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Weihrauch HW57 FTS

Weihrauch HW57 FTS

When it comes to mechanical action, spring-powered air rifles, Weihrauch are always high on the list of options, due to the quality and varied selection of guns they offer.

It would also be a fair assumption to say that a significant percentage of airgunners will have owned one of the manufacturer’s airguns at one time or another. Granted, in more recent years, due to their massive success in the PCP market, the company’s mechanical models have become overshadowed. However, a company like Weihrauch know the market and have continually offered time-tested springers in upgraded formats, some with silencers and others also resplendent in new stock designs. The first to be upgraded was the HW80KS and HW95KS, which are two rifles that stand right in the middle of the springer roster and have long been hunter favourites.

Then & now

However, flashing back to early in 2000, the company launched a brand new full power, underlever springer called the HW57. Although the rifle was initially received favourably, it never really had the impact most other new models have had when first launched. In hindsight, this could be due to it having an auto-rise breech-loading mechanism, a design that has never really been an attention grabber. Also, the original models came dressed in a plain, nondescript, beech stock.

A few years back, it received a slight facelift due to the action being dressed in a new stock design. This was a move by the company to bring it more in line with its more popular siblings. However, fast forward to the present and the company have gone the whole hog and given the action an impressive upgrade, as well as screw cutting the quality, German manufactured tube for a silencer. So, let’s now get to grips with the latest look and redesignated HW57 FTS (Field Target Silenced).

The Italian job

Manufactured by Italian stock supremos Minelli, the ambidextrous beech woodwork now sports a semi-hog back design and a very well-defined cheekpiece. This is complemented by a nicely contoured, thick, brown rubber butt pad with a black line spacer.

The slim neck has a very slight thumb rest, while the pistol grip curves downward at quite a shallow angle, but the addition of a palm swell ensures an assured hold.

The slender, straight forend has a well-rounded underside and ends with a rounded tip. To aid grip there are stylish, two-piece, part stippled and chequered panels ideally positioned midway on either side of the forend. These also have the company’s logo integrated into the ‘cut’, so to speak. Similar twin configured panels are set on either side of the pistol grip and the woodwork is treated to a deep brown stain and matt lacquer finish, which provides effective protection and helps to reduce the chances of detection in the field.

The stock is now a far better proposition and is both stylish and practical, plus has all the trademark ergonomics of its siblings that sit higher up on the company’s spring-powered roster.

Ironclad

Like certain other Weihrauch springers, the ‘57’ has a set of very useful and now upgraded open sights. The metal rear sight is a much more substantial unit compared to those seen on previous models and a large thumbwheel is used to adjust elevation, while a medium-sized one is used for adjusting windage. The unit is also removable as it clamps to the scope rail rather than being fixed onto the cylinder itself.

This allows it to be moved along the scope rail to give a length of sightline to suit the individual. However, to fit a scope, it needs to be removed. To do this, simply loosen the flat head retaining screw and then slide the unit all the way back and off the rifle’s dovetails.

Coming to the fore

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In relation to the foresight, it’s at this point where we see major feature upgrades and it’s also an area that indicates the rifle now uses the same cocking mechanism and linkage as the HW77K and HW97K models. In fact, the underlever housing is the same unit as found on both the aforementioned rifles. Prior to this, the underlever housing was more, shall we say ‘workmanlike’than the precision-built mechanism used now.

Another change is the ability to remove the raised foresight blade from the rifle. Also, the underlever release button is directly inline and in front of the cocking lever, meaning once depressed it makes direct contact with the sprung lug that keeps the lever in position, making unlatching it far easier.

Incidentally, while looking at this area of the rifle, you can’t fail to notice the barrel now extends beyond the release catch housing. This is because it’s now screw cut to accept a ½” UNF silencer. When not in use, the threads are protected by a metal screw-on cover cap.

Going automatic

The cocking stroke does appear to be less strenuous and much smoother than on previous rifles, so you can definitely feel a change in the rifle mechanics. When fully cocked, the automatic, cross-bolt safety button also engages as it did before and can be seen protruding from the rear left of the cylinder.

Also, at the end of the cocking stroke, the auto-rise breech-loading mechanism (which is the pellet carrier) lifts clear from the cylinder to accept a pellet. This is another area of modification as I noticed the loader doesn’t rise up above the cylinder as much as before, so remains more solid in the housing. There are also two white dots set astride the loading chamber, which help you load in low light conditions and give a visual indication that when you push the carrier back into the action and can’t see the dots - you’ve fully seated it back in the housing.

Safety system

It’s worth mentioning that the pellet carrier can’t be pushed back down to its original, closed position if the rifle is left in the fully cocked/open position. The underlever needs to be returned back to its closed position first. This is an inbuilt ‘safety-system’ that ensures the carrier and pellet seat back into the action precisely, so there’s no possibility of damage to the carrier, plus the pellet lines up perfectly with the bore.

For the rekord

Weihrauch, of course, has fitted their now-legendary Rekord trigger mechanism to the HW57 FTS. The 2-stage adjustable unit is now the industry standard and upon squeezing the well-curved steel blade, shots are released crisp, clean and without a hint of creep. Also, the autosafety works positively and precisely, time after time, complimenting what is still one of the most efficient trigger units for a mechanical action airgun.

Shooting the .22 calibre test rifle open sighted, produced ragged ½” groups at 12 yards, making it a useful tool for close range ratting and feral clearance.

When the time came to assess it at range, I removed the rear sight and fitted a Walther ZF 3-9x40 scope onto the generous run of well-machined dovetails. After setting a 25 yard zero, the new design HW57 FTS proved highly accurate, with the rifle showing itself capable of ragged ¾” groups out to 40 yards.

Highly shootable

Upon shooting the rifle, it showed itself to have a noticeably smoother firing cycle than its predecessor and the recoil was low and manageable. However, as with most lightweight springers, it did display a slight amount of muzzle flip. For those used to mechanical action air rifles, this is very easy to adapt to as long as you get used to letting the rifle breathe in your hold as you shoot. However, for those who’ll fit a silencer, muzzle flip will be all but negated and the muzzle report will also be radically reduced. Though the company HE moderator will fit, I chose a more compact can.

Whichever you opt to fit, ensure it doesn’t foul on the underlever release catch and it should prove a good pairing as balance and handling aren’t unduly affected by any forward weight at this position.

Conclusions

In the past, I’ve tagged the HW57 as a plinking cum introductory level springer, but with the upgrades and modifications, it’s now elevated to a stronger position in Weihrauch’s topquality roster of springers. In fact, for those who mostly shoot targets, the upgrades will be appreciated as the rifle has an easier and more positive cocking action, plus for the traditionalists, it makes for a fine, lightweight, fast handling single-shot hunter.

  • Weihrauch HW57 FTS - image {image:count}

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  • Weihrauch HW57 FTS - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Weihrauch HW57 FTS - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Weihrauch HW57 FTS - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

  • Weihrauch HW57 FTS - image {image:count}

    click on image to enlarge

gun
features

  • Name: Weihrauch HW57 FTS
  • Type: Underlever, Spring & Piston
  • Stock: Ambidextrous Beech Sporter
  • Overall length: 40.1”
  • Barrel Length: 14.2”
  • Weight: 7lbs (un-scoped)
  • Trigger: 2-stage, Adjustable
  • Safety: Automatic
  • Calibre: .177 & .22 calibre
  • Price: £349
  • Contact: Hull Cartridge - www.weihrauch.co.uk
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