The HW 30S.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4 — Rekord trigger
Part 5 — lube tune
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12
This report covers:
- Interesting
- Velocity
- Air Arms Falcon domes
- RWS Superdomes
- Crosman Premier 7.9-grain domes
- Cocking effort
- What the Vortek kit has done
- Summary
Today we see what kind of velocity the Vortek PG3 SHO kit has given the HW 30S.
Interesting
This has been a most interesting series. We have followed this rifle from right out of the box to a fully tuned airgun, and we have seen some fascinating things along the way. And now that the report on the HW 50S is also getting started, we have the ability to cross over to a second rifle that will be examined in the same detailed way. I purchased a PG4 SHO kit (new on the market) for that rifle yesterday, and discovered that there are actually two such kits.
Pyramyd AIR isn’t stocking the PG4 kits just yet, but I have no doubt that their purchasing department will catch up soon. When they do they will find there are two kits for the HW 50S, a high-powered one that I purchased and a lower-powered one that I am thinking of purchasing, as well. No doubt everyone is interested in the higher-powered kit, but after that, what is the lower-powered one like? I wanna know.
Velocity
Today we test the velocity of the HW 30S for the third time. I tested it in factory trim for the first time in Part 2. Then I did an abbreviated test after the lube tune in Part 5.
I installed the PG3 SHO kit in Part 8, but I didn’t test the velocity again until today. Instead I shot the rifle in Parts 9 through 12, to give the Vortek kit a chance to settle in. Well, today we discover what that kit has given us, which will be useful to know not just for this rifle but also for the HW 50S that’s about to go through it’s series of tuneups. Let’s get started. I will do this in the same order as in Part 2 and with the same pellets.
Air Arms Falcon domes
In the first test of the factory rifle, Air Arms Falcon pellets averaged 601 f.p.s. with a 20 f.p.s. spread. The energy was 5.88 foot-pounds. After the lube tune the average velocity was 652 f.p.s. with a 26 f.p.s. spread. That’s an energy of 6.92 foot-pounds.
Today the average velocity was 690 f.p.s. The spread went from 684 to 695 f.p.s., so a difference of 11 f.p.s. The energy today was 7.75 foot-pounds. So the PG3 SHO kit boosted the velocity and energy and made the rifle more consistent.
The Falcon was the only pellet I tested after the lube tune. The next two pellets will only have two velocities to compare.
RWS Superdomes
Next I tested RWS Superdomes. Right out of the box they averaged 591 f.p.s. the spread was 42 f.p.s. The average energy was 6.44 foot-pounds.
Today Superdomes averaged 623 f.p.s. the spread went from a low of 615 to a high of 632 f.p.s., so a 17 f.p.s. spread At the average velocity they generated 7.16 foot-pounds of energy.
Crosman Premier 7.9-grain domes
Apparently Crosman no longer makes Premier Lights. That’s too bad, because they are and were a great field pellet. Right out of the box the HW 30S averages 593 f.p.s. with them. The spread was a whopping 47 f.p.s. At the average velocity they generated 6.17 foot-pounds of energy.
With the PG3 SHO kit installed the HW 30S averages 652 f.p.s. with the same pellet. The low was 641 and the high was 661 f.p.s., so a spread of 20 f.p.s. At the average velocity they generated 7.46 foot-pounds of energy.
Cocking effort
Right out of the box the rifle cocked with 22 pounds of effort. Today it cocks with the same 22 pounds of effort.
What the Vortek kit has done
The Vortek kit has boosted the velocity and power and reduced the variation for every pellet tested. And all that was at the cost of no more cocking effort. Is it worth the cost and effort to install? In my opinion, it is. And, if you carefully follow my instructions on disassembly and assembly, you don’t really need a mainspring compressor to do this. But having a friend close by to help you is a plus.
Summary
Now that we know the velocity and power the next test for the HW 30S will probably be the last. We will test accuracy at 50 yards. This series just gets more interesting with every new report!
B.B.
I think you are proving, that even as nice as Weihrauch guns are, they can be made more enjoyable to shoot. Are they more accurate to shoot, maybe? But they sure are more fun to shoot, and isn’t that why we do this crazy hobby?
-Y
Yes, please try the lower power kit. My HW 50 set up for 10 meters. Is short stroked, coils clipped, a lot, and shoots like a dream. Best trigger of all my HW 50’s too…
Hi Yogi,
IIRC, you have a .22 caliber HW50 in you collection. Would you mind sharing what pellet(s) it prefers?
I have one arriving next week (with a Vortec kit) and want to get some pellets to test.
Thanks!
Hank
Hank
Been over 8 hours since you asked and no responses so I’ll give you my unsolicited suggestion. My HW50S prefers AA 16 grain and Field Target Trophy 14.66 grain both in 5.54 mm or greater diameter. My Pelletgage maximum is 5.54 mm. Early on it was rather hold sensitive but not now. I hold mine the same way I shoot a M1 Carbine or sometimes balanced directly on a single bag.
Enjoy your rifle.
Deck
Thanks for the comments Deck!
I use (mostly) JSB pellets but I’m going the get some H&N to try out.
16 grain eh? …been using the Hades for pesting with excellent results, will have to test them as well.
Yogi is probably just off-line. I know some days I get busy and don’t spend much time at the computer.
Hank
I think the vortek kit is not worth it for 30S. I’d keep it the way it is out of the box. If the original coil breaks on the way, then why not?
I cannot wait to learn about the low power kit of 50S. I am totally hooked.
If I were to buy 30 or 50, I’d keep the original coils. I think with 95 and 80, the 12 FPE kit creates the excellent combination. I bet in 80, the 12 FPE kit wouldn’t even require a fanatical artillery hold. I wonder if anybody makes 12 FPE kits for Hatsan springers; never have heard of such a thing.
If BB ever decided to write the report on the camparison of 27 to 30 and 50, I would love to see a photo of those three side by side too. I’m guessing 27 must be bigger than both, possibly almost the same size with 95.
Fish
Check out the hw50 report. I posted a picture of my hw30 with the factory black pepper laminated stock. Bob R was talking about it would be nice if the hw would come with a optional walnut stock. Which I agree with too.
Fish,
I know of no one who offers a specific kit for Hatsan air guns, however if you know what to look for, you can find what you are saying you want.
Personally, from what I have been reading here, I do not think you are ready to deal with tune kits.
I don’t want it. Just because I write about it, doesn’t mean I want to buy or have it. I just talk about it. Personally, from what I have been reading here, I do not think you are ready to understand that concept. 😉
Yeah, tune kits must be rocket science!? 🙂
LOL! Oh, I understand.
Just giving you a hard time, buddy.
🙂
BB,
For so long I have wanted the HW95. I am not so sure now.
The HW30S is a very nice air rifle. I anxiously await to see how it groups at 50 yards. For a very nice all day plinker, the HW30S is the cat’s meow. My problem is I already have a good number of air rifles that fit into this slot. What can I say? It is so cool to step outside and kill feral soda cans at 25 yards with an air rifle that is 115 years old.
I did pick up one of these for my grandson. If he takes care of it, he will have a light plinker to pass on to one of his kids. Right now though, he has learned it is a lot harder to hit what you are shooting at in real life verses the games and Gadada does not have any “spray and pray” airguns.
I am hoping the HW50S drops into the around 12 FPE slot. My Webley / Hatsan Tomahawk is a real thumper and I am seriously thinking of tuning it down into this range, but it is much heavier than the HW50S is. Also, it is not made for open sights.
I am looking forward to what the HW50S shakedown reveals.
“For a very nice all day plinker, the HW30S is the cat’s meow.”
RidgeRunner, you said a mouthful there…and quite true!
“It is so cool to step outside and kill feral soda cans at 25 yards with an air rifle that is 115 years old.”
However, that is also a sentiment with which I agree; in my case, the ol’ gal (Frank’s old Hanel model 1) is only 83 years old; but I am having a great time with her and the feral soda cans.
Guys who want a 1700 fps mega-springer from a big box store would not be impressed with her; but she’s the kind of sweet little shooter I could see hanging on the wall next to Hank’s (Vana2’s) Slavia 618 (with the cool custom stock), or the kind of gal one might expect to see at RRHFWA. =>
Take care & great feral can shooting to you,
dave
Dave,
Frank offered me an almost mint Haenal 1 and a 619 NIB, but I had to turn them down. It was not easy, but I already have a plethora of sproingers in that power range. Something around 12 FPE would catch my eye now..
RidgeRunner,
I am beginning to understand your fascination with old sproingers; they are pretty cool.
“Something around 12 FPE would catch my eye now..”
An old sproinger like that would catch my eye, too.
Perhaps I am on my way to DHFWA, hahaha! =)~
LOL! It does sound like you are on your way.
I am soo looking forward to mid October for the North Carolina Airgun Show. Table after table of airguns begging to be adopted and taken home and given a little TLC>
Don’t believe you would regret getting that HW95; on the other hand FM would likely not regret acquiring an HW30 and/or HW50.
FM,
I would recommend the HW50. It is very nice and can be easily tuned down into the HW30 range and tuned up close to the HW95 range.
No, I would not regret the HW95, but first I want to tinker with my Webley / Hatsan Tomahawk. If I tinker around and tune it down a bit, it just may turn into a real nice shooter. If that fails, there is still the HW95. 😉
B.B.,
If my math is correct, you are getting, on the average, a 14.5% increase in energy with that Vortek kit; that’s a significant increase; and especially for someone who wanted to use an HW30S for light hunting (like squirrels), I think it would be well worth installing that kit.
For me personally, I will wait till my HW30S has an issue, then do the upgrade; I must have lucked out; my rifle (from the factory) is sweet, smooth, and vibration-free. She’s such a sweet shooter that I have no plans to mess with her at this moment in time. However, it is great to know that when it’s time to go inside, this kit will be the ticket for her future. Thanks for that info! =>
Take care & God bless,
dave
BB,
Do you know what is the difference between the PG3 and the PG4 kits?
Hank
Hank
I have a PG2 kit around here somewhere for the 34 and 48 Diana. Never used it.
tt
Hank
My mistake. it’s just a Pro Guide kit from before the PG2 kits.
tt
No problem tt. I have the PG3 on order.
I believe that the kits are brand and gun specific anyway.
Thanks for thinking of me!
Hank
Hank
It was a matter of having another example of a different PG model.
tt
Hank,
Not a clue. And the website doesn’t help.
BB
BB,
I have a PG3 kit coming so if you get the PG4 we can compare notes.
Hank
Thank you for all the work on the HW30!
BB,
In part 12, the rifle fired when the safety was taken off safe. There was discussion in the comments about a sear engagement screw. Have you made any adjustments to avoid that unexpected firing of the rifle? – Don
Don,
I said that I felt the safety wasn’t applied when the gun was cocked that time. The Rekord safety can do that.
No, I did not touch that screw.
BB
BB,
I did not know that about the Rekord safety. Thanks. – Don
Don,
Yeah, the way it pushes through the trigger mechanism by a spring makes it subject to faults like this. The trigger on the Marksman model 70 rifle is a kind of Rekord, but the safety of completely different and I don’t think it is subject to the same fault.
BB