Weihrauch HW77 Beech Stock

Given its wonderfully robust design, Weihrauch’s HW77 was always going to stand the test of time; but it does seem hard to believe that this seminal masterpiece has now been produced in one form or another, for over 30-years! I peaked too early, (sad I know!), but I’ll never forget my FT heyday, competing with rebuilt and customized ‘77’s from Airmasters, and they chose this model for good reason.

Imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, and with a plethora of models from rival manufacturers, all utilizing the same fixed barrel configuration, lifted from the ‘77, it’s testament to how this now world famous model ‘got it right first time’.

Cosmetic improvements?

Of course, Weihrauch themselves, wasted no time introducing the factory upgraded version in the form of the ‘97, sporting a silencer assembly as standard; yet the original HW77 still holds much appeal, with a slick specification for the adult shooter. Fixed barrel accuracy as mentioned, under-lever cocking, two-stage trigger, and open sights as standard, is an impressive opener, but as we’ll see, there’s so much more to this legendary sporter.

Stand still in any industry, and sales will soon suffer, so Weihrauch’s next move was always likely to be a major revamp of the HW77’s woodwork. What we have here then on test, is the latest version, complete with the beefed up sporter stock.

The company’s policy is somewhat curious, with walnut stocks only available for certain models, so the ‘77 has to settle for beech timber, finished in a walnut-stained lacquer. The laser cut chequering applied to both the forend and pistol grip, is pretty and functional, although when you consider Weihrauch used to be famous for their super sharp, hand-cut chequering, the latest trend is slightly disappointing. Production costs of course partly dictate the pace of change, and finish to the woodwork overall, is still well above average, with plenty of attractive grain on show.

Configuration, in keeping with current trends, is fully ambidextrous, yet the pronounced cheek piece is particularly distinctive. The pistol grip is more of a compromise, with less of a swell for the palm as more hand-dedicated designs. Feel overall is good though, being that of a well thought out, serious adult sporter! Moving to the forend, the underside has been treated to a more angular spec, similar to the feel of the company’s HW100 PCP, whilst the forend is now transformed, with that ultra sleek, pleasantly angular, yet slimmed down tip.

Action stations

Deep rich chemical bluing is still thankfully something Weihrauch excel at, and the finish and general standard of engineering on show here, is highly impressive. Weihrauch still go to the trouble of fitting open sights to the ‘77, and with that ultra long stretch of scope rail, the rear sight can be slid into a position, affording a super long sight-line. One minor niggle just about worth mentioning concerns the fact that the rear sight was an incredibly tight fit on the dovetails of my test model to the point where I was worried it would scratch the bluing. After a careful oil application and some brute force, the rear assembly finally jerked up the rails, but tense moments! For the record, the sights are fully adjustable via finger wheels, of all metal construction, and of very good quality.

Anyhow, back in the real world, if you really want to persist with open sights on this HW77, you need your head examined, given the raw accuracy potential, just waiting to be harnessed via glassware of some sort!

The foresight bead can be removed incidentally, by simply slackening its central grub screw. I slid a Hawke Airmax 4-12x40 into place, and headed for the range; eager to re-acquaint myself with the pleasures of shooting a ‘77.

Range time

Cocking this HW77K is a pretty easy affair, although my test model did feel a little rough as I completed the stroke. Cocking is achieved by first pressing the springloaded button at the end of the lever, (a far cry from the fiddly and fairly painful sliding catches of early models!) then pulling the lever all the way down until the piston and trigger engage and set. The spring is felt during the cocking cycle, but the lack of effort is to be commended; a testament indeed to the finely weighted internals. With the lever held at all times (good practise with any under-lever with an open breech), a pellet can be pushed flush, directly into the barrel. Close the lever, and then push off the automatic safety button just to the left of the rear of the cylinder. We’re now ready. For the record, and on the matter of safety, Weihrauch fit an internal bear trap mechanism to the ‘77, and whilst these guns cannot be de-cocked, it’s a reassuring feature nonetheless.

Weihrauch’s Rekord trigger is well respected, and whilst I’m not the best at trigger adjustment, I couldn’t resist a counter clockwise tweak of the main adjustment bolt, just behind the blade, to lighten the pull weight. With the release weight nicely reduced, and a slick break overall, I could concentrate on assessing downrange performance. Shooting the HW77 soon revealed quite a lot of spring twang, and the action did feel a little dry and noisy all round- evidence that my test gun was in desperate need of some careful lubrication. That said, recoil is only modest with this model, and anyone with any experience of basic tuning will confirm that time spent in the workshop will simply transform it.

Consistency over the chronograph was excellent, with 12 fps extreme spread (ES) over a 10-shot string using Webley Accupells, and 7 fps ES using Air Arms Diabolo Fields- text book stuff! Kinetic energy came in around 10.8 to 11 ft/lbs, which is safe and plenty enough. But what about all-important accuracy? Well to be honest, it’s very rare that Weihrauch’s on test can’t shoot tight groups and thankfully, this ‘77 proved well up to scratch. Tight clusters a little over a ¼” centre-to-centre, shot from an over arm FT stance, proved highly satisfying, and proof that, if I did my bit, this classic sporter would do the rest.

Pedigree

It’s no coincidence that HW77’s have won more than their fair share of silverware in FT/ HFT style outdoor competitions worldwide, and this landmark air rifle continues this distinguished lineage. I enjoyed spending time with this old friend, and it’s heartening to see it maintain its position in Weihrauch’s product list over such a period of time

Modern vandalism in the form of the safety text, literally stamped into the metalwork at the rear of the cylinder, still mars every one of these models to leave the factory. But as they say ‘get over it’ and this latest HW77 is not only a thing of beauty, but one of the most respected sporting airguns on the planet.

Whether a serious hunting rifle or a super accurate model destined for Hunter Field Target shooting, the ‘77 has the top notch performance to take it all in its stride.