Looking Into The Old HW35

[Fischer]

I believe the history started quite a few decades ago in around 50's or 60's for this particular type of springer mechanism with the "short stroke and wide volume sweep" combined with accuracy.

Today the HW35E is perhaps the best of many worlds with its own mechanical network inside a Walnut stock instead of the usual Beech.

I have found Walnut stocked HW35Es have a different "sound" and recoil and consistency of recoil compared to the Beech. The Beech needs more time to adjust to the climate you are in while the Walnutted HW35E (Silver or Blue) not only LOOKS fantastic but has less screw tension problems in the stock holding the mechanism. I assume it is simply that the more expensive wood also used in other rifle arms with prosperity is a "better wood" to "set" an air rifle mechanism into and HOLD it with a constant solid last snug on the stock screws.

Well it worked out that way for me with my first HW35E .177 Silver from AOA some years ago and that rifle made me get it in .22 Blue and then again in .177 Blue. 

So I could not finish my collection of HW98s in the final .22 caliber and looked to see if a .22 Silver HW35E was available to complete my collection of HW35Es.

Found and ordered it today on Memorial Day at AOA as available. 

So now the picture back from HW98 to HW35E reappears for me in a real way I didn't expect to see. But now I am happy with the "instead of the HW98 .22" I got the HW35E Silver and Walnut .22 to break in at my house which is a very very fine house with 2 door car garage---true but kidding here because I am not rich with money and neither is my wife; I don't buy cars and trucks I buy air rifles!

The only car I have owned since 2013 was a Blue Mustang (2014) and now a Blue Mustang (2020). I can drive these better than any other car or truck and so when I have a Mustang I am fine with all transportation and need in gas money.

The other side is the rifles have gotten out of hand. I have .458 Lott, .375 Holland and Holland, .358 Winchester, .348 Winchester .30-06, .270, 6mm Remington, .257 Weatherby, .22 Hornet, .204 Ruger, .22-250, .223, .250 Savage, .264 Winchester, .444 Marlin, .35 Remington, .308, and so many .22 magnums (9422M, Winchester pump action) and .22s and even a .17 Hornady Hornet with a .17 HMR and more firearms than I could possibly use--but I own them because of the models and designs of the guns chambered in these "hot" varmint and antelope calibers.

So out of all shooting with a rifle what we spend the most time doing is practicing. Practice with a .458 Lott is limited in your ability to maintain consciousness after the first shot.

The .375 Holland and Holland can be shot by anyone to clear 3 rounds without hurting themselves.

The .416 Rigby is rough don't ever get one! It kicks and hurts with less than a good .458 Lott or .458 Winchester.

The rest are there for use for whatever; but when pellet rifle shooters gather together to leisurely shoot and acquire marksmanship the HW35E is really the best thing going even compared to the HW50--and you all know I love my two HW50s in .20.

The HW98 is a professional's rifle being heavy and such.

The HW35E is everyone's rifle to enjoy and shoot clear out to the limits of air rifle springer range.

I like the idea of having another Silver E instead of Blue.

I have found the Silver version in .177 is the better lasting and I got it FIRST before the other 2 blue ones. 

I will take care of this silver and walnut HW35E. Nobody gets to shoot it. It's all going to my final experiment in .22 for the HW35E.

Kindly Remembering the previous HW35E's I already have to add the .22;

John

 

[crowski]

Fischer I must be missing something. You make these guns sound desirable.(HW30, 35 and 50) I’m still green in this sport, only 2 1/2 yrs. most in bubble with COVID-19. My buddy who got me started said the HW50 and lower models were useless as well as all .177’s.
I’ve bought 3 .177’s and love them, people are wrong sometimes. I have 3 HW’s on order now all .25, in production now apparently. One a HW98, can’t wait.

I have several HW’s but their 77-80-90-97’s-98 and R9’s. Don’t mind heavy guns, use rest. Rarely walk with gun. Varmints occasionally and target practice.

What will they do that the 77 or 97 or 98 can’t?

Are they guns that you would carry for hunting or target shooting?

Crow

 

[jusanothajoe]

Fischer I must be missing something. You make these guns sound desirable.(HW30, 35 and 50) I’m still green in this sport, only 2 1/2 yrs. most in bubble with COVID-19. My buddy who got me started said the HW50 and lower models were useless as well as all .177’s.
I’ve bought 3 .177’s and love them, people are wrong sometimes. I have 3 HW’s on order now all .25, in production now apparently. One a HW98, can’t wait.

I have several HW’s but their 77-80-90-97’s-98 and R9’s. Don’t mind heavy guns, use rest. Rarely walk with gun. Varmints occasionally and target practice.

What will they do that the 77 or 97 or 98 can’t?

Are they guns that you would carry for hunting or target shooting?

Crow

Hw50 and lower models are useless as well as all .177's ?

I would say he is wrong A LOT. Lol

 

[thumper]

Fischer I must be missing something. You make these guns sound desirable.(HW30, 35 and 50) I’m still green in this sport, only 2 1/2 yrs. most in bubble with COVID-19. My buddy who got me started said the HW50 and lower models were useless as well as all .177’s.
I’ve bought 3 .177’s and love them, people are wrong sometimes. I have 3 HW’s on order now all .25, in production now apparently. One a HW98, can’t wait.

I have several HW’s but their 77-80-90-97’s-98 and R9’s. Don’t mind heavy guns, use rest. Rarely walk with gun. Varmints occasionally and target practice.

What will they do that the 77 or 97 or 98 can’t?

Are they guns that you would carry for hunting or target shooting?

Crow

Id have to disagree with that. The lower powered guns are great, and most springers are best in .177. Particularly Weihrauchs, as their barrels are iffy at best in .22

Myself I consider the .25 the useless caliber in spring guns. Just not enough power to make it an advantage over any other caliber. It can't make enough velocity to make use of the better energy from the .25. Retained energy downrange doesn't mean much when the pellet hits the dirt before it gets to it's target. 

 

[Deerstalker]

"Id have to disagree with that. The lower powered guns are great, and most springers are best in .177. Particularly Weihrauchs, as their barrels are iffy at best in .22"

I have to disagree with this as my HW95L .22 will shoot MOS at 25 yards all day long

 

[crowski]

I don’t think .25 is useless. My range off my back porch is 35 yds. My .25’s (80-90-and 97) are lethal at 35 yds. You have to know your scope. 
in the winter I was hitting a target at 80 yards the 177 bounced off the plywood the 25 blaster through the plywood 5/8in. Now where is the power?

I just took a shot at 30 yards with a barracuda hunter extreme just now and hit a target the size of a Silverdollar dead on. Now if I hit a tree rat with that, he would be taking back stuff he didn’t even steal. Crow 

 

[Fischer]

Fischer I must be missing something. You make these guns sound desirable.(HW30, 35 and 50) I’m still green in this sport, only 2 1/2 yrs. most in bubble with COVID-19. My buddy who got me started said the HW50 and lower models were useless as well as all .177’s.
I’ve bought 3 .177’s and love them, people are wrong sometimes. I have 3 HW’s on order now all .25, in production now apparently. One a HW98, can’t wait.

I have several HW’s but their 77-80-90-97’s-98 and R9’s. Don’t mind heavy guns, use rest. Rarely walk with gun. Varmints occasionally and target practice.

What will they do that the 77 or 97 or 98 can’t?

Are they guns that you would carry for hunting or target shooting?

Crow

Hunting and walking and taking time without camo to walk a countryside where I'd might be in need of a rifle and glass over 100 or closer than 30 yards.....

That is a D54 to me. It is not light but when the shot is made you will know it is absolutely the best you could do under conditions.

That would be the D54 to me mostly from the "no recoil" system like any CO2 or Pneumatic Pump Up or PCP.

But the D54 does not need a scuba tank for air or a sandbag for accuracy across a lake in Illinois to group before or after 105 yards on the bank.

With Wind! Coming from the left!

BUT! In. .20 instead of .177 or .22 !!!!!!!

Look into it for yourself and be pleasantly surprised what the .20 does in HIGH POWER and in HW50S power!

Accuracy included of course. Wear and tear make them better--they do not fall apart.

 

[crowski]

Thanks Fischer. I’ve been trying to stay away from .20 and PCP. .20 because of pellet selection, maybe not a good idea.
I have a 54 laminate pro .22 which I haven’t had time to use it as well as several other guns. I have a project on the go with 2 excavators hopefully be done soon. Major face lift here. My last project. Then it’s gun time!

I did notice on my 54 that the screws were all loose and it seems that they should be with the recoil so I left it alone. To be honest plastic on the Diana’s cylinder really turns me off. 
The HW50S is going to be in my sights. .20 maybe. Crow 

 

[Fischer]

Thanks Fischer. I’ve been trying to stay away from .20 and PCP. .20 because of pellet selection, maybe not a good idea.
I have a 54 laminate pro .22 which I haven’t had time to use it as well as several other guns. I have a project on the go with 2 excavators hopefully be done soon. Major face lift here. My last project. Then it’s gun time!

I did notice on my 54 that the screws were all loose and it seems that they should be with the recoil so I left it alone. To be honest plastic on the Diana’s cylinder really turns me off. 
The HW50S is going to be in my sights. .20 maybe. Crow 

The 54 system is designed properly to contain the cylinder diameter power with stroke volume in the sliding rail gun system (the stock is secured with rails to allow recoil to eliminate recoil from the "art" of shooting an air rifle.

I knew stock screws in the D54 can need a snug to 25 or 35 lbs torque in the Philips screws inserted. Sometimes washers and rubber washers inside the stock move in time to make the rifle "less" recoilless or having problems with the free rail system aka sled system design. These screws and washers may need adjustment or even replacement over time.

 

[Steveoo]

Hes wrong all day long reg useless if he is talking about the 35.

The 35 can be one of the best stalking air rifles ever made.... Firstly, the barrel locking catch is great for stalking as it allows slinging without opening the barrel...Quite an important feature if you like your break barrels with a sling for long walks. FWB got round this issue also by having the forward sling swivel mounted to the breech block on the FWB Sport ..but few break barrels have either feature..

Next up, the barrel lock can be depressed just before closing the breech. The breech does not have a detent to worry about, and if you trouble to depress the breech lock just before closing, the gun can be loaded in complete silence. You must have all encountered the importance of that once or twice...The 35 excels in the woods here.

Next, The ease of servicing the gun, due to its simple, massive receiver block. It gives total reliable servicing time after time...impossible to fracture. Now go have a look at a Walther LGV and compare. The 35 receiver is a solid lump of steel with massive thread. The LGV a 2 half casting akin to the Crosman 766 which also houses the guide rod....

Most recently, seals are available for the 35 which see it hit 820 fps territory....its enough for most vermin upto 40 yds.

The basic stock with finger grooves never bettered....the finger grooved forend meters the positioning of the fingers...sort of fool proofing hand position enforcing same hold...and offering an un matched grip in the wet.....

Good gun....especially the 35K version..

 

[Fischer]

Well my HW35E Silver .22 arrives next week earlier than later.

I just got the mail telling me Tuesday.

Perhaps my excitement about the HW35E is my own collection of them before I made THIS order.

I bought blue and silver .177s and one blue .22--but never finished the variations with a Silver .22.

Out of the three I already have and have been shooting the Silver .177 (which I bought before the others) seemed to require less fussing over--in the department of lubrication for air rifles. The silver looking finish does not gall or grind anywhere near blued metal joints and surfaces receiving stress such as a cocking joint.

I recently looked at my target from yesterday while shooting the "old blue HW35 .22" at 35 yards and compared that to Hector's Special (the D54 .20) at the same range.

Both were hitting to the right exactly one inch, and that is pretty much a testimony to the HW35E to hit where it is pointing time after time after time.......

 

[Steveoo]

Well not too bad then as you got to remember that the D54 is just about the finest springer air rifle there is, many choosing it ahead of the TX200 in HFT even.

For a stalker hunter, the HW35 is right up there....I know an old boy who has taken literally 1000s of vermin species with his since the 80s...still functioning perfectly, requesting a re-blue of his thumb catch barrel lock as he had worn the bluing off it...

 

[Fischer]

I was also noticing the offhand hold of either HW98 or HW35E is similar in ability to shoot accurately at 35 yards offhand.

Other rifles I have such as the two HW50S's in .20 (one scoped the other not) are completely outstanding reliable air rifles beyond so many before.

However the truth is the .20 D54 scoped with Diana Zero Recoil Mounts and Rings is by far the most "accurate" even at 35 yards offhand.

So; the good news is the money I spent to get this went well with an airgunsmith and the .20 L/W drilled barrels that are only 30 and fitted by number into any D54 .20 L-W barrel installed.

So the fork in the road for me is super powered and accuracy vs normal steady long living accuracy and longevity.

One of my two is Diana D54 Sidelever Recoilless and the other is I don't know.

I have to see if the .22 in the Silver Walnut HW35E is as good as the .177 Silver Walnut HW35E I bought before any of the incoming or present!

And, should I or anyone know about my involvement to attain 4 HW35E's in both finishes I am unaware of such conversations and disavow any knowledge thereof....