HW/Weihrauch HW 55 stock variations

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dpauld said:
That story of only 25 or less ever made in that combo may belong to the HW77 tyro imported by Beeman. How many of those have you seen ?
Anyways that is the story I got with mine from a very well informed collector with the goods and paperwork to back it all up.
I have that rare 1077N out of the Beeman/Santa Rosa/Catalog/1991/HW77 Tyrolean
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Not about the 77 nor any documentation I have ever seen. Even the Blue Books specifically mention the 25 (for the 55) and less than 25 (for the R1) but no mention to any other production numbers for 77 or any other. P.S. I have also owned a 77 T in .20 but parted with it.
 
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MDriskill said:
I don't know how many Beeman-marked HW 55 Tyroleans were imported, but if it was only 25 then I have seen a freakishly large percentage of them in person! And I own one. So I tend to think it was more.
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Quoted in Blue Book of Airguns for numerous volumes, 25. Out of the less than 25 for the R1 I own 2 and seen a few others throughout the years.
 
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Mike Driskill
Another 55 post for us to drool over. Lol Matt S....incredible as always. Mike T.....gorgeous 55Ts!!! DMM.....spectacular collection!!

I've seen all but the DST version here. Let me correct that. Lol

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RangerPete said:
Hi Gents,
I am just getting interested in HW springers, and there are some gorgeous ones in this thread for sure, but please educate me as to what makes the 55 so desirable above other HW’s?
I notice it has a strange lever on the side of the breech, is that to load a pellet?
Many thanks,
Pete.
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The HW 55 was a dedicated target rifle, made from Weihrauch's earliest days in the early 1950's, to the late 1990's. The action is based on the old HW 50 sport rifle (which is about the same size, but much different in detail, from the current gun of that name).

Changes from the 50 to the 55, besides the stock, were a weaker target spring, some minor refinements to the trigger, match sights, a locking breech, leather piston and breech seals, and several other minor details. The lever is the adjustable latch that locks and unlocks the breech - see photos below.

You can google up a lot more pics and info on the HW 55, on this forum and elsewhere. Danny Garvin's "Vintage Airguns Gallery" is always a great place to start for any classic airgun:

Weihrauch HW55

Weihrauch HW55 This from the web - treat with caution because the quality of the source is unverified: The thing about the HW55 is that a lot o...
forum.vintageairgunsgallery.com forum.vintageairgunsgallery.com

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The HW 55 actually has TWO breech latches...there is a small auto detent built into the standing breech face that will hold the barrel closed while you operated the locking lever, but it is not rigid enough by itself for accurate firing.

The old HW 50 has a receiver tube that is 30mm in outside diameter, and its rear section was threaded in, similar to the current larger HW actions (the HW 35, 77, 80, and 97 use a 35mm tube). The new 50's tube is also 30mm diameter with the same screw spacing - it will actually fit in the old stocks. But the similarities end there: the current model's tube walls are thinner so that a larger-diameter piston seal can be used; the tube is all one piece with no threaded rear; the barrel is shorter and heavier; and the trigger module is accessed by small plugs allowing a longer piston stroke than the old threaded rear.

Some other HW 55 threads of possible interest...

How to adjust the breech latch:
www.tapatalk.com

American Vintage Airguns-HW 55 barrel latch adjustment

Can anyone tell me the proper way to adjust tension on the HW 55 barrel latch? I mean the conventional latch that the shooter operates manually every
www.tapatalk.com www.tapatalk.com

A long general discussion with many interesting comments:

HW55 is the one

The HW55 is the gun I always wanted my R8 to be, and is probably my favorite airgun of all time. I never was able to shoot the R8 as well as I hoped, and the FWB300S that replaced it, though it is an accurate gun, is a whole lot of gun at 10 1/2 lbs. That is a lot of weight to handle without the...
www.airgunnation.com www.airgunnation.com

A Weihrauch factory brochure...from 1959:
www.tapatalk.com

American Vintage Airguns-1959 HW brochure

I've actually posted this tidbit here before, but recently made these improved scans and thought you guys might enjoy them. It's a glimpse into a ve
www.tapatalk.com www.tapatalk.com
 
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W.R.Buchanan said:
OK, I have a Question. Does the HW55's barrel have a ball detent that it locks into???, And then the lever locks it even further?
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Scroll waaaay down, to post no. 34 in this old thread, for an illustrated explanation of the HW 55's breech details:

HW35 or HW50

I have no great argument with that, other than the old groove provided the best forend grip ever fitted to an airgun. At one time the prime reason why professional pest controllers chose it, in our inclement climate…100 percent assured grip in any conditions and perfect re-locator for your hand...
www.airgunnation.com www.airgunnation.com
 
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