Spring air rifle shooting.

[shepp 2,285]

Moleys thread graffiti !

[fry 209]

quality post simon i dont agree with pcp s all being ugly or unreliable but a good post none the less. you are certainly selling the virtues of the hw77 will have to have a look at one. cheers fry.

[pianoman 3,587]

Thanks Fry mate.

To be honest I just give the PCP lads a bit of a ribbing over the high prices they seem to have had to shell out for a rifle that is no more accurate than a top quality spring rifle. There are some amazing rifles in PCP action but, a top springer handles and feels better to me.

 

After over 40 years of shooting spring air rifles and being an absolute nut for Air Arms TX200s and FAC HW80s, I finally bought myself an HW77 in December last year. It's accuracy straight out of the box is astonishing.

 

AndyFR1968 on here is a close mate and regular shooting pal. He also happens to be a very knowledgeable former gunsmith who really knows his stuff where spring rifles are concerned. After running-in my HW77 he took it away to work a bit of magic on it. A week later he returned with the rifle absolutely smoothed out, trigger set to perfection, action quietly crisp and smooth in cocking. All the stiffness of a new gun removed.

 

I've matched it against my TX200 rifle in an honest-as-possible test, affter Andy worked his magic on that rifle too. The TX is as beautiful and accurate as you'd expect. It is also amazingly consistent over the chrono, just 2 fps variation has been recorded on two seperate occasions.

 

But the HW77 shades it where long range shooting goes. It puts a genuine one hole pellet group on a target at 45 metres within a 5p size disc, where the TX200 hits a raggy hole inside a penny. That's all the accuracy you'd need for hunting from both guns, but the 77 holds it's accuracy out to much further ranges while the TX200 starts to spread it's group a little.

 

Maybe it's a different handling characteristic, or perhaps there's another pellet make/type out there that will even up the rifles again but, the HW77, for now, is the top gun in my collection.

 

Can't recommend the 77 highly enough!

 

Simon

[Sweeney-Todd 208]

Hi Simon.

 

I fully understand your passion for spring rifles, shooting a PCP is, as they say, souless, no feeling.

Wont ever get rid of my HW95, always there in times of trouble, or for when I feel the need of a change.

PCPs can be fickle bloody things, the smallest speck of grit, oil in the wrong place, non idexing magazines, and so on .......but I still love them

 

 

ATB.

 

 

 

Bill.

[shepp 2,285]

I was wondering why, and if i'm right, the 77 and 97 are the same action with the difference being the stock on the 97 has a higher cheek piece and it also has a silencer fitted.

Given that the 97 you would think would be more expensive?

Personally I prefer the look of the classic lines of the 77.

Simon how does the accuracy compare with the against the 77?

Cheers

Andy

[watchman 256]

very informative thanks

Edited September 19, 2011 by watchman

[secretagentmole 1,701]

What about the 57? Mary is interested in one of those....

[davyt63 1,845]

hi

i would just like to say great post simon

 

and that i own 2 PCP's,and a couple of spring rifles which i have done some refurbishment on,for plinking!

 

but i also own a AATX200HC .177 I get more satisfaction out of shooting this in HFT than i do with my PCP,because i know its more of a challenge!

 

but also can be very frustrating but when that starts,i just over come it, because there is nothing more difficult than trying to shoot a spring rifle when frustration sets in.you just as well pack up and go home.

 

then on the other hand it will either break you or make you! ( if you have the patience)

if it makes you then you know you have successfully mastered the art of spring rile shooting,because lets face it there is a art to it.as i am still finding out

 

i can take my AAS410K .177 to the HFT course and regularly get a score of mid fifty's out of 60,and if i don't over/under compensate and no wind it would be very easy to achieve high fifty's or not 60

 

so really what i am am trying to say (rambling on)

is that shooting a spring rifle makes you a better shooter IMO

 

but then its not for every one,i only use my spring rifle for HFT, i haven't shot any quarry with it.although i did start shooting quarry with AATX200HC .22

 

which brings to mind that the next rifle i buy, will be a spring rifle in .22 flavour.

i do like a challenge

 

rant over!

 

Davy

[shepp 2,285]

I think you have that right Davy.

Shooting a PCP is a skill

Shooting a springer is an art

[andyfr1968 772]

Shepp's right about the 97 and 77. Under the skin they're the same gun

 

The 57's totally different, Mike, and it's not the same high quality as the other two. It is a good bit less expensive but if you shot them side by side you'd know why. Still a very nice springer in it's own right though.

[ANDYELECTRO 3]

Great post mate, I own an AA s400 PCP & an SMK XS19 and even though the S400 cost 3x the amount that my SMK springer did I sill prefer feeling a kick in my shoulder. Plus not having to use a stirrup pump to keep the thing usable is a bonus

 

The SMK is not as accurate as the S400 and to be fair it isn't the most expensive piece of kit but I really enjoy using it. I'd love to get my hands on a Weirhrauch, they're beauties

[Rake aboot 4,935]

Nice post Simon

 

Have to say, I miss my Webley Eclipse,, it was definately the sweetest springer I have shot,, I owned an AA Tx200 at the same time, but the Webley was far nicer to shoot !! mad eh?? Shouldn`t have been the case, but that Webley was a dream to shoot.

I don`t own a springer just now, but have just sold a few for a friend,, Star of that bunch was a BSA Goldstar,! what a machine! used it plenty, and with the 10 shot mag, it was a rabbits worst nightmare,!

 

I have a Falcon lighthunter just now, and it`s lovely, but have to admit I would be tempted by certain German springers,

Like the 97K synthetic, 77K is tempting as well, not sure what stocks are available on that,, a nice walnut thumbhole would be the damage !

[pianoman 3,587]

Gentlemen all.

 

Thankyou so very much for all your kind responses. Considering the company of such solid shooting talent and experience I am among, with you lads here, it is very satisfying to read your kind and generous compliments.

 

I've loved spring air rifle shooting since I was a nipper with me dad. And I've owned and shot some amazing classic air rifles I'd love to own and shoot with again. The PCP action has come on massively better since it's first shaky commercial appearance in the 1980s. Today, it will put precision accuracy into the hands of anyone with a modicum of shooting ability.

 

But as a teacher and coaching aid to learning the real art and craft of rifle shooting, nothing, but nothing beats a well sorted and sweetly tuned spring rifle.

 

When you can aim, fire, hit and kill outright, a rabbit, pidgeon, squirrel or rat with a recoiling rifle shot straight into its head at 25 to 60 metres, or even further out, you know you've got something good going on! Just your rifle at your shoulder, supported in your hands, scope, pellet and your honed and practiced skills in controlling and managing it's kick and turning it into a decisive, punching hit onto the target.

 

That's real shooting satisfaction!

 

Thanks to each of you again.

 

Simon

[pianoman 3,587]

By the way Rake. The stock on the HW77 is the classic beech design with white butt and grip spacers. Mine is a neutral, ambidextrous version and I love it. But, as the action of the HW97 and HW77 is the same, the stocks for the 97 will fit the 77!

 

After that, Custom Stock of Sheffield make some truly marvellous stocks in rich Walnuts.

 

I'm very tempted to buy a .177cal HW77 and try a little mix and match myself...after I get myself a Left-handed Air Arms Pro Sport!

 

All the best mate.

 

Simon

[Webby1 34]

One word "Thanks" for sharing/imparting your knowledge Simon

noticed the original post Christmas Day 2010 ......can not understand how i missed it

 

Dave