HW/Weihrauch Question for HW30 shooters (particularly if they also shoot an HW97)

[Stormin-Normin]

I’ve had an HW30, for over a year and have been really enjoying it. Last week I swapped my Hawke Vantage 3-7x40 for a AIRMAX 4-12x40. I don’t personally know any other HW30 owners. My questions are 1) how accurate can I expect this little rifle be at 50 yards? I’ve just started shooting this distance at a range and I’ll try and attach what I consider a good 5 shot group at 50y. Second question, 2) I’ve just ordered an HW97 and a Hawke 6-24x50 AIRMAX IR, can I expect better accuracy at 50 yards with this fixed barrel springer? 3) I know each gun may have its pellet preference, are there any you recommend that are outstanding at 50 yards? Thanks for any comments from shooters with these specific rifles!

 

[Kgphotos]

The HW97 is likely to shoot better at 50 yards simple because it has more velocity and the pellet will be less affected by atmospheric conditions. It is also a much heavier rifle and will sit well into your bench bags and not move as much when shot. I have both the HW30s and the HW97k and I really enjoy both rifles. My Hw30s uses a Williams aperture rear sight so I have not shot it at 50 yards for groups so I can't help with that.
Kenny

 

[Struckat]

I dont get to shoot that far very often, but the 7.33 are the most accurate in my 30.
Kg is correct in that more zip of the 97 will help you.

In perfect conditions the 30 is as accurate as any. But 50 is abo the prcact limit.

 

[c_m_shooter]

The 97 will be more accurate from field target position just because of the weight. 50 yard accuracy at that power has a lot to do with wind conditions. I never scoped my HW30 after initial pellet testing, just kept a peep sight on it. The 97 still has a 6.5-20 Leupold and probably will for life.

 

[Mycapt65]

I have both a 177 97 and 3 177 30s the 97 is good for 1" groups at 50 regularly and my 30s about twice that. Now cherry picked best groups fro both rifles will be less than half that. I love my 30s more than any other rifles but a 97 is a better platform for shooting 50 yard groups. What caliber is your 97?

 

[lonedave]

If that upper group is at 50 yards, my gut feeling is you probably won’t get a whole lot better.

 

[Stormin-Normin]

I have both a 177 97 and 3 177 30s the 97 is good for 1" groups at 50 regularly and my 30s about twice that. Now cherry picked best groups fro both rifles will be less than half that. I love my 30s more than any other rifles but a 97 is a better platform for shooting 50 yard groups. What caliber is your 97?

Both 177. Thanks so much for your valuable comments. It’s taken quite a while for me to catch on to Springer shooting from powder burning. Now I’m hooked, once a shooter finally discovers how to not impede the recoil significant improvements can be seen. Please tell me your favorite pellets for both guns for long range shooting. I bought the 30 to see if I’d enjoy pellet guns and now that I’m certain my research showed if I was to buy one more Springer the 97 was the one. I was amazed to be shooting 50 yards with the 30. As I said, I don’t know any other Springer shooters So my knowledge comes from this forum and YouTube. I will mainly Shoot at 50 yards for both guns.

 

[Stormin-Normin]

If that upper group is at 50 yards, my gut feeling is you probably won’t get a whole lot better.

Challenge accepted..

 

[.20calguy]

I have both of those and shoot them nearly daily. Mine are .20 cals though so?

I shoot 30 and 75 yards, and at 75y the 97 is about twice as accurate as the 30, but the 97 has a 24X scope and with the 30 I have to use mill dots with the scope set at set at 4X+. That gives the 97 a big advantage.
I was looking through my videos and I came across one of the HW30 shooting shot shells and CO2 cartridges out at 75y. It pleases me that the 30 slams the paddles hard enough to lock them on my Crazy Eights at 75y. My .177 Webly Vulcan hits them, but doesn't lock them.

I started with .20cals when I bought my first Sheridan, which I still have and shoot.

My .20cal Weihrauch's are really nice transition guns. One cock instead of pumping, easy scope mounting, and like the Sheridan they're classics, and will be there for the long haul.
The HW30 shoots close to the power of the Sheridan at four strokes, (plinking load) and the HW97 eaquals the Sheridan's power at a full eight strokes (hunting load). With one cock!
The Sheridan is light and handy like pointing a finger though Lol

 

[Mycapt65]

Both 177. Thanks so much for your valuable comments. It’s taken quite a while for me to catch on to Springer shooting from powder burning. Now I’m hooked, once a shooter finally discovers how to not impede the recoil significant improvements can be seen. Please tell me your favorite pellets for both guns for long range shooting. I bought the 30 to see if I’d enjoy pellet guns and now that I’m certain my research showed if I was to buy one more Springer the 97 was the one. I was amazed to be shooting 50 yards with the 30. As I said, I don’t know any other Springer shooters So my knowledge comes from this forum and YouTube. I will mainly Shoot at 50 yards for both guns.

I think I mentioned it in another thread. I'm partial to 8.44 JSBs in both guns for long range. For me that's 50 yards and over. JSB packages the same pellets for Air Arms and FX (and maybe Daystate?). Due to massive volumes JSB branded tins will have pellets from multiple dies. The AA and FX clones will have the tins filled with pellets from the same die. That gives you more consistent sizing from pellet to pellet. That's good as long as your gun likes that size. You pay extra for that but if you want to push the limits of springers, they're worth it. It's the difference between bulk or good boxed ammo in your powder burner.

The JSB branded 8.44s can be bought in a 4.53mm head size. They perform very well in most of my Weihrauchs. They are typically very consistent within the tin. These may also be single die tins. I only suspect that so don't quote me.

Hope this helps.

 

[Stormin-Normin]

Thanks for the additional information! Very helpful. My 30 likes the JSB 8.44‘s but I didn’t think about the head size. I checked and see I have the 4.52 but will see if I can find the 4.53’s. So interesting about the various brands coming from the same plant! I havent received my new 97 yet, I’m in Canada and I’m waiting nervously to see if Canadian customs will let it through. The dealer says it’s a legal gun here but there have been some over zealous agents even destroying guns (I’ve heard, hope it’s bullpoop).

 

[Struckat]

Mine shoots most pellets well, but nothing can touch the AA 7.33 for accuracy. But I am not shooting 50 yards. I run wad cutters most of the time for under 30 yards.

the 7.33 run 680fps. I am sure the 8 + are better in the wind. But if I am somewhere that I can shoot 50, it will be the 95.

 

[Stormin-Normin]

I have both of those and shoot them nearly daily. Mine are .20 cals though so?
View attachment 510154
I shoot 30 and 75 yards, and at 75y the 97 is about twice as accurate as the 30, but the 97 has a 24X scope and with the 30 I have to use mill dots with the scope set at set at 4X+. That gives the 97 a big advantage.
I was looking through my videos and I came across one of the HW30 shooting shot shells and CO2 cartridges out at 75y. It pleases me that the 30 slams the paddles hard enough to lock them on my Crazy Eights at 75y. My .177 Webly Vulcan hits them, but doesn't lock them.

I started with .20cals when I bought my first Sheridan, which I still have and shoot.
View attachment 510156

My .20cal Weihrauch's are really nice transition guns. One cock instead of pumping, easy scope mounting, and like the Sheridan they're classics, and will be there for the long haul.
The HW30 shoots close to the power of the Sheridan at four strokes, (plinking load) and the HW97 eaquals the Sheridan's power at a full eight strokes (hunting load). With one cock!
The Sheridan is light and handy like pointing a finger though Lol

Wonderful information, beautiful guns! With your 97 .20 what group size could you expect at 75 yards? I don’t have access to that length of range.

 

[bustachip]

Wonderful information, beautiful guns! With your 97 .20 what group size could you expect at 75 yards? I don’t have access to that length of range.

The 97K is extremely accurate when everything is right, pellet, no wind, temp, clean barrel, screws all tight..etc. This I'm talking for best groups possible, it's still accurate even when everything isn't right..lol.
Mine will shoot under an inch at 40 yards pretty easy, it will average a 1/2" or better at 40 yards.
The best I've ever shot at 40 yards was a 5 shot group that measured .212" center to center.
The 47 yards was incorrect, I measured the distance with a tape and it was 40 yards. The red dot is 1/2" for reference. I've only shot a group this small a couple of times in many years..lol.

And this was shot from a bench on bags, zero wind. But I have shot a 1/4" group from shooting sticks before. This is not normal, but I show this to show you what it's capable of.
This next target was shot after my most recent tune on my 97K. These are 10 shot groups at 40 yards, groups 4 and 5 are pretty tight and under 1/2". But most groups will be under an inch for my particular rifle.

At 20 yards you should be stacking them once you find the right pellet and practice and patient, you have to be patient until you figure it out.

 

[Stormin-Normin]

The 97K is extremely accurate when everything is right, pellet, no wind, temp, clean barrel, screws all tight..etc. This I'm talking for best groups possible, it's still accurate even when everything isn't right..lol.
Mine will shoot under an inch at 40 yards pretty easy, it will average a 1/2" or better at 40 yards.
The best I've ever shot at 40 yards was a 5 shot group that measured .212" center to center.
The 47 yards was incorrect, I measured the distance with a tape and it was 40 yards. The red dot is 1/2" for reference. I've only shot a group this small a couple of times in many years..lol.
View attachment 510264
And this was shot from a bench on bags, zero wind. But I have shot a 1/4" group from shooting sticks before. This is not normal, but I show this to show you what it's capable of.
This next target was shot after my most recent tune on my 97K. These are 10 shot groups at 40 yards, groups 4 and 5 are pretty tight and under 1/2". But most groups will be under an inch for my particular rifle.
View attachment 510269
At 20 yards you should be stacking them once you find the right pellet and practice and patient, you have to be patient until you figure it out.

Wow! You are an inspiration! Thanks for sharing those groups!

 

[.20calguy]

Wonderful information, beautiful guns! With your 97 .20 what group size could you expect at 75 yards? I don’t have access to that length of range.

I generaly shoot plinking targets but had been having a bit more misses lately, so I started to experiment with different ammos, and finaly put up some paper.

I wound up having scope issues and hope to do better with the warranty replacement scope.
I had been shooting 9/9 on the Crazy Eight targets, but its been a month or so since I've been able to do that.

 

[.20calguy]

I generaly shoot plinking targets but had been having a bit more misses lately, so I started to experiment with different ammos, and finaly put up some paper.
View attachment 510299
I wound up having scope issues and hope to do better with the warranty replacement scope.
I had been shooting 9/9 on the Crazy Eight targets, but its been a month or so since I've been able to do that.

The Crazy Eight paddles are the same size as the ten ring on those targets. So it's easy to see why i was having trouble hitting them.

 

[Stormin-Normin]

The Crazy Eight paddles are the same size as the ten ring on those targets. So it's easy to see why i was having trouble hitting them.
View attachment 510303

Seems to like the 13.73’s. Pretty impressive!

 

[.20calguy]

Seems to like the 13.73’s. Pretty impressive!

Yes they were better than the Heavy's. I gave it 2 clicks of left to center it and kept shooting until I realized that my scope was broke. The ocular eye piece was loose and when wiggled it moved the cross hairs about 10 moa. Element had a replacement delivered in less than a week.

 

[Stormin-Normin]