For field target work that is! I shot ft last year with a pcp and want to minimize and simplify things. I shot break barrels many moons ago and started shooting air again last year. Just want a simple break barrel that is accurate and not super hold sensitive. I've heard ya and nay on the hw50 but can't seem to decide weather or not to "pull the trigger" and give it a chance. My main concern is at the 40-55yd. distances. I don't want to be shooting mortar rounds. Reason I'm asking here in this topic is because I feel I'll get a more unbiased perspective.
Hw50s enough gun or not?
- Thread starter Andy_western_ny
- Start date
Shot my HW50S .20 today and it was on target at 35 yards again. And I shot it open sighted again and again only to realize the rifle is DEADLY! I was slapping the iron discs with each shot and not missing once.
I had just re-established confidence in my HW80K .22 Long Range Hunter with Vortex Viper and Diana ZR mounts offhand at the same range and switched immediately to the open sighted HW50S .20 using JSB Exact 13.75gr (or there abouts--the HEAVIES I use in my Hector Medina D54 .20 L-W) once again proving the outstanding OUTSTANDING performance of my newest rifle the HW50S.20 from AOA.
Yes the HW50s is enough gun but in .20 it can do more beyond a .177 or .22.
I had just re-established confidence in my HW80K .22 Long Range Hunter with Vortex Viper and Diana ZR mounts offhand at the same range and switched immediately to the open sighted HW50S .20 using JSB Exact 13.75gr (or there abouts--the HEAVIES I use in my Hector Medina D54 .20 L-W) once again proving the outstanding OUTSTANDING performance of my newest rifle the HW50S.20 from AOA.
Yes the HW50s is enough gun but in .20 it can do more beyond a .177 or .22.
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I just put a Vortek SHO output kit in an HW50S 22cal this past week and am currently sighting it in and getting some chronograph results for a small review. I also have a HW50S .177cal coming Monday that I am going to tune and do a small review on as well. I have had around 200 rounds so far and it is shooing 851 fps with an H&N FTT Green 9.57 for 15.4 foot pounds . Predator GTO's came in a 770 fps for 15.2 foot pounds, are the most accurate so far. I just got in some Baracuda Green 12.96 I'm going to try out tomorrow, but so far it is very accurate with the lead free pellets. ON the standard lead pellets I got 645 fps with CP 14.3's The cocking is a little stiffer than a standard R9, but I expected that. I like the gun a whole lot better with 770fps and 850fps for longer distances compared to around 630-645 which what I am getting with several 14 grain pellets so far. The FTT greens were doing 810 fps before the tune, but that is somewhat skewed because I bought the gun from Tom at Vortek and didn't realize he had already put his piston seal in it, which is around a 10-15 fps difference over stock.
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Cocking is relatively hard for the amount of power they make. I have the AOA exclusive HW50s Hunter edition. I like my HW30 AOA Laminate Hunter a lot better.
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For Field Target, look at what the winners shoot. The vast majority of competitors shoot TX200 or HW77, HW97. Breakbarrels are seldom in the winners circle. I do love breakbarrels for lots of fun and they are accurate. However the underlevers have survived the test of time in competition Field Target.
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He's right for FT work under-lever or side cocking is the way to go. Maybe an HW98 because of the stock and extra weight, but an HW50S is a light gun. At 25-30 yards no problem, but I have a hard time keeping it steady at 50 yards, except on a bench. I will have 2 of them by Monday afternoon, but for FT I'd go with a heavier gun.
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The HW50S in .22 or .20 or .177 is a great choice, you just select the caliber you want it in and "get serious" with the rifle you bought by testing it out with hundreds of rounds of the SAME pellets without switching around and cleaning bores.
I bought the .177 and .22 and then .20 HW50S from AOA and was kind of disappointed with the .177 and gave it away.
The .22 I kept a LONG time until I had gotten an HW95L .177 and rethank myself!
I sent the .22 to a good home and later decided to try out the HW50S in .20 with the cutaway buttstock Minelli Design. Turns out to be the best on hand springer for ANY job with its original iron sights using JSB .20 Exacts. Just like my own HW98 using the same pellet although the HW98 has a scope in a Zero Recoil mount giving THAT rifle preference beyond 35 yards!
Yes, you CAN scope the HW50S to hit exactly where you want clear out to beyond 35 yards in the .20 and maybe the .22 but in .177 I wouldn't consider it again.
I bought the .177 and .22 and then .20 HW50S from AOA and was kind of disappointed with the .177 and gave it away.
The .22 I kept a LONG time until I had gotten an HW95L .177 and rethank myself!
I sent the .22 to a good home and later decided to try out the HW50S in .20 with the cutaway buttstock Minelli Design. Turns out to be the best on hand springer for ANY job with its original iron sights using JSB .20 Exacts. Just like my own HW98 using the same pellet although the HW98 has a scope in a Zero Recoil mount giving THAT rifle preference beyond 35 yards!
Yes, you CAN scope the HW50S to hit exactly where you want clear out to beyond 35 yards in the .20 and maybe the .22 but in .177 I wouldn't consider it again.
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I purchased an HW50s from AOA about two months ago and have shot about 1,000 pellets through it. With a 3x9x32 scope it has been very accurate at 30 yards with H&N 11.42 and Rangemaster 13.73. It is a nice light rifle which I have found easy to shoot.
Noticed that Vortek has High Output and Super high Output kits for this rifle, does anyone have experience using these particular kits for the hw50.
Noticed that Vortek has High Output and Super high Output kits for this rifle, does anyone have experience using these particular kits for the hw50.
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The third post on here by jasmlowe writes about the SHO kit in .22 hw50. He’s getting 13fpe with lead and 15fpe with alloys. I have installed the HO kit in a .22 also and am getting 11.6 fpe with lead pellets and 14.3 fpe with alloys.
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Is the HW50s enough gun for field target?
Yes.....and no.
I have shot some of our monthly FT matches using my HW50s.
Mine (0.177) only shoots 705-715fps with the JSB 7.87gr for a little under 10fpe at my elevation of 5600feet.
The 50s does meet your criteria of accurate and (relatively) not hold-sensitive. It also fulfills your desires to simplify and just enjoy shooting without the concerns of shot counts, air left in your gun/tank, etc. Your concerns about the longer shots being a challenge are appropriate. The wind really gets a low-fpe-at-the-start-pellet out past 45 or so yards. The trajectory drop is more reasonably dealt with than the wind effect, for me.
Seems like the matches where I've shot the 50s I've averaged in the 25/40 range for knockdowns. The highest scoring PCP shooters at the same matches were shooting high 30s.
I still enjoy a springer at an FT match every once in a while, but I have to mentally prep myself for the inevitable fact that I'm going to have a lot lower score than I do when I shoot a PCP. Realistically (unless you are Cameron Kerndt (sp?) from Cali), anything over 50% knockdown is a successful match with a springer.
The HW50s is less frustrating that other springers I used (HW77K) because my particular specimen is so much less hold sensitive than all the rest that I've tried.
Yes.....and no.
I have shot some of our monthly FT matches using my HW50s.
Mine (0.177) only shoots 705-715fps with the JSB 7.87gr for a little under 10fpe at my elevation of 5600feet.
The 50s does meet your criteria of accurate and (relatively) not hold-sensitive. It also fulfills your desires to simplify and just enjoy shooting without the concerns of shot counts, air left in your gun/tank, etc. Your concerns about the longer shots being a challenge are appropriate. The wind really gets a low-fpe-at-the-start-pellet out past 45 or so yards. The trajectory drop is more reasonably dealt with than the wind effect, for me.
Seems like the matches where I've shot the 50s I've averaged in the 25/40 range for knockdowns. The highest scoring PCP shooters at the same matches were shooting high 30s.
I still enjoy a springer at an FT match every once in a while, but I have to mentally prep myself for the inevitable fact that I'm going to have a lot lower score than I do when I shoot a PCP. Realistically (unless you are Cameron Kerndt (sp?) from Cali), anything over 50% knockdown is a successful match with a springer.
The HW50s is less frustrating that other springers I used (HW77K) because my particular specimen is so much less hold sensitive than all the rest that I've tried.
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Thanks for the responses! Decided to go with the hw50 in .177. Whether I'm good enough to use it for ft or not won't matter much as I'm sure it will be an excellent plinking gun. And hey that's just a good reason to get another gun! 
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I would say no. For spring FT I would get a TX or HW 97 and there are a number of after market FT stocks for both if you REALLY want to get into it. Here is an example: https://www.customstock.co.uk/product/cs1000-thumbhole-target-air-rifle-stock/
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