HW35E vs HW77 Long

[Zut]

Having been bitten by the spinger bug, I have recently been looking at the HW77K. I would like to have one, but I keep thinking the Long barrel looks nicer then the K model. Anyone have side by side photos?

Comparing size difference between the HW35E and HW77 Long barrel.

The HW77 is .4" longer overall length then the HW35E
Both have the same 18.5" length barrel
The HW77 is 10.5 ounces heavier

But when I read about the Long barrel 77 most commenters think the gun is to long and heavy. Yet I see very few comments on the 35 being to long and heavy.

I realize 10.5 ounces is a lot of weight, but is the HW77 Long really an undesirable rifle?

Give me your pro's and cons on the long barrel HW77

Cheers
Zut

 

[thumper]

I've been shooting the HW77K for a long time. They are my favorite air rifles of all time.

I had a HW77 for a short while, and couldn't find anything to like about it other than a slightly lighter cocking effort due to the longer underlever. IMO, it's too long and too muzzle heavy.

Remember, it's not always about just overall weight. The way the gun balances is a bigger deal to me. The HW77 will be more muzzle heavy than the HW35 due to the cocking lever on the 77. It's basically the weight of another barrel dangling out the front. The receivers between the two are the same diameter and both have the big heavy solid end plug. That extra 10oz is all out front on the 77.

You may love it, but to me, the HW77K is just right. I sold the 77 and never missed it.

 

[Zut]

Reply
Good point about the cocking lever weight being all out front. Having never held either the Long or K, I don't have any idea how they balance. I was really concerned about the HW35E weight, but really the gun handles very well off hand. I was surprised how nice it feels.

Thanks Thumper

 

[thumper]

Reply
Good point about the cocking lever weight being all out front. Having never held either the Long or K, I don't have any idea how they balance. I was really concerned about the HW35E weight, but really the gun handles very well off hand. I was surprised how nice it feels.

Thanks Thumper

The 35E is a pretty chunky gun, but most of it's weight is towards the rear, closer to your body. I think you'd notice the 77 to be noticeably muzzle heavy. Probably great for accuracy, but I found it a little too forward for me. The 77K splits the difference, offers more mass over the 35E but carries it better and feels fairly neutral. Which personally I like.

You may love the longer 77.

If your primary concern would be lowest cocking effort, or the longest sight radius with a diopter, well the 77 may have some merit over a 77K.

Other than that......77K all the way IMO.

 

[EMrider]

IMHO, the most significant difference between the hw77 and hw35 platforms is the size of the compression chamber. The hw77 is 26mm and the hw35 is 30mm. Having tried both, I much prefer the shooting characteristics of the 26mm hw77. The 30mm is harsher at any power level.

Never shot an hw77, but am a huge fan of the hw97k.

R

 

[Zut]

The 35E is a pretty chunky gun, but most of it's weight is towards the rear, closer to your body. I think you'd notice the 77 to be noticeably muzzle heavy. Probably great for accuracy, but I found it a little too forward for me. The 77K splits the difference, offers more mass over the 35E but carries it better and feels fairly neutral. Which personally I like.

You may love the longer 77.

If your primary concern would be lowest cocking effort, or the longest sight radius with a diopter, well the 77 may have some merit over a 77K.

Other than that......77K all the way IMO.

Cocking effort is not really a concern. I am getting to really like open sights with the HW35, that is why I lean towards the HW77 and I think the stock is much nicer then the 97.

So does the rear sight on the 77 attach to the dovetail or is it attached with screws?

 

[thumper]

Cocking effort is not really a concern. I am getting to really like open sights with the HW35, that is why I lean towards the HW77 and I think the stock is much nicer then the 97.

So does the rear sight on the 77 attach to the dovetail or is it attached with screws?

It attaches to the dovetail, just slides on like a scope ring.

Personally I hate the rear sight on the 77 and remove it immediately in favor of a peep. It's hard to get it located far enough forward to get a good sight picture.

 

[thumper]

IMHO, the most significant difference between the hw77 and hw35 platforms is the size of the compression chamber. The hw77 is 26mm and the hw35 is 30mm. Having tried both, I much prefer the shooting characteristics of the 26mm hw77. The 30mm is harsher at any power level.

Never shot an hw77, but am a huge fan of the hw97k.

R

Very true and I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[Zut]

IMHO, the most significant difference between the hw77 and hw35 platforms is the size of the compression chamber. The hw77 is 26mm and the hw35 is 30mm. Having tried both, I much prefer the shooting characteristics of the 26mm hw77. The 30mm is harsher at any power level.

Never shot an hw77, but am a huge fan of the hw97k.

R

I am so new at shooting springers, I have no practical knowledge of the harshness you describe. My little HW50S recoils more obnoxiously then the HW35. The 35 just comes straight back and the barrel jumps up and to the right on the 50.

I can't wait to shoot a well tuned rifle.

Zut

 

[Zut]

It attaches to the dovetail, just slides on like a scope ring.

Personally I hate the rear sight on the 77 and remove it immediately in favor of a peep. It's hard to get it located far enough forward to get a good sight picture.

What peep sight do you recommend Thumper?

 

[Steveoo]

For hunting, prefer the HW35K.
For field target has to be the 77….Tuned, modified cocking lever, and K version ruled the sport for years.

For hunting, just about matched the accuracy of a 77 with a 35 with major tuning and lots of practise, but would choose it for hunting for its locking up lever, allowing complete silent cocking and shorter stock with finger grooves for grip. Also colder fingers trying to load the 77 and wanting to keep them under field conditions…
There is more than just accuracy when considering a hunting gun…..how it functions in the field.

For field target the 77 all day long….possibly top 3 of all time.

 

[SpiralGroove]

I've owned two HW77K's and feel there's no need to get the long - just more weight.

 

[MDriskill]

I've never had a 77, but the 35 is an old favorite. The attention to handling and balance on these older designs is obvious.

The traditional finger-groove stocks on the 35 balance right at the fore-aft center of the groove, with the standard 19" barrel and open sights. The fore end is as narrow as possible and rounded underneath, neatly masking the bulky receiver tube. If you slide your front fingers back to the rear of the groove when shooting, the gun has a pleasant, slightly muzzle-heavy "hang."

The balance of the "HW 35E" with the 22" barrel is much more front-biased - even that little bit of extra weight, when so far forward, makes a striking difference - but feels more neutral with a heavy diopter sight or scope.

 

[MDriskill]

What peep sight do you recommend Thumper?

Please forgive the following bad imitation of Thumper!

The Williams FP-AG series is the traditional choice for a hunting peep sight. They are small, light, and leave a good field of view around the target.

The 11 mm scope grooves on a new 35 will take either the traditional HW match diopter, or an older Anschutz one (which I rather prefer as they are lighter and smaller). For sporting use you will want some means to get a eye disk opening larger than the usual one (around 1.0 mm) used for target shooting though.

Williams:

Weihrauch:

Anschutz 6702 with Gehmann adjustable iris:

 

[Steveoo]

I've never had a 77, but the 35 is an old favorite. The attention to handling and balance on these older designs is obvious.

The traditional finger-groove stocks on the 35 balance right at the fore-aft center of the groove, with the standard 19" barrel and open sights. The fore end is as narrow as possible and rounded underneath, neatly masking the bulky receiver tube. If you slide your front fingers back to the rear of the groove when shooting, the gun has a pleasant, slightly muzzle-heavy "hang."

The "HW 35E" with the 22" barrel is much more front-biased - even that little bit of extra weight, when so far forward, makes a striking difference - but has a more neutral balance with a heavy diopter sight or scope.

View attachment 279989

Exactly how i would describe it….
Running the the little finger to the rear of the groove, is providing an exact, repeatable hand placement (lengthways) of where you grip the forend.
Or forward with the forefinger to the front of the slot each time. (depending on where you prefer your point of balance)
With the groove height providing the same metered positioning through the depth of the forend…
We now have hand positioning covered in both directions.
Only an experienced hunter with a HW35 will know this.
It means, under hunting conditions, up into trees, in barns, or in the middle of a muddy field, the hand position can always be perfectly repeatable ….

 

[Zut]

The Williams FP-AG series is the traditional choice for a hunting peep sight. They are small, light, and leave a good field of view around the target.

The 11 mm scope grooves on a new 35 will take either the traditional HW match diopter, or an older Anschutz one (which I rather prefer as they are lighter and smaller). For sporting use you will want some means to get a bigger eye disk opening than the usual one (around 1.0 mm) used for target shooting though.

Williams:
View attachment 279991

Weihrauch:
View attachment 279992

Anschutz 6702 with Gehmann adjustable iris:
View attachment 279994

Great information sir, thanks!

 

[Mycapt65]

I owned a 77K and I like the looks of the 77 long better but other than the longer cocking arm there's no advantage to it. I have a 97k which is basically the same weight and size as a 77k. I find the gun too heavy to comfortably shoot offhand or carry afield. In that case there'd be no disadvantage of the longer barrel 77 when shooting from a bench. Might as well get whatever 77 you like if you already have a 35 or other airgun for the field.

One important thing to consider about the new 77s is some people find the stock comb too high to comfortably shoot open sights. Weihrauch raised the comb to appease scope shooters which is the vast majority of airgunners.

I'm not sure if this was answered yet but the rear sight clamps to the standard 11mm dovetail.

Good luck
Ron

 

[Mycapt65]

If you are going to be putting open sights on the 77 the longer barrel will give you a longer sight radius. That's an advantage I forgot to mention.

 

[crowski]

I juggled a couple rifles around. 3- 77’s and 2- 35E’s to give you a comparison . Crow

 

[Zut]

I owned a 77K and I like the looks of the 77 long better but other than the longer cocking arm there's no advantage to it. I have a 97k which is basically the same weight and size as a 77k. I find the gun too heavy to comfortably shoot offhand or carry afield. In that case there'd be no disadvantage of the longer barrel 77 when shooting from a bench. Might as well get whatever 77 you like if you already have a 35 or other airgun for the field.

One important thing to consider about the new 77s is some people find the stock comb too high to comfortably shoot open sights. Weihrauch raised the comb to appease scope shooters which is the vast majority of airgunners.

I'm not sure if this was answered yet but the rear sight clamps to the standard 11mm dovetail.

Good luck
Ron

Thanks Ron,

I did read the new comb height now was the same as the 97. I have not heard of the stock comb being to high for some people using open sights. Makes sense though.

I guess the thought of having the most accurate Weihrauch was my driving force to own the 77 platform. I just don't care for the look of the 97. Although I have not seen one in person.

I was trying to find out who had the long version of the 77 and what they liked about it. Not many guys seem to have anything good to say other then having a longer sight radius. Krale has the long version in a .177 in stock. I almost pulled the card out but thought I would get some opinions on the gun. I will wait for the K to come back in stock.

Going back to the bunker now.
Cheers

Zut