Other Alternative to hw50

Jump to latest Follow Reply
The HW50 was not produced under other names, only the Beeman R8. You can replace this rifle with cheaper ones, but similar in quality and even a little more powerful. The HW50 has 16 joules on board, the Cometa 400 and Diana 34- 21 joules .The Cometa 400 and Diana 34(Diana35,36.38,45 the same rifle ) are also very nice rifles.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BordertownDevil, Shuggoth, Singleshot and 1 other person
Upvote 0
dljackson said:
Looking to pick up a squirrel gun, which is a topic well discussed but before spending on an hw50, can anyone tell me if this model was produced under a different label as well? As beeman or diana, can't seem to find,... or a well spec'd alternative. thanks
Click to expand...
If it’s a new HW50, then it was also sold as a Beeman R6 or, just to keep things interesting, a HW99.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dljackson
Upvote 1
I have an HW50 Hunter .177(with moderator), a Beeman R9 in .22, and a Diana 34 Classic in .22. I much prefer the R9 for serious squirrel work. I have killed several squirrels and a racoon with the HW50, but the R9 just really does a better job of reaching out and thumping them hard. Though I have to admit, for a day of sneaking through woods, the HW50 is significantly lighter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BordertownDevil, fishing43, sekiar and 3 others
Upvote 0
Ievgen721 said:
The HW50 was not produced under other names, only the Beeman R8. You can replace this rifle with cheaper ones, but similar in quality and even a little more powerful. The HW50 has 16 joules on board, the Cometa 400 and Diana 34- 21 joules .The Cometa 400 and Diana 34(Diana35,36.38,45 the same rifle ) are also very nice rifles.
Click to expand...
On point, thanks! I had looked at a Diana 34 recently but was unsure how it stood next to the hw50 so held off, maybe reconsider
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ievgen721 and Singleshot
Upvote 0
gdc999 said:
I have an HW50 Hunter .177(with moderator), a Beeman R9 in .22, and a Diana 34 Classic in .22. I much prefer the R9 for serious squirrel work. I have killed several squirrels and a racoon with the HW50, but the R9 just really does a better job of reaching out and thumping them hard. Though I have to admit, for a day of sneaking through woods, the HW50 is significantly lighter.
Click to expand...
Good point. My hound is obsessed so I'm planning g to make a go of it w her next season, hopefully some long days amd walks. Which gunnfirst though? lol
 
  • Like
Reactions: BordertownDevil
Upvote 0
I have tried squirrel hunting with a lot of spring guns, and the hw50s in .177 is my favorite. Even with a sling, my pro sport and hw97k get quite heavy after an hour or two of walking. The hw50s is relatively light, and has plenty of power for shots out to 30 yards. In the woods I hunt, 30 yards is as far a shot as I'll take. Good luck choosing.
R
 
  • Like
Reactions: beerthief, BordertownDevil, MDriskill and 2 others
Upvote 0
The R8 was NOT based on the current "HW 50," but on the older design of that name. The older gun is dimensionally similar, but different internallly and significantly less powerful.

As correctly noted above, the current gun was originally called the HW 99 (after the year of its introduction), and still goes by that name in the UK. And Beeman briefly called it the "R6" here in the US. But the previous HW 50 was Weihrauch's first postwar rifle, and due to the similar size and looks they chose to resurrect the historic older name in other markets.

Which I guess makes sense to tradition-loving Germans...but has confused the snot out of most of us ever since! :p
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Singleshot, Mycapt65, Silver Ace and 3 others
Upvote 0
It’s hard to beat the HW50/99 for a walking around hunting rifle. It’s so light and trim that other rifles feel very heavy and bulky next to it. Now, if you’re needing to reach out a little in your hunting grounds, perhaps something with a little more umph would be preferred (as suggested above: HW95/R9, Diana 34, etc…), but you will feel a difference if you walk and stalk.

Good luck with whatever you choose and have fun with that hound! I wish my boy Frankie were a little more patient so I could take him along!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Singleshot, Mycapt65 and dljackson
Upvote 0
Alternative to a 50S...
You can find a rifle with similar power, accuracy, weight and size, but you won't find one that has all that plus the absence of ANY plastic or synthetic material visible without disassembly, and even then, it's either gonna' be a seal, or a bearing surface for the cocking linkage. A you certainly wont find another springer that combines all of those desirable features, but then goes one giant step further and gives you absolute control of the rifle by fitting it with a Rekord trigger. If you're not sure why that's important, just Google " Rekord trigger ". It's always been the best sporting trigger of any piston powered rifle. I've seen some that come very close, but the Rekord is the one that I measure all piston gun triggers against. Match gun excluded, of course.
I guess my point is, there really isn't a valid alternative ( assuming that means comparable ) in its class.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kgphotos, Silver Ace, dljackson and 3 others
Upvote 0
Pellets&Pistons-(Razor62) said:
Alternative to a 50S...
You can find a rifle with similar power, accuracy, weight and size, but you won't find one that has all that plus the absence of ANY plastic or synthetic material visible without disassembly, and even then, it's either gonna' be a seal, or a bearing surface for the cocking linkage. A you certainly wont find another springer that combines all of those desirable features, but then goes one giant step further and gives you absolute control of the rifle by fitting it with a Rekord trigger. If you're not sure why that's important, just Google " Rekord trigger ". It's always been the best sporting trigger of any piston powered rifle. I've seen some that come very close, but the Rekord is the one that I measure all piston gun triggers against. Match gun excluded, of course.
I guess my point is, there really isn't a valid alternative ( assuming that means comparable ) in its class.
Click to expand...
Agreed
 
Upvote 0
Pellets&Pistons-(Razor62) said:
Alternative to a 50S...
You can find a rifle with similar power, accuracy, weight and size, but you won't find one that has all that plus the absence of ANY plastic or synthetic material visible without disassembly, and even then, it's either gonna' be a seal, or a bearing surface for the cocking linkage. A you certainly wont find another springer that combines all of those desirable features, but then goes one giant step further and gives you absolute control of the rifle by fitting it with a Rekord trigger. If you're not sure why that's important, just Google " Rekord trigger ". It's always been the best sporting trigger of any piston powered rifle. I've seen some that come very close, but the Rekord is the one that I measure all piston gun triggers against. Match gun excluded, of course.
I guess my point is, there really isn't a valid alternative ( assuming that means comparable ) in its class.
Click to expand...
This is what I was wondering, quality matters
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu