HW/Weihrauch Airmasters master sport

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Steve 1974

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Mar 16, 2024
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I picked up ahw80 full length few weeks ago
What drew me to the rifle was the stock among other things , it a long stroke and a mk1 . But it has a airmasters mastersport stalker stock on it . Very well used and a bit knocked about . Going to rebuild the rifle with the skill of nick Simmons a reduced cylinder conversion . and I’m doing a sympathetic restoration on the stock . It will be reblued to . Nice project . Lovley bit of wood on this one , removed the majority of dents but left in the usage marks that a 40 year old stock picks up during it journey. Some way to go but should be nice

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Very nice stock...you're not stripping the finish as much as scraping it off with the blade?
That's a great way to keep the defects visible for later steaming?
And also, did Airmasters use CS as their stock supplier or did they made their stocks themselves? If they used CS, maybe they could still be ordered new?
 
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specie said:
Very nice stock...you're not stripping the finish as much as scraping it off with the blade?
That's a great way to keep the defects visible for later steaming?
And also, did Airmasters use CS as their stock supplier or did they made their stocks themselves? If they used CS, maybe they could still be ordered new?
Click to expand...
Yes I always use a blade on stripping , airmasters made their stocks to order , believe this one is French walnut
 
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Steve 1974 said:
I picked up ahw80 full length few weeks ago
What drew me to the rifle was the stock among other things , it a long stroke and a mk1 . But it has a airmasters mastersport stalker stock on it . Very well used and a bit knocked about . Going to rebuild the rifle with the skill of nick Simmons a reduced cylinder conversion . and I’m doing a sympathetic restoration on the stock . It will be reblued to . Nice project . Lovley bit of wood on this one , removed the majority of dents but left in the usage marks that a 40 year old stock picks up during it journey. Some way to go but should be nice

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Absolutely lovely kit!! Best of luck finishing it.
 
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specie said:
And also, did Airmasters use CS as their stock supplier or did they made their stocks themselves?
Click to expand...

They crafted their own stocks. They believed that any kind of tuning was marginal, especially on the top popular field target rifles like the HW77, and the biggest gains were to be made in the stock's ergonomics and a cracking trigger. That’s where Airmasters truly worked their magic. Of course, they didn’t entirely ignore a rifle’s innards either. Their pièce de résistance? The legendary FTS (Field Target Stock). They are also the inventors of the "hamster".
 
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Oh yes,
Paul Be Careful said:
They crafted their own stocks. They believed that any kind of tuning was marginal, especially on the top popular field target rifles like the HW77, and the biggest gains were to be made in the stock's ergonomics and a cracking trigger. That’s where Airmasters truly worked their magic. Of course, they didn’t entirely ignore a rifle’s innards either. Their pièce de résistance? The legendary FTS (Field Target Stock). They are also the inventors of the "hamster".
Click to expand...
Oh yes, the FTS! That's why I was hoping CS had made the stocks, and could still make one up?
 
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specie said:
Oh yes,

Oh yes, the FTS! That's why I was hoping CS had made the stocks, and could still make one up?
Click to expand...
Worth asking, unless the design’s under lock and key? It’s not a matter of their ability—they can definitely do it—but more a question of whether they’re game :)

There were likely only around 75-100 FTS and FT variations ever made—a rough estimate based on about two per month over 4-5 years. Production was limited because it was quite pricey, with a basic model costing the equivalent of around £1700 today. What made the FTS stand out was that each grip and thumbhole was custom-fitted to the original owner’s hand. So, if you’ve got large hands and end up with one made for someone with tiny hands, you might find it rather uncomfortable. I wouldn't buy one 2nd hand for that reason.
 
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specie said:
...since it's a Airmaster has it already been polished out and reblued to a much higher standard than original? Have you bleached out or stained the stock (oxalic acid?) before refinishing?
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No no need for bleach or acid on this one , French walnut . Just a good prep , alkanet oil and stock oil with a tad of drier added . Slow process
 
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