HW35 or HW50

[jimk1963]

Understood. I got the most out of that gun because I shot it every day and knew every minute detail of where that pellet was going to land. But as you said, doesn’t make it a better gun than others. They all have their shortcomings. So the collection keeps growing!

 

[cjtamu]

Well, here's another vote for the HW 50S! Came in yesterday and the small gun with the narrower forestock is a great fit for her. Once she learns to move that front hand back! Says she's going to stick with open sights on it, we'll see. I can't get her to switch from a whisker biscuit on her bow either so she might!

 

[beerthief]

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 position …was there a real need to change it given it stood the test of time for 50 years..
Heard a few condom jokes regarding the new feature…

cheaper to laser cut a design than to router cut and sand a groove

 

[Steveoo]

Very true but i do wonder how many sales they have lost, considering how many shooters loved this aspect of the groove when handling the gun in store. Lost forever now, unless buying second hand.

 

[Bear-of-Grayling]

Very true but i do wonder how many sales they have lost, considering how many shooters loved this aspect of the groove when handling the gun in store. Lost forever now, unless buying second hand.

Maybe not forever if the sales on the Beech, laser etched models plummet. Surely it can’t cost much more to run the groove compared to the laser.

 

[thumper]

Very true but i do wonder how many sales they have lost, considering how many shooters loved this aspect of the groove when handling the gun in store. Lost forever now, unless buying second hand.

They probably changed the design to try and improve sales. I would find it hard to believe that it was a wildly popular model for them. After all, it looked the same since forever, they wouldn't change it if it was working. Weihrauch is pretty stubborn when it comes to changing things anyway.

Still, I prefer the classic look with the grooves.

 

[MDriskill]

I personally love the HW 35's finger grooves, too. Very practical and such a time-honored, classically "German" detail. But it adds some incremental cost to cut them, and some folks just don't dig the look I guess.

Back in pre-Beeman days, the HW 30 and HW 50 had finger groove stocks, too. But the Doc didn't like it - his "R" woodwork for those guns killed the grooves and they've never returned.

Diana's classic line of sporter rifles also lost their grooves as part of an early-60's re-design.

Random thought, why doesn't HW do both? Maybe keep grooves on the standard beech stock for the hunters, and do the checkered walnut for the target shooters and collectors. Or find some other options; for many years the HW 35 was offered with up to four different stock options at once.

 

[Steveoo]

I think that was the remaining appeal of the 35 and why it continued to sell…because it was the last of the original spec stock type…

 

[beerthief]

Maybe not forever if the sales on the Beech, laser etched models plummet. Surely it can’t cost much more to run the groove compared to the laser.

my HW35 is older no letters , just HW35 with grooves , so it is the groovie ( 70's) one hahaha accually 1970/71

 

[jimk1963]

They probably changed the design to try and improve sales. I would find it hard to believe that it was a wildly popular model for them. After all, it looked the same since forever, they wouldn't change it if it was working. Weihrauch is pretty stubborn when it comes to changing things anyway.

Still, I prefer the classic look with the grooves.

On Krale, both the HW35 standard and 35E walnut and 35K are shown as available new with the original grooved foreend. Wonder if that’s accurate or if the photos are incorrect?

 

[Bolillo]

On Krale, both the HW35 standard and 35E walnut and 35K are shown as available new with the original grooved foreend. Wonder if that’s accurate or if the photos are incorrect?

View attachment 275731

Looks like the groove is gone, at least on the one @Bear-of-Grayling just got.

Weihrauch HW35E - got its Groove off!

Just received today “from Krale” a new Weihrauch HW35E. Walnut stock. Was wondering if it would have the old grooved forearm as the Weihrauch web sight shows a new checkered version. Not sure how long this new style has been out. Krale had just recently been restocked with this model in .22...

www.airgunnation.com

 

[Sqwirl57]

Yeah when I ordered mine it still showed a groove as well but when I received it I got one with the checkering. That was back in November though

 

[Bear-of-Grayling]

On Krale, both the HW35 standard and 35E walnut and 35K are shown as available new with the original grooved foreend. Wonder if that’s accurate or if the photos are incorrect?

View attachment 275731

Yes, the Krale sight has not updated their pictures. The grooved model is not available from Krale anymore. They even ran out of stock not to long ago so none on the bottom of the pile either. AOA did have some a while back. Probably gone but maybe worth checking. They are about $100 more expensive though.

 

[Bear-of-Grayling]

I personally love the HW 35's finger grooves, too. Very practical and such a time-honored, classically "German" detail. But it adds some incremental cost to cut them, and some folks just don't dig the look I guess.

Back in pre-Beeman days, the HW 30 and HW 50 had finger groove stocks, too. But the Doc didn't like it - his "R" woodwork for those guns killed the grooves and they've never returned.

Diana's classic line of sporter rifles also lost their grooves as part of an early-60's re-design.

Random thought, why doesn't HW do both? Maybe keep grooves on the standard beech stock for the hunters, and do the checkered walnut for the target shooters and collectors. Or find some other options; for years the HW 35 was offered with as many as four different stock designs at once after all.

It appears to me that Weihrauch is trying to appeal to a new generation of airgunners with the new laser etched stocks and weird designs. I can see where wood may also become a thing of the past. Maybe us older folks are more trained to like the traditional look of yesterday. With the intense onset of PCP’s, Weihrauch is probably just trying to keep some skin in the game. I agree that they could easily offer one model with the traditional grooves, one laser etched and a checkered Walnut version with traditional checkering in the forearm. But when they change something like this on a true “relic”, look at the buzz it creates.

 

[Steveoo]

You hit the nail on the head…its an old timers gun….There are plenty of models you can cheapen the appearance of adding tacky white lettering and etched logos but why this model…
At least they did not scollop out that relief under the heel of the stock…

 

[Bear-of-Grayling]

You hit the nail on the head…its an old timers gun….There are plenty of models you can cheapen the appearance of adding tacky white lettering and etched logos but why this model…
At least they did not scollop out that relief under the heel of the stock…

Everyone uses “bean counters” these days to drum up sales. So they redesign a model like this classic 35, create a bunch of buzz, which translates into a “temporary” sales hike and the bean counters say, see increased sales. No long term strategy though. Weihrauch needs to remember that it’s yesterday’s folks bringing the youth along. Appeal to both.
To their credit, I think they did try to bridge the divide with the 35E. It is the last Walnut, traditional stock, airgun that they make.

 

[cjtamu]

Everyone uses “bean counters” these days to drum up sales. So they redesign a model like this classic 35, create a bunch of buzz, which translates into a “temporary” sales hike and the bean counters say, see increased sales. No long term strategy though. Weihrauch needs to remember that it’s yesterday’s folks bringing the youth along. Appeal to both.
To their credit, I think they did try to bridge the divide with the 35E. It is the last Walnut, traditional stock, airgun that they make.

Should copy and paste this to Rob Manfred. Or maybe he’s running Weihrauch now mad we just don’t know ha ha.

 

[Sc0-]

Visual cue indicators to indicate the vintage... An adult sized and heavier 50 with barrel locking latch. The main buyers are the older crowd that find it difficult to use the 95 or 97, due to cocking effort or too much energy, and don't want a PCP... Or those airgunners that just don't have one with that feature, yet... A niche market for sure.

 

[cjtamu]

Edit: Realized comments like that show who the old geezers are don't they? I feel the same way about knives. I like slip joints, lockbacks, and fixed blade over anything else. Put a stag handle on it and I'll swoon. I do have a few well-done liner locks that I really like but very few modern tactical looking knives. They're the ones that get the hardest use because I don't care so much what happens to them. And while we're at it, I hate EFI cars I can't work on too! Man, I guess I am getting old! Probably why I see a 35 in my future. I'm their demographic for sure.

 

[Steveoo]

Maybe we appreciate the finer things in life…