Starting With A Springer

[VWman 232]

Hello guys

I am just getting started with a friends hw 95 and it feels like a real good bit of kit. It seems heavier than I remember air rifles but it may be I should just use it and get used to how they shoots.

At some point I will have to take the plunge and get my owm and the choice is

vast.

[The one 8,395]

Springers are a bit heavier and if i can remember right when i was looking the Hw's were the heaviest of the bunch mate

[VWman 232]

Hello there

I have looked at Air Arms as well and the pro sport is very similar.

I have also looked at the tx200 and it's hard to define which would be the better gun' it's also hard to suss out the Weihrauch range even more so as there is so many in there line up.

would it be fair to say that the pro sport is the top springer in there range and the hw 97 in the

weihrauch range ?

[pianoman 3,584]

I still say a well sorted and tuned HW77 is a world class underlever. The Prosport is certainly top drawer quality too. Both have accuracy in spades and more than the average shooter possesses. It's a case of which do you like the look of best.

 

If they made the Prosport in Left Handed versions, I'd have one for its sheer fine classical looks alone. But, seriously, my HW77 .22 is the most accurate spring rifle I have ever owned. Way more than my last TX200 MkIII .22 ever was. It's consistant power and accurate shooting stability at my shoulder will match any PCP out there. No problem.

[VWman 232]

Hello Pianoman

Thanks for the reply.

I have a short list and like the hw97k which I am using but don't own.

I do like the look of the pro sport and it feels a bit like the hw 97 in weight which seem a tad heavy but if that's how it has to be to get quality then I will just have to get used to it.

How dose the 77 differ from the other two. It's hard to sort out in my mind how the HW range sits.

The hw 99 has been recommended as a full power lighter gun but don't no what the trade off would be.

[pianoman 3,584]

The weight is a prime factor for these underlevers. They are designed to be shot from the optimum position which is Prone.

 

With a stable, flat-down position on the ground, your elbows, arms and shoulder are acting like a tripod; and in a light, unrestrictively supportive hold in the palm of you forehand and a gently guiding hold in your controlling hand and gentle trigger pressure, the weight allows the rifle to sit stable, secure and dampen down your natural movement from your pulse and heartbeat. Allowing you to build a really comfortable aim in the scope and really put your shot right on the money.

That's what makes these rifles every bit as accurate as any PCP can achieve. I use a bean seat bag and my pack which helps to support my arms comfortably as I aim and track my scope around my shooting area for rabbits etc.

 

I love these rifles for their classical looks and traditional features of stock and butt profile.

 

I think the HW77 has an advantage in a longer barrel length. This imparts a little extra spin than the shorter HW97 barrel and Prosport/TX200 Lothar Walther barrel.

 

The HW77 was winning prizes and astonished the shoting world from the day it was introduced. It stil the power to hold its own against any other modern spring air rifle out there.

 

Mine is an HW77 .22 that can put a 10-shot string of 5.52mm AA Fields through the same hole at 40 yards and group inside a 2p at 50 and over.

 

How more accurate does a spring air rifle have to be?

 

Pianoman

[Elliott 436]

Simon is spot on. I haven't used it in quite a while but my Dave Hall tuned .22 HW77K can be pretty accurate from the prone position with practice. Not too long ago I was out plinking HMR cases at 50m / 54 yards.. not lengthways either - shooting the base of them! Ok I didn't hit them all the time but I wasn't too far off, especially considering they are the same width as a .22 pellet

 

Edited March 9, 2015 by Elliott

[Andycox81 6]

Take a look at the lgu good value for money and up there with the rest !!!!!!

[Elliott 436]

Take a look at the lgu good value for money and up there with the rest !!!!!!

Good call. Looks like they have a nice range of spring rifles now. I particularly like the walnut stocked LGV version

 

[VWman 232]

Just when I thought it was a two horse race another runner enters the race.

It seems like a hw97/77/imp would all be a safe bet. I like the prosport and have handled it but not used it.

I will try to look at the Walthers but the money is burning a hole in my pocket.

[Rez 4,957]

Take a look at the lgu good value for money and up there with the rest !!!!!!

I'd second that. The competition ultra is thee best springer out of the box without a doubt... You'll get your AA fans pipe up no doubt, but honestly, after spending time with one, a mates, it is superb. Whatever is going on inside, which without being techie is new, it most certainly works. It's heavy, very heavy, topping the scales at 10ish pounds, but it doesn't matter when you get hit the target bang on where you intended.

 

I want one but fear I wouldn't shoot any other springer they are that good. Long term I don't know, but, and this is the truth, I go to bed thinking about one. A .22 one.

 

As an edit, I quoted the LGU comment, but the one down is about the LGV.

 

As another edit and after thinking about it, you won't appreciate the LGV shooting cycle without spending time with any HW or AA bo'inger. Otherwise how would you.

[pianoman 3,584]

This great thread has given me some food for thoughts of my own, on spring riflles and shooting with spring rifles for a new chap coming into the sport; and looking to buy a decent spring rifle to get himself up and running with. Sure, there are some cheap and cheerful guns that will tempt him with a lower price-point; some aren't all that bad but, as with a lot in this life, you only get out, what you pay in, with these guns. these days.

 

I wish some of you younger lads could have tried and owned a Webley or BSA rifle from the early 70s. There used to be some beautiful guns coming out from these all-British gun companies. BSA Goldstar was a beautiful gun. Webley built some truly gorgeous guns; all with the most beautiful blueing you ever saw. Real top notch workmanship went into both these makes. I had a few Webleys in my youth. Eley Wasps were brilliant pellets too, then, and were accurate as hellfire in a Webley or BSA barrel. We never had tuning in those days, they were superb guns straight out the box. Then Ivan Hancock and his team set up Webley's Venom tuning arm of the company. All gone now and an era has passed us by. Very sad when I think of it.

 

My friend Elliott here is one of the finest marksmen with a spring rifle there is. Nothing whatsoever to be proved with his shooting. And this HW77 .22 backs him up with a solid accurate rifle he can take out for a day full of hunting and sport with confidence. Those 50-metre shots in his video would knock down a rabbit with a clean headshot.

 

And his HW77 is no spring chicken either. It was his Grandfather's and father's rifle I believe. I have the original stock from this rifle which, he kindly gave to me as I was in a bit of crisis for a decent stock for my HW97K project.

 

Point I'm trying to make is, here you have an elderly, but well lookied-after and properly serviced HW77 still performing as well as any new, modern day air rifle can.

 

You won't find many cheap old SMKs still alive and performing well into this sort of vintage, with this level of accuracy. :whistling:

 

The LGV Competition Ultra I have yet to sample for myself. But it certainly looks very well and will shoot very well. It's German and that means it will be a well made and superbly accurate rifle. I'd love to get my hands on one for a proper day's hunting and target shooting with it to make up my mind.

 

RWS DIANA make some stunning spring sidelever air rifles too. One day I am going to treat myself to a DIANA 54 Airking .22 and tune it up on my FAC. These can make a 25+ft/lbs supergun with the right work on them. So too can the DIANA 52 rifle. I've shot one of those in .177 that was FAC tuned and it was an incredible experience just how solidly well made and incredibly accurate it was. Definitely worth a look-over but, these are perhaps the heaviest guns I've yet encountered. That might be why fewer shooters take a chance on them, apart from the hefty price tags they come with.

 

The Air Arms Prosport is a beautiful looking rifle and looks a pleasure to shoot. I just wish to God Air Arms would make a proper left hand version as they do with the TX200 series. I'd have two in both .22 and .177. :cray:

 

But, as Rez points out, I'm afraid, I have already reached that point where there is really just one .22 calibre spring rifle for me, in the sub 12 ft/lb catagory. And that is my HW77 .22. Closely followed by my HW97K .177.

 

But that's the beauty of spring air rifles like this. They are all perfectly capable and very accurate shooting guns and they last a lifetime or more. Owning them is a bit like owning and driving a classic, vintage car.

 

They might look antiquainted and old fashioned. And they need a fair bit of TLC to keep them running sweet....But boy, are they satisfying to shoot with!

 

Simon

Edited March 10, 2015 by pianoman

[Rez 4,957]

Pionaman. Try to sample one mate. Im not sure it might be of your liking for some reason, but you will get bored of its accuracy. It is almost PCP like. Honest. Try it

 

I hear on the grapevine that there prone to problems later on down the line. But again, only problems get voiced, as with an brand, make or model.

 

Nice one.

[VWman 232]

All the posts are a great help to me as you guys have lived with you guns and know the pit falls.

My bench mark is the HW range as I am sure they will last the test of time, I wish someone could sum-up the entire HW range of springers and air rams as it is hard for a new guy to get his head around.

I thought the 97 was above the 77 and was not sure about the break barrels but that may be an old view as things move on.

I was going to look for an old bsa air sporter to start with but think for the money I would be better off with a HW but not sure which one.

I would like the gun to last a life time and be well made for use in the barns and all day or night hunting, some practice use to get to grips with how it shoots and some plinking just for the fun of it.

I have the feeling this will be the first of many guns over the coming years but hope to keep them all so I am looking for a keeper.

[Elliott 436]

This great thread has given me some food for thoughts of my own, on spring riflles and shooting with spring rifles for a new chap coming into the sport; and looking to buy a decent spring rifle to get himself up and running with. Sure, there are some cheap and cheerful guns that will tempt him with a lower price-point; some aren't all that bad but, as with a lot in this life, you only get out, what you pay in, with these guns. these days.

 

I wish some of you younger lads could have tried and owned a Webley or BSA rifle from the early 70s. There used to be some beautiful guns coming out from these all-British gun companies. BSA Goldstar was a beautiful gun. Webley built some truly gorgeous guns; all with the most beautiful blueing you ever saw. Real top notch workmanship went into both these makes. I had a few Webleys in my youth. Eley Wasps were brilliant pellets too, then, and were accurate as hellfire in a Webley or BSA barrel. We never had tuning in those days, they were superb guns straight out the box. Then Ivan Hancock and his team set up Webley's Venom tuning arm of the company. All gone now and an era has passed us by. Very sad when I think of it.

 

My friend Elliott here is one of the finest marksmen with a spring rifle there is. Nothing whatsoever to be proved with his shooting. And this HW77 .22 backs him up with a solid accurate rifle he can take out for a day full of hunting and sport with confidence. Those 50-metre shots in his video would knock down a rabbit with a clean headshot.

 

And his HW77 is no spring chicken either. It was his Grandfather's and father's rifle I believe. I have the original stock from this rifle which, he kindly gave to me as I was in a bit of crisis for a decent stock for my HW97K project.

 

Point I'm trying to make is, here you have an elderly, but well lookied-after and properly serviced HW77 still performing as well as any new, modern day air rifle can.

 

You won't find many cheap old SMKs still alive and performing well into this sort of vintage, with this level of accuracy. :whistling:

 

The LGV Competition Ultra I have yet to sample for myself. But it certainly looks very well and will shoot very well. It's German and that means it will be a well made and superbly accurate rifle. I'd love to get my hands on one for a proper day's hunting and target shooting with it to make up my mind.

 

RWS DIANA make some stunning spring sidelever air rifles too. One day I am going to treat myself to a DIANA 54 Airking .22 and tune it up on my FAC. These can make a 25+ft/lbs supergun with the right work on them. So too can the DIANA 52 rifle. I've shot one of those in .177 that was FAC tuned and it was an incredible experience just how solidly well made and incredibly accurate it was. Definitely worth a look-over but, these are perhaps the heaviest guns I've yet encountered. That might be why fewer shooters take a chance on them, apart from the hefty price tags they come with.

 

The Air Arms Prosport is a beautiful looking rifle and looks a pleasure to shoot. I just wish to God Air Arms would make a proper left hand version as they do with the TX200 series. I'd have two in both .22 and .177. :cray:

 

But, as Rez points out, I'm afraid, I have already reached that point where there is really just one .22 calibre spring rifle for me, in the sub 12 ft/lb catagory. And that is my HW77 .22. Closely followed by my HW97K .177.

 

But that's the beauty of spring air rifles like this. They are all perfectly capable and very accurate shooting guns and they last a lifetime or more. Owning them is a bit like owning and driving a classic, vintage car.

 

They might look antiquainted and old fashioned. And they need a fair bit of TLC to keep them running sweet....But boy, are they satisfying to shoot with!

 

Simon

That's very kind of you Simon but I'm sure that I'm not a patch on any dedicated spring rifle shooters today, especially having neglected to use my HW77K for so many months.

 

Despite moving into rimfire and centrefire all this talk of proper, quality spring powered air rifles is really starting to peak my interest again. I can see the old HW77K coming out of the cabinet again now that Spring is around the corner and I feel we need to get reaquanted.

 

You correct about my '77 though Simon. Manufactured and built to last in 1985, it was a hand-me-down from my Grandfather. In fact I rescued it from it's rather rusty state a couple of years ago and invested around £200 to refurbish it. Having been expertly tuned the '77 spits out pellets at an eye watering consistancy rivaling any modern day PCP.