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Weihrauch HW80KS

Weihrauch HW80KS

Like many other ‘older’ airgunners I grew up in an age when Weihrauch springers, such as the underlever action HW77 and break-barrel action HW80 including the ‘K’ designated carbine versions of both, ruled the roost. The former for spring powered F.T. competition and the 80 for hunting. While the FT boys were having the HW77 chopped and tuned, young guns (as I was at the time) saved money from our first pay packets to purchase the HW80K that we thought must be the ultimate air rifle for knocking down live quarry – its appeal boosted by it being advertised as The Powerhouse. In actuality, it wasn’t more powerful than any other good quality 12ft lb legal limit air rifle available at the time but lived up to expectation as it was robust, reliable and very accurate.

Quite a long-winded introduction but I feel a reminder of its origins pertinent as it illustrates just how influential and revered the HW80 and 80K have long been with the hunting fraternity. Since its launch it’s only had a few slight changes, mainly the stock design was modified and given what has countless times been referred to as a high Monte Carlo-style cheekpiece. However when Weihrauch developed their top performing HE (High Efficiency) Silencer for their very first multi-shot PCP, the HW100, we saw some of their more popular mechanical action air rifles having their barrels screw cut and being offered with the company’s silencer already screwed up-front. Most I’ve tested, but this is the first time I’ve test driven the Powerhouse variant, designated as the HW80KS; here are my views

Changes

The ambidextrous dark brown stained beech wood stock is now far sleeker in profile than I remember and that once high cheekpiece so often referred to has also been altered. It now sports a full yet medium-height cheekpiece with a brown rubber buttpad and black line spacer. The pistol grip also seems to have been modified feeling less ‘deep’ than its predecessors and it’s also acquired a shallower rake. A design some will appreciate but I feel equally as many, especially those such as myself who have had experience of older models of 80 will find unusual but not impossible to adapt to. Deep-cut checkering is also applied to the grip seen as two large panels set either side and while the relatively lengthy slab sided forend still retains a nicely curved underside it’s still bereft of any such grip aid. Due to recently testing the HW99S which now does have checkering on the forend, I found this omission a tad strange but during test I didn’t feel the stock wanting in this department because it handles and balances so well that you’re not continually searching for a sure leading handhold. Also, as it weighs in at a healthy 8.9lbs un-scoped, with the weight being felt slightly more towards the forward section of the stock – this also helps the rifle feel more secure in your leading hand.

Unlike the standard and carbine variants the HW80KS omits open sights – now you might think someone such as me who’s been brought up shooting open-sighted air rifles would be the first to criticise the rifle for this but that’s not an issue. Reason being you can purchase the other versions of the rifle or as the company have developed an HE silencer that’s specifically designed to fit the HW77 and 77K model as an optional extra without affecting the sightline of their irons so that’s another route you can take.

Leverage

Although the barrel has been chopped to a length of 12.2 inches (approximately 2 inches less than the carbine variant) with the added length of the silencer which doubles up as a useful cocking aid the rifle unlatches at the breech very easily and also doesn’t take as much heft to cock due to the extra leverage the silencer offers. However, the downside is the HE is quite a lengthy mod resulting in the 80KS being 44.8 inches in overall length so it’s definitely what you’d term an adult-sized sporter. However when suitably scoped up it doesn’t feel unwieldy in the hold.

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At the end of the cocking stroke you can feel the quality of the German engineering as the trigger sears engage very positively and the familiar automatic safety button pops out from the left of the air cylinder positioned slightly behind and above the trigger unit. The breech uses a large wedge shape détente lock and chunky breech seal to ensure an air tight seal when you’ve thumbed a pellet directly into the breech and returned the barrel to the closed position.

Incidentally, as there’s no anti-beartrap mechanism it can be de-cocked if required by simply pushing in the protruding safety button while holding the barrel in the cocked position, squeeze the trigger and allow the barrel to return (under control of your hold) to the closed position.

This scope-only rifle has quite a lengthy run of deep well-cut dovetails, with the addition of three scope mount stud arrestor holes to prevent scope creep. Now it was while scoping up I became aware of the change in height of the cheekpiece. Reason being I initially fitted a scope with a 50mm objective lens in high mounts and to obtain a correct eye-scope sightline my head was only just touching the top of the comb. To combat this I fitted a more modest Hawke Airmax EV 4-12x40AO in medium mounts which suited the rifle to a T and made the combo feel far more comfortable on aim. After setting a 25 yard zero I was soon making 5/8 inch groups and pushing out to 40 yards the rifle was still capable of making kill-zone size groupings using quality ammo.

Obviously the legendary Rekord trigger unit aids accuracy, a 2-stage fully adjustable unit that is still classed by many as the industry standard by which other similar trigger mechanisms for a springer are judged. The nicely curved steel blade is ridged at the front to give a more positive trigger feel and releases shot after shot without a hint of creep.

Recoil is certainly lower than many would expect only being felt as a slight nudge in the shoulder and the HE silencer does a very worthy job of deadening muzzle report.

Conclusion

There’s now a very wide selection of springers available with integral silencers fitted and equally as many available with standard ½ inch UNF screw cut muzzles to accept virtually any top-quality can. Obviously one of the main selling points of the HW80KS is the addition of the HE Silencer not forgetting of course the rifles rugged reliability and inherent high level of accuracy. To sum up I’d say the HW80KS is a no-frills workhorse that’ll suit the more traditional airgun hunter who can appreciate its pedigree, quality of build and also requires a spring powered air rifle that comes with one of the finest silencers on the market.

PRICE: £396
CONTACT: Hull Cartridge Co, 01482 342 571, www.hullcartridge.co.uk

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  • Weihrauch HW80KS - image {image:count}

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  • Weihrauch HW80KS - image {image:count}

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  • Weihrauch HW80KS - image {image:count}

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  • Weihrauch HW80KS - image {image:count}

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  • Weihrauch HW80KS - image {image:count}

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gun
features

  • Model: Weihrauch HW80KS
  • Type: Single-Shot, Break-Barrel, Spring & Piston
  • Stock: Beech wood sporter
  • Sights: None fitted but grooved for scope mounting
  • Overall length: 44.8 inches
  • Barrel length: 12.2 inches
  • Weight: 8.4lbs
  • Calibre : .22 on test, .177 available
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