HW97KT .177 review-Big Dan's Airguns.

[@Embrabrummie]

For my 14th birthday, my Dad bought me a second hand BSA Meteor. It is still going strong. However, I have always wanted a Weihrauch, so, 52 years after getting my BSA, I spent the first month of my Old Age Pension on an HW 95, with a Hawke scope. I only wish I could put it in a Tardis and send it back to my 14 year old self!

[@injairgun]

My HW97KT Blackline in .22 is a full power gun and is untouchable from any other gun I own for accuracy! I too was a little miffed as to why Weihrauch didn't fit the adjustable but pad to it. I added one on my own plus added stainless sling studs for sling and stud mounted bipod, cocking lever steel knurled cocking assist handle, and replacement stainless steel screws throughout the rifle. I got all the parts I needed for it from Small Ant supplies in the UK

[@joelee6315]

Hello Dan. I do also own a HW97 synthetic stock as yours, brought in 2022. I've had a problem free shooting experience with laser accuracy using Weihrauchs own pellets, practically laser accuracy at 40 yards. Thank you for the videos, all the best, Joe.

[@Steve-Cross]

The underlever on my TX 200 is marking up on the blueing, from cocking it. I wipe it over with an oily rag every time I finish shooting. I have the long barrel version, without the cocking aid fitted. But I have bought one. I think you can get them for the 97 as well.

[@staffordboy7824]

My 97k .22 is the best I've ever used, very accurate and to be honest it is not pellet picky at all, a dream to own and shoot with.

[@bigdansairguns83]

They're a pukka gun aren't they bud? I'll never part with mine.

[@phillipsharpe6459]

Had the wooden stock one in .177 , put a tbt kit in including the short stroke, and polished everything inside, made it so much better, had to sell it because of a back injury, very sad to see it go . Good review, keep up the good work 😁👍

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Phillip! Thanks for the comment mate, yeah a lot of people say that the HW97's respond well to a tune up, some even say that they're better than a TX200 when tuned. I've finally got my mitts on my own spring compressor so I'll be getting it stripped soon.. .. well once I practice with my XS19 first!

[@stephengamble9388]

I have a 97KT and a 200, both factory standard. The TX is a step up in the quality of finish, especially the blueing. When fired it gives the sense of being a smoother, less harsh recoil with no main spring twang. The effort to cock the TX is less than the 97, and again the cocking arm feels somehow smoother, more robust, with a pleasingly solid sound when unlatching and pressing back into place. On the 97, the distance from the trigger to the grip, is a few millimetres to far for me. Making it not as easy to find a comfortable hold. The trigger also has lateral play, not found on the TX. As far as accuracy is concerned, I am as yet not able to split them. and I am not sure I am good enough too. Both shoot thumbnail groups at 30 yards using RWS Superdomes in the 97, and AA Diabolo Fields in the TX. The more I shoot the 97, the more I am inclined to put a tuning kit in it. Just to bring it to what would feel like the same state of tune as the 200. The TX is the looker, and you pay for what you get. Both are superb. But downrange the extra money does not show at all, the 97 is that good.

[@GordonBird]

As an old ex Navy armourer and DIY car mechanic and Truck mechanic retired. The variations in velocity may be the spring creeping on it,s seat! As you know...A coil spring rotates and returns on every bump in the road...In a pringer; the coil will act the same. Hence the M.O.S. grease on build!. (Just a calculated guess!). I have HW99s- Baikal MP 651K and Baikal 654K and Crossman 2240. I really enjoy your video! Thanks!...LA5 Lancs

[@johnclark1925]

This is the first time I have watched your channel. Very cool, good info, nice chap. Subbed.

[@harryzero1566]

I have an HW99s, after i put on a faux moderator acting as a barrel weight I dont have any barrel flip.

[@bigdansairguns83]

It's interesting how little changes can drastically effect a rifle. I had an SMK XS19 back in the day and all I did was fit a slip on silencer and it was just as you describe, damn near recoilless.

[@dustystageleft64]

Thanks for keeping it real real big Dan. You just sold me on a 97 :)

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hey Dusty! Haha great to hear buddy you won't regret it they're lovely rifles.

[@davt8615]

Good review mate, i love my synthetic stainless 97 so much I've got 2. I think it balances beautifully and shoots fantastic ive had mine tuned just still found the spring twang out of the box a bit much

[@ianedwards26]

thinkin of getting one is the twang quite loud ?and did tuning turn it down much ? thanks

[@davt8615]

@@ianedwards26 nah it aint bad really, i vmach tuned mine and its spot on at 11.3

[@cjnev9618]

Got a tuned tx200 (Tony leech 22 mm piston conversion) amazing rifle, also got a self tuned 97k,, nothing in it accuracy wise just a very much reduced recoil in the tx due to the greatly lightened piston conversion. Both awesome guns, both as accurate as I can be with them, and 2 guns I'll never get rid of. But saying that my self tuned 95k can match both rifles pellet for pellet as long as I do my part, the tx or 97k aren't hold sensitive in the slightest where as 95k is the most hold sensitive gun I've ever shot, it truly has made me a better shot with all my rifles, took me 6 months to sus out the hw95k but worth the effort in the end 👍🏻

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Chris. That's interesting, I haven't yet shot a tuned TX or a HW97 but your description seems to match up with a lot of opinions from people like yourself who have shot both. The 95K is a lovely looking thing but I haven't yet shot one, I'm currently considering keeping a HW80 back for myself as they're a lovely thing to shoot.. I'll say this though, I had a bit of fun the other day shooting my XS19 against a HW80 and you'll be surprised just how close the XS19 is to the HW80 in terms of performance. When it comes to recoil the XS19 is actually softer although I have put a big stupid silencer on the end of it to control what little muzzle flip there is. XS19 vs HW80 might make an interesting video actually... Cheers Chris!

[@cjnev9618]

@@bigdansairguns83, if you lived a little closer you'd be more than welcome to borrow the tx and put it through its paces. If you get the chance to shoot a 95k and it performs poorly don't write it off straight away, to make it work ( if it was like mine) you'll have to re think you're shooting technique. Mine took 6 months to figure out how to hold and shoot it accurately, but the process has improved my shooting for all my rifles. A 177 pcp and my collection is complete 👍🏻🙂

[@bigdansairguns83]

@@cjnev9618 Yeah but there's a major problem there Chris and a big difference between you and me.. you have patience. Also thanks very much for that incredibly generous offer mate that really means a lot and goes to show that the shooting community really is the best one out there.

[@cjnev9618]

@@bigdansairguns83, well not so much patiences Dan, the gun was a gift from the wife after I had gone on about how great it was for months, but when it arrived I couldn't group with it at all. So as to not look like a complete idiot in front off the old woman I had to make it work 😉😉😉👍🏻

[@richarddixon7276]

A nice honest review , with all the caveats about Your own personal preferences & the reasons for them Your conclusions simply agree with every review I've ever read or watched about the HW 97 , who could argue with Facts? , perhaps some of the variance with velocities and consistency are down to pellet weight variances or skirt diameters , I know that many of the best competition shooters and a good few hunters also both weigh & size their selected pellets for better results , so hopefully Your spring is not on its way out. I've just been reading Airgun Shooter mag via an Email from them and they have published Defra's latest decisions regarding 3 New General Licences covering most of the usual avian pest species along with Canada Geese, Egyptian Geese (with a 12 gauge more likely , Not 12 ft/lb air rifles ! ) both Monk & Ring Necked Parakeet , Indian house Crows ! & (Surprisingly ) Sacred Ibis ! , this announcement by Defra was published on 13/6/19 and the Defra designations are as follows , WML GL34 Conservation of wild birds flora & fauna . WML GL35 Preservation of Public health or safety . And WML GL36 Prevention of serious damage to livestock , foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit , growing timber , fisheries or inland waterways . but will only be valid till 29/2/20 by which time they are hoping to of completed a consultation with stakeholders and a full review of requirements , with a bit of luck and a little common sense We may yet get some satisfactory conclusions , Check out Defra's web site for full details , anyway I really enjoyed the review keep up the good work , Thanks Dan !

[@richardmiller8028]

I have to agree with you on the Diabolo field’s although mine is a .22 at 25 yards it’s on the money every time. Great review thanks.

[@bigdansairguns83]

Thanks Richard I'm glad you liked it mate.

[@Happy-Me.]

I have the HW97 Stainless. Great gun. All I've done to it is a degrease and relube.

[@lj03oem]

Hi Dan,i know what you mean about springers being more fun,i have a RAW,accurate as you like,but i always go back to my 97 or pro sport,the satisfaction you get matching a pcp is incredible,and no dive bottle needed! ATB

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Sean. Absolutely mate, the RAW is an exceptional rifle but PCP's in general are just a bit soulless. If you can match your PCP with a springer then you're a far better shot than me I'm sure! Thanks Sean and enjoy your springers!

[@pedrothehunter]

Great video bud the trigger on Diana t06 is great

[@bigdansairguns83]

The T-06 is criminally underrated Pedro. It's if anything even smoother than the Rekord unit. I shouldn't have said that.. the HW club will no doubt gut me now.

[@chrisdavies2654]

I have seen 7 .22 superdomes make a hole the size of a pencil at 25 mts with the 97 rested in perfect conditions .. 👍👍atb

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hey Chris! Yeah I'm not quite on that level just yet but with this lockdown in place hopefully I'll get plenty of practice. Hopefully when we're done I'll be able to shoot the testicle hairs off of a fly eh haha. Thanks mate!

[@gregophilip6858]

great gun i have just got the .22 version in 2021 lets hope it serves me well hahaha

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hey Grego! You won't be disappointed mate the 97's are excellent rifles. Cheers mate.

[@franciscopeixoto6609]

I sold my synthétique stock and added a wooden stock from a HW77 and adjustable butt plate. Great rifle for sure. Salut from France

[@Steve-Cross]

I own the exact same rifle in .22. After the first hundred shots, it virtually shook itself apart, but after applying some blue Loctite to all the screws, I haven’t had any problems. It is as accurate, as my TX 200, but requires a firmer hold, to manage the recoil. So it is more of a challenge, to shoot well and consistently, which makes it fun to shoot and very rewarding, when you get it right. 😊

[@tonyhoodlass1846]

Got 77k 22 and 97k 177 Covers me for hunting and hft both brilliant

[@bigdansairguns83]

Brilliant rifles aren't they Tony? I love my 97.

[@lukepitts5774]

Great review again Dan. Puncher breaker review please😉

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hahaha I knew that was coming!!! They're not in stock with our suppliers yet I'm afraid mate but as soon as they are I'll get one in.

[@brandonwood4914]

Nice review Dan, I have just bought a hw98. I was going to buy the hw97 as I have got a new found appreciation for springers. Like the looks of the hw98 as a break barrel. All I can say is, yes it's expensive. But it's worth paying. I love my Cometa 400, but it has been back to A. S. I twice for a new spring plus spring guides rattling around. It now got a metal spring guides and should be sorted now. All been done F O C under Cometa warranty. But saw the hw98 and had to have it. I would like to see you review one of these and know what you're thoughts. Mine is the new version with the removable barrel weight.

[@Douginont]

Nice review. I had my heart set on a Diana 56 TH but after I read a review on 470 TH. I kinda soured. Another fellow mentioned the 97 and when I saw it with a thumb hole, I fell in love. Then I saw it in SS. I think your review is the icing. I already have an Element Helix for it, now I have to figure out what rings I'm going to use to marry them together. Cheers man.🇨🇦

[@douglaswilson3978]

Hi ,love your reviews .

[@jerrywarren6959]

I bought a wiehrauch hw97 and a air arms tx200 standard barrel length at the same time, I shot them equally putting through a tin of pellets through each . Neither rifle was tuned or tinkered with. The hw97 was absolutely fantastic to hold ,comfortable easy to use and hell fire body accurate loved the day state Diablos. The tx 200 was not good at all infact given the raving reviews I was bitterly disappointed I was able to find a pellet that was consistent and or accurate I had it tuned to no effect so eventually sold at a loss just to get shot of it. The quality of parts and engineering of the hw 97 is without doubt leaps and bounds far better 5han the tx200 I’m afraid

[@rcchronicles25]

Mint review 👌

[@sap3055]

Jsb is my favourite it always grope well in my guns

[@cjnev9618]

Great review as always 👍🏻👌🏻

[@bigdansairguns83]

Thanks Chris!

[@sirbollocks609]

i have to say I love the balance on my 97k as well as the 77 but the foward balance on the 97k realy smooths out the the shot, i have to agree two great springers, also do not like the safety, if it had the safety like my BSA R10 it would be perfect

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hey mate! Naaaah! What a load of Bollocks! Haha sorry mate I couldn't resist, I agree 100% some find the balance a bit off putting but I love it since I've got used to it. Yeah for me personally I'd love it if it was fitted with the Webley/Hatsan safety or just a Norica style toggle safety. It's simple but very effective. Thanks Sir bollocks!

[@lexblack8306]

I got the same version in .22 and its bloody good!!! i will not part from it ever !!

[@bigdansairguns83]

They're an excellent rifle mate and I'm in love with mine. Some say the TX shoots better out of the box.... bloody liars!

[@joekelly9369]

With crosman premier 7.9 g pellets and a modern target scope , i find a walnut stock reduces weight and ballance a fair bit . I have two hw97k ,s both 177 .one for hunting one for target . Both have optisan scopes .

[@MrBlackpoolphotograp]

Hello please can u tell us how you clean and oil your hw 97 thanks

[@roberttaylor6075]

I like your webley eclipse i really want one, i have the webley omega with a top end tune, glided, transfer port opened o-ringed piston it has a super quick lock time but the ammo its best for accuracy was not the best so i had a pellet sizer made to open the pellets to 5.6 and it was transformed i can shoot single hole groups at thirty yards and i have no problems out to 50yards on inch spinners. All shots where bench rested on a perfect day, its my hunting rifle and it comes out everytime i go bunny bashing most of my hunting shots are taken at 10 to 35 yards. I do like the 97 but its heavy.

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Robert! It's great to hear some older Webleys getting some love. The Omega is a pretty rifle mate and yours sounds like an amazing bit of kit! I do plan on expanding my Webley collection and the Omega will definitely be on the list alongside a Vulcan. The Eclipse is a lovely rifle mate, it's much lighter than it looks and it's incredibly pointable, I personally prefer it to the HW77 as I feel that it has a lot more character and I personally really like the trigger as well. The 97's are great rifles but like you said they're heavy and at least in synthetic form they aren't the best balanced neither. When you get used to them though they're tremendously accurate! Thanks Robert!

[@stephengamble9388]

Update. TBT kit now in the 97. I have also removed 1 coil from the main spring. Both of these combined means I now have no twang from the spring, and the recoil is nearer to the tuned TX. I estimate that it now gives out around 10 to 10.5 ft/lb. Also fitted a reach back trigger. And adjusted the trigger pressure, now very light, but still safe. This has made trigger control and release, similar to the TX. Still not as smooth or light as the TX, its just a feel, but very acceptable. A little bit of precision filing to the cocking latch mechanism. This has produced a smoother latch up, accuracy

[@stephengamble9388]

is still thumbnail groups out to 30 yards. Desert Island choice would still be the TX. But I do now take both of them to the range, rather than play ibble obble. They are both that good.

[@jimmynich4791]

Unless you've got your gun on fac don't estimate how much power it has, when fettling with airguns you need a chronograph, you'd be surprised how many guns are over powered even with a coil or two removed and to the police ignorance is no excuse.

[@stephengamble9388]

@@jimmynich4791By coincidence I have literally just got an x310 today. Hence why I am back here. The Hw97 over a 10 shot count running lovely at an average of 10.1 ft/lbs, with a high at 10.2 ft/lb. As expected. The shocker is my factory standard, out of the box Tx200 Mk111. Ten shot average is 12.2 ft/lb, with a high at 12.4ft/lb This will be getting same treatment as the 97. Your point is dead on.

[@jimmynich4791]

@Stephen Gamble Yeah becareful, my cousin got arrested cos his rifle was over powered but he'd just had it serviced at the shop so wasn't his fault. A lot of those aftermarket springs will need cutting to get under the limit, TBT have not long changed their springs but I don't know if they're more powerful or not. They're pre compressed so I'd have thought they should be okay but best to not take chances.

[@kiltedmonster1]

mmmmm now i am thinking of a spring gun Dan, Is that the pointers you were talking to me about, and sent ? if so i will try them this weekend buddy and send you the target pictures

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Scott, they sure are mate the Rifle Field Spikes. They're a bit on the heavy side at 9.10grn for a .177 but they really seem to do the business! Let me know how you get on mate.

[@johnbrown5100]

How about testing out weihrauch 57 to show how good this light weight rifle is

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi John! I'll see what I can do as I've wanted to look at the HW57 for quite a while now. Thanks John!

[@lfcmarkeb7124]

finally 😁.I have the nickel finished rifle, and I to love the HW swoosh on loading . mine loves JSB 8.4 and find the crossman premiere domed 6.9 very accurate (better to buy the 1250 boxes more constant) tried barracuda's 10.65 1mildot difference at 25 yards. mine shoots at 11.3ft lb but has a tbt short store kit fitted along with spring sleeve its stupidly accurate though.

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Mark, I'm glad you liked the review! I love my 97 mate I wouldn't swap it for anything. Regarding pellets they aren't all that fussy and you might be surprised but a pellet that mine does shoot reasonably well with are of all things the SMK Black domes! They aren't on the same level as the AA pellets but they beat out a lot of the pellets from HN and some of the different JSB's! The Tinbum kits are brilliant mate and I'll be getting in touch with Nick soon enough to get my 97 sorted out he's a great fella. Thanks Mark!

[@lfcmarkeb7124]

@@bigdansairguns83 yes, he very accommodating with online support, would never have thought about smk pellets , would feel like putting leaded fuel in a Ferrari lol

[@bigdansairguns83]

@@lfcmarkeb7124 Oh yeah there's always that haha but you might be surprised as to what the cheaper pellets are actually capable of. The SMK Victory pellets are actually pretty good and they even grouped well in the Kozak FC that I reviewed and the Remington Tyrant pellets while tight in the breech (designed for older air rifles) actually grouped exceptionally in a Walther Century that I had briefly. Plus at less than a fiver a tin it's worth a go just for a laugh.

[@tomhughes5123]

fantastic ..the hw97ks can be tuned to serious power while retaining minimal recoil and maximum consistency . this is what what makes it a world apart from a tx rifle .. seeing a177 pellet at 1100fps knocking ping pong balls all over at 120m before the gun has even recoiled is an amazing thing ..

[@markhomer5704]

Great review , shot one of these , not as standard though , it had been tuned ( stage 1 ) from new by sandwell field sports .. by tony wall , I know springers aint my bag , did all that in the early 70's .. but bloody hell it was one awesome rifle .. smooth as the back of an hamsters ear .. brilliant rifle .. Im a PCP guy now ... a lot easier too shoot

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Mark, "smooth as the back of a hamsters ear" hahaha I'll have to remember that one. The SFS tuned rifles are excellent and the 97 is an excellent platform for tuning. I'm currently in the opposite phase to yourself, I do appreciate what PCP's can do but I'll always be a springer or gas ram man at heart until they can make a PCP that goes "Twang!" Thanks Mark!

[@hsinyen6942]

Love your review, very detail and educational. Which scope under $300 will you recommend for HW97? Thanks.

[@chrishenning8829]

I have an Hw97 .22 with a Hawke Airmax 4-12x fit perfectly with about 1.5mm space between the barrel and front objective. Very fine reticle. awesome $200 scope!

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Hsin! Chris has got it pretty much spot on. A Hawke Airmax is a great fit for the HW97 as you need to be clear of the loading port. I'd also recommend looking at the Discovery range as they have very clear glass and they're cheap too. Thanks mate.

[@Dr.Gunsmith]

Great video.

[@bigdansairguns83]

Thanks mate!

[@Mike_P646]

H&n pellets are pretty bad when it comes to weight consistency,no big thing though,hence the FPS spread. Great review as usual.

[@bigdansairguns83]

Thanks mikeyboy!

[@kendalabarca6707]

Excelente Revisión. 👍🙂

[@bigdansairguns83]

Thanks Kendal!

[@matthewdickson2627]

Thank you for the great review! Have you ever held and shot the HW 97 KT (thumb hole, beechnut stock) ? Curious how they compare. What scope do you have or recommend for it? Have you compared it to a Walther LGU ?

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Matthew, I haven't shot the wooden thumbhole 97 yet but they're a beautiful looking thing. I'd imagine the more solid stock would also deaden the "twang!" compared to the synthetic counterpart as well. On mine I use a Hawke Eclipse but I'm very tempted to swap to the Konus Pro scope that we sometimes use on this channel as I love the fine duplex reticle. The LGU's are lovely rifles and they're if anything smoother and quieter to shoot out of the box compared to the 97's. But the triggers on them aren't on the same level as the Rekord unit, the Walther trigger feels more like a single stage than a true two stage. Thanks Matthew and I hope this helps

[@darrenfox1879]

Hi Dan great review. you should try a vmach resettable safety for the 97

[@dirtyharry5957]

Big Dan is this HW better Than the HW98???

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Dirty Harry. It could be better... but then it could be worse... do you feel lucky, Punk? Sorry couldn't resist! For me I prefer the HW97. The extra weight helps to control the recoil but it is also more nose heavy than a HW98 which can take some getting used to. Thanks Dirty Harry and I hope this helps!

[@dirtyharry5957]

@@bigdansairguns83 lol 😆 thanks for your opinion Big Dan its appreciated

[@Dr.Gunsmith]

Wish my Walther LGV pro...had the record trigger it would be a masterpiece then.

[@bigdansairguns83]

The LGV is a lovely piece of kit anyways to be fair but you're right a Rekord trigger on top would be fantastic. I wouldn't complain if I could somehow fit one to my XS19!

[@684ih4]

I have a HW77 SE 177. It's a joy to shoot, I use Airarms field heavy 10.3g. I will never part with it!

[@bigdansairguns83]

They're beautiful rifles mate and unlike most they actually shoot as good as they look.

[@silverback710]

Hi dan quick question.... Having bought the sabre and really enjoying it i watched your video on the airacobra and imediately thought i want a pcp next.. Today however i went to my local range and had a go of one of these 2 things ..1 in 177 is this still an affective hunting rifle and 2 would you rwccomend this over the pcp airacobra ? And in comparison are the underleavers more accurate than the standard springer ?

[@PiperX1X]

I’m seriously thinking about going back to my roots and putting in one of my pcp’s I’ve always used 22 calibers and this time I think I’ll get a 177 but not sure which to go for. You mentioned the blueing on your 97 rubbing off so do I go for the nickel model. The other one I’m considering is the air arms TX200 HC which is also a very nice bit of kit. Decisions decisions life’s full of em!

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Jonathan, you won't regret going back to basics with a springer they're so much more fun than PCP's in my opinion. The bluing on mine has definitely worn off however I've been told by multiple different tuners that one batch of Weihrauchs did have some dodgy bluing a few years ago. Supposedly the newer ones are much, much better. The TX200 is a lovely rifle mate and many say that they actually shoot better than the HW97 out of the box... which quite frankly is blasphemous in my opinion.

[@Madpiere]

I had the tx200 mk3 walnut hated it it had horrible twang and recoil even after fitting the timbum kit so I traded it for the hw77k best move I made the hw is way better in every way

[@PiperX1X]

@@bigdansairguns83 I’ve just been watching this video again and I’d mentioned that I was thinking of either the 97 or an Air Arms tx200. Well. A while ago I was sat having a pint in my local when one of the locals were asking if anyone was looking for a 97 in blue laminate, well my ears pricked up as I kind of knew the guy and remember him only talking that he’d bought the gun maybe only six months ago, this was last year. He said he needed the cash, (big mistake to say when your selling something) anyway I wanted a 97 and the 97 was in absolute mint condition and hadn’t even had a full tin of pellets through it and it came with Niko Stirling 4-12x56 scope, three tins of pellets which were actually accupells and gun bag and the receipt. I got the lot for £300, so some things are just meant to be and it’s an absolute beauty but I was a bit concerned when out marking that wonderful stock then again by chance my local rfd had a second hand mint beach stock for sale and if my memory serves me right I paid £50 for that so now I’ve the best of both and it’s a keeper this one, a handy down.

[@ianwoods1384]

Hi Dan, Thankyou for your great review. Could you help me with some advice please? I've just recently begun shooting, I'm 49 years old, something I've wanted to do all my life. I've always wanted a HW97KT and a HW 80K. I own them now. Do these guns shoot differently? Considering artillery hold and the centre of balance of the two units. There's so much to learn and know. Leading the barrel, pellet grain sizes and manufacturers, trajectory etc. I'd be thrilled with any advice. Thankyou, Ian.

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Ian! Thanks for getting in touch with us It's great to hear you've ended up with both of the rifles that caught your eye mate and I hope it hasn't been a case of "Never meet your heroes". Regarding holds every rifle can be different, our last video actually demonstrated different holds using an XS19 which might prove handy perhaps. When it comes to the artillery hold in my experience it isn't always the correct hold for every springer (our XS19 hated it). If the artillery hold doesn't work then simply shoulder the rifle naturally with your leading hand supporting the rifle with the fingers naturally wrapping around the forestock. Once you've got comfortable fire off a few shots and between each group change the amount of pressure you're putting on the rifle until you notice your groups to start shrinking. I use a point system in my head ranging from 1-10 with 1 being a light grip and 10 being harsh. Try experimenting with something like a 1-1 (light hand, light shoulder) and then try moving on to something like a 2-5 (a tiny bit more grip in the hand and a confident/natural but not tight grip into the shoulder). Move on from there and see how you get on. If you need any further help never hesitate to get in touch mate.

[@ianwoods1384]

@@bigdansairguns83 Hi Dan. Thankyou for replying so quickly and for your advice. I will take all that on board. I've longed for my own air rifle all my life. My father was massively into air rifles, though I am twin to another boy, so never allowed anywhere near them. It seems so ironic now. My father has passed now and I have all these questions for him. We had a strict, very respectful upbringing and never answered back, ever. Looking back, losing dad still feels like a juggernaut hitting my solar plexus, two and a half years on. Even in my mid thirties, if I'd have told him I'd bought an air rifle, I feel he'd have been annoyed as I live in a terraced area, though there are shooting ranges. That's how it was. I absolutely adore my rifles. I don't even have to shoot them. I could sit and have them on my knee all night, just looking at the engineering of them, the near zero tolerances, the workmanship. I love them, Just love having hold of them. Over the last twelve months, this has been my introduction into air rifle shooting. Not ideal, I suppose everyone's different. There's so much to learn. I can feel my dad all around me, aggravated things could have been so different. Not all the shops give you the best advice either, ruled by pounds sterling signs in their eyes unfortunately.Thankyou for being there for me and being so willing to help, it really means a lot. Best wishes, Ian.

[@ambientfish1369]

Nice honest review that I fully agree with. Just had my nickel finish 97K modded with a Welsh Willy kit by a pro gunsmith, really damps the action for a slightly smoother shot cycle, have you shot the HW 30S? Out of the box it's as accurate as my 97K, Rekord trigger unit and a delightful target puncher, I'd be interested in your thoughts on it Dan, keep up the excellent work bro.

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi mate Thanks for the kind comments mate. The Welsh Willy kits are absolutely brilliant and Will is a top fella as well. My HW97 is completely standard at the moment but it won't be too long before I put in WW kit myself or maybe sample a Tinbum kit The HW30's sounds like a great bit of kit mate I'll give on a review once our cheaper rifle marathon is over. Thanks mate!

[@ambientfish1369]

@@bigdansairguns83 Thanks for the reply, I paid £210.00 for my HW30S and I have fount it to be easy to get 5 shot groups to rival my HW 97K at 20M, I think it would do the same at up to 30M but I can't prove that as I don' have the length in my back garden, the Welsh Willy kit IMHO is reasonably priced and is a definite upgrade and if you can install it yourself with confidence it's a no brainer, I don't personally like messing with the 97s action.

[@briandix216]

Good review as always Dan, but can you tell me when you will be reviewing the smk pr900w and the smk CP2 co2 rifle? Just need to know if the barrel port alignment and magazine cycling issues have now been resolved. Some Airgunner say the magazine's are rubbish and some say you literally have to force the pellet into the breech with the bolt due to iffy alignment. Would like to here your verdict when you test these guns soon in .177 if possible. Cheers Brian.

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Brian, Sorry for the late reply, we're actually filming a PR900 review as I type but it's taking a little longer than usual due to other commitments at the moment. I'll get stuck in though Brian and we'll see if we can finish it off as soon as we can. Thanks again mate and I didn't forget about you.

[@briandix216]

@@bigdansairguns83 cheers for that Dan. I am also looking forward to your review of the smk CP2 co2 rifle kit, I fancy one of these too if the said problems are now resolved. One airgun reviewer even drilled the breech port himself to fix it ! Not me, I would have taken it back for a refund.

[@bigdansairguns83]

@@briandix216 The ports are still fussy depending on the pellets you try with it, JSB's go down as smooth as silk but Superdomes and FTT's put up quite a bit of resistance. It's the same with the PR900's at the moment which I've filmed in the current review. It doesn't affect accuracy if you use a softer pellet but a few can be too tough to load.

[@briandix216]

Well I think that's pretty poor for a brand new rifle ! Smk need to sort this problem out at source now ! Suppose the CP2 will be the same with the same problems at breech, being too tight. Why don't smk listen to feedback and sort out once and for all this problem ? It really does put me off buying an otherwise good gun. Oh and they need to design a far better magazine for it too .

[@briandix216]

Dan , how much longer before we can see your pr900w review ? It's been weeks !

[@lawsonrichards1789]

Nice gun ,

[@bigdansairguns83]

Thanks Lawson! The HW97's are lovely bits of kit mate. As long as the user doesn't mind a heavier rifle they'll fall in love with it. Just keep your eyes on the bluing.

[@stepup898]

Do you think 5 shots is enough to rate a pellet, I do 3 lots of 5 to see if they improve. Re pointed pellets, have always considered them less accurate/consistent than domed but have had some good results with JSB Strattons and AA Hunters. Would like to see a wadcutter in the test as well preferably the Hobby. Nice review, always enjoy them more when I actually own the rifle being reviewed.

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Brian, 5 shots will usually give you the rough idea as to how the pellet will perform. But with the 97 I'd actually already had this rifle for 6 years and I already had a pretty good idea as to how it would perform. Most of our accuracy testing is done off of a rest so there's very little to cause any deviation in a pellet group other than the wind or the pellet itself. Pointed pellets seem to be performing much better than I'd have originally thought going off of hearsay and such. As you've said the Strattons are a brilliant pellet and I've had amazing results with the Rifle Field "Spikes" as well. Well I hope I did the 97 justice Brian, and may I say you have truly exquisite taste when it comes to air rifles.

[@stepup898]

Big Dan's Airguns Don’t want to labour this too much but as I understood it different pellet brands may have a slightly different lead type so initially the new pellet could actually be stripping some lead from the barrel before leading it in again.

[@Biffo1262]

Losing the bluing where your hand grips it is not uncommon on many brands of rifles. My mates ProSport is a mess. I believe it has something to do with acidic skin. I actually use self-amalgamating insulation tape to cover where I grip. It protects the bluing and provides a warm tactile, none slip grip.

[@darrenclarke553]

How can the 97 be heavier its the same running gear as a 77 ??

[@henkjankaalverink4157]

The o-ring is missing on the underlever 11: 07

[@daig1984]

Torn between the 97 and the tx 200

[@fesusno]

Hi. Your Scope on the rifle? Pls all details, thanks.

[@heli-man-]

Bluing is easy to do again yourself just don’t use cold paint on which is more than lightly why it came off in the first place.

[@lizchatfield692]

Why not crony each pellet and that will tell you if you have a bad shot then measure and weight each pellet and shoot them make sure that you shoot a lot this may tell you what is going wrong . eye ball each pellet as well . Bernie C

[@myobs]

'Aitch!' Look it up. Great, informative video though.

[@joekelly9369]

The best pellet iv put through my hw97s are crosman premier 7.9 boxs of 1250 for £22 DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR 3" groups at 120m . Before you guys slag me off //watch long range spring rifle vlog// 110m annual contest

[@jwar238]

PSA Listen to the bit about the safety! I now have a rather munted thumb from it slamming shut! Just a tip for Dan make sure you use a screwdriver that fills the screw slot, noticed a bit of hauling around the front stock screws p.s pics of injury on reddit u/jwar238 if you want to see what it will do to your thumb

[@bobthebarsteward]

Normally there are three things a mother doesn't want her son to have, guns, motorcycles and mucky women.

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Rob! Haha well she's got the other two dialled in don't you worry but she doesn't mind the airguns bless her. She doesn't mind the cars though but I'm tempted to tell her I'm going to treat myself to an Escort... just to see if it click that I'm talking about a Ford!

[@sap3055]

That about escort a ford was a really good one 😂​@@bigdansairguns83

[@Biffo1262]

Oh Dan I agree with you about the XS19, XS36 and some other SMK rifles but you must be able to hear the apoplexy of the gun snobs from miles away. No matter how much you demonstrate their quality and accuracy they put their fingers in their ears and start humming loudly. Strangely you even beat them in the monthly HFT club comp and they use every excuse they can think of. A bad batch of pellets being a favourite one along with 'feeling a bit off colour' and I was out till the early hours and I am very tired. They just cannot bring themselves to accept the gun is the equal of their gun or that guns owner is actually a bet shot which is more to the point. It's no good owning the best rifle in the world if they can't shoot.

[@klausmortensen]

👍

[@martinskovby8856]

First this time! 😀🍀

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hahaha well played Martin you got us this time!

[@ulugbekhatamov2605]

Где можно купить. 🙏 🙏 🙏 🕵️ Такую винтовку 🕵️ 🤔🤔🤔??? Weihrauch Hw97 kt очень хочу. 🕵️ Я из Узбекистана город Ташкент 🙏 🙏 🙏 🕵️

[@ulugbekhatamov2605]

Вы можете отправить мне Винтовку 🕵️ Weihrauch Hw97 kt.??? Если отправьте я готов купить. 🕵️ 🙏 🙏 🙏

[@bigdansairguns83]

Привет, приятель, к сожалению, мы не можем доставить винтовки за пределы Великобритании в данный момент времени. Спасибо и извините за любые неудобства.

[@ulugbekhatamov2605]

Когда будет возможность отправить? 🕵️ 🤔🤔🤔 После карантина пандемии??? Ковид - 19

[@ulugbekhatamov2605]

Мне очень нравится этот винтовка пружинный поршеньевой марки Weihrauch Hw97 kt. 🕵️ Это моя мечта

[@Charliesdad98]

Lol my mum bought me a 243 for my first rifle kangaroos and pigs thank you Lord for letting me be born in rural Australia

[@nobs8124]

I wish weihrauch make this stock in military green color!!!!👋

[@hawkslayers1]

why do you use rubbish pellets on your reviews and please dont say most people use them

[@myopinionnotyours3529]

I'm not surprised in the slightest your spring snapped if you see some of the rubbish they put in them, I have two of these ,one exactly the same as yours, one twanged like anything, opened it up, the spring looked like they snapped it off in the factory before fitting it, no neat flattened end like it should be, these are accurate guns but really need to be sorted out to get the best from them, proper fitting spring guides, both ends, properly finished spring, both ends, nearly all of them need it, why from a high premium price air rifle should you have to do this ?? You wouldn't be happy if you bought a car, 3 of the spark plugs work fine, the other one misfires, so why should we settle for poorly finished air rifles ???

[@bigdansairguns83]

My point exactly mate. A lot of the slagging off the cheaper rifles get is because "you have to tweak them to get the best out of them!" Yet when you have to pay hundreds more to do the same thing it's fine for some reason, I've never understood that. Most HW's etc do shoot well out of the box but as you've mentioned I'm no longer surprised if something does go wrong down the line and I think we both know what the high end PCP's can be like. Cheers mate.

[@jamieogorman9461]

Cheap nasty pellets used,.. Do you get given those.

[@bigdansairguns83]

Hi Jamie! I use all sorts of pellets in our reviews as sometimes you can be surprised as to how good they can genuinely be. Which ones are you referring to?

[@jamieogorman9461]

@@bigdansairguns83 Those remmington, ive yet to see any for sale in the 6 or 7 retailers i have visited.

[@bigdansairguns83]

@@jamieogorman9461 Are they the Thunder pellets? You've definitely seen them and they're not cheap nasty if they're the Thunder's as they're H&N. The Thunder Field Target Trophy are H&N Field Target Trophy etc. They're every bit as good as JSB, actually better in some rifles. I wish we were given pellets that'd be lovely haha. Thanks Jamie and I hope this helps.

[@jfpointblank8929]

I really wish people would talk less and shoot the rifles that's what people want to see people want to see shooting plywood to see how much power the rightful has we all know it could kill a pigeon but can I go through a car door a plywood