Weihrauch HW55

[kingfisher61]

Saw an HW55 sell at auction recently for 735.00. Nothing special about it...didn't even have sites. They are getting more expensive and more difficult to acquire. It's easy to understand why.
To cock it requires very little effort. To shoot it well requires you to do your part because it surely does its part. It's like driving a high end automobile. You can feel the quality with every motion. From flipping the lock latch and pulling the barrel down with ease til it clicks to set, then close it up like a bank vault. All while looking oh so refined.
I enjoyed an afternoon on my range with my 55 today thanks to seeing that auction. It's a great old rifle with a 4 digit serial number. Always brings a smile to my face.

 

[beerthief]

thanks nice thoughts nicely written think ill shoot mine today

 

[Sqwirl57]

Beautiful and really that price isn't too hateful for what it is. I absolutely love shooting mine. You pick it up, load it, and expect a bit of the typical recoil that never actually comes. They're just an absolute pleasure to shoot all around.

Congrats!

 

[cahil_2]

Double set trigger.

 

[Bear-of-Grayling]

Those dbl triggers are to cool!

 

[SteveP-52]

And wipe some more drool off the keyboard. Maybe I should invest in some cling wrap...lol.

 

[kingfisher61]

Beautiful and really that price isn't too hateful for what it is. I absolutely love shooting mine. You pick it up, load it, and expect a bit of the typical recoil that never actually comes. They're just an absolute pleasure to shoot all around.

Congrats!

Sqwirl

I believe that we are on the same page! My 55 is a hoot to shoot. Yes guys....the double triggers are certainly an added bonus. Some say the trigger unit is worth as much as a regular rifle!!!

 

[KWK]

That would be a lot for a sport model but it was an M with a barrel sleeve.

 

[Squidder]

Outstanding Rifle!

 

[maxtrouble]

That set trigger must be incredible. Did not know Weihrauch made one. Beautiful rifle.

 

[kingfisher61]

That set trigger must be incredible. Did not know Weihrauch made one. Beautiful rifle.

Thanks Max and Squidder!!! It literally took me over 30 years to get my hands on the DST55. They're out there....but difficult to obtain.

 

[Beeman22]

A beauty, John. Question - what's the story with the front sight - it doesn't look like the typical hooded Weihrauch unit you'd expect to see, especially on a gun with a diopter

 

[muddydogz]

Kf61, I like the stock configuration on your rifle. I think if mine weren't a tyrolean stock, i would like it better than i do. My fat head doesn't gel well with it, lol. I know someone said it was designed more for standing shooting which i rarely do but from a rest it is not optimal. Anyways, i do like looking at the hw pics and have learned more about them than i ever thought i would.

 

[kingfisher61]

A beauty, John. Question - what's the story with the front sight - it doesn't look like the typical hooded Weihrauch unit you'd expect to see, especially on a gun with a diopter

Shareef
The sites are original to the rifle. Here's a picture from Vintage Air Guns where it's evident on another.

 

[muddydogz]

Are all of the sight configurations from the factory or did they source out for sights? Seems like there were multiple different variants. Were they special order or an upgrade from hw?

 

[Trunion]

Good Score... Congrats!

 

[r1lover]

Very cool gun John.

One of the rewarding things about owning classic spring guns is we can indulge our passion without taking a financial shellacking when we sell. I've recited this rationale to my wife often enough that she no longer scolds me when I say "Um......I bought a gun......" lol!

 

[wijib]

Saw an HW55 sell at auction recently for 735.00. Nothing special about it...didn't even have sites. They are getting more expensive and more difficult to acquire. It's easy to understand why.
To cock it requires very little effort. To shoot it well requires you to do your part because it surely does its part. It's like driving a high end automobile. You can feel the quality with every motion. From flipping the lock latch and pulling the barrel down with ease til it clicks to set, then close it up like a bank vault. All while looking oh so refined.
I enjoyed an afternoon on my range with my 55 today thanks to seeing that auction. It's a great old rifle with a 4 digit serial number. Always brings a smile to my face.

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View attachment 349030

Since restoring my 55M I really have not shot it much. Going to remedy that. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on perhaps the best break barrel that Weihrauch ever made. I'll probably buy a Gehman adjustable iris for the rear sight because of these "old eyes".

 

[r1lover]

MDriskill's posts made me buy this one a dozen or more years ago. A quantum leap down from being "R1lover" it set a different course for me with spring guns. The combination of finger grooves, no accessory rail and a cheek piece make this one unusual. The addition of an adjustable butt pad makes it sublime to shoulder. Grateful for the nudge, Mike.

 

[MDriskill]

A beauty, John. Question - what's the story with the front sight - it doesn't look like the typical hooded Weihrauch unit you'd expect to see, especially on a gun with a diopter

The HW 55 was made for almost half a century starting in the early 1950's, along with different stocks, etc. There were countless evolutionary changes, especially in its early days, and Kingfisher61's gun is a very early one. The fixed-post front sight is correct, and also note the much shorter threaded rear section, cast metal buttplate, side screws in the fore end, longer heavier barrel, and different trigger guard. And many other subtle detail diffs if you look closely.

Here's a selection of HW 55 front sights. Left to right in order of age:
+ Fixed blade in transverse dovetail, same as in the OP. These came with a snap-on hood which often gets lost.
+ Later sight with interchangeable milled posts, this one still has its hood. This gun is also a DST, and I've never seen another sight exactly like this on a 55.
+ Another version of the interchangeable post version, again with a missing hood. This one was used for some years.
+ The first style of tunnel sight with flat metal inserts. There were some variations in height with these, but note the low rectangular mounting dovetail. They use the same inserts as later sights, but the mounting rails are much narrower.
+ The taller tunnel sight with trapezoidal dovetail, standardized by the early 1960's and by far the most commonly seen today of course. The mounting rails are about 9mm, which allows contemporary examples of some other brands to be mounted, including Anschutz.

Here's a detail of the neat milled posts (note the retaining screw at the front). Other makes of guns at the time used these too.