N/A First Springer Advice

[sjs]

I need advice on which springer to buy. I want to spend around $500 or a bit less.

It will be for 10yd (mostly, some shooting out to 25 yds) bullseye target shooting from offhand, sitting and prone. It will not be shot from a bench. Balance is important.

I like blued steel and wood, so I want a wood sporter style stock, no plastic stocks, thumbholes or other such non-traditional features. I like nice wood but am also happy with less expensive wood like beechwood.

It will be used only for targets, not pest control or hunting so velocity is not an issue.

It will be shot only with iron sights so:
1) it needs decent sights, and a rail for installing an aftermarket peep sight if I do not like the stock sights, so it will also need a front sight that can be used with a peep, such as a Williams peep.
(2) it needs a stock that works well for iron shooting and not one designed for scope use,
(3) it needs a stock suitable for position shooting, rather than a bench, but I do not want a target type stock that has adjustments.

A good trigger is very important.

Of course, accuracy (at least at short range) is paramount.

I have identified 3 candidates:
Beeman R9,
Weilhrauch (and I understand that the HW95 is the same rifle as the Beeman R9, so one of the other Weilhrauchs if suitable, and
Cometa Fenix 400.

1. Which of these would you have an opinion on?

2. Any other candidates out there I have not identified?

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[Sqwirl57]

The Beeman R9 is a better rifle than the Fenix 400 BUT that being said I actually like my 400 more than my HW95. The 400 USC balances a bit nicer and fits my hands better. Out of the box the 400 also sounds better and puts out about 20% more muzzle energy. By the time you replace the guides and springs to make the 95 sound as good as the 400 does you will be over $300 more invested into that 95 over the 400.

From an accuracy standpoint things start to get odd. Like I said before the 95 is the better gun. From a bench, the 95 will outshoot the 400. From an offhand position I will run circles around my 95 with that 400 USC. It really does handle that much better. That short barrel and moderator puts the balance point in just the perfect position for me plus at like 6.9lbs (plus scope) I can carry it all day.

The triggers are no comparison. The Rekord is a fantastic trigger and better in every way. The 400 trigger is still very usable though and once you get used to it it works great.

 

[Struckat]

Sounds like a HW30. Stunning accuracy and a sweet handling rifle.

 

[Red_Ryder_Sniper]

Sounds like a HW30. Stunning accuracy and a sweet handling rifle.

All day

 

[Hateful McNasty]

Pa got r9's on referb deals, id email them first to explain the no sights thing .. if the " field pro" type barrel that aint cut for sights is one thing , but if not and you got to buy the sights extra . May as well buy a new one fully equipped..lol. You figure $399 + 50$ front + 50$ rear

Then the .22 coupons apply but .177 they dont.. go figure ..

The referb is a deal but too many funny things this go roung like above. If that bothers you or not .

Seems like putting/ keeping the factory sights on would be part of referbishing the gun ?.. lol

Check the whole referb dept. You may see domthing else you like on the cheaper

 

[bdzjlz]

I have owned several R9s and HW95s. Even though the internals are identical, my experience is that the R9s consistently are more accurate. Not sure why.

 

[Struckat]

Branding has no effect on accuracy. They are the same gun, different branding.

That said, you can have 10 of the same gun and all have different levels of accuracy. Each barrel is individual.

 

[Deleted member 49222]

Most likely you will be wanting more power to hit out past 10 to 25 yards. HW30, my wife loves it, I find it lacking power big time. You can break that barrel nearly forever on the 30 and feel like a young lad all day long. Actually, HW has such a strong deep selection of springers its hard for me to recommend just one. Lots of folks recommend the HW95 & R9, don't think you can go wrong there. Don't pass over an older Diana 34 s with the full metal front hooded sights. Personally, I prefer the under-levers by Air Arms and HW with the fixed barrel. No doubt, tough choice. I ended up with a TX200HC and an HW97K, wife has the HW30, and the kids are running Diana 34 s. I barely out shoot them ... and have the advantage of a scope or just out right suck! Good Luck

 

[cjtamu]

Sounds like a HW30. Stunning accuracy and a sweet handling rifle.

My thought as well in .177. If you really wanted to go whole hog and are only shooting irons a HW77 long barrel would be tremendous. The HW95 is a great gun, but if you go that route be careful which version you get. The 95 Luxus has iron sights but a high cheek comb. Lot of people who shoot with irons say they have a hard time with it.

 

[KitCarson16]

Balanced, light weight, extremely accurate to 60 yards, easy to cock and you can shoot it all day, excellent trigger and dovetail rail for a Williams Peep sight.
There are two models of the Williams Peep, you want the one designed for air rifles, the PB one is to low to see properly with MOST air rifle stock combs. And the extreme ballistic curve of pellets.

So what rifle meets this, the HW30 is the one.
Oh never buy any refurbished garbage ever. Just do not do that. You are buying someone else's problem child and it would not be in the refurbished inventory if it did not have some kind of problem. Buy a new one from AOA and you get free shipping and a lifetime warranty . There will not be 20 dollars difference in that great refurbished problem child and a brand new one that has a warranty for life.
The HW95 is the same, although it is about two pounds more heavy, has more power, still easy to cock and also extremely accurate. You cannot go wrong with either rifle.
Oh.........the new ones are shipping with the new stock with the bench rest cutout, go find a photo of the new stock and compare to the original classic stock as it is not too late yet............to get the classic stock.
Cheers
Kit
Edit
As for Williams peep sights, the ordinary common williams peep is yes not a good option for most springers. You cannot get your eye down far enough to use it, at least not without unusual effort leading to inaccurate shooting. However Williams makes various peep sights and the model for high line of sight air rifles is the FP-GR-TK. Hard to find and not stocked by most stores. Not cheap either, it was around 70 bucks most likely now close to 100 bucks.
As a teenager roaming the Missouri fence lines and corn fields I shot many a running rabbit with a peep with the small peep completely removed just use the peep housing. Your eye centers regardless and for moving game you can get pretty good with a peep sight.

 

[blackdiesel]

I know hindsight is 20/20 but you missed a big opportunity. AoA had a bunch of old 10-meter target rifles and other high-quality springers in their pre-owned section a couple of months ago. They went very fast. I was able to grab an LGV, RX2 and HW97k for great prices.

As far as your question - I vote for the HW30/R7. It will fit your needs.

 

[KWK]

The comb is too high for me to see the sights right on my HW95L. Mine is an earlier stock. Anyone else notice that? A guy had a newer one with a Williams peep sight at a shoot I attended and you had to squish your face to use it. Not comfortable. He didn't like it either. Same thing as mine.
The standard stock seems to be ok.

 

[Sqwirl57]

The comb is too high for me to see the sights right on my HW95L. Mine is an earlier stock. Anyone else notice that? A guy had a newer one with a Williams peep sight at a shoot I attended and you had to squish your face to use it. Not comfortable. He didn't like it either. Same thing as mine.
The standard stock seems to be ok.

The standard sights work fine for me but with a Williams peep I had to damn near put the stock on top of my shoulder to get a good sight picture.

 

[Mycapt65]

The Hw30s are my favorite rifles. I've got three of them if you include my wife's. Two of them are scoped. The third has peep sights. All of them are 177, stupid accurate and can easily be cocked all day. The guns are smallish and a little tail heavy but I still shoot them offhand as good as anything else I own.

The HW95 family guns are big full sized rifles that I don't enjoy shooting offhand. I shoot them benched. I own four of them in three calibers.

The gun that I like the balance and fit the best is my 177 HW50. It's smaller than the 95 and almost two pounds lighter. Out of all my HWs the 50 shoulders and points the best for me . It's not fun to cock all day though. If you reduce the power, cocking will get easier and the accuracy should improve. A 10 FPE HW50 would fit your needs well.

50 on the left. 30 on the right.

50 on the top. 95 on the bottom.

 

[EMrider]

Another hw30 in .177 suggestion here. Very accurate and you will appreciate the relatively light weight (vs. hw95 etc…) for off hand shooting.


R

 

[Struckat]

Sometimes it wears this, and sometimes it wears that.
Oh and there’s a Hawke 2-7 that can be found on it too.

It’s my do everything rifle. A 7.33 dome is deadly inside 30 yards.
But wadcutters, oh my the smack down!

I have several new flavors of wc on hand that I need to try in it.

The more time I spend with my HW30 and HW95, the more I need one of those silver HW50…

 

[Deerstalker]

FWIW, my HW95L specs, may be overkill.

Rifle & scope weigh:

7.5 lbs,120 oz = rifle. Spring Piston: Airguns of Arizona

4.4 oz = Hawke Tactical 30 mm 2 piece medium rings Hawke | Tactical Ring Mounts 1" 2 Piece 9-11mm Medium (hawkeoptics.com)

21.9 oz = Hawke 4-16 x 44 mm SF, IR, compact scope Hawke | Airmax 30 SF Compact 4-16x44 AMX IR (hawkeoptics.com)

Total HW95L rifle = 146.3 oz which is 9 lbs 2.3 oz, 4.15 KG

Weighed rifle on 5/30/2023 on bathroom scale and got 8.8 lbs, 140.8 oz.

LOP = 14.25”, 362 mm, trigger to center butt. WIN M70 30-06 = 13.875", 349.25 mm, CVA Accura V2 50 BP = 14.5", 368.3 mm. Note - LOP = length of pull measured from trigger to center butt.

The Hawke tactical medium rings put the center line of the scope 1.5” above the HW95L .22 caliber rifle bore. Rifle twist rate is 1:16”. Hawke objective lens is 8.25” to safety end of receiver. Scope Ocular lens is 3.875”, (98.4 mm), behind receiver.

Rifle was received on 8/11/2020 from AoA.

Moderator weighs 4.32 oz, 122.6 g, 1892 gr. Moderator is 6” long and female threads start 1.7” in from beveled end of Moderator. The thread is 3/4" long & 1/2" diameter with 20 threads per inch.

Barrel length = 15.75”, 400 mm, from end of moderator to breech block end. HW95 barrel is 16 mm diameter. Barrel without moderator = 12.188”, (12-3/16”, 309.575 mm), from thread end to breech block end. HW95L total rifle length = 41.875”, 1063.625 mm, from end of moderator to butt center. Rifle is 29”, 736.6 mm, from end of moderator to end of compression tube, receiver action.

 

[Mycapt65]

Here's an easier comparison photo
Top to bottom
R1
HW95
HW50
HW30
HW30

 

[1BadDart]

A FWB 300S checks all the boxes except the stock.

 

[readyfisher9]

HW30 is what you need. I have the R7, the same except a western style stock. By all means, fit it with a Vortek HO spring. Smoother, has a bit more power, and has no buzz.