V-Mach Kit Installed

[Coypu Hunter 486]

Well, the FAC V-Mach kit for my HW97K arrived today, and is already in the rifle.I bet quite a few people are running around shooting rather hot HW97Ks if they've installed a V-Mach kit!!! I just used the two pre-compression washers recommended in the installation instructions, and left out the nylon guide rod spacer and four extra washers... lucky I did!

The first three sets of results are from 30X Weihrauch F&T Specials, 8.7 grains. The last line is for 10X H&N FTTs in 4.50, 8.64 grains, cos I've just exhausted my supply of the Weihrauchs. The rifle is now zeroed with FTTs at 33 yards. I may try the AA Diabolo Fields I've got -- four tins of 4.52s -- just to compare, and to see if they spread less than the FTTs. I have enough of both FTTs and AA DFs to last until November, when I can pick up some more Weihrauch pellets from the UK, so it's just a question of choosing the most consistent pellet to use between now and then.

 

 

Average Low Var High Var Spread avg fpe max fpe

841.86 837.5 4.36 846.1 4.24 8.60 13.69 13.83

842.06 839.5 2.56 847.3 5.24 7. 13.70 13.87

843.95 838.4 5.55 849.8 5.85 11.40 13.76 13.95

 

843.53 835.4 8.13 854.4 10.87 19.00 13.65 14.01

 

The faster, flatter trajectory has now given me a point blank range of between 12.4 and 40.1 yards for a one-inch target at X9 magnification. Pleased with that, and will see how the rifle performs as all the new internals bed in.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Coypu Hunter

[Rez 4,961]

Good lad. V-mach'd 97's... Competition eliminators basically. Got the two washers in mine two.

[treecreeper 1,136]

have used the 12ftlb kit? I didn't use any washers in mine and it still ran over. can you hunt with air rifle in france if its fac?

[Coypu Hunter 486]

Treecreeper, according to the law, you can't hunt or control vermin with air rifles in France, no matter what power they are. So when I get rats in my chicken shed, I'm supposed to go in there with my .410 or my .22 rimfire and take care of them that way. Like that's gonna happen! Let's just say that laws made in Paris tend to be ignored by the people who actually have to live in the countryside...

 

Rez, what power output did the V-Mach give you in your 97 and 98?

Edited August 13, 2014 by Coypu Hunter

[Rez 4,961]

11.12 @ 97 and 11.63 @ 98 mate as an average.

[treecreeper 1,136]

that's what I thought, just wondered if it was different if you registered it fac. have they upped the limit yet over there?

Its kind of daft to have legally held fac if you cant legally use it for pests.

My .22 97 put just over 12 out with superdomes with no preload washers.

[Coypu Hunter 486]

They upped the unlicensed limit to 20 joules last September (15fpe) from 10 joules (7.5 fpe). So, you can now legally own an air rifle capable of taking down most vermin without a licence, but you can't use it...

 

Makes a lot of sense!

[treecreeper 1,136]

Makes perfect sense, but at least when your shooting targets it will shoot nice and flat and you will knock them over without needing a licence.

[Coypu Hunter 486]

Well, the HW97's actually a FAC rifle, since it was supposed to be 21 joules/15.5 fpe when I bought it before the law changed... I have a gun licence and various firearms, as you can see from my signature, so it's not a problem.

 

Nice for new shooters though, who can buy an air rifle with decent power for target shooting (or even vermin control, if they're very, very naughty ).

[ratbuster 808]

Daft legislation, but not so daft as in my country We don't have any restriction on the power output of our air rifles, but you can only use them for target practice and FT / HFT.

I can own a 150+ fpe .45 airrifle without a licence, but can only use it as a plinking gun

Shooting a pest or whatever is totally out of the question. Even a .410 shotgun is forbidden to use against vermin, and besides that you need a hunting licence and a permission to use a shotgun or rifle.

 

So having all the power in the world (air rifle wise ) is of no use if you can't use it properly.

 

Cheers,

 

Rb

Edited August 14, 2014 by ratbuster

[Coypu Hunter 486]

You can't even use a .410? That's just ridiculous! I thought France was bad!!!

[ratbuster 808]

A little enlightening on Dutch hunting laws: you first have to pass an exam (which will cost you something in the region of € 3500 (getting tuition on shooting a shotgun, exam fees etc)) than you have to get your insurance, a minimum of 40 hectares in one piece and then you're allowed to hunt: rabbit, hare, mallard, woodpigeon and (non existing) pheasant, this all under rather strict rules. Other quarry only with special permits issued by the regional authorities . Pheasants only wild stock, no rearing allowed ....

 

The guns you're allowed to use are : 12 bore, 16 bore, 20 bore & 24 bore shotguns, all other calibers are forbidden so no .410 or 9mm Flobert for us. These calibers are classified as not adequate enough or humane on quarry. I personally think this had more to do with the restricting law that we are only allowed non toxic shot............

 

Rifle wise you can have a rifle with a caliber larger than 5.6 mm aka .22 , so no .17 HMR for us either (not adequate or humane ! , same goes with the humble air rifle )

 

So count your blessings in France and the UK and keep up the fight to keep this sort of legislation out of your country !

 

Could tell you a similar story about fishing, but that's one " for another time "

Edited August 14, 2014 by ratbuster

[Coypu Hunter 486]

[Cedric 132]

Maybe the good old UK is not so bad after all ! At least we can go and pot rats etc.

 

Mind you, according to the 'General license' you're not allowed to go out and shoot a pigeon to eat but you can eat it after you have shot it as vermin !

[ratbuster 808]

In the countryside the humble air rifle is used quite a lot to do some " vermin control " technically this would be classified as poaching: unauthorized rifle, no hunting licence etc, but most give a damn about it keeping the magpies down and the jackdaws is a great way to keep your hunting skills in and give the rifle an airing

 

Even more sillier, one can legally own a black powder proofed , pre 1945 made .410 or 9 mm Flobert without a licence ........ only the ammo goes on ticket, which you can get if you're part of a shooting club. .410 ammo is almost unobtainable, but 9 and 6 mm Flobert is quite common. ( Vive La France..... )

 

Although you have a restriction on the power of your air rifles, you still have it so good, being able to use it on all legal quarry, I really ENVY you and Coypu Hunter even more !