HW97k .177 - 11.8fpe vs. 14.7fpe (internals questions)

[my87csx481]

What is the difference between the two, internally? Is it just the spring? Or is there a port restriction too? Any other differences?



Thanks for any info. Sorry if this belongs in the springer tuning section.

 

[thumper]

Just the spring. No other difference. 

 

[napairgunner]

I put a vorket kit in my .20 HW97 and was very happy with results to get to the 15 ftlbs range

 

[my87csx481]

Thanks for the info.



I don't have one in .177 yet. Trying to determine if there is an advantage to one version over the other. Basically, is it better to start with the 11.8, or get the 14.7 and tune it to 11.8?

I suppose the answer is to get whatever one is in stock (if in a hurry, and if the plan is to go aftermarket spring and guides anyway).

 

[gonzav71]

I have bought both versions. My first HW97K was 11.8 FPE in 2015. My second one in 2019 was 14.7 FPE but I quickly replaced the spring to shoot it at 11.5 FPE. I sold my first HW97K because it had a severe barrel droop but still shot well. My second was the STL version because I like the nickel plated look. It shot better at the lower FPE since the spring I replaced had a tighter fit to the spring guide. Less vibration and smoother shot cycle was the result. The internals are exactly the same on both.

 

[DualMagMike]

If talking about modern 97's only the spring is different...

 

[my87csx481]

Sorry. I am one that requires very fine details, and yet I still manage to forget to supply them....often times the most critical details.



I posted in the context of purchasing brand new 97's.

 

[thumper]

One thing to consider, if you are going to open it up and tune it right off the bat, get the 11fpe version. I say this because it will be much easier to disassemble and it might shoot great as-is anyway. 

I took apart a new full power 97 about a month ago for a strip/clean/relube for a friend, and it had a LOT of spring preload, and was very hard to reassemble. I've never seen one with so much preload. And in my opinion it was a little on the harsher side than I prefer. 

 

[my87csx481]

Thanks for mentioning that. Makes perfect sense.

I had my .22 97k full power apart about a month ago. It too had a lot of preload. I used a spring compressor to take it apart, and reassemble. It's now around 16ish. It was shooting 15.5ish as delivered new.