Help me decide

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bmoney

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May 15, 2018
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California
So I have been into air rifles for a solid 11 years now. I have owned a couple Marauders (still have the .17), have a maximus .17, Crosman 1322 with 14.5 inch barrel in carbine config, Sheirdan 2260MB, my old 1991 760 pumpmaster and recently a very accurate Gamo Swarm Maxim .22 my son got for his birthday. My only other break barrel was a Hatsan 95 in .22 that I sold to a friend......it shot great. I do a lot of centerfire rifle shooting and varmint hunting but I would like to start getting some nicer air rifles. The desert is an hour away to shoot centerfire and I can shoot airguns as much as I want in my backyard at 20, 25 and 35 yards.

I am leaning towards the Beeman R7 or a Weihrauch HW50. I just want something quiet for target shooting, I have what I need for rats and crows. The Beeman seems super nice but kinda strikes me as overpriced for low power .17 at 410 bucks shipped. The HW50 can be had for 360 shipped from Krale and seems like you get a little more for your money. I have looked hard at the HW95 as well but i think the R7 or HW50 will fit my needs better. I would get the R7 in .17 but I think I would get the HW50 in .22. I also thought of getting the HW30 in .22 since that is the only one in stock and just shoot lighter .22 cal pellets in it. Anyone shoot a HW30 in .22? Thoughts between the R7 and HW50? This would be for 20 and 25 yards only. Thanks.
 
jccams said:
I have a HW30 in .22 with peeps, shoots right at 500fps with 14.66 FTT's, it's a little
loopy but a blast to shoot at 20 yds or so. I also have an R7 in .177, fir some reason I reach for the .22 more often. I also have an HW50 in .20, just an awesome gun. You need the 30 and 50.
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Lol thanks for the info........both would be nice. I was hoping to get 540fps or so with HW30 using Hobby pellets or maybe even H&N green. I actually considered the HW50 in .20 from AOA.
 
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The Hw30 (R7) is fun for plinking in any caliber. I've played with them in 177 and 22. You might break 500 fps with Hobbies in a Hw30 but it won't likely be 540. I Iove 22 caliber Hobbies for pesting but they need to be driven by a HW50 or stronger. They have the ballistic coefficient of a cotton ball. The additional velocity they give up front disappears inside the first 20 yards.

I owned a 22 cal Hw50 and sold it and kept my 177 HW50 because I liked the trajectory better. I was shooting out to 50 sometimes 100 yards.

Inside 35 yards a 22 cal HW50 is an excellent combination. Mine pushed Hobbies around 650-670 IIRC. It pushed FTTs around 610 but the FTT shot flatter because again the Hobbies have a terrible BC.

IMO the HW50 in 177, or 22 and the HW30 in 177.
 
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Mycapt65 said:
The Hw30 (R7) is fun for plinking in any caliber. I've played with them in 177 and 22. You might break 500 fps with Hobbies in a Hw30 but it won't likely be 540. I Iove 22 caliber Hobbies for pesting but they need to be driven by a HW50 or stronger. They have the ballistic coefficient of a cotton ball. The additional velocity they give up front disappears inside the first 20 yards.

I owned a 22 cal Hw50 and sold it and kept my 177 HW50 because I liked the trajectory better. I was shooting out to 50 sometimes 100 yards.

Inside 35 yards a 22 cal HW50 is any excellent combination. Mine pushed Hobbies around 650-670 IIRC. It pushed FTTs around 610 but the FTT shot flatter because again the Hobbies have a terrible BC.

IMO the HW50 in 177, or 22 and the HW30 in 177.
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Awesome, thanks.
 
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uglymike said:
Find a used D34 .177, put a 12 ft/lb ARH tune kit in it.
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Funny you say that. My dad actually has a brand new 1999 or so Diana 34 in .177. He got it on sale back then and just never really shot it. I have it at my house and have been shooting it a little bit. Its big and loud but drives nails with 13.3grn JSB's. I bet it only has 40 pellets down it in its lifetime. Great gun but I for sure want something a little smaller.
 
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All HW (30,50,95,R7, R9 ets) are built the same way and essentially have the same design and mechanism. Any one would be the best choice for a springer IMO. The R7/HW30 is a lower power rifle and a joy to shoot. It's easy to cock and a great choice for short range pesting and target shooting. The others produce more power for longer range shooting and more humane kills. Don't sell the .177 short, though. It shoots at higher velocity with a flatter trajectory. Also, you can use heavier pellets, like JSB 13.4 gr which approaches the lighter .22 pellets. My choice would be .177, but you will be happy with either.
 
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jps2486 said:
All HW (30,50,95,R7, R9 ets) are built the same way and essentially have the same design and mechanism. Any one would be the best choice for a springer IMO. The R7/HW30 is a lower power rifle and a joy to shoot. It's easy to cock and a great choice for short range pesting and target shooting. The others produce more power for longer range shooting and more humane kills. Don't sell the .177 short, though. It shoots at higher velocity with a flatter trajectory. Also, you can use heavier pellets, like JSB 13.4 gr which approaches the lighter .22 pellets. My choice would be .177, but you will be happy with either.
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Thank you. I agree, the 13grn .177's turned my Maximus and marauder into hammers.
 
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TXRMike said:
I would be afraid to order a HW50 from Krale right now just because of multiple reports of barrel droop. It would be no fun to return it. Maybe ask AOA to inspect one for you and just pay a little more for USA local.

I can speak for the HW30 as being a pleasure to plink, with serious accuracy. I have one tuned with open sights and one OEM stock with a 2-7X32 scope. Both very smooth to operate and proud to own.
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Get the HW 50 in 0.177.
If your main activity is plinking, 0.177 in general are less expensive and less loopy trajectory.

I wouldn't worry about the barrel droop (as this does not impact the inherent accuracy of the gun).

Bottom line, it is an accurate gun with a great trigger compared to bottom tier springers. That's what you are paying for, accuracy and quality of product (fit/finish). There are solutions for this barrel droop if it bothers you. Adjustable mounts and/or riser, barrel re-adjustment, please no shimming of scopes.

Edit: yeah google Ed Canoles, he posted the best barrel bending jig that I've seen so far. Easy to control and does the barrel re-adjustments in increments.

1685456951116.png

(who in their right mind would do that to a barrel??? maybe to win a bet?)
 
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I wouldn't rely on the idea of 13gr 177 pellets producing 22 thump from a springer. Yes the weight is close to the lighter 22s and the BC is better than the more normal weight 177s BUT it's been my experience with every Weihrauch springer that I've owned or worked on that efficiency declines steeply as pellet weights increase over a models baseline. Sans one example pointed out to me here with the 10.34 JSBs, heavy 177 pellets can easily cost 2 to 4 FPE up front and the ballistic coefficient can't make up for that.

Plus heavy pellets can shorten spring life. A chronograph will tell you what weight the gun likes. Springers in general have a tough time pushing heavy pellets efficiently. If you want to get the most benefit from high BC heavy pellets get a PCP.
 
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EMrider said:
I own both guns in .177, and would favor the R7/hw30 for target shooting at distances out to 25 yards. That said, if I had to pick one over the other, I’d go with the hw50s in .177. The 50 is a more versatile gun with enough power for small game hunting and plinking out to 50 yards or more.
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I agree, but I would lean more toward the HW95/R9. Probably the best all around gun.
 
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