compared to the original version. About 1991, Air Arms with their
HW 97 K blue laminate used in Field Target competition where the over- the-knee position sitting on a “bum bag” is allowed for most shots.
Karbine (or Kurz) air rifl es, the K version being about 4 inches shorter than the ba- sic version. These were very sturdy and heavy guns with a “sliding breech” — a loading port and compression chamber layout like the all-winning Feinwerkbau 300 recoilless 10 meter match air guns. This layout was a fi rst for non-match air rifl es. It makes for a very stable me- chanical setup allowing direct loading into the breech, leaving the barrel itself completely fi xed. Such layout is in itself a good pointer to a gun’s inherent accu- racy. No wonder that when in the UK some 30 years ago people started the fi eld shooting sport with hunter-derived air rifl es, the HW 77, especially in its carbine version, was quickly and widely embraced. The HW 77 dominated FT competition right until pre-compressed pneumatics took over. Since Field Target competition rules allow more freedom with regard to the confi guration of the guns used, they were rapidly stripped of the open sights and fi tted with high power scope sights, integral moderator, and custom target stocks. To make these rifl es easier to shoot accurately, special tuning businesses began to spring up to design and fi t all kinds of mechanical improvements and special precision- made replacement parts. These modi- fications were intended to minimize recoil and vibrations, shorten the lock time, and increase shot-to-shot veloc- ity consistency. Air Arms, in the 1990s, launched its TX 200 scope-only series of air rifl es that were more or less techno- logical clones of the Weihrauch under lever models, while adding a number of refi nements and cosmetic upgrades
Page 148 Winter 2012
TX 200 spring piston under levers incor- porated part of the technical refi nements that before were exclusively fabricated and fi tted by UK specialist tuning fi rms to the HW 77s. Several years later (in 1995), Weihrauch saw a market for scoped-only metal silhouette air rifl e shooting and added the models HW/ Beeman 97 and 97 K to the 77 and 77 K models, both of which are still in pro- duction. Of a more conservative kind, Weihrauch left the 97’s internals almost as they were in the 77 series. They only changed the spring guide material from metal to synthetic and increased piston diameter by 1mm to 26mm for spare power. Fitted with the latest standard model stock, this version in full is called the HW/Beeman 97 K Mark III. Apart from shape and finish,
the internals are the main differences between the two guns compared here. Both rifles no doubt have very indi- vidual and characteristic looks. On the outside the main features are very similar: the sliding breech, no iron sights but 8-inch-long dovetail scope rails and three arrestor stud holes along the top of the action, plus an automatic through- bolt safety at the end cap. Striking outside differences are the diameters of the barrel, with the later TX having a 20mm diameter bull barrel shroud and the HW a barrel of standard diameter with a tapering integral moderator, a different cocking-lever catch near the muzzle, and the TX’s external anti-bear trap ratchet underneath the breech port. For testing both (right hand) guns
were shot with the same scopes: a Bush- nell Trophy 6-18x40 and an Optisan Viper 10x44. I’m afraid I cannot choose between them as yet, and I full heartedly leave it up to you to make your own choice about which you like best. You might even join me in saying: “horses for courses ….” THE WEIHRAUCH HW 97 K My old and trusty HW 77 rifl e was
quite long and this made me brood on a shorter version of this gun. I also like laminated wood stocks and thus a few years ago I purchased a Weihrauch HW 97 K with blue laminated stock. The present short version of the 97
K was launched around 2001 and has a shorter 12-inch barrel ending fl ush with the under lever catch. The Weihrauch 97
K is available in four calibres: .177, .20, .22, and .25. I think its action is much too weak for .25, but its availability in .20 could well be an added bonus, espe- cially for U.S. hunters. The metal work finish is better
than on my older (1987) full-length HW 77. Unfortunately, the shade of blueing on the lever latch housing below the muzzle is different from the rest. The stock is a hefty laminate and
looks very business-like, almost aggres- sive. The barrel centreline runs straight into the cheek piece and butt stock. I like its balance and weight with the heavier laminate stock and it points very nicely. Compared to the older type of
stock, the trigger distance from the pis- tol grip is a bit too short. In fact, the pistol grip itself is also
too small and not deep enough and almost looks to be designed mainly for youths. In addition, it lacks the palm swell of the 77. Its butt stock is 10mm shorter than
on the older 97s with the longer barrel, which would fi t me better. Nevertheless, this is not a real problem to me at 6'4" height, but the grip is. Its stock could do with a bit of stippling. Beware of letting it slip when the fore-end or the hands are a bit moist. I hope HW will do some nice stippling to their laminate stocks soon. The butt stock has a typical Ger-
man-style squarely cut and rather fl at cheek piece with a sort of hogback- shaped high comb. It is flat on the right-hand side, allowing very easy left-hander use of a right-hand gun. In fact, apart from the location of the safety, the right-hand version’s layout is virtually ambidextrous. As a right- hander, with the types of scope I used I found this layout quite comfortable, but not extremely good looking. For looks as well as handling, I would prefer the stock of the longer version of the 97 (the Mark II). The laminated stock’s wood to metal fi t is good. The weight, however, is not in
keeping with this dimensioning and it is plain hefty, which I happen to like. The wood is nicely coloured in grey, charcoal, and blue, but the transparent gloss varnish does tend to dull where the skin contacts it. From the factory, the two-stage
trigger could be better (it has a bit of creep) and the safety feels a bit too
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