JOYS OF A LOW-POWERED, SPRINGER AIR RIFLE
Weihrauch HW30 wins the day
IN a world where affordable air rifles claim to propel pellets at velocities of up to 1 250fps and have energy in excess of 20ft.lbs, why would anyone spend north of R5 000 on a spring-powered air rifle that shoots a .177 pellet at around 600fps and generates a paltry 6ft.lbs? The answer is simple: low-powered springers are fun! And after years of airgun ‘magnumitus’ I have finally came to my senses.
Spring and gas piston-powered airguns are widely considdifficult ered the most rifles to shoot well. And the more powerful, the more cantankerous they are. They squirm, are wildly twitchy, and twist enthusiastically. Often, they are so hold-sensitive that only a tiny positional change or a slightly different cheek-weld sends a pellet off target.
In addition, magnum springers recoil violently, something many find hard to believe. When the trigger is pulled a powerful spring drives a heavy piston forward, compressing air in the chamber so the pellet can be driven down the barrel. This causes the rifle to recoil backwards, but almost instantly the motion is reversed when the piston comes to a sudden halt on a cushion of compressed air and reverses direction, then recoiling forward, the torque twisting the rifle.
The effect of these forces on telescopic sights is brutal and can be catastrophic. Magnum air rifles will destroy even the most expensive rifle scopes – scopes that will happily digest all the recoil that the most powerful powder-burner will dish up. If the optic is not rated for a spring-powered air rifle, it can be broken in fewer than ten shots! So, if you decide to fit a scope to your ‘boinger’, make sure it is springer-rated, and that you get the correct mounts.
Despite marketing claims, a springer will not reach velocities of 1 000fps or more with normal lead pellets. These dizzying speeds are reached by using light-weight, non-lead alloy pellets that weigh around 35% less than standard lead pellets. The accuracy of these projectiles can be spotty at best, with many reports claiming it is impossible to hit a barn door with them – even when locked inside the barn! The fact is, magnum-rated air rifles are seldom necessary.
In the United Kingdom, non-licensed air rifles must, by law, generate less than 12ft.lbs of energy, yet countless thousands of rabbits and pigeons are humanely harvested with them. Then there are Field Target shooters who display mind-blowing accuracy at ranges up to 50m, also using sub-12ft.lbs rifles.
Springers are not about power, and no matter how much you try, you cannot turn one into a .22 rimfire. Quality spring-powered air rifles are all about surgical precision and the ability to deliver a pellet with pinpoint accuracy. A lead pellet is generally most accurate when kept at velocities below 800fps.
What I wanted was an easy-to-shoot springer my wife could easily cock, that was deadly accurate, and could be shot all day in the backyard. I live on a small farm with no neighbours nearby. Shooting in your backyard may not be possible (or legal), but a low-powered springer and a suitable pellet trap will let you shoot indoors. Enter the Weihrauch HW30 air rifle. This little gem ticks all the boxes. It puts a permanent smile on my face, is hard to put down, and makes it easy to shoot hundreds
of pellets a day. Produced in Germany, and unchanged for over 50 years, the HW30 is light.
Mine, with a Hawke 4x32 scope, tips the scales at only 3.3 kg. It is smaller than ‘adult’ air rifles, but similar in size to many rimfire rifles. In addition, it is fitted with the famous Rekord trigger that can be adjusted down to a few ounces.
The rifle is astoundingly accurate. At 10 metres, with my arm braced against a wall for stability, I put five shots into the same ragged hole. I even attempted to split a playing card held sideways. It took me three shots to cut the seven of spades, and to say I was chuffed is an understatement. That playing card now resides on the wall above my desk and, every time I look at it, I smile.
At 30 metres the rifle lands pellets in a 25mm group but beyond that it runs out of puff. This airgun is not, and never was intended to be a hunting rifle, but who cares? It splendidly does what it is designed to do – accurately punch holes in tiny paper targets.
Being so cheap to shoot, it is also an excellent training tool. It instructs in trigger and breath control, finding a natural point of aim and repeatable cheek weld and, because the pellet moves so slowly down the barrel, it teaches follow through. These are all techniques required to become a good rifleman. But don’t take my word for it. Simply consider the fact that the US Army Marksmanship Unit, a group of some of the best competition shooters around, use air rifles for a large part of their practice. If you can shoot a spring-powered air rifle well, you are almost guaranteed to be able to do the same with any other rifle.
Your goals may be less lofty. Perhaps you simply wish to stick a tin of pellets in your pocket and spend a day plinking with your family and friends without breaking the bank. That is where the mild-mannered springer is at home. It is light, easy to carry and shoot, and has no excess baggage that needs to be carted along.
There is not a day that goes by that I do not shoot the little Weihrauch, something I cannot say about any other rifle or handgun I own. It gives me endless pleasure and fun, and is truly the last rifle I will part with.