HW97/98 pellet choices and limitations.

[Cornfields-Crosshairs]

 Fellow Airgunners.......I have both the HW97/98 FAC in .22 cal. in my home for pesting and hunting small game out in the country where I live. The 97 has held true with the favorite pellet being the H&N FFT 14.66gr. The 98 however seems to like the heavier JSB 15.89gr. and the H&N Sniper Magnum 17.90gr. on paper off the bench @ 20yds. Indoors. I currently do not have a head-sizing device yet I pushed different pellets through the barrel with a wooden dowel and the FTT has deeper cuts than the JSB 15.89 and the other pellets and is the hardest to push into the barrel at the breech ovbiously. All the pellets I'm testing are coming out with rifling marks on the heads and skirts so no issues there......The crown is beautifully finished and the barrel is cleaned and "leaded" with 5 rounds before groups were recorded.

Anyone else experience this with Weihrauch barrels?? 

Also, I was informed that shooting 18gr. pellets out of a Springer can damage the internals from one source, and another source who is a long time competitive shooter and tunes Springers said he's never seen Weihrauch springs fail because of heavy pellets....

I'm confused......any thoughts??

I appreciate any and all help/tips!

Cornfields-Crosshairs

 

[DualMagMike]

I've had my Beeman R1 since 1986 and have never broken a spring shooting anything and almost everything from Kodiaks to Prometheus pellets. Although I have heard this about springs breaking due to a heavy pellet I would like anyone to truly prove they are the direct and sole cause of the spring breakage. You may well need far more than 5 pellets to lead your barrel or perhaps none at all but if there are issues try more rather less. Don't worry about marks on pellets let the accuracy tell you.

 

[Cornfields-Crosshairs]

Thank you DualMagMike.....I am a "Greenhorn" when it comes to high quality Springers. Today I'm going to push the mobil target stand out to 35yds and check groupings again. I will try the 14.66 FTT again to verify groupings. I guess I won't sweat the heavies when it comes to grams.

Cornfields-Crosshairs 

 

[Yarddog]

I shoot JSB 18.13 grain Exact Heavy Jumbos as well as H&N FTT 14.66 grains thru all my rifles without a worry in the world. I would expect that they would be engineered for pretty much all modern pellets that are commonly available, but have never noticed any ill effects!

 

[Cornfields-Crosshairs]

Thanks for responding Yarddog....So that's 2 confirmed shooters that use heavies.....Ok. 

I appreciate the input. 

Cornfields-Crosshairs 

 

[Chachoze]

The H&N FTT can be had in 3 different head sizes, 5.53 - 5.55. Do you know which version you have? Perhaps trying the smallest head size might help with loading the pellet.

Also my 98 does pretty well with H&N Barracuda Hunter Extremes, that may be one to consider.

 

[bdzjlz]

I have tested many pellets and head sizes in my HW97.

My .22 Weihrauch HW97K will shoot terrific groups with the H&N FTT 14.66 Gr with a 5.53 head size, far better than with any other combination.

The results are so dramatic that I have stockpiled several tins.

 

[brad870]

 

[Yarddog]

CC, my pellet of choice for generally all my rifles, in terms of accuracy, from the R1 all the way to the HW57, is the JBS 18.13. Most of them also like the H&N FTT 14.66, but if there was only one, the nod would go to the heavier pellet. I have tried the even heavier H&N Barracuda 21 grain, but nah....

 

[Cornfields-Crosshairs]

brad870.....

Nice shooting fella! So you're rocking the .177 I see... what about .22? You shoot any?

Cornfields-Crosshairs 

 

[Cornfields-Crosshairs]

bdzjlz......

Interesting to hear. I have JSB 18.13gr. and my HW98 shoots them decently. What distances are you shooting the 18's? Mind you I have multiple pellets in multiple different weights..It seems that I keep going back to the 15.89's.....I can shoot dum-dum suckers off of plastic beer bottles at 30yds consistently and hit 3" metal spinners at 40yds. I feel like I'm the only guy who's Weihrauch barrel likes the 15.89!!

I'm going home soon to try the 14.66 FTT in the same drill. ........My average ranges with pesting/ varmiting are 15-50yds. On the 5 acre lot I live on. FYI

Cornfields-Crosshairs 

 

[Cornfields-Crosshairs]

Chachoze.....

So, I went into the garage last night just to double check the sticker on the underside of the tin of my 14.66 FTT's and THEY'RE 5.53!!

What the hell is going on here......?!?! 

Looks like I'm going to have to invest in a Pelletgage?? I'm curious if they are TRULY 5.53...

Like I mentioned before in this feed..... the 14.66 FTT'S are the tightest fit of pellet choice I have among the many varying brands/ weights. I wonder if the sticker is on the wrong tin or if the wrong run of pellets got put in the wrong tin!!

Anyone ever experience this and confirmed it with measurements??

Cornfields-Crosshairs 

 

[brad870]

brad870.....

Nice shooting fella! So you're rocking the .177 I see... what about .22? You shoot any?

Cornfields-Crosshairs

I have 2 22cal but not in Weihrauch. One is a Air Arms TX200 MKIII and the other is a Diana 34P.