HW/Weihrauch HW35 Auction find

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FWB127

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Mar 29, 2021
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balwyn, Australia
One of the things I really enjoy is finding the old gems and cleaning them up ! Bought this sight unseen just relying on some ordinary photos.

Picked up today shows a HW35 from 1973 that I'm confident hasn't been opened . Guessing some shots and then hidden in a dark corner.

Any tips getting the residual leather from the breach seal recess please?
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Bear-of-Grayling said:
Looks like NOS. Are you missing the breech seal? Not fully understanding your question. Congratulations! It’s a beauty.
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Apologies! I picked out the old leather breech seal however it leaves a varnish like residue. Think I've got most of it out but wasn't sure if i should use a carb cleaner or similar?
 
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Yes brake cleaner juice or acetone should dissolve the old goo. Current HW plastic breech seals were designed to be drop-in replacement for the old leather ones (flat face in...round face out, lol!) - that's why they never went to a simple O-ring.

Lovely old rifle! That basic beech sport stock doesn't have a lot of flowery details, but is a masterclass in how to make a big heavy action hand-friendly, well-balanced, and as compact as possible.
 
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FWB127 said:
Thanks ! Too embarrassed to say what it chrono'd at 🤦🏻‍♂️
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Very nice gun. I'm a sucker for an HW35. Hard to pass an older one up.

I bought a 1959 HW35 some years ago and the velocity was 398fps with JSB 7.87gr pellets. Took it apart and found that the tube was full of grease, like someone used a grease gun and filled it. Cleaned everything up, freshened the original leather piston seal and reused the spring that was in it. Only thing replaced with new was the breech seal. Same pellet now shoots 726fps. Not a power house but a sweet shooting original early example.
 
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Wadcutter said:
Very nice gun. I'm a sucker for an HW35. Hard to pass an older one up.

I bought a 1959 HW35 some years ago and the velocity was 398fps with JSB 7.87gr pellets. Took it apart and found that the tube was full of grease, like someone used a grease gun and filled it. Cleaned everything up, freshened the original leather piston seal and reused the spring that was in it. Only thing replaced with new was the breech seal. Same pellet now shoots 726fps. Not a power house but a sweet shooting original early example.
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Thats a phenominal turnaround ! Amazing ! This one is just over 7fpe
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Wadcutter said:
Very nice gun. I'm a sucker for an HW35. Hard to pass an older one up.

I bought a 1959 HW35 some years ago and the velocity was 398fps with JSB 7.87gr pellets. Took it apart and found that the tube was full of grease, like someone used a grease gun and filled it. Cleaned everything up, freshened the original leather piston seal and reused the spring that was in it. Only thing replaced with new was the breech seal. Same pellet now shoots 726fps. Not a power house but a sweet shooting original early example.
Click to expand...
When you say freshen the leather piston seal do you roughen them up a little with sandpaper ?
 
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FWB127 said:
Thats a phenominal turnaround ! Amazing ! This one is just over 7fpe
View attachment 518911
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Nice acquisition, looks like you don't need to do much cleaning up on that one! I used a modern breech seal on mine, but kept the leather piston seal. Seems like you may have the same issue as mine (c.1969 vintage) : nice and smooth shot cycle but low on power. I learnt that this is most probably due to a loss of volume caused by the sub-standard brazing of the cylinder and end plug. My festive season entertainment will be trying to fill the void with loctite 603. You might want to check that out too.

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Frank in Fairfield said:
A recent test with a new spring from AOA:

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You'd have to be very happy with that! Beautiful Export
specie said:
...maybe just a broken spring, and that's why the gun was never used? The front arrestor hole is wallowed out (?) and the gun maybe once had a Weihrauch diopter in place?..very nice old HW35!
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The arrestor hole isn't as bad as it looks, seems they may have missed aligned a grub screw or similar. Will have it apart tomorrow Thanks!
 
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Swissair said:
Nice acquisition, looks like you don't need to do much cleaning up on that one! I used a modern breech seal on mine, but kept the leather piston seal. Seems like you may have the same issue as mine (c.1969 vintage) : nice and smooth shot cycle but low on power. I learnt that this is most probably due to a loss of volume caused by the sub-standard brazing of the cylinder and end plug. My festive season entertainment will be trying to fill the void with loctite 603. You might want to check that out too.

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I have a 1980-ish vintage HW 35 that appears to have the very same issue - barely does 6 FPE with a new breech seal, minty-looking original leather seal, and fresh Maccari spring.

I would respectfully request you post some pics and comments as you do this work! It would be a great aid to this old airgun mechanic of sketchy skills. 😁
 
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I will try, Mike. Even if the photos don't work out, I will write up the process and report the results. My scratching around for info suggested that this was mostly a manufacturing issue with earlier guns, but maybe it extended to the 1980s too. In the process of brazing the end plug onto the front of the cylinder, I gather that there wasn't enough flux or solder or heat used to fill all the join space, and the resulting void is what "steals* power. The brazing could be so bad, that the plug isn't even airtight.
The basic steps of the fix are: thoroughly degrease the cylinder including the void as much as possible, then fill the void with Loctite under compression/by vacuum which requires blocking the transfer port and using the piston.
Loctite 603 is more suited to applications where there may be residual grease/oil on the surface and higher temps, so that seemed a good pick, but others have used other Loctite products for this.
My HW35 is doing just under 7fpe for now. Very smoot shot cycle, but a poor return on the cocking effort. Hopefully the loctite will improve things!
 
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