express.

[T 20]

Mike

I got it slightly wrong in my last post. HW intoduced the safety around serial no 611 to 613000, well before the change to 11mm scope rails. Beeman states the change was made around 76 and his guide of that year shows the "new" safety fitted to a HW35 so ties in with your dates. Shortly after this time the full serial number moved from the trigger block to under the barrel.

The earliest double sided safety I have seen was an HW35 advertised on Gunmart with a serial number of 851***. So possibly double sided safety and nylon washer introduced at the same time.

Since HW were using the same trigger block for the new 80 (all of which I've seen have had the double sided safety) it would be fairly reasonable to assume that both these changes happened at the same time? If thats the case then a purchaser of a HW35 should be able to tell at a glance at the trigger block, as to which washer is fitted with final confirmation being the serial number.

Despite mine and many peoples love of the HW80, the 35 is the better sub 12ftlb (and a bit above in some cases) air rifle.

Hi Coburn

Thanks for the added info and I have penciled in the 613000 to the list.

Your info on the double sided safety makes perfect sense as well, when Weihrauch fitted the nylon HW80 piston seal to the HW35 then they surely would have used the 80 trigger housing as well to simplify production.

I still have a few dates to find such as

Introduction of the 80
When was the 77 breach opened out
Introduction of the MK3 77
Introduction of the 97 MK1, MK2, MK3

Etc


Thanks again for the info




All the best Mick

[T 20]

Despite mine and many peoples love of the HW80, the 35 is the better sub 12ftlb (and a bit above in some cases) air rifle.

I could never work out why people went out and bought a de-stroked HW80 for field target use in the 1980s.

Why not just tune a HW35 which is already a de-stroked 80 ?

Am I missing something ?


All the best Mick

[coburn]

I agree why destroke an 80 when a 35 would do the same job. Perhaps it was fashion or people did not like manual barrel lock on the 35, or perhaps the 35 was seen as old hat!. Couldn't have been a power issue Venom were advertising 35's in various tunes up to 14.5ftlbs. They also listed a FT special 35 with reduced recoil and improved accuracy.

The other trend from the 1980's I don't like was the chopping of barrels down to 14", OK on a std 80 or 35 but criminal on an Export.

[johnbaz]

Cheers Ian

And noted.

First HW rifle produced: 1951
5100 Manufactured 1955
5138 Manufactured 1955
31151 Manufactured 1955
44485 Manufactured 1956
51322 Manufactured 1956
58446 Manufactured 1957
72243 manufactured 1959
76244 Manufactured 1960
120662 Manufactured 1962
142447 Manufactured 1964
149423 Manufactured 1965
195863 Manufactured 1965
200000 manufactured 1966
241065 Manufactured 1966
395231 Manufactured 1968
296000 Manufactured 1969
309345 Manufactured 1969
322960 Manufactured 1969
332966 Manufactured 1969
333015 Manufactured 1969
333219 Manufactured 1970
346900 Manufactured 1970
357053 Manufactured 1970
373816 Manufactured 1970
375788 Manufactured 1970
400000 Manufactured 1972
401391 Manufactured 1972
423452 Manufactured 1972
469655 Manufactured 1973
480574 Manufactured 1973
496842 Manufactured 1973
512990 Manufactured 1974
583245 Manufactured 1975
600000 Manufactured 1976
612502 Manufactured 1976
613000 Single sided safety introduced ?
623997 Manufactured 1976
624554 Manufactured 1976
670138 Manufactured 1977
671143 Manufactured 1977
702045 Manufactured 1979
741394 Manufactured 1979
755000 HW35 changes from 12mm to 9mm scope rail
778058 Manufactured 1980
785538 Manufactured 1980
800000 Manufactured 1980
843636 HW 35 changes from Leather to Nylon Piston seal and double sided safety.
890268 Manufactured 1980
902189 Manufactured 1981
902315 Manufactured 1981
926011 Manufactured 1983
1000000 manufactured 1983.
1000375 manufactured 1983
1001845 manufactured 1983
January 1984 MK 1 HW 77 released in UK
1003486 was delivered in 1984
1003582 was delivered in 1984
1003986 manufactured 1984
1007970 manufactured 1984
1011026 was delivered in 1984
1011108 was delivered in 1984
1016650 was delivered in 1985
1016823 manufactured 1985
1023310 manufactured 1985
October 1985 MK 2 HW77 released in UK
1032802 purchased new 1986
1036521 was delivered in 1987
1036528 was delivered in 1987
1041261 was delivered in 1987
1139541 was delivered in 1988
1139761 purchased new 1988
1178259 born 1989
1181401 was delivered in 1989
1181555 was delivered in 1989
1181588 was delivered in 1989
1182580 manufactured 1990
1183140 bought new in 1990
1186081 manufactured 1990
1188451 was delivered in 1990
1233526 Manufactured in 1991
1288125 was delivered in 1993
1288752 manufactured 1993
1289991 manufactured 1993
1302969 manufactured 1993
1364279 was delivered in 1994
1370364 produced in 1995
1446049 HW 77 switch from 25mm to 26mm cylinder
1459697 was delivered 1998
1538821 bought new in 2001
1551576 was delivered in 2001
1576934 was delivered in 2002
1616583 produced in 2004
1687223 was delivered in 2006


All the best Mick

Hi Mick

I have this HW35e (22" barrel) that isn't marked as HW and no reference to Weihrauch or Mellrichstadt bay whatsoever but is simply marked as EUSTA in a horizontal diamond..
The seial# is 620032 and produced in '76- Fergot to say- 13mm rails..

I emailed Weihrauch for any info pertaining to the rifle but didn't receive a reply

Pic 1

Pic 2

Single sided safety
Pic 3



John

[T 20]

Hi Mick

I have this HW35e (22" barrel) that isn't marked as HW and no reference to Weihrauch or Mellrichstadt bay whatsoever but is simply marked as EUSTA in a horizontal diamond..
The seial# is 620032 and produced in '76- Fergot to say- 13mm rails..

I emailed Weihrauch for any info pertaining to the rifle but didn't receive a reply

Pic 1

Pic 2

Single sided safety
Pic 3



John

Nice one John

It looks like that one is pre barrel pivot shims as well, same as my old girl.

I bought the shims from John Knibbs then struggled like hell to get them in only to find out later on here that it shouldn't have them.

Anyway seeing as this thread has become a HW35 show and tell here's mine

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/...Picture007.jpg

(sorry I only have one picture of it)

After buying 2 early MK2 HW77ks and an Airsporter S off a mate of mine for £90 the 3 in 1986, he vanished into the coal shed and came back out with this 35 and gave it to me for free.

It's cost me a small fortune since then in machining and workshop time, but who cares.

After fixing the porous breach I decided to have a play with it.

She's been stroked up to 71mm (standard 65mm) then de-stroked down to 52mm and the spring guide and top hat are made from stainless and I've had both factory piston head types fitted as well as a few brass and alloy heads but at the moment it has a Bowkett style twin O ring aluminium piston head.

And I've not finished playing yet.



All the best Mick

[coburn]

Just been shooting my HW55 serial no 878*** which had a leather piston washer fitted so it would appear that whilst the 35 got the nylon washer at the same time as the intro of the 80. The 55 and I suspect the 50 as well continued with the leather washer.

Until when is the next question we need to answer.

Agreed Mick that fellow in AGW this month must be his dad.

[T 20]

Just been shooting my HW55 serial no 878*** which had a leather piston washer fitted so it would appear that whilst the 35 got the nylon washer at the same time as the intro of the 80. The 55 and I suspect the 50 as well continued with the leather washer.

Until when is the next question we need to answer.

Hi Coburn

I have a bit of a theory on that.

Just as the HW35 changed to a nylon seal with the introduction of the HW80, could it be that the 25mm cylinder Weihrauch guns changed from leather to Nylon seals with the introduction of the HW77 in january 1984 ?

Though it would seem strange if Weihrauch did carry on producing leather seals at 25mm four years after the introduction of the 30mm Nylon seal.



All the best Mick

[coburn]

Just found this on the web, notice the mention of the seal change.

http://anotherairgunblog.blogspot.co...ul-part-1.html

Also how many of us would like to find one of those lying around unopened for nearly three decades?