Having been a fan of the HW 55 for years, I've come to admire how each of the different stock designs is its own little masterpiece.
+ The 55S is a true dual-use gun - what the frugal German used to win the match, and then shoot dinner on the way home! Tough beech wood, clean smooth shape with no cheekpiece or other sharp edges to get dinged in the field, but the full-contoured butt and flat-bottomed fore end still work for target shooting. It has a slight right-handed palm swell, but is acceptably comfortable to shoot lefty. Collectors go more for the walnut ones of course, but iIMHO the 55S is underrated; attractive, versatile, and quite desirable.
+ The 55T is a real beauty. To me, the graceful tapered fore end makes it the prettiest of the classic-era springer Tyrolean designs from Weihrauch and their rivals at FWB, Diana, and Walther. Besides the elaborate cheekpiece, it's interesting that the stock has a shorter pull and more drop at the heel than other 55's, a subtle touch that's often missed. It's both functional sculpture and supremely comfortable for offhand shooting (if - as with all Tyros - a little weird when shooting from other positions).
+ The 55CM embodies the "squared up" look in vogue for 1970's match rifles, but the details are well thought out; it's light, well-balanced, and more carry-friendly than you might think. The deep flat-bottomed fore end makes it the best HW 55 for actual 10-meter competition shooting. The adjustable buttplate (an off-the-shelf Anschutz model 4709 base, for which various shoulder-piece shapes are made) is useful, and the accessory rail is a lot of fun to play with.
+ But the 55M (or MM) is to me both the prettiest and most versatile, an all-round functional design and gorgeous to look at with its traditional German "Bayern" design. When I got my first one I often left it sitting out around the house in the open, just cuz I enjoyed ogling it so much (well - when the lady of the house was out anyhow, LOL!). Later examples have the same accessory rail as the CM, which allows some more functional options.
+ The 55S is a true dual-use gun - what the frugal German used to win the match, and then shoot dinner on the way home! Tough beech wood, clean smooth shape with no cheekpiece or other sharp edges to get dinged in the field, but the full-contoured butt and flat-bottomed fore end still work for target shooting. It has a slight right-handed palm swell, but is acceptably comfortable to shoot lefty. Collectors go more for the walnut ones of course, but iIMHO the 55S is underrated; attractive, versatile, and quite desirable.
+ The 55T is a real beauty. To me, the graceful tapered fore end makes it the prettiest of the classic-era springer Tyrolean designs from Weihrauch and their rivals at FWB, Diana, and Walther. Besides the elaborate cheekpiece, it's interesting that the stock has a shorter pull and more drop at the heel than other 55's, a subtle touch that's often missed. It's both functional sculpture and supremely comfortable for offhand shooting (if - as with all Tyros - a little weird when shooting from other positions).
+ The 55CM embodies the "squared up" look in vogue for 1970's match rifles, but the details are well thought out; it's light, well-balanced, and more carry-friendly than you might think. The deep flat-bottomed fore end makes it the best HW 55 for actual 10-meter competition shooting. The adjustable buttplate (an off-the-shelf Anschutz model 4709 base, for which various shoulder-piece shapes are made) is useful, and the accessory rail is a lot of fun to play with.
+ But the 55M (or MM) is to me both the prettiest and most versatile, an all-round functional design and gorgeous to look at with its traditional German "Bayern" design. When I got my first one I often left it sitting out around the house in the open, just cuz I enjoyed ogling it so much (well - when the lady of the house was out anyhow, LOL!). Later examples have the same accessory rail as the CM, which allows some more functional options.
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