N/A Air Arms Tx 200 or Weihrauch HW97

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Can't go wrong with either. If you pick up an HW, check Krale first since they are usually hundreds of dollars cheaper if you order from them.

I personally prefer the TX200/Pro Elite over the HW97/98. I currently own a TX200, Pro Elite and .20 Santa Rosa HW85. All of them are outstanding guns and any offering from either brand will serve you well. However, the AA's are substantially prettier and it's not even close ;)
 
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Until recently, Weihrauch seemed like a better deal, even if it needed tuning to get it as smooth as a standard TX. Air Arms raised their prices to maintain quality, but Weihrauch chose to keep their prices steady while cutting manufacturing costs. However, that strategy could't last forever, so now Weihrauch's prices have gone up. Essentially, you're paying more for a Weihrauch made with cheaper materials than before. Still good quality but not like the older one's and deffo not AA comparable.
 
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oOmpH said:
Until recently, Weihrauch seemed like a better deal, even if it needed tuning to get it as smooth as a standard TX. Air Arms raised their prices to maintain quality, but Weihrauch chose to keep their prices steady while cutting manufacturing costs. However, that strategy could't last forever, so now Weihrauch's prices have gone up. Essentially, you're paying more for a Weihrauch made with cheaper materials than before. Still good quality but not like the older one's and deffo not AA comparable.
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Cheaper materials?

Have you never seen the cheap sintered metal cocking shoe on an AA that's known to crack?

Or the cocking linkage that wears out and causes lockup issues?

Or the 10 cent oring breech seals that need replaced often...

Look a little closer than the shiny thin bluing on the Air Arms and I think you'll see that you may have it backwards. The Weihrauch is a simpler gun, but that doesn't mean it's cheaply made.

The price for either gun has gotten a little out of hand as of late IMO
 
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I have both. I shoot them regularly. The HW97k is available in .20 caliber, the TX200 only .177 and .22.

The TX200 has a nicer stock and nicer bluing. Comes stock at 16 fpe, hard to cock, harsh shot cycle. Detuned to 12 fpe much nicer shot cycle. Small loading gate and the bear trap are slight drawbacks. The walnut stock is perfect, left hand palm swell and grippy front stock checkering.

The HW97k usually comes only in beech, AoA has walnut available. I had Kip at AoA tune it with a Vortek kit at 16 fpe and it turned out perfectly. Shoots lights out and loves the H&N 11.42's. Easy to load, no bear trap. The beech stock is more utilitarian and ambidextrous.

I treat springers like golf clubs. Each rifle has its own function and use. The HW97k edges out the TX200 on accuracy. I seem to get the best groups at 55 yards with the HW97k and the shot cycle is sublime. Kip did a great job on the tune, he really knows his stuff.

The answer is to purchase both and enjoy them. They are some of my favorite rifles.

Now the HW30 on the other hand goes to the range every time. A perfect all day shooter. Amazing accuracy.

Oh did I mention the HW95 yet? Available in .20 caliber and hits like a freight train.

The HW77 is another awesome rifle and the long cocking arm makes it an easy all day shooter.

I use a rotation system so they all get shot. I like them all and recommend them all.
 
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oOmpH said:
Until recently, Weihrauch seemed like a better deal, even if it needed tuning to get it as smooth as a standard TX. Air Arms raised their prices to maintain quality, but Weihrauch chose to keep their prices steady while cutting manufacturing costs. However, that strategy could't last forever, so now Weihrauch's prices have gone up. Essentially, you're paying more for a Weihrauch made with cheaper materials than before. Still good quality but not like the older one's and deffo not AA comparable.
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I'm curious if you have any empirical evidence to support these claims?
R
 
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“Have you never seen the cheap sintered metal cocking shoe on an AA that's known to crack?

Or the cocking linkage that wears out and causes lockup issues? “

I have shot my TX200 about 60,000 times and the original cocking shoe is still in use.
I have two spares and when you have spares you will never need them.
It helps, if you know to use and not abuse your rifle.
Ditto for the cocking linkage!

BTW…My tuner recently fashioned a stainless steel sled that encloses the cocking shoe on five sides and fills the small gap between the shoe and the cocking sleeve.
 
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thumper said:
Cheaper materials?

Have you never seen the cheap sintered metal cocking shoe on an AA that's known to crack?

Or the cocking linkage that wears out and causes lockup issues?

Or the 10 cent oring breech seals that need replaced often...

Look a little closer than the shiny thin bluing on the Air Arms and I think you'll see that you may have it backwards. The Weihrauch is a simpler gun, but that doesn't mean it's cheaply made.

The price for either gun has gotten a little out of hand as of late IMO
Click to expand...

Hey, no need to get defensive or jump to conclusions.

I'm not here to bash the HW97. I actually love it. So much so that I own two: a 2012 model in .177 and a 2023 model in .22 :)

It's true that the '23 .22 model uses slightly lower-grade metals, a poorer piston seal (I've had to replace mine twice in about 3000 shots), and required some deburring on my part. The bore is oversized too. Does that make it bad? Not at all. I still think it's a masterpiece. It's smooth and incredibly accurate after addressing some of the issues that slipped past quality control. Are there signs of cheaper materials? Yes, definitely. The sintered sears in the Rekord trigger are another example.

I'm not blindly loyal to the TX200 either. I'm well aware of the issues you mentioned. In fact, the cocking shoe on my HC failed too.

I'm also familiar with the oval pressure tubes, scraping cocking arms, badly fitting pistons, sloppy assembly work, scratches or burrs in the compression tube, trigger assembly nuts going missing, unsquared spring ends, excessive lubrication, etc., in the HW97. Fortunately, these are more exceptions than the norm, but they seem to be appearing more frequently compared to pre-COVID manufacturing.

I love both rifles equally, and I think everyone here has done a great job explaining the pros and cons of these two great rifles.

The only point I was trying to make is that I understand why the TX is more expensive and smoother out of the box. You don’t have to agree, but in my humble opinion, the TX has the edge in quality.

Again, nothing takes away from the HW97. It's still an incredibly awesome rifle.

Have a great weekend!
 
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