Canadian Airgun Forum

I've been reading that this was one of Weihrauch's finest target rifle and one of the best break-barrel rifles for accuracy. Seeing as HW doesn't make them anymore, which of their current rifles best fits the spec? I hear that it was about 7.5 lbs and had a .177 velocity around 700fps and was 112 cm long. Am I correct that the HW35 is closest or is it the HW50? Would the HW57 be a good substitute even though its underlever? From the pictures I have seen, it looks like one sweet rifle. Match peep sites, and a upgrade on the Rekord trigger. Has anybody ever shot one?

Actually, the closest relative to the HW55 thats in production today is probably the HW30/R-7. The 55 was a 10m oriented rifle. Power was anywhere between 550-650 fps depending on which spring option was specified, either the soft target spring or the stronger sporter spring. The original HW50S (not the same as the one made today) was the same basic action in a sporter stock, with the more powerful spring installed.This rifle, the HW50S, was the predecessor of the R-7.

HW50S pics:




The HW35 is more related to the R-1/HW80. The R-1 uses the same larger tube diameter of the 35, but the tube is considerably longer. [/img]

I thought about the HW30 but the rifle is much smaller than the HW55. Its a couple of pounds lighter, and dimensionally seems smaller as well. Looking at the Weihrauch catalogue, the HW95 actually seems to come closest but then that rifle is much too powerful.

I'm just thinking that although a purpose built match rifle would be awesome, a HW95 or 55 converted using great sights and detuned to non-PAL specifications would make one fine target rifle even if it isn't one of the originals.

This brings me to another point....

If the HW30s in normal trim is such a fine rifle from the perspective of accuracy, why doesn't Weihrauch offer a target oriented stock as an option with match sites?

I guess the answer is market potential and competition.

Obviously, one could go out an order a made to measure custom stock and spec the sights for their own rifle for a few hundred more.

The HW55 is indeed a fine rifle. I own a couple of them. They are nothing to do with a 30 in my opinion. The 35 is probably closer to the 55 in construction than the 30 is. Both the 35 and the 55 share a solid, machined, receiver tube. The lockup breech is also shared, in a different configeration. The 55 is a nice shooter for sure. The extra weight helps absorb the low power recoil, making one of the calmest shooting springers I have experinced.
55s are still available(used) and if that is what you want they can be found.
Steve

So what is the going market rate for a HW55 in sporting version and target version?

in like new shape around 500to 600 bucks...with the apature sights on it...i would love to get a deal on a 55t but i think i will fine diamonds on the ground before i get on of those!

The original question was
The old 35 was similiar in design to the 55 in that both had a manual breech lock, but shared little else with the 55 except the Record trigger. The tube was much larger in diameter than the 50/55 tube, and internals are not shared in any way. The same solid screw in end cap configuration was used in both guns, but that was used in many older HW guns. None currently in production have it now. The 35 is still in production, but its design and performance have far more in common with the HW80 than with the 50/55 design. The HW30 is the current production model that best matches the HW50/55 in performance, regardless of size or construction.
Going rate for a nice 55 is probably near $500 Canadian, they seem to sell for maybe US$400 or so when they come up. Theres been a couple for sale on-line for near $500 for some time with no interest expressed at all. Just the HW aperture sight can sell for $75+ by itself.
The HW30 does have pretty good accuracy but it isn't match grade. The HW55 was originally intended for 10m match competition and was a very competitive gun in its day. Match rifles have evolved far beyond them now however. The HW30 simply not a match gun, its a sporter rifle, thats why you don't see Weihrauch putting the action in an expensive match-type stock.

Alright, that clears up some of the differences.

Now here is the more sophisticated question, and maybe some of the list members can verify this.

I suppose that the accuracy of the HW30 is partially due to the reduced recoil that comes with a less powerful gun. It is the smallest rifle at approx. 5 lbs.

Has anybody compared the accuracy of a non-PAL spec'd gun such as the HW77 or the 95 which are much heftier vs. the HW30s at say 10m, 20m, 30m?

Wouldn't the increased mass of the larger guns absorb more spring recoil and transfer that into a lower tendency to move the aiming point off target before the pellet exits the muzzle?

Seeing that the HW57 has the shortest barrel (translating into shorter lock-time) and is an underlever, would that rifle in non-PAL be more accurate than the HW30s in non-PAL trim?