The Weihrauch HW77 is, and has been for decades, one of the most accurate springer air rifles available. Combine that accuracy with an outstanding build quality and you’ll understand why this underlever air rifle still is extremely popular.
This is why the HW77 is up there with the best
Ever since its introduction in 1984, the Weihrauch HW77 has been a staggering success. Its extreme accuracy was a real gamechanger too. The timing of its release was perfect, as in 1980 the Field Target airgun sporting discipline came to fruit in Great Britain, taking the world by storm. This very popular sport saw airgunners shooting on tiny holes in folding targets at varying distances, while taking aim from different stances. The air rifle that soon ended up time and time again in the top rankings was the HW77. It was the one to have if you would want to stand any chance.
The accuracy and reliability that the HW77 displayed were outstanding, placing it firmly amongst the best airguns available. And even today, it still is one of the very best springer air rifles you can get. Eventually, the PCP came along, offering easier accuracy as it lacks the vibrations of a springer. However, anyone skilled in shooting with a spring powered airgun, can go head to head with PCP shooters. That’s how good this Weihrauch is. And the skill involved of mastering a springer air rifle is still very attractive for many airgunners.
This makes an HW77 so accurate
The legendary accuracy of the HW77 comes down to multiple factors, amongst them its great reliability. Weihrauch is well-known for focussing on quality, rather than quantity. The HW77 is built with care, making for minimal tolerances and a construction that in many aspects is quite over-engineered. This makes it accurate, reliable, durable and rather hefty too. But that weight is also a factor of importance, as the mass inertia absorbs a part of the recoil and spring vibrations. This all adds to the accuracy.
Weihrauch has a reputation for producing high quality barrels and the fact the HW77 barrel is rigidly fixed to the action, adds another level of accuracy. When the HW77 was introduced, underlever air rifles featured many different pellet feed systems, such as rotating breeches. The HW77 however, features a sliding compression chamber that slides back when the piston is cocked, enabling you to directly feed the pellet into the barrel breech. This reduces the risk of pellet deformation and also helps you seat the pellet perfectly. As soon as the cocking lever is returned to its resting position, the sliding chamber returns home, sealing the breech. This brilliant system is now common on most underlever airguns.
Another important factor that has pushed the Weihrauch HW77’s performance, is the Rekord trigger. This renowned trigger is regarded by many as the best springer airgun trigger around. The 2-stage trigger is fully adjustable and very refined. It can be adjusted to offer a very light and crisp break.
While the design of the trigger is more than half a century old, it still is very relevant and has even often been copied by others.
A Weihrauch HW77 really is the sum of its parts, resulting in one of the best springer air rifles available. And that’s quite an accomplishment, considering the fact it has been around for many decades. It’s the reason why the HW77 has gathered quite a loyal following. Even airgunners who have subjected themselves to the comforting ease of PCP air rifles, often desire another HW77 as they miss the simplicity and character of a springer air rifle and some of them also secretly long for the charm of open sights again too.
What do you get when buying an HW77?
The Weihrauch HW77 is available as a standard air rifle, but can also be bought as an HW77 K, which is the ten centimetres shorter carbine version. Being shorter, the weight distribution changes slightly with the centre of mass a bit more to the rear.
An HW77 comes with open sights. The rear sight is micro adjustable in elevation and windage, while a small rotating plate offers you four different notches. The rear sight is mounted on an 11 mm dovetail rail, that can also be used to mount a rifle scope. If you do, it’s good to know there are three arrestor holes that’ll firmly secure the rear mount to stop recoil from shifting it. With three of these holes, you’ll always be able to set the correct eye relief.
Of course, the HW77 features a safety, which is automatically activated as soon as you cock the air rifle. By pushing a pin on the rear of the action, the safety can be taken off again to take your shot. As an extra measure of safety when cocking and loading the HW77, there’s another mechanism blocking the trigger blade as soon as the cocking lever is freed from its resting position. Only when the lever is clicked back in place, the safety mechanism releases the trigger blade. Naturally, the normal safety is then still on.
This is why you should buy a Weihrauch HW77
Owning an HW77, means you’re owning one of the best springer air rifles available. It’s not only the accuracy and consistency that make this Weihrauch very good, it’s also the quality German engineering that makes this air rifle last a lifetime. It’s a really good investment. And as the HW77 is the blueprint for any modern underlever springer airgun, it is an absolute classic too. Still very much at the top of its game, if we may add.
