Even if you are a pcp shooter everyone should have a quality springer in their safe for days when you don't feel like messing with all the tanks/compressor gear.
The black synthetic version is called the HW97KT Blackline I purchased this rifle a few years ago in .22 and NOTHING in my collection comes anywhere close to the 1 hole accuracy at 25-30 yards!
Excellent video! I have this exact rifle and love it. Still have second thoughts about 177 vs 22 barrel size. If Weirauch made the FPS equal for the 22 version, I would have picked the 22 without hesitation, but currently the 22 version has a big FPS drop compared to the 177. For my modest backyard use the 22 would have probably been the better choice, as pellet drop isn't much of a factor for smaller distances. A good target for this rifle is a printable PDF file with 1/2 inch black dots. I shoot one pellet at each dot, and the page has about 50 dots. These targets can be downloaded online, and printed out.
Awesome 😀 . I always come back to my 97k .(better made than AA) something about german steel (barrels) dumped my bantam , nothing like NOT filling a rifle to shoot, be it a pellet or tin of pellets , once bedded in these / things tune themselves with wear ,iv spent weeks tuning etc , and iv shot untuned versions just run in normally after a year or two , they almost shoot as well , soon becoming glassy smooth to cock and shoot
Might not have been the best shooting, but I love your presentation skill. So natural, fluid, articulate grouped with your intelligence and also modesty, makes you a very, very competent and enjoyable presenter. Thanks for the vid.
Very acurate gun even better with the trop in kits. It can take sum abuse to unlike most precharged, with there delicate free floating barrels. Always knocking them out in the field n loosing zero.. well made springer everytime.
I polished up the internals dropped in a tuning kit and a sheet of PTFE/Teflon around the spring on mine. It feels so good to shoot now no twang and little barrel flip with a straight back recoil, when I concentrate and shoot properly it groups just as well as my HW100. I topped it off with a Hawke 6-24 x 50 airmax 30 SF compact which I think is a great scope for it plenty of magnification for realistic distances and leaves plenty of space for loading. It shoots H&H FTT and JSB Exact well but its favourite pellet seems to be the JSB Exact heavies.
@@jempro1674 I have swapped out for an Optisan 10x44 scope because I thought about giving HFT a go with it and it is the same scope as I use on my HW100.I think though I am still using the same siightmark adjustable mounts as I needed the adjustment to get a zero.
Hi Richard. I've been talking to air-gunners about thumbhole stocks. Generally it's considered (from feedback) that the sporter is the better lighter grip for a springer and it's recoil action, although funny enough a lot of people prefer the thumbhole for balance and stability ?? I guess you have to hold the pistol grip lightly. Interested to know your thoughts and maybe this would make a good video for you to do, explaining the different purposes of various stocks and their advantages/disadvantages? ATB MMMD
Love you videos Richard, you come across to the camera really well and give such a nice in-depth review. I’ve had the 77 and 97 but shoot a pro sport now I think the air arms are a bit nicer to shoot and more refined. Also air arms are a lot easier to strip down compared to the German ones.
Thanks very much Paul. I love the big bore sporting rifle look of the Pro Sport. Thanks for the supportive comments and taking the time to give them. Rich.
Yes same here, l always had Weihrauch's my last 6 months ago was a 97 and 95 both in .22 Yr right AA do shoot better, and more accurate, my Pro Sport in Walnut .22 Definitely more accurate, l find it's suited to RWS Superfield and AA Diablo field, l took my bear trap out of the aluminium rail, don't like um at all, took it out of the 97 as well but refitted it when l sold, l prefer just keep hold of cocking lever, l recommend moly grease all over the spring, a good coat, keeps it quiet to, someone recommended motorcycle chain lube.
Not all 97’s like the same pellet for some reason. I put five shots on top of each other with the H&N FTT. It was only 30 yards but I could cover the five shots with a dime.
@@chadpilkington8405 I think I'll give them a go and see what they are like. To my shock I found that RWS hobby pellets which look and kind of are like cheap crappy pellets actually are far more accurate in my 97 than the top of the range Weihrauch ones. Just bought the top of the range RWS ones but not tested thouroughly yet to give an outcome but seem really accurate too.
Great Review and run through of the HW97K. I bought my HW97K about 15year ago to have a bit of fun with my neighbour that was plinking out the back garden, Shot it for about 1 mouth then it when back in the case ! 15year later back out of case ! ABSOLUTELY LOVING IT ! ! But ( not ) resetting the safety was always an issue thanks for that vary helpful information, Should have known the German engineering would not have left a gun without a return to safety mechanism. THANKS AGAIN.
My 77K 1986 made in west germany mserial number 1001 tasco,4x16x40 shootsnlike a dream still i had thismfrom new when i was 15 its been a great riffle from the day i brought 45m target shooting al in a new five pence ,out in the fileds pigeons rabbits at 45/50 meters layed up still favout springers over pcp,the weights nothing if you handle them a lot
Great review, thank you for posting. Got to say that your honesty regarding your grouping was well founded. I have a 97 with a TBT drop in kit and have made dozens of single hole grouping over 30 metres. Its accuracy, along with my Walther LGV, was enough for me to sell both my Daystates (Wolverine R and Red Wolf). There is a purity with the springers I just didn't get with the PCPs and as such always enjoy shooting them. Simply put, PCPs in comparison are soulless. As far as comparing the 97 with offerings from AA, apples and pears. The entry level 97 is several hundred pounds less than the TX200 which makes the 97 so much better value. Out of the box, the TX is way better but spend a few quid on fettling the 97 and they are neck and neck. Great vid and keep 'em comin'....
Thanks very much, and we're glad you enjoyed the video. HW's 97 and 77, along with the AA TX200 and ProSport are, in my view, the best springers available. The LGV and LGU were up there when they were in production. And I agree that shooting a springer is more of an experience than many PCPs, and I enjoy shooting mine as much now as I have ever done. But for pest control and hunting I simply know I am a better shot with a PCP, and that has to be the right thing by quarry. Thanks very much for watching.
Just picked one of these up here in Australia 14 lbs version, just an excellent accurate air gun , I was tossing up whether to buy a pcp ,but couldn't be bothered with air tanks or pumps . This 97 k is extremely precise rifle and i couldn't be happier with my purchase.
Another great review Richard, I have a HW77 se in .177 with a V-mach kit which I enjoy shooting any free time I have. The 97 and 77 are truly great... If they weren't they wouldn't have been copied! 😀
Mine is a k ., but is a black synthetic, nickel plated , recently dropped in a tbt, tuning kit, almost zero recoil , you can put a pellet on the breach and shoot the gun, 9 times out of 10 it moves 1 mm and stays on, as can be seen on my RU-vid shaneweightman. Thanks and great review Shane uk
Hello Richard Saunders, excellent videos and reviews, this hw97kt is my favorite spring rifle, I love the thumbhole stock, unfortunately when I bought mine, I wanted to save some change and bought it in synthetic, now to compensate I want a tx200hc, in walnut, It is also very beautiful and comfortable, Mr. Richard what is your opinion of the Walther LGU , cheers.
Hi Luis. The Walther LGU is a lovely gun - very smooth and contains many of the tuning enhancements normally done by after market tuners. It is pretty heavy though. Its also going out of production so if you can find one don't hang around too long!
The LGU and LGV are fantastic rifles. Better shot cycle out of the box than my TX and 97. Not pellet fussy or as hold sensitive as either. It's absolutely stupid that Walther decided to discontinue both models. All they needed to do was improve the trigger unit and these would've become iconic guns like the TX and 97 in due time.
Hi nice to see you shooting under levers. I have a HW 77 and love it. But two guns that never get talked about are the BSA Superstar underlever with a rolling breech. And the BSA Goldstar underlever with a 10 shot mag both very good and very accurate Rifles.
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I guess Im asking randomly but does any of you know of a way to get back into an Instagram account..? I was dumb forgot my login password. I would love any tips you can offer me
@Messiah Ben thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site thru google and im in the hacking process atm. Looks like it's gonna take quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
Good review. I had most under levers in my collection but sold them to reduce collection size. The only springer I simply could not part with is the Walther LGU. I am as accurate with that as I am with my PCP’s! Try one out. Different league.
So the question remains would you say from all the underlever you have tested which one sticks in your mine to be the better of the bunch or are they all as equal to one another.
Andy, that really is a tough one to answer. The bottom line is that they will all punch pellets through the same hole all day long. And they are all beautifully made. I'd say the Air Arms are nicer to look at, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder! I liked shooting the HW97 in particular, but that is probably because I had one back in the 80s so definitely a soft spot there. I also prefer a traditional stock over a thumbhole. It really comes down to what you can afford I think. It is of course really hard right now, but if you get the chance to see them in the flesh or put them to your shoulder one will leap out as a favourite. Sorry can't be more specific than that! Which one would you have?
@@airgunextra So im torn between air arms and weihrauch at the moment as they both offer great value for money and the same class in the accuracy stakes but my gut tells me that weihrauch would be the better bit from the crop as it as stand the test of time?
@@Andy-ow2cx I don' think I helped much did I Andy! Truth is the Air Arms rifles have been around a long time as well. You really need to see both in the flesh if at all. The good thing is that there is no wrong decision here - they are all excellent rifles.
Andy its agreed that Weihrauch HW 97 and Air arms TX200 are together on top of the best springers rifles in their make , beauty, accuracy, reliability and great crafstmanship. take anyo of the two and you cant get wrong.
Whats sad is that we adults in the uk can only use sub 12ft lbs which in America and most other countries is what their children use for plinking and playing with, they are toys to everyone else, its just so embarrassing, really...!
@@airgunextra They are not that easy to obtain ive heard, even with a minor history, all im interested in is air rifles, i have no reason or use for powder rifles, its a shame that there isnt separate less strict solely air rifle licences so people like myself could actually stand half a chance. Thanks for replying ✊
Hi Paul. Most scopes - I use MTC mainly and a few Hawkes - will be fine. The scope in the video was very old. Newer scopes are a little more compact. Thanks for watching.
Stunning rifles. And yes, I can pull off a better group than that, I just can't do it consistently! Oh well, that's why we have a vocabulary that includes words not to be spoken in front of women and children.
Brilliant content sir - but the presence of completely superfluous muzak is completely grating! Do you think your average audience member will want muzak detracting from the actual content? Sure - I can just 'move along' to the next video - but your content is good.
Its a UK sub-12 ft. lbs. rifle, putting out , I think 11.4 ft. lbs. I'm not convinced about slugs in sub 12 ft. lbs. rifles. I tested some really light H&N non-lead slugs and could only get about 7 ft. lbs. from them, which was a real disappointment because they weighed the same as regular pellets - around 16 grains if I recall correctly. When I asked the chap at H&N he explained that the issue is that slugs have more contact with the barrel and therefore generate more friction which slows them down...Thanks for watching.
Its pretty quiet for a springer, but still audible. I guess it depends on how big your garden is. Its certainly more quiet than music played from a neighbour's house with the window open. Most of the time most of the noise results from pellets hitting your targets/back stop rather than leaving your rifle. If you reduce the noise from targets/backstop you're on your way.
Your neighbours will hear it especially when it's quiet. I used a tx200hc and had 1 of the next door neighbours look over the fence and the other neighbour said they'll call the police.. I went to the police station just to let them know in case those retards call them and say im shooting a gun and have armed police at my house. and they told me a told me I can shoot it if its my garden & neighbours can't do anything about it.
amigo una pregunta tu que usaste mucho tiempo los hw97 que calibre me recomiendas para comprarme un rifle hw97 pero necesito saber cual me funcionara mejor para la caza de palomas y conejos en calibre 4.5 o en 5.5.
Hi Richard, that group wasn't that bad but I know what you mean you can do better but turning the camera on can throw all that up in the air don't you know it, love your videos keep the springers coming atb Dave
Thanks for the video, now I have better clear idea, I will take the Weihrauch than other, can you kindly suggest also the tipe of aptics that is better use, the proposal il for field/hunting shot, Thanks
Hi Mark. Scopes are a really personal thing, and of course budget is a factor. I use MYC scopes an awful lot - the Cobra F1 is a real favourite and first focal plane. And Hawke scopes are a safe choice. In terms of mounts, you need a set that will mount the scope as low to the action as possible to negate the effect of cant - when you hold the rifle off the vertical plane. Sportsmatch UK is a good site to look over as it will recommend mounts for different spec scopes. www.sportsmatch-uk.com/
Hi Richard you can re engage the safety catch if cocked just pull down on the cocking lever till you hear a click then the safety is engaged again cheers phill
Hi Phil - yes indeed. And the same works for most other HW springers. Its just that you can't re-engage the safety simply pushing the button from the other side. In the real world its really not an issue. Thanks for watching.
Great review sir , im thinking of investing in a tuned 97 synthetic , can you shoot a springer off quad sticks or would it upset the harmonics , and can you get that adjustable butt pad to fit a synthetic stock
Hi Davy. Thanks very much. I've not tried it, but I see no reason why you couldn't shoot an HW97K off quad sticks, especially a tuned one. Shooting a springer accurately is all about ensuring your hold and position is consistent so the rifle recoils the same way each time. For some reason, the black synthetic stock doesn't come with the adjustable butt pad of the wooden stock rifle. I am sure that it would be possible to buy an after market butt pad. In fact I had a quick flirt online and saw several products advertised. Good luck!
I have started sizing my pellets and shot a few 5 to 7mm 5 shot groups at 20m with my 97kt Silverline. I was disappointed that the kt blackline and silverline do not have adjustable butt pads
Great review as always, thank you. I really like my 97kt and, for some reason I can be more accurate with it than the Air Arms underlevers. I have the synthetic and nickel version and I’ve put a tin bum kit in it. It makes for an improved shot cycle and takes any twang away. Thanks again and keep them coming please.
That's great Elian, Gamo make some great rifles. Do you drive a Ferrari or a Ford? Not that I have anything against Ford's - in fact I have one - but my point is that both will get you down the shops but one is a more enjoyable experience than the other.
i have the same model and love it use it for pest control as am a pest controller and it is so smooth and accurate even after being thumped around in the back of my van all day. rifle is heavy but when shouldered weight is evened out and you don't notice it.
Sorry to hear that. Have you tried: 1) cleaning the barrel (I prefer a pull through rather than felt pellets) 2) trying different pellet brands 3) making sure all the stock bolts and screws are done up firmly 4) using decent mounts on your scope and making sure they are secured properly 5) checked for scope creep - this is where the scope will move backwards slightly under recoil. An arrestor block or arrestor stud in the rear mount will solve the problem 6) put the rifle over a chrono to make sure it is shooting consistently (within 20 fps over 10 shots). If you've tried all these and still have a problem, it may well be worth sending the rifle for a professional tune/service. It doesn't cost a fortune and will transform your rifle. I can recommend Lyn Lewington at ARC Tuning - he's a genius with springers and Weihrauchs in particular. I hope you work it out.
My 97kt loves RWS SUPERDOME one hole groups at 30 yards with no wind , the only downside is for lugging around the fields for 2 or 3 hours its a bit weighty so have just brought a 95k, the 97kt I'll use for static shoots
@@airgunextra your welcome , Grest channel , by the way have you checked out the Vector Veyron Compact scopes , I brought one for my 97kt, great scope to keep the length and weight down, also mrad reticle and turrets
@@JG-fv9bv Hi Jon. Thank you very much, and thanks for taking the time to comment. No, I haven't tried the Vector Veyron scopes yet, but I hear good things about them. I just finished reviewing a couple of ZEISS scope though, and the video should be coming up very soon.
weiruch manufactures fine powerful air rifles, but the disadvantage is the charging method when you can remove your thumb. Webley has a better construction.
I don't know whether you or your audience can help me but I had my car stolen (a Ford Focus 2.5L TDCi "Sport" reg GL53 OYW) back in 2005 and among the items in it was (other than my All Saints CDs) was my HW97K I used for "rough" shooting (bunnies, hares, peasants, I mean pheasants, and farm vermin et all). I can get another 97K but what I am unable to remember (due to the 5 strokes I've had since then) is the make/model of my scope: I'm sure it was 4-16x50 AO IR (5 red/green) and with a sun-shade that would overlap the breech slide by at least 2 inches (making loading very awkward). I have searched the web for years trying to work out the scope I had but alas have been unsuccessful, I know it was NOT a Hawk and may have been by Edgar and Brothers. If anyone who sees this has some idea of what it may have been I would be eternally grateful.
Sorry to hear that, and that you've had some health challenges. I'm afraid I can't help with the scope, but have you tried 'The Airgun Forum'? Lots of very helpful and knowledgeable people on there who might be able to help. Good luck.
@@airgunextra I have not heard of that forum so will try on there, but many thanks for your prompt reply and direction - due to the impact my strokes have had on my eyesight I very much doubt I'll ever shoot again which hurts as I started shooting from 1983 as an Air Cadet in competition (7.62 SLR and .303 Lee Enfiled RAF/ATC full-bore competition and many other calibres as a member of Seal and Shoreham Gun Club in Kent in the '80s) but my passion was "rough" shooting in the fields and woods around Boxley with my 97K and "that" scope - I literally wanted to find out what the scope was so I could potentially have my "old outfit" mounted on my wall for old-times-sake.
Nice looking rifle. I had to rewatch the part about the safety. While its a nice feature that it automatically puts it on safe when cocking, not being able to engage the safety anytime you want without recocking the rifle seems absurd and shortsighted. Guess I will look at a tx200. How does this compare to other quality springers for field target?
Rich thanks so much for showing me that the gun can be armed with a pallet by re cocking the under lever if by mistake I close the breach without loading the pallet. and what is best is that the lock can be re engaged as well
@@jempro1674 I thought I had replied before but I cant see the message. the gun is doing great. the synthetic stock is great and doesnt feel to be cheap. the craftsmanship of the entire build is top notch. still shoots like a new gun very happy with the buy.
I'm a Noob with Air Rifling . I've never fired a airgun before. I bought a HW97K with wood stock and installed a 4x16x40 Athlon Talos scope. Today after 14 break-in shots, after I had inserted a pellet into the breech, the lever flew out of my left palm at super sonic speed, connected to the latch at the top AND at the same time it dry fired with the safety ON. Pulled down the lever again and the pellet was still in the breech. GOOD I can get off another round. Only trouble is the lever won't go back to the top. It's 4 inches shy of doing so. After the repairs maybe I should trade this one in for another airgun. Something without a LEVER.
Hi Richard. The HW97K is a very well-engineered rifle, and well made. Did you buy the rifle new or second hand? And did you buy it from a gun shop or a private individual? If so, then my advice would be to take the rifle back to wherever you bought it from. It sounds to me that the trigger sear has either failed or has been set too light. But get it back to wherever you bought it from and insist it is fixed. If it is brand new that won't be an issue. If it was bought used from a gun shop they should still put things right. If you bought it used from a private individual you can try to get them to do the right thing, but suspect you will have to eat the cost of repairs yourself ☹. Let us know how you get on.
Trying to decide on the HW97 or Air Arms Pro sport? I want a hunting gun, so accuracy out of the box is important to me, as I cant easily get to expert tuning. I understand that Walther LGU is the most accurate "out of the box" gun around, however thin on the ground, availability wise.
Hi Wiliam. Unfortunately, the Walther LGU is no longer made, though there may well be a few left in the retail chain, and of course second hand. They are extremely well made and marketed as 'tuned out of the box'. Certainly it a fine rifle, if a little heavy. The HW97 and ProSport are excellent too and there's little to pick between them in terms of performance. The HW97K has some adjustment on the stock that the Air Arms doesn't. If you can, shoulder them both to see which feels more comfortable. You won't make a bad or wrong decision between them. Good luck.
@@airgunextra many thanks for the sound advice. I am a lefty so I will be checking everything carefully. I would probably have to buy the LGU without seeing, but the other model are in major resellers to walk in and try.
The background music, while "pretty" is distracting. I'm trying to hear YOU, and my ear is contsantly being pulled off-track by the background music. You really don't need it. In sections of a vid where there's NO dialogue, maybe..but while you're speaking? kinda defeats the purpose of speaking right?
Great review i have just started looking for a higher end air rifle to have fun with but also hunt small game With. In the same price range as the 97 is there anything that would a be better air rifle to look at not looking to spend much more than say 500 to 600 I've seen the 97 for just under 600
Thanks very much. The Air Arms ProSport and TX200 are both worth taking a look, so too is the Weihrauch HW77. We've reviewed them all on the channel and they are all within your budget. Thanks for watching.
I've got 2 hw97ks I've got the stainless one in .22 but the blackline stock is in a gunmetal grey I haven't found anyone else with this stock I bought it in the sportsman gun centre I also got the blue laminate hw97k in .25 which is an awsome rifle the both rifles are as accurate as my PCP rifles.
I got HN field target trophy with my new gun and they seem to be fine. people who are using this rifle can you please advise what brand of pallets you have found to be best?
@@airgunextra I live in the USA now but I was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford in your lovely country for 5 years. You good folks are really blessed, England is beautiful! but anyway, while there I did have a really nice German made Weihrauch in .22 and we loved going out and bagging some of the bunny's in the Cotswold's. A lady from Church has a French recipe and boy those rabbits tasted good! Enjoy your fine rifles, and may God bless you good folk!
The answer is : Yes. Both are great, both will put pellets through the same hole all day long and both cost around the same. It really comes down to which one you like the look and feel of to be honest. I know that doesn't help much! The good thing is that you won't make a bad choice either way...Thanks for watching.
@@frogmarched6869 The Omega is a lovely rifle. I have a Webley Vulcan form the 80s and love it. The four underlevers we've reviewed are another class though! Thanks for watching.
Hi. The scope in the video is an old one and too long really for the rifle. I use an MTC Copperhead now which suits the rifle much better. Thanks for watching.
I have the 97 in .22, the Gun is in my opinion the best under lever spinger on the market........my one and only criticism is.....you can't de- cock the gun, I don't know why weihrauch didn't incorporate this action to work in conjuntion with the safety catch 🤔🤔🤔🤔👍👍👍👍
Remove the abt if you wanna decock a 97. Just remove the action from the stock and undo the nut that takes the front trigger screw. 10 mins work including the rebuild.
Personally that's a very tough call. Both are great, top-of-their-game rifles. Like choosing between a Ferrari and a Porsche. It really comes down to personal taste and which one you find yourself drawn to. No wrong decision here!
Hi Jack. Great rifle, especially for rabbiting. I'm assuming your rifle is 12 ft. lbs. I'd recommend against going too high on the magnification front - 4-16x is about ideal for most hunting situations in my experience. I'm a big fan of the MTC Optics Cobra F1 which we reviewed recently ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kh8Phbndk3k.html. Its a first focal plane 4-16x50. The reticle is superb. I have a couple and they both hold zero really well. If first focal plane isn't your thing, then the MTC Mamba Lite is a really good option too. I know that most people tend to opt for a Hawke, and they make great scopes, but I've found them to not be as good as the MTC scopes when it comes to low light performance - not bad, just not quite as good. We've got the full MTC range in our shop at the moment with a £20 off list price offer if that's of interest. I hope that helps. Rich.
Thanks. I'm guessing you didn't get as far as 02:36 where I explained that Kurz = 'Short' in German? Although it is generally referred to as a carbine (Karbine) that is not what 'K' stands for.
I need your help. Should I get a air arms TX200 HC or a weihrauch hw97k? Which do you think lasts longer and retains its power. I hear TX200 is more modern and new and hw97k is outdated
Hi. The simple truth is that they are both excellent, well made and accurate. It really comes down to which one you like the look of most and which fits you best. There is no bad/wrong choice. If you can, go to a shop and pick both up. One will 'talk' to you. Good luck.
@@airgunextra I guess it's always a personal thing. I'm getting the 95K purely because I think the slightly lighter rifle will suit me better mate. Thanks for all your help. MMMD
Thanks Stuart. In fact we're planning on lining up some more Weihrauch springers, so watch this space! The HW90 has to be one of the finest gas rams on the market. Thanks very much for watching.
