Got My Walnut Sterling HR81 Deluxe .22 Today

[redvan]

I bought an HR81 when they first came out cost £95 I think,the thing that impressed me most was the quality of the bluing-in a different class to anything else at the time, from what I remember, the firing cycle was quite, er.. harsh and also (tin hat on, jumping into a trench) the balance was poor, very top heavy which was the reason I sold it after four or five hunting trips.
Despite all that I wish I still had it!

[Pete B]

I used to have a walnut HR 83 many years ago - fantastic rifle, super smooth and very accurate.

I understood the difference between the 81 and 83 were 2 stage trigger (needed work to be good), sliding underlever latch, removable foresight assembly and indeed walnut stock on the 83 - a sort of refined update on the original 81. I guess as production continued and what with the 83 stamping machine breaking (fantastic - just imagine what fun Weihrauch could have had!) the models could have merged. Anyone know the definitive difference?

They are top heavy but I found this made the rifle really steady on aim and when firing. Leather piston washers were standard I think.

Part ex'd mine for a HW77

Pete

[Gareth W-B]

To all who have posted on this thread, thank you all very much indeed for all your well wishes with my latest toy . You are right it is maybe a little front heavy, but I quite like that in a rifle (as apparently do some of you ), and I totally agree with you that the build, blue and engineering excellence of the Sterling marque is second to none. Reckon it'll be a good while before I can afford to search out an HR83 .177 though, but between now and then this rifle will be among my revised top ten, along with my Omega (.177) which should arrive later this week , S.F.S. HW95K (.22), BSA Mercury-S (.177) and my Airgunaid SP-5 Hunter (.20). Cheers guys : Gareth WB.

[baz]

Should anyone else want one of these I may be able to help

Baz

[Gareth W-B]

I used to have a walnut HR 83 many years ago - fantastic rifle, super smooth and very accurate.

I understood the difference between the 81 and 83 were 2 stage trigger (needed work to be good), sliding underlever latch, removable foresight assembly and indeed walnut stock on the 83 - a sort of refined update on the original 81. I guess as production continued and what with the 83 stamping machine breaking (fantastic - just imagine what fun Weihrauch could have had!) the models could have merged. Anyone know the definitive difference?

Sorry Peter didn't read your post properly until tonight ... Well then maybe mine is an HR-83 stamped HR-81 for the broken stamper reason high-lighted by 99CLOMP too? Especially as my Sterling has the sliding underlever latch and removable foresight assembly that you mention (plus a walnut stock which even the fella I bought it off, good guy kevin.ronnie, thought unusual for an HR-81). In fact, notwithstanding the stock shape differences between my walnut stocked HR-81 as photo-featured in post No.5 and Lakey's HR-83 as photo-featured in post No.9, mine may also be an an HR-83 ?

Hmmm. The more I think about the information I've been given on this thread, the more I could be convinced my Sterling is actually an HR-83 after all! But unless someone has a list of serial numbers for these to check model manufacture dates against (as none of Dennis Hiller's books cover the Sterling unfortunately ), I suppose its all down to calculated guess work and conjecture based on the known facts at the end of the day, isn't it? Due to the undeniable knowledge of this Sterling's previous owner however (our Kev), who swears categorically that it is an 81, unless someone can provide me with actual ocular proof to the contrary, I will still continue to believe my Sterling to be an HR-81 Deluxe (but it was touch and go there for a while ). Ha ha ha ... ATB and once again, thanks to all who have contributed, as it really has been greatly appreciated: Gareth W-B.

[redvan]

Another little snippet, I can remember talking to that bbs favorite TR Robb about 20 odd years ago, and he told me sterling had been trying to break into the airgun market for years (apparently he had worked there) but the production team could not agree on a design, so the finished article was a compromise!

[Lakey]

Gareth, I would say that your gun is definitely and HR 81. It is identical to mine except that mine is made for a southpaw. Despite the left had stock I can still shoot OK with it.
I will try to take a picture of mine and add it to the thread tonight when I am back from work.
The stamping issue only seems to affect the HR83's - some of which may have HR81 marks on, however from what I have found out the stocks are different ?? Your gun seems to have the HR81 style of longer stock whereas the second picture I posted shows an HR83 which has a shorter deeper stock style.

Speak later with some piccis hopefully.

ATB

Lakey

[Gareth W-B]

Gareth, I would say that your gun is definitely and HR 81. It is identical to mine except that mine is made for a southpaw ... Your gun seems to have the HR81 style of longer stock whereas the second picture I posted shows an HR83 which has a shorter deeper stock style ... I will try to take a picture of mine and add it to the thread tonight when I am back from work.

Thanks Andy, look forward to seeing more pix tonight . As said above, I'm in total agreement with you and believe un-waiveringly that my Sterling is an HR-81 Deluxe ..... All I was doing was exercising the old grey matter above which just goes to show I really do need to get out more . ATB (again): Gareth W-B.

[Mark D]

Well I have to agree with Pete B. There was an article done in AGW a few years ago - say 15 or more! by J Stevenson called what ever happened to the Sterling HR83. It contained all the details about the variations. The 81 Deluxe just had a Walnut stock, it did not have the sliding latch for the underlever, which was developed so that a sling could be attached. I have never seen a HR83 stamped UK model. I owned 4 at one time inc an early HR83 in .177 with a left hand stock and with what was called the 16 piece adjustable trigger, brought out to rival the HW77, which it never did! I used this in field target events.The removeable front sight unit was developed so that it stopped ghosting in the scope when trying to mount it low to the bore line. Again only on the HR83.

When I get round to clearing my old AGW & AG mags I will look out for the article!

[Lakey]

Well I have to agree with Pete B. There was an article done in AGW a few years ago - say 15 or more! by J Stevenson called what ever happened to the Sterling HR83. It contained all the details about the variations. The 81 Deluxe just had a Walnut stock, it did not have the sliding latch for the underlever, which was developed so that a sling could be attached. I have never seen a HR83 stamped UK model. I owned 4 at one time inc an early HR83 in .177 with a left hand stock and with what was called the 16 piece adjustable trigger, brought out to rival the HW77, which it never did! I used this in field target events.The removeable front sight unit was developed so that it stopped ghosting in the scope when trying to mount it low to the bore line. Again only on the HR83.

When I get round to clearing my old AGW & AG mags I will look out for the article!

Well this is getting really confusing now. I don't know if I have lost the plot or what

The last couple of my mails on this thread where written without looking at the sterlings in my collection

I have since unearthed them only to find that the three that I could easily get to are all marked HR81

Now I was convinced that I have a walnut HR81 and three HR83's (Perhaps because they were different from the Walnut one???)

Anyway I will now post the pictures as promised of the three guns so that you can make your own minds up. I am totally confused about models and dates of manufacture... The lot!

I think I will stick to BSA underlevers in future I know where I am with them






Three guns all marked HR81 !!! Perhaps one deluxe and two ordinary models one in .177 and one in .22.


And finally a close up of the "deluxe" underlever catch and fore-sight




Lakey

[Gareth W-B]

Hi Andy, and thanks for that, I owe you one for helping keep this thread interesting with your photos etc (top man). The barrel end assembly on my Sterling is exactly the same as the one featured in the bottom position on your bottom picture, so mine is without a doubt that model which I understand to be an HR81 Deluxe . Cheers M8: Gareth W-B.

[exmoor beast]

How come a British rifle that is barely twenty years out of production & NOBODY knows owt about them!! If I had a Cummings light aircane No4 of which one was built, there'd be a website dedicated to it!
Thanks to all who have posted so far, I think I know more now...
Mine has later type underlever catch/ swivel stud like Lakeys pic but mines R/h & I'm l/hand!

[Mark D]

Darn this thread !! It's got me feeling all nostalgic about my long departed HR83. Need to take a stiff drink and remember all the times it dieseled !! Ridiculous bore to sight line configuration!! - Rubbish trigger ( compared to a HW77) - That's better got it back in perspective!!

[Gareth W-B]

Darn this thread !! It's got me feeling all nostalgic about my long departed HR83. Need to take a stiff drink and remember all the times it dieseled !! Ridiculous bore to sight line configuration!! - Rubbish trigger ( compared to a HW77) - That's better got it back in perspective!!

Ahh, thats as maybe, but you forgot about the undeniable superb blue-work, the exemlpary engineering, a build quality that would even put Ripley to shame, an individually hand crafted blonde walnut stock (these were not mass-produced), and above all, a British heritage and history which links both it and its owners directly back to the guns that helped win the second world war: the Bren gun and Sterling machine gun ... I'd pour yourself another if I were you. Long live the Sterling HR81 & HR83 . ATB: Gareth W-B.

[paul8932]

Hi Folks,just for info here's my hr83 .177,just as it came from the factory.
USA manufactured,stamped near the breach if you can make it out in the pics...
I loved these guns as a boy/teenager but couldn't afford one,finally picked this up mid 1990's for £325.00..
Maybe I paid slightly over the odds for it( ? )but its been a pleasure!
Cheers
Paul