HW 98

Hi Dave, I have had an HW98 for a couple years. In stock form they do have a bit of spring twang to them. I have had mine set up with both the Vortek FAC kit and now the Vortek 12 fpe kit. In answer to your questions;

Scope Mounts - I am using FX No-Limits. I have learned the importance of setting my springers up with adjustable mounts to allow me to set scopes up at optical center. Much less chance for POI shifting from shot to shot. Keep in mind, I am now setting all my springers up in the 12 fpe range. I have had no problem with them moving on my 12 fe rifles. I can't answer to how they will hold up on FAC springers. I also use them on my PCP rifles, excellent mounts.

Accuracy - The HW98 is an exceptionally accurate springer. You'll hear folks arguing that fixed barrel undrlevers are the most accurate springers out there. I'm not disagreeing with this, but the HW98 gives them a run fo the money! At 50 yards, 1/2" center to center groups are fairly routine with the HW98, with my smallest 50 yard 5-shot group being 1/4" center to center. If you look in the Springer groups post in thie forum, I just posted a couple pictures of 50 yard groups shot with my 98, the most recent being just this moring.

Preferred pellet - I have always found my 98 to prefer the AA 4.51's

Other suggestions - If you are a shooter of larger stature, you might find the stock a bit short. I am 6' 1" and added a polished aluminum spacer to my stock. This gives it a much better fit for me. Trigger pull form the factory left a lot to be desired. I like my target rifles to be set anywhere from 10oz to just over 1 lb. I honed the sears and relubed, then set to a shorter pull and lower weight. The adjustable cheek piece is a really nice feature, and the light weight of the rifle makes it a nice offhand shooter as well.

Hope this helps!!

Steve

Hi, I’m about your height and have a new 98 being tuned by John in PA. I thought mine felt a little short as well; can I ask how thick you went with your spacer.

"GriffC"Hi, I’m about your height and have a new 98 being tuned by John in PA. I thought mine felt a little short as well; can I ask how thick you went with your spacer.

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I think it is about 1/2". I will double check tomorrow when I am at my shop. I could have gone a little thicker, but it helped a lot. 

"davemac18"Hey Steve thanks for the great reply it is much appreciated !!

Does the rekord trigger come dry from the factory? 

BTW 
sweeeeeeeet groups in that other post

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Thanks!!

As far as the trigger, mine was not dry from the factory. One other note, I installed a Rowan setback trigger on mine. All personal prefrence, but options are out there. It's a great rifle, you just need to shoot it and see if there are any things you want changed to fit your shooting style

"GriffC"Hi, I’m about your height and have a new 98 being tuned by John in PA. I thought mine felt a little short as well; can I ask how thick you went with your spacer.

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What kit are you having John install in yours? I am currently using the Vortek 12 fpe kit. I also fitted a Vortek Moly seal and lubed with Vortek moly 70+. Very consistent velocities!!

Steve

He is going with a FAC Vortek kit and will (I assume) cut a couple of coils in order to get it around 13.5 ft pounds, which i# about as strong as I dared to go. John is also installing a Rowan set back trigger for me. He has done my 97k and 50s, and does wonderful work. Great guy also.

"GriffC"Hi, I’m about your height and have a new 98 being tuned by John in PA. I thought mine felt a little short as well; can I ask how thick you went with your spacer.

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I measure my spacer today and it is 1/2" thick. Here are a couple pictures of the spacer. I took a picture with the recoil pad assembly removed so you could see how I installed it.

Steve

Holy smokes, that looks fantastic. I’m not as handy as you so I’m going with a 1/2” plastic spacer from Brownell’s, which shouldnt be too hard to shape. Thanks for taking the time to post pics, that is very helpful!

Congratulations on your new 98! They are impressively accurate rifles. 

I completey stripped, stained and finished my stock with Maccari's Royal London Oil. Yeah the trigger on mine was smooth but heavy! I completely stripped it, honed the sears, relubed and set to a much lighter weight and shorter first stage. The safety is no problem to work around. It's been quite a while since I had my 98 apart, but it was very easy. Here is a video that shows the removal and reassembly of the trigger unit - very beginning and then jump to the very end. This is the HW99, so it's not an identical rifle, but similar.

My HW98 .177 is one heck of a shooter. It is a stroker with the Vortek 12 fpe spring. Rowan setback trigger blade, My tune with fitted rear guide and tophat. TBT stroker. The gun is a ragged effortless shooter. Shooting right at 12 fpe. Lives tge H&N 8.64's but will shoot Crossman and JSB. 

I removed the factory adj but pad and hand fitted the SP aluminum with Kick Easy butt pad. Love the set up.

Unless the gun has a bad piston seal the poi should stay the same but the barrel not being leaded up could be some if the problem. I'll trigger setting will.do it also. 

MY gun is not hold sensitive. Death grip can cause poi issues along with pellet fit and sizing. 

Then there is the shooter? Not looking through the scope the same along with your hold also will do it. I find if the poi changes to continue shooting with no scope adj. If it continues being off I dope the scope and if that pulls me back on I adj the scope. 

Nothing worse than chasing a ghost with scope adj to fine out it was the gunner.JMO

Not for nothing but did you try cleaning the barrel to see if the accuracy comes back?