by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
HW35 Luxus
This report covers:
- Freimark
- RWS Hobby pellets
- JSB Exact pellets, 8.44-grain dome
- RWS Superdome pellets
- But wait — there’s more!
- Cocking effort
- Trigger-pull
- What’s next?
Today, we’ll find out what kind of powerplant is in my new HW35 Luxus. Is it really a 5.5 foot-pound gun, as the German Freimark (capitol F in a pentagram) indicates, or is it something different?
Freimark
The Freimark is a legal designation from the German government. Guns that have it must not produce over 7.5 joules of energy at the muzzle. That converts to 5.53 foot-pounds. If they qualify, such guns are legal for persons 18 years and older to purchase and own as airguns. If they produce more than 7.5 joules, they are classified as firearms and are controlled by those laws.
As an aside, I remember when I worked at AirForce Airguns that we made up a few special guns for the German market. A special valve had to be made to prevent these guns from exceeding 7.5 joules. About a year later when we went to the NRA Annual Meetings in Houston, we installed that valve in our guns that were then used on the indoor airgun range. Later still, a variation of that valve was turned into the MicroMeter valve that anyone can buy.
I can’t stand the suspense, so let’s get right to it. I’ll start with the 7-grain RWS Hobby pellet that has long served as the high-velocity benchmark among lead pellets.
RWS Hobby pellets
I ran the Hobby pellet through the Pyramyd AIR energy calculator. This calculator allows you to figure muzzle energy if you know the pellet weight and velocity, and a second formula allows to enter the muzzle energy and pellet weight and determine what the velocity must be. I plugged 5.53 foot-pounds and 7 grains into the second formula and found that the gun must not shoot the Hobby pellet faster than 596.4 f.p.s. By German law, if even one pellet goes faster than that speed, the gun is not a 7.5 joule gun.
This rifle averaged 601 f.p.s. with Hobbys. They ranged from a low of 583 to a high of 615 f.p.s. Clearly, this rifle exceeds 7.5 joules. At the fastest velocity, my rifle produced 5.88 foot-pounds at the muzzle, which is 7.97 joules. To do this, the rifle has to have been tuned, because in factory trim it should never have done this. Let’s move on.
JSB Exact pellets, 8.44-grain dome
The plot thickens when I tested the JSB Exact 8.44-grain pellet. Being almost 1.5 grains heavier than Hobbys, I would expect this pellet to shoot slower, but, in fact, it did the opposite. This pellet averaged 611 f.p.s., with a spread from 602 to 618 f.p.s. At the maximum velocity (remember — the law isn’t concerned with averages), the Exact produced 7.16 foot-pounds at the muzzle. That’s 9.71 joules, which is way over the limit. Clearly, I think, the parts in this air rifle have been breathed on (a hot-rodding term that means the gun has been modified).
RWS Superdome pellets
The last pellet I tried was the RWS Superdome. They averaged 537 f.p.s. in the HW35. The low was 523, and the high was 554 f.p.s. At the highest velocity, this pellet produced 5.66 foot-pounds at the muzzle. That’s 7.67 joules. So, it’s close to the limit, but still over. Therefore, all 3 pellets I selected at random have exceeded the power limit imposed by the Freimark. I haven’t looked at velocity averages this time. Because of the law, I’ve looked at the extremes, which is what the authorities will do.
But wait — there’s more!
I’ve been holding something back. I knew this rifle could be made even more powerful when I saw the breech seal. It’s leather, completely flat and appears to be homemade. It even had a low spot where air might leak. If the rifle hadn’t tested above the Freimark limit, my plan was always to replace the breech seal with something better. I didn’t have to do that, but after the test, I replaced it anyway.
The breech seal was flat and appeared homemade. There was even a divot in it (arrow). When I pulled this seal with a pick, it crumbled into waxy pieces — the sign of dry-rot in leather.
I dug the old seal out with a pick, and it broke up and crumbled into wax-like chunks that I pried out of the groove around the breech. I was just planning to put a shim behind the seal; but when I saw how dry-rotted it was, I simply slipped in a Beeman R1 breech seal as a replacement. And it was a used breech seal I’d replaced years ago in my R1. I’m not looking for power in this rifle — only smoothness. I already have that, and the new seal gave me some additional velocity.
A used Beeman R1/HW80 breech seal fits perfectly. It stands proud above the breech and boosts the velocity. If I want even more velocity I can shim this seal.
JSB Exact domes average 626 f.p.s. with a range that extends from a low of 619 (faster than the fastest velocity recorded before) to a high of 638 f.p.s. At that top speed, my HW35 Luxus now produces 7.63 foot-pounds at the muzzle with this pellet. That’s 10.35 joules. We are way past the legal limit.
I think I’m safe in saying this rifle has been tuned. And it’s so smooth that I don’t want to do anything more to it. Johnny Hill, the owner of Tin Starr Bullets, was over to collect his Diana model 45 this past weekend. I let him shoot both this rifle and his newly tuned 45. He agreed that his 45 is just as smooth as this 35, but it has more forward thump when fired. This 35 is such a pleasant gun to shoot!
Cocking effort
The 35 cocks with just 17 lbs. of effort — what I would expect from a youth gun! It is a delight to cock.
Trigger-pull
Stage 2 of the Rekord trigger breaks at 2 lbs., 9 oz. at this time. That’s a little heavy, given how well the rest of the rifle is set up. I might adjust that down a bit for the accuracy test.
What’s next?
Next, I want to shoot the rifle to find one or more accurate pellets. I have no intention of scoping this rifle. The open sights are fine for the shooting I plan to do. Although it’s larger and heavier, I find this HW35 is as nice as my Diana 27, and you know how I feel about that rifle. I think I’ve found a new friend.
BB,
I think individual guns are not tested for the 7.5 joule limit. As far as I know a design is tested and then greenlighted. It may then be sold as an (F) gun.
FWB 300s seem to commonly produce a little over 7.5 joules with good seals and springs.
10 joules sounds a little powerful though. Maybe somebody has swapped the spring…
Stephan
Stephan,
This is something I do know about. You are right. Not every rifle is tested for the limits it meets.
However, if ANY unaltered rifle of a type exceeds the limit, that model is then prohibited for sale as an airgun. So manufacturers are very careful to not allow their guns to exceed the limits. Because if they did, they would lose the ability to sell those models as airguns in Germany. That is too great a risk to take.
So guns that meet German specs stop short of the limit — considerably short. Because if someone brings out a new faster pellet in a year and it sends your rifle over the limit, it’s good-bye sales.
B.B.
I think many people have observed that the FWB 300 really likes JSB Exacts and produces slightly over 8 joules with them.
I *think* I have read that there is a kind of “reference pellet” for this test, but I’d have to look it up.
Logically, I would say that one joule won’t make much of a difference. 1 joule more will probably not turn a rifle into a hand cannon 🙂
I would also guess that there must be at least some grey area. New guns that diesel probably produce significantly more than 7.5 joules at least for a few shots.
I have a FWB and JSBs but no Chrony, so I can’t measure it.
I usually shoot Gamo TS-10 pellets at something hard and look at the remaining length. I always got the impression that the Diana 31, HW 35 and FWB 300 are fairly similar at (F) power and the HW 45 is slightly weaker which makes sense. Go ahead and laugh at my redneck testing method 🙂
Stephan,
I’m not laughing at you. You have reasoned this out in a logical manner. But the authorities do not think this way. They cannot, because they have laws to enforce. So, what you and I might agree makes no big difference will, in fact, constitute a violation of the law when tested.
Dieseling is a problem and probably why so many new spring guns made in Germany are almost dry when sold.
B.B.
BB,
the laughing part was directed at my crude velocity testing method. I don’t have a Chrony and at this stage I probably don’t need one. I have an Android app that can calculate velocities via sound, but it doesn’t seem to work too well indoors because of all the sound reflections.
In fact, I am always astonished how polite and well-educated the people on this blog are. Does this forum simply attract intelligent people or do you have to delete a lot of nonsense?
Anyway, I am by no means an expert for ballistics. I actually have some law training, but no real knowledge about gun laws. I do know that interpreting law is much more complicated than looking at the letter of the law, but that’s a completely different topic 🙂
I think I’m going to read up on this and see what I find 🙂
But first I’m going to have some fun with the new Nikko Stirling scope…
Stephan
Stephan,
Thanks for mentioning how polite the readers are. We do have some troublemakers, but the software allows us to find and ban them pretty quick. I think the demeanor is why we now have close to 70,000 registered readers. People know they aren’t going to get flamed.
Edith and I owned another popular forum many years ago called the Airgun Forum. We didn’t have the tools back then to deal with miscreants, and they were always attacking us. We finally shut the forum down rather than spending 24 hours a day policing it.
In fact, that is why I write under the name B.B. Pelletier. Many people took exception to how I handled that problem, and my name was a liability. I waited for several years before admitting who I was on this blog.
B.B.
Troublemakers? Really? Letz be honest here. Don’t care how much of a BA ya thinx ya is, step outa line & Ms. Edith’ll have ya standin’ in the corner , stayin’ after school & writin’ on the backboard or even worse, sittin’ at the kids table…or so I’ve heard. Shoot/ride safe, ya’ll
Beaz
I also have a FWB 300s with an (F) and I have talked to a lot of other people with the same guns.
These guns commonly make ~9J with the right pellets.
They like the soft JSB ones in a caliber slightly larger than the bore.
Mine runs best with JSB Exact RS in 4,52mm
I completely overhauled it some time ago with Feinwerkbau parts I ordered at the factory (I am a German, living in Germany, shipping and ordering is cheap and easy then :)).
So there is nothing tuned on my gun.
With some of the flat-nose RWS pellets I just get 6J.
There is no reference pellet for this (F) test.
I guess the German “Beschussamt” (the agency who does the tests) has 2 or 3 different pellets they use for their tests to classify the model in general.
But there are 5 of these agencies and I recon they don’t use the same pellets.
Furthermore German gunsmiths are allowed to stamp the (F) on de-tuned rifles.
That’s the common process if you want to buy a gun that’s not available in 7,5J.
The shop ships the gun to the gunsmith (who is basically a ffl type 7+ dealer), the gs alters the gun to 7,5J and then stamps the (F) on the gun.
I think the gunsmith uses any of the pellets they have at hand.
Back in the seventies, when most of the old airguns were tested and accepted for the (F) mark they didn’t have the high tech pellets, we have today.
And even if they had JSB Exact, I don’t think they test the whole range of pellets to find our what type the current barrel likes best.
After all, every barrel is different 🙂
Martin,
Thanks for this insight.
You say the German authorities will allow a gun to be declassified? That’s interesting, because in the UK that isn’t possible. Ivan Hancock once tried to get the Home Office to recognize a Webley Patriot that he detuned to under 12 foot-pounds as a new model and they refused. They said that once a gun is classified as over 12 foot-pounds, it must remain in that category.
B.B.
That’s definitely possible in Germany.
But its quite expensive, therefore nobody really tries it nowadays.
The problem is, that the gunsmith in person has to assure, that the gun now is according to the (F) specs and can be held liable for stamping their (F) onto a 24J gun.
So there are not that many gunsmith who stamp (F)s and if they do, its expensive.
No, it’s an oddity that you can classify a gun up with ease but not down.
The Patriot is now available as a 12ft/lb model here….though nobody actually wants the dreadful, oversized old lump
CptKlotz,
As kids we used to test the power of our pellet guns by shooting the close to vertically and timing how long it took the pellet to splash-down into the lake. The longest time wins!
I would be a bit nervous with your pellet testing method. The guns I have fall into to general categories – low power that I would worry about bounce-back off of a hard surface and high power that will blow the pellets into fragments. Try using duct-seal as a pellet-stop and measuring how much penetration you are getting.
Vana2
If you have an Android phone you could try the app “Chrono Connect Mobile Lite”
It works quite well.
Thanks Martin! Will check this out – hope to use it on my tablet.
@Martin:
Hey, another German 🙂
Obviously, you are more knowledgeable about power testing. You properly explained what I could only hint at 🙂
I’ve been in the co2air chat before and asked the folks if they knew this blog. The only comment I got was that “Gaylord” is a funny name. I suppose it is for people who should have paid attention in English class 🙂
@Vana: The TS-10 pellets are so heavy at 0.69 grams that they don’t bounce around when shot from an (F) gun. Of course I protect my eyes when doing this. It’s still a poor method, but maybe ok for getting a rough impression of how much power a gun generates.
I guess I’ll have to fiddle around with Chrono Connect again and see if I can get it working indoors.
Second try at posting this. The first one disappeared in to the cyberspace black hole.
I have the ipad version of Chrono Connect Lite. The Chrono Connect website indicates that it is not accurate indoors because of the echoes.
I have not had a chance to compare Chrono Connect Lite to an actual chrony. I hope to borrow a friend’s chony this weekend to do some comparisons. In the examples shown on youtube are correct then, when properly set up, the software will give close results to chronograph.
If the number are similar, then I’ll purchase the Pro version of the program. I believe it is $4. The free (Lite) version is limited in configuring the pellet being used. The Pro version appears to be much more flexible.
Jim
Martin and Cptkloz
I have the ipad version of Chrono Connect Lite. The Chrono Connect website indicates that it is not accurate indoors because of the echoes.
I have not had a chance to compare Chrono Connect Lite to an actual chrony. I hope to borrow a friend’s chony this weekend to do some comparisons. In the examples shown on youtube are correct then, when properly set up, the software will give close results to chronograph.
If the number are similar, then I’ll purchase the Pro version of the program. I believe it is $4. The free (Lite) version is limited in configuring the pellet being used. The Pro version appears to be much more flexible.
Jim
BB,
You have a jewel there. You should have no problem finding a pellet that works well in it. Your biggest problem is going to find the time to play with it. I guess you will have to start using it as a benchmark to compare others with.
RR,
I wish you could handle this rifle. It is exactly what you have been searching for. It’s so much like my R8 that I bring out from time to time,. And I agree that this will probably become a testbed rifle — just so I can shoot it more. But I think this rifle will never get a scope. Gotta keep somethings pristine.
B.B.
BB,
That’s it, just rub my face in it. It is exactly what you are looking for, but you can’t have it. Neah!
RR,
It may have read that way, but I was being serious. Now that you know how nice this model is, you can look for one on your own. This one cost me $250.
B.B.
BB,
I know you are serious. I am hoping one will turn up at the show this weekend and I can get my grubby little paws on it. If it is 7.5J, I can tune it up and if it is full blown, I can bring it down a bit to suit me.
B.B.,
I was under the impression that in addition to the joules produced by the rifle the other important figure was 12 ft. pounds to meet the legal limits of power. Is the mark of 7.5 joules (5.53 ft/lbs) the German legal limit for power and 12 ft./lbs. (16.27 joules) the British legal limit for power? Or do I have something screwed up?
Even if this rifle were tuned to increase power it didn’t increase much. The highest power you achieved was 7.63 ft./lbs. with the JSB Exacts. As I understand it that is basically enough to kill a squirrel and not much else.
My conclusion is, if the rifle was indeed tuned it must have been to improve the shot cycle (which it apparently did) as the power increase is basically negligible for any practical purpose. Is it true that a 5.5 joule, or even 7.5 joule, rifle is only useful for target shooting? But I didn’t think the HW35 was intended as a target shooter, or was it? Also, I have noted several BB handguns are marked with 7.5 joules. Which, again is very low power.
I guess my question is what was the intended purpose of this rifle at 5.5 joules? I am a little confused with my ignorance poking through again.
G&G
G&G,
You have it correct. The UK limit is 12 foot-pounds and the German limit is 7.5 joules. Other countries have their own limits. Portugal, for instance, allows .177 airguns but not .22 (I believe). South Africa, as well.
Yes, 7.5 joules is meant to keep airguns at a target-shooting power limit. Germany doesn’t use airguns for hunting, but they are very big on target shooting. But in the UK airguns are used for hunting quite a bit. That’s why 12 foot-pounds is the limit there.
B.B.
In fact, the 7,5J limit was introduced to the German gun law in 1972 because of studies made by Prof. Karl Sellier.
He was a pathologist and ballistics expert and deemed, that the limit for serious injury is 7,5J.
Airguns, which were produced before 1970 do not need the (F).
Even if they have 30 joules, everyone at age 18 and above can buy and use these airguns.
Martin,
Thank you for that information. I never knew it.
Of course in the older days, getting much energy from a spring gun was difficult. I guess in the 1970s when FWB, BSF and Diana started the power/velocity race the German authorities decided to do something to curtail it in their nation.
B.B.
G&G,
yes, I believe the Brits have a 12 ft/lb (16 joules) limit. Since they invented field target, that sort of became the “official” power level I think.
Here, you often find springs with 7.5 joules, 16 joules and full power.
B.B. & CptKlotz,
Part of the confusion also comes from the fact that these exact same rifles often come to the U.S. with power that well exceeds their European counterparts which often changes their intended use. This HW35 Luxus must have started life intended for German use. I believe someone in Part One made the statement they thought it was probably bought by someone in the military and then brought here. Certainly a possibility.
Out of curiosity, what does the term Lexus mean in the gun’s Title?
G&G
G&G,
It translates to deluxe.
B.B.
Actually, it translates into Luxury or Luxurious.
kevin
The test with jsb exacts mirrors what happens with my Frei marked hw 35 safari. It produces the most energy with average accuracy. Please give the Qiang yuan pellets a go. They produce highest energy and accuracy in my rifle. I scoped mine….then removed it. For some reason the mount produced string groups. It’s a perfect balanced rifle without a scope!
Rob,
Just for you I will try the Qiang Yuan pellets. Please tell me which one of the 3 I should try.
B.B.
BB
I’m using to trainer pellets in the clear plastic tin. They do fit loose in the breech. In my rifle they generate 11.5 ft lbs.
Rob,
Okay — the Trainers it shall be.
B.B.
This series on the HW35 makes me smile because I admire this rifle so much. Especially this model of the HW35.
So many folks poo poo the HW35 because of the power it generates vs. the weight. At 8 lbs the current wave of airgunners think it should be shooting 1,000 fps. I’m in the opposite camp. The additional weight of the HW35 if it’s tuned to less than 10 fpe is a dream to cock and shoot.
In my opinion, too many USA airgunners overlook the finer airguns, that are still in production, because they’re caught up in the velocity race. For those that have shot my detuned HW35 it’s tough to pry it from their hands since shooting it is like eating peanuts.
kevin
Kevin,
As long as I have been in airgunning and as many airguns as I have tried, this 35 Luxus is the first of its type that I have shot. The last HW35 I shot was from Beeman and was hard to cock and buzzed too much. I never saw what people liked about this airgun.
Mac had one with a thumbhole stock but it was also set up to the American spec.
So this is a new experience for me.
B.B.
B.B.,
Some guns just feel right when shouldered. Not many feel right to me because my body was put together by a committee in hades.
The HW35 Luxus fits me. The forearm feels fat to some of my friends with small hands but other than that almost everyone comments about the wonderful ergonomics and balance of the Luxus.
I like your idea to keep your HW35 unscoped since you have a variety of inserts for the front site globe that allows you to tailor your sight picture to suit your eye. Hope you find time to pull this one out of the safe occasionally and shoot it for fun.
kevin
Kevin,
Me too!
B.B.
No, no, no! He will never find time to shoot it and after a while he will feel guilty, knowing it is exactly what I am looking for and offer it to me! 🙂
RR,
Ah — the old guilt-trip ploy?
Just remember that I offered this rifle to the man who looked at it before I did at the Findlay show and decided to walk away. I jumped on it the moment he left, because it was just what I had been looking for.
I didn’t know how nice it was going to be at the time, so I told him if I ever decide to sell it I would give him first right of refusal. I don’t think that’s going to happen, but there is always my estate sale. Time to make friends with Edith. 😉
B.B.
BB,
My friend, I hope and pray that is a VERY long time from now and you may rest assured that I have no intention of waiting that long for one.
I’ll just keep working the guilt trip ploy until you give in. Maybe I’ll whine to Edith and she’ll make you send it to me just to shut me up.
While you’re at it, please whine to the actual owner of the HW35 I have as well. I’d buy it, but it’s not for sale 🙂
“Mine” is a 1980 HW 35 E. I think “E” stands for “Export” but has nothing to do with a faster spring. It just has a fancier stock and some other details.
I am very mew to air gunning. BB what did you plan to shim the breech with? I own a StoegerX5 ,that i believe would improve the seal, seems very flat! Any help would be great!
Pete,
Welcome to the blog.
Here is an article a guest blogger did on breech seal shimming:
/blog/2008/04/shimming-a-diana-breech-seal/
And here is one I did:
/blog/2009/02/diana-27-part-5/
B.B.
FYI – I have 2 FWBs, FWB 601 and P70. They both shoot a 8 grain pellet over 575 fps; that is 5.9 fpe or 8 joules. They both have a “F” marking on the gun.
Joe,
From what our German readers are telling us, it looks like the German authorities are using a few standard pellets to test all guns. If they change, there will be trouble with all those over-the-limit guns on the market.
B.B.
Yes, this is a problem we have in the UK, we don’t actually mind the 12fpe limit so much, but the murky test procedures are not helpful, I started a YouGov petition last year to get the Home Office to state the ammunition used for the testing…..and preferably to take a median average over 10 shots, unfortunately, either no one understood what I was trying to do, or thought it was a non issue
As things stand, most of the heavy pellets that only work well in PCP’s over 20 fpe would put a PCP running at 11fpe with JSB Exacts or similar suitable ammo, over the limit, ditto these stupid alloy things that are produced to make velocity claims to the markets that pay attention…..if I put one in my 11.8 fpe (with 7.9 to 8.6g pellets) HW77….I’m probably up for holding an unlicenced firearm…..but new pellets are being released constantly, it’s impossible to keep up with, annoying that they seem to want to be a bit cloak and dagger about it
This is not only a pain for the UK public, but an irritant in manufacturing for our market
Dom and BB,
There is a German law that airguns gas cylinders must be tested after 10 years or buy a new one else it cannot be use in competition. Testing it cost as much as buying a new one. The German government thought this will help simulate the economy and generate more tax revenue.
BB,
Thank you for your reply. What you said may happen because they German govt’ are always looking for ways to bring in more revenue to support their socialistic State. I remember when I was over in Germany, they charge every person with a TV or Radio €180/year, but they don’t call it a tax. They also charge €20/year if you want to use any public library. Gasoline was €1.30/liter, at an exchange rate of $1.35 at that time that is $7/gallon! The Sales Tax is at 19% in Germany, image you pay $2 tax for a $10 item.
Petrol is currently £1.25 a litre here in the UK, sales tax (VAT) is 20%, , and we also have a “TV licence” that pays for the 12 BBC channels……that don’t have any advertising on…..of £110 a year
Dom,
Thanks for your insightful info about the U.K. May I ask if the TV license fee you pay is for standard public broadcast channels or pay cable with movie and sports channels? In German, that €180/year is for standard Public broadcast channel (aka antenna TV).
No, it’s a stand alone fee for public service TV
It’s an anachronism really, back from the days when all there was was the BBC over analogue, from before the days of TV advertising
It’s controversial, however it does allow a better quality of broadcasting on those channels and funding for some of the best drama’s and newscasting in the world
If you want cable and 400 channels of, largely, gibberish then you choose your provider and pay £20 to £50 a month dependent on what packages you need.
I tend to just stick to the 80 or so free to air channels (plus BBC) as I’m not a big sports fan and can live without 50 religious channels and interminable documentaries about Hitler and animal attacks lol
Is that TV/Radio fee per person, or per device?
I’d be doomed if the latter: three HDTVs, an old VCR, not quite as old DVD-R [both have tuners], and if it includes amateur radio gear that can tune broadcast ranges, probably another 6 to 10 units.
per person/household
I’m bummed about not being able to pick up a set of ranbbitears and get the same free channels we watched just a few years ago before Obama took that and started passing out cell phones.
They’re still there… but rabbit ears likely won’t pick them up well…
Rabbit ears were meant for VHF frequencies, and most all digital TV is in the UHF range… Which used to use those small bow-ties and loops.
Problem is, digital signals don’t degrade gracefully — you either get a solid signal, or you get broken up images and stuttery sound, or nothing at all. That means you need things like multiple bowties that are properly phased to combine the signals for better reception.
And, much as I abhor B. Hussein Obama, you can’t blame the digital transition on him — that was in the FCC plans 15 odd years ago.
That last set I had had all kinds of adjustments and worked very well,cost like $30 for 5 years worth of free TV.
Edith:
I’m getting the following message when trying to post. I have tried posting logged in as JimQwerty123 and by logging out and answering the math question. Trying one last time.
The website declined to show this webpage
HTTP 403
Most likely causes:
•This website requires you to log in.
What you can try:
Go back to the previous page.
More information
This error (HTTP 403 Forbidden) means that Internet Explorer was able to connect to the website, but it does not have permission to view the webpage.
Thanks,
Jim
Edith:
Oh well, it worked that time. I was not logged in but instead was answering the math question.
Jim
Jim,
Not sure what happened. Some of your comments ended up in the spam folder. I’ve approved them.
Edith
Edith
Thank you,
Jim
B.B.,
I thought I might observe that this rifle , the HW35 Lexus, in many ways reminds me of the HW30S. I think you have an HW30S so you can comment on this comparison. It will give me a better idea of what your HW35 is like to shoot. It sounds like my kind of gun.
I think the current crop of HW35’s available here (from Weihrauch) are pretty close, in power at least, to yours. I have often looked at that rifle (unfortunately I have to look at another retailer) mostly to look at the walnut stock. It is beautiful in the picture. I would like to have one.
G&G
G&G,
Not to nitpick but this rifle is the Luxus. The Lexus is a car.
The HW35 is much larger than the HW30. The 30 is more of a youth-sized rifle, where the 35 is the size of an R1.
B.B.
BB,
I know there is a significant size difference. I was mainly referring to the shooting characteristics and power.
My mistake with the Lexus thing.
G&G
There has been some talk on forums about the 7,5 joule limit. Many people have observed that guns with the F in pentagon often produce power slightly above 7,5 joule, without any modifications.
Dag,
Okay. You guys have convinced me that my rifle might be stock, after all.
Thanks,
B.B.
B.B.,
Is this a candidate for aperture sites? Do you know if one of the Williams models will fit? Also do you know if Weihrauch offered/made aperture sites for their guns back in the day?
David H
David,
The same target sight that works on the HW55 works on the 35. And yes, it might be a candidate. Weihrauch air rifles had peep sights going back to 1950.
B.B.
Yes, when scoped with a Hawke Airmax 4x12x40 (17oz) scope and sports match mounts, the HW35E that I currently own tips the scales at just over 9lbs. This to my mind, puts it in the adult airgun category. I put a V-Mack spring kit in, and is now producing 11.6 ftb. It is still very easy to cock as there is zero preload placed on the main spring when the gun is un cocked. My favourite feature of the HW35, is the locking breach mechanism. There is no slapping the barrel prior to cocking, and replacing the barrel requires a gentle, almost inaudible noise as the breach mechanism locks the barrel into place. Nothing like the effort you need with a chisel detent, or ball bearing system of almost slamming it home. It isn’t the prettiest gun in Weihrauch’s current line, however with it’s gentle manners producing 1/2 in. groups at 30 meters, it is one of the top three airguns I own. As for those pretty pictures depicting beautiful walnut stocked HW35’s, don;t be disappointed when your walnut stock has a nice right side, and the left side shows a few unsightly knots. A friend who is a retired luthier, and knows his hardwoods, informs me I have a Turkish walnut stock. He also says to expect to pay a premium price for the clear, straight grain wood we see in advertisements. Good quality traditionally used hardwoods such as walnut, are getting to be a scarce commodity these days. His premium guitar bodies were constructed Brazilian rosewood which he obtained in quantity in the early 70’s. It cannot be used today because of it’s scarcity due in part to the destructive logging practises of clear cutting the Amazon rain forest where it grows. I believe it is against the law to import it into Canada and the US, and would be subject to a healthy fine, and confiscation.
Ciao
Titus
Spot on there Stephan, I don’t think I’ve ever tried a Friemarked sporter that quite toed the line, and this may have had a spring fitted “outside of area” at some point.
My 10.5 ft/lb. 22 is a very easy cocker too…..they are a little strange in their tune, the HW35 inasmuch as their firing behaviour doesn’t really change when you up the power to the export 10/11 fpe….but if you go past that, even a hair, unless you’ve done some serious modifications, they collapse like a house of cards, one coil too many and you’ve got a cheap Hatsan, take that coil off, lose 20 fps and gain a complete smoothy….I don’t know if it’s the combination of short stroke and heavy piston or what, but firing behaviour as you increase the power isn’t at all linear…..some pistols can be like that too
BB
“Of course in the older days, getting much energy from a spring gun was difficult. I guess in the 1970s when FWB, BSF and Diana started the power/velocity race the German authorities decided to do something to curtail it in their nation.”
Increasing airgun power especially in big bores can invoke other governments to do likewise! I hope I am wrong.
Ton,
This has been suggested for the past 18 years by many people.
Eventually there will be harmful legislation. It will come whether we continue as we are or do nothing, I believe. So we might as well forge ahead.
Besides, I’d like to see a politician try to air up and fire a big bore. It would resemble holding up a convenience store with a flintlock rifle.
B.B.
Ton,
In the 1990s, we received a long, vile, angry fax from a man who ran airgun benchrest competitions nationwide. He was highly incensed that we would write about Barnes big bore airguns in our monthly newsletter. He said it would be the death of airgunning because the federal gov’t would find out about these and regulate all airguns as firearms. He said we were single-handedly destroying unfettered airgun ownership. That was about 17-18 years ago. In fact, big bores bring in new airgunners. By increasing our numbers we also increase the influence we have against gov’t intervention, when/if it happens.
Edith
BB,
I hope you don’t mind but I’d like to ask you a question about AirForce Talons. I was changing my stock. 12″ 0.177 barrel to the 24″ 0.22 barrel. Very easy to do.
When I pulled out the 12″ barrel, a white o-ring came out just behind the flat rubber washer. This is the first time this has happened. When I installed the 24″ barrel, I simply put the flat washer on against the rear bushing and then put the white o-ring against the flat washer and installed the barrel.
What is the white o-ring for and secondly, is it appropriate just to slide it on the barrel and hope it falls into its correct position?
By the way, this is the first forum I’ve seen on the internet where the readers are very well behaved. It’s nice to ask questions without getting chastised.
bb,
Sorry for the late post but what is a shim. If an airgun(break barrel) has a loose detent, can shims be used to stop the barrel from jerking while taking a shot.
UtkarshGupta,
A shim is a thin spacer used for many purposes. In this case, it is placed under the breech seal to raise it slightly.
Yes, it does stop the barrel from flopping around.
B.B.
Pretty exciting news out of Michigan. I have been hounding my Lansing representatives for a while now to reclassify airguns so they don’t have all the picky regulations especially pellet pistols that used to be treated like a real fire arm. Well that has now been done. A pile of bills reclassifying airguns as non-firearms was just signed into law. Now any gun is available to all Michigan residents starting July 4. I had wanted it done effective immediately but I’ll take July 4. Now all the nice high end pellet pistols I can add to my arsenal. To celebrate I’m looking at a Desert Eagle which has been on my wanted list for the last decade. At last ordinary people along with some friends at the NRA which I am a life member of got some real common sense gun legislation that actually benefits us. There may be hope for America yet, but that hope lies in our state and local governments not our federal government which is more akin to a criminal organization.
I recently received a standard HW35 sn. 662263 from a guy in the Netherlands that had a breech seal exactly as you described. Before replacing the seal with a modern synthetic the gun dieseled shamelessly. The new seal stopped the dieseling immediately. Doesn’t make sense, but there you are. Accuracy improved also with the modern breech seal.
Compared to my modern 35E the older gun’s cocking is much lighter and smooth firing, rivaling my HW30 in its easy going disposition.
Back in 1965 I had to settle for a Wischo 55N from ARH instead of the coveted HW35 because of the substantial price difference. Now I have two 35s, and am entirely satisfied.
Except for maybe a 35L?
Sandy,
Welcome to the blog.
The reason the new breech seal stopped the detonation (all spring piston guns of this velocity diesel on every shot) is because it stopped the air loss at the breech. The piston was not stopping at the end of its stroke. It was slamming into the end of the compression chamber and that will cause a detonation.
B.B.,