• The AGN App is ready! Search "Airgun Nation" in your App store. To compliment this new tech we've assigned the "Threads" Feed & "Dark" Mode. To revert back click HERE.

HW/Weihrauch New to the group HW35 repair help

Jump to latest Follow Reply
T

Toolferone

Member
Oct 27, 2023
3
5
Raleigh, NC, USA
Hello all! I have owned a HW35 for about 25 years. I just found it was made in 1979 according to their website. I had not shot it in a long time and when I went to shoot it this weekend the breech seal was toast, easy replacement I think. I decided to take it apart to check the rest of it out. I was surprised at how much grease there was in it. How much grease should there be? Turns out my main spring is broke too! It has the leather seal that looks in good shape. Definitely not dry with all the grease on it. First time tearing it down. Don't have the history before me. I added the RWS 3 x9 x 40 scope and Beeman muzzle brake (as a handle) a long time ago.

I am ordering what I need from Airguns of Arizona and they offer a Napier VP90 & Walther grease. Thoughts? What else do I need to know?

DCP_5283.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hold_Over, .20calguy and maxtrouble
I'd order the synthetic seal conversion kit and breach seal from Vortek. As far as the spring goes, an ARH kit is hard to beat.

As far as how much grease goes that really depends who was in there last. With a decent spring and guides you really don't need a ton. From the factory (at least on the new ones) it varies depending on who was putting it together. I've had some show up pretty dry and others show up greased for a lifetime.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Toolferone and bf1956
Upvote 0
specie said:
...interesting variation, not an walnut "export" model, but also not a beech "standard" model stock?...nice airgun...
Click to expand...
The OP's rifle is the second-generation "Luxus" stock (HW 35L). Called the "Monte Carlo" stock back in the day, as opposed to the earlier "Bayern" style earlier 35L as seen in this pic:

IMG_0527.jpeg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bf1956, .20calguy, maxtrouble and 3 others
Upvote 0
Sqwirl57 said:
I'd order the synthetic seal conversion kit and breach seal from Vortek. As far as the spring goes, an ARH kit is hard to beat.

As far as how much grease goes that really depends who was in there last. With a decent spring and guides you really don't need a ton. From the factory (at least on the new ones) it varies depending on who was putting it together. I've had some show up pretty dry and others show up greased for a lifetime.
Click to expand...
I respectfully disagree on the piston seal. Newer 35's with synthetic seals use a 3mm transfer port; the older leather ones have a 4mm port. If the leather seal is in good shape I'd clean it up, lube it, and stick it back in there. It will shoot a hair slower than with a plastic seal, but be a lot more nicely behaved, and basically last forever.

Older HW's typically had a HUGE bunch of brown factory grease inside!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Joshua777, bf1956, .20calguy and 5 others
Upvote 0
Since this is a 35L family reunion now I'll share my '75 35L too. It still amazes me how well these nearly 50yr old guns look and shoot.

20231013_165425.jpg



MDriskill said:
I respectfully disagree on the piston seal. Newer 35's with synthetic seals use a 3mm transfer port; the older leather ones have a 4mm port. If the leather seal is in good shape I'd clean it up, lube it, and stick it back in there. It will shoot a hair slower than with a plastic seal, but be a lot more nicely behaved, and basically last forever.

Older HW's typically had a HUGE bunch of brown factory grease inside!
Click to expand...

And I will respectfully stand corrected. Thanks for the info. I wasn't aware that the leather seals made that much of a difference in feel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mj102, .20calguy, maxtrouble and 1 other person
Upvote 0
Toolferone said:
Lots of great information. I didn’t know any of this. I appreciate everybody’s input. I’m inclined to keep the leather seal, clean everything up and put a lighter coat of grease since that is what the leather is saturated with. I assume I’m OK using the synthetic breech seal?
Click to expand...
If you look at like YouTube for example there's a guy or two that show how to make up a new leather airgun seal ..

Maybe worth trying to make your own on a gun that has them ..
 
  • Like
Reactions: MDriskill
Upvote 0
MDriskill said:
It's the second-generation "Luxus" stock (HW 35L). Called the "Monte Carlo" stock back in the day, as opposed to the earlier "Bayern" style earlier 35L.

View attachment 400524
Click to expand...
They might have called that a Monte Carlo but isn't a Monte Carlo.
A Monte Carlo has a step in the comb. Allows more drop while maintaining a high comb. A raised cheek piece is optional. Interestingly, they were developed for shotguns.
A straight comb with a cheek piece is what Goudy was famous for.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Toolferone
Upvote 0
MDriskill said:
I respectfully disagree on the piston seal. Newer 35's with synthetic seals use a 3mm transfer port; the older leather ones have a 4mm port. If the leather seal is in good shape I'd clean it up, lube it, and stick it back in there. It will shoot a hair slower than with a plastic seal, but be a lot more nicely behaved, and basically last forever.

Older HW's typically had a HUGE bunch of brown factory grease inside!
Click to expand...
This is mostly spot on. Except it will likely shoot slower with a synthetic seal. Well unless you're sloppy with the lube and or damage the seal.

The oil leather seals needed and used back then dieseled quite a bit. The transfer port was deliberately sized (large by today's standards) to compensate for the unavoidable dieseling. It reduces the pressure spike that causes excessive dieseling and detonation. In proper form leather sealed guns still get a good bit of power from dieseling.

A properly assembled synthetic sealed gun should have almost no dieseling. Between losing the dieseling and the additional lost volume of the larger transfer port you'll likely lose energy switching to a synthetic seal. Possibly quite a bit. I agree with MrDriskill, keep it leather.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MDriskill, Toolferone and Bear-of-Grayling
Upvote 0
KWK said:
They might have called that a Monte Carlo but isn't a Monte Carlo.
A Monte Carlo has a step in the comb. Allows more drop while maintaining a high comb. A raised cheek piece is optional. Interestingly, they were developed for shotguns.
A straight comb with a cheek piece is what Goudy was famous for.
Click to expand...

Apparently the wording in my previous post was confusing. It is of course the OP's rifle which has the later "Monte Carlo" HW 35 Luxus stock.

The picture I posted above shows the earlier "Bayern" HW 35 Luxus stock: slight hogsback comb, rounded grip, and distinctive "stretched hexagon" cheekpiece shape. (Pic above also has a 35 Export. The stock profile is similar to the Bayern, but detailed with a flat-bottom grip, shallow "American" cheekpiece - HW's term - and thin contrasting-color spacers at the buttplate and grip cap).

An interesting bit of trivia is that the HW 35 and original version of the HW 50, have different diameter receiver tubes, but the length, and spacing of the two main mounting screws, are the same. This allowed them to share stocks that had very similar external shapes and dimensions.

Here is a walnut HW 35 L Bayern, with a beech HW 50 Bayern stock below.

IMG_8952.jpeg



And here is a later HW 50 with the Monte Carlo stock, again in beech (and dumbed-down further sans grip checkering). This wood was an upgrade option in Europe, but Beeman used it on all his "HW 50S" guns for a couple years. It was replaced in his catalog by the "R8," with the Goudy-inspired stock (and plastic piston seal and safety).

IMG_0932.jpeg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bf1956, fishing43, TXRMike and 4 others
Upvote 0
Hi... anyone with a source for replacement breech seals.

Mine is synthetic, factory original from way back when. Gun purchased in 1985 in Germany and sat un-used for many years. Recently started shooting it again. Runs fine, but seems the velocity is inconsistent and seeing odd wear on the breech seal. It is uneven and have (serrations). Not a lot of experience with airgun maintenance. It could be just fine... just thinking like oil in a car, won't hurt to put a fresh one in.

I posted a new thread asking for a vendor that won't charge more than twice the cost of the part for postage. Can continue the discussion there or will monitor this for maintenance and repair info.

Oh.. I do have a lathe and somewhat handy at making round parts and drilling holes... is a leather breech seal something I should look at doing later as an "upgrade" ????

Thaks

Bob H
Tacoma WA
 
Upvote 0
MOSOSODBOB said:
Hi... anyone with a source for replacement breech seals.

Mine is synthetic, factory original from way back when. Gun purchased in 1985 in Germany and sat un-used for many years. Recently started shooting it again. Runs fine, but seems the velocity is inconsistent and seeing odd wear on the breech seal. It is uneven and have (serrations). Not a lot of experience with airgun maintenance. It could be just fine... just thinking like oil in a car, won't hurt to put a fresh one in.

I posted a new thread asking for a vendor that won't charge more than twice the cost of the part for postage. Can continue the discussion there or will monitor this for maintenance and repair info.

Oh.. I do have a lathe and somewhat handy at making round parts and drilling holes... is a leather breech seal something I should look at doing later as an "upgrade" ????

Thaks

Bob H
Tacoma WA
Click to expand...
Postage is expensive. $2-$3 for a padded envelope plus a few dollars in actual postage adds up quick. Unless you can find it on Amazon, nobody is going to ship a small low profit part for free. For stuff like this I try to buy several things at once to spread out the shipping costs
 
  • Like
Reactions: MOSOSODBOB
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu