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Weirhrauch HW100KT Laminate

Weirhrauch HW100KT Laminate

Since its launch over a decade ago, there’s no disputing the fact that the Weihrauch HW100 has been a huge success. Yep, they got it right with the first roll of the dice. Over the years they’ve capitalised on its popularity by offering other variants including a dedicated HFT single-shot model – the HW101. Many airgun enthusiasts will know them all, especially as most have had so much coverage in the shooting press. Those being the ‘KT’ (carbine) designated models in thumbhole or full-length ‘S’ sporter stock, not forgetting the last option I tested – that being the ‘original’ Laminate design. I say this as the ‘L’ model available now has had quite a re-vamp to make it more appealing to those who like furniture that offers a ‘bit of adjustment.’ However, the devil’s in the detail – because combined with the obvious alterations are some subtle modifications that put it at the top of the tree!

Blended & Amended

The stock is in the same black, brown and grey Autumn Forest colouration, which combine to give an attractive camo-like finish. This is more striking at the butt and it’s this area that shows the most modifications from its predecessor! Still ambidextrous, it wisely retains that familiar over large thumbhole, but the once workmanlike semi-hogs back design is replaced by a very generously sized, well-defined, height and lateral adjusting butt-pad. This design cuts the cheekpiece approximately two-thirds the way down at the point it can be raised up from the stock.

Shoulder fit is now catered for by a sliding, heightadjustable, slim rubber buttpad, while the pistol grip drops down steeply, with a generous amount of aggressive stippling.

The screws that allow you to adjust the cheekpiece are found on the right hand side deeply recessed into the wood.

The ability to adjust it laterally comes into play depending on the size of optic you wish to use. If you prefer a bigger scope, you’ll really appreciate this, as it allows you to set the optic further back on the action and still have a comfortable head position. Also, the overall weight is felt at the shoulder or more towards the middle. This ensures handling is spot on for ease of shouldering and taking freehand shots.

The forend is nicely proportioned, having a flat underside that tapers forwards to end in a practical, angled back tip. There are finger grooves on either side too, which do aid your supporting hand position. At the top of the grip are mini shelves, allowing the trigger finger to comfortably rest alongside on its way to make contact with the blade. The generous amount of aggressive stippling and the chunky proportions of the pistol grip’s palm swell offer a solid hold, which transfers over to give a superb platform for optimum control.

 

Slick Action

Obviously, the superb metalwork and operation of the side-lever action hasn’t changed – the air reservoir with large forward facing ‘manometer’ is still detachable, so it can be filled on or off gun! For on-gun filing a quick fill probe (supplied) inserts into the fill point at the front of the reservoir, which when not in use is protected by a large easy grip insert plug. From a recommended 200-bar fill you can expect approximately 50 shots in .177, 70 in the .20 calibre as per rifle on test and 75 in .22 calibre. Yes, I did say .20 calibre and my views on this will be expressed as I conclude the test!

The side-lever action that runs the 14-shot removable rotary magazine is still in my opinion the best of its kind on any production multi-shot PCP! A feature that when it first appeared helped endear this type of cocking lever to the general airgun shooting public. It’s impressively engineered and as expected, works faultlessly.

To recap on operation, for cocking and loading, the side-lever first needs to be pulled fully rearward. To access the removable magazine, you then need to slide back the retaining catch found on the right of the action block, just behind the magazine’s housing. Then the big, metal drum can easily be lifted clear from the action. After thumbing pellets into the chambers, you simply place it back into its housing, slide the retaining catch forward and return the side-lever to its original position, whereby it probes a pellet directly into the top quality 12.2-inch tube.

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A feature not often mentioned, but one that should be praised, is you can’t doubleload the gun! After cocking and loading, a repeat action of the cocking lever doesn’t index the magazine until the rifle has been fired; I wish more multishots had a similar system!

The semi-free floating tube is also held and secured at the front by a chunky barrel band. This has a synthetic O-ring that protects the barrel from knocks, adds extra strength but doesn’t affect the semi-floating nature; therefore accuracy is kept to the highest possible level.

 

Grade School

Like the cocking mechanism, the rifle’s 2-stage, adjustable, match grade trigger mechanism, with manual safety is a superb unit. The black anodised alloy trigger blade is ideally sized and ergonomically shaped, affording a very comfortable finger fit.

The manual, trigger safety lever operates positively and is positioned on the right and at the rear of the action block. Push forward and you put the rifle into FIRE mode, indicated by a red dot clearly visible on the side of the block. Reversing this movement sets it back to SAFE, also concealing the red dot and exposing a white one. Incidentally, the safety can only be operated, and indeed only functions, when the rifle is cocked.

Another feature that is of equal quality and ability is the now widely acclaimed ‘HE’ (High Efficiency) Silencer already spun onto the tube’s screw cut muzzle. Upon firing it tames muzzle report to a mere whisper, a phrase often used but in this instance very true, as the rifle is one of the quietest carbine-sized PCPs on the market!

For scope fitting, you have a lengthy run of railed action block with no protruding magazine to potentially foul on a scope body tube. For the test and to aid precision shooting, I fitted an MTC 5 - 20 x 50 EVX scope, a substantially sized optic and the ability to slide the cheekpiece rearward allowed me to tailor the balance of the rifle, so handling wasn’t compromised in the slightest. After setting a 30-yard zero using JSB Exact Diablo 13.74-grain pellets, the rifle printed some stunning groups, with my best score card producing a clover-leaf .20 calibre (5mm) sized hole at 35 yards. I’ve always favoured the flatter trajectory characteristics of this calibre in FAC-power levels and I must admit I liked what this size slug is capable of doing fired from this 12 ft/lb (off-ticket) air rifle.

We all know the argument for a regulated, over a nonregulated rifle but the HW100’s superb internal self-regulating valve system makes a mockery of thinking a rifle is made more accurate if it has one fitted. Fact of the matter is it just makes them more consistent and air efficient. Having said that, with the groups I was attaining, shot to shot consistency is certainly not an issue here.

 

Conclusion

To the many hunters who already have a model of HW100 in their armoury, I’d say consider adding a second. Specifically, in this stock option and in the much misunderstood .20 calibre. I say this as in my opinion the .20 definitely fills a niche in the armoury in both 12ft/lbs and in FACrated power levels. In fact, I now prefer this calibre when shooting at night ‘off-ticket’ with lamp or NV scope due to the flatter, more forgiving trajectory, plus the harder hit it imparts at the target.

But that’s an article in itself, because in relation to the HW100KT L on test, you can’t fail to be impressed by the very attractive stock’s ability to be tailored for not only shoulder fit but the fact you can move the height adjustable cheekpiece fore or aft depending on the optic used. As for handling, balance, accuracy, operation and performance, you’re looking at a multi-shot PCP air rifle that in my opinion has currently few rivals. Though considering a totally new multi-shot PCP is due for imminent launch by the company, who knows what’s on the horizon?

PRICE: SRP £916, inc. 2x magazines, 2x fill adaptors and air reservoir ‘bleed’ unit
OPTIONAL EXTRAS: Single-Shot Loading Clip SRP, £54 specifically for.20.
CONTACT: Hull Cartridge Co 01482 342 756, www.hullcartridge.co.uk

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gun
features

  • Model: Weihrauch HW100KT Laminate
  • Type: Side-lever action PCP
  • Capacity: 14 (DM)
  • Stock: Laminate thumbhole ‘adjustable cheekpiece and butt pad’ carbine sporter
  • Sights: N
  • Grooved for scope mounting: Y
  • Length: 37.75-inches including silencer
  • Barrel: 12.2-inches
  • Weight: 6.8lbs un-scoped
  • Trigger: 2-stage, adjustable, match grade
  • Safety: Manual
  • Calibre: .177 and .22 (special order .20 calibre on test)
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