Weihrauch · Rifle
Weihrauch HW97
.177 Air (4.5mm) · introduced 1990
Also known as HW 97, HW97K
About the Weihrauch HW97
The Weihrauch HW97 is a German spring-piston underlever air rifle renowned for its match-grade accuracy. It uses a fixed barrel with a sliding-breech (Taploader) underlever cocking system that loads pellets directly into the rear of the barrel, eliminating the accuracy losses associated with break-barrel designs. Fitted with Weihrauch's celebrated adjustable Rekord two-stage trigger, the HW97 is widely regarded as one of the finest field-target and hunting air rifles available, sold chiefly in .177, .22 and .25 calibers.
Weihrauch's HW77 underlever pioneered the fixed-barrel design in the late 1970s; the HW97, introduced around 1990, refined it into a slimmer, scope-friendly action that became a benchmark for field-target competition airguns.
Weihrauch HW97 specifications
General
- Type
- Rifle
- Trigger
- Two stage
- Trigger pull
- 1.2 kg (2.7 lb)
- Calibres
- .177 Air (4.5mm)
- Magazine capacity
- 1 rounds
- Magazine
- Internal
Dimensions
- Barrel length
- 300 mm (11.8 in)
- Overall length
- 1030 mm (40.6 in)
- Weight (empty)
- 4.30 kg (9.48 lb)
Barrel
- Rifling
- Right hand
- Grooves
- 12
Materials
- Barrel
- Steel
- Receiver / frame
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- blued
Performance
- Muzzle velocity (typical)
- 290 m/s (951 fps)
- Muzzle energy (typical)
- 16 J (12 ft·lb)
- Effective range
- 40 m
History
- Introduced
- 1990
- Production status
- In production
- Country of origin
- DE
- Designer
- Weihrauch
Features
- Underlever cocking
- Fixed barrel
- Sliding breech
- Rekord trigger
- Scope rail
Safety
- Automatic safety
- Anti beartrap
Sub-12 ft-lbf versions are sold for the UK market without a firearms certificate; higher-power export versions exceed 16 J. The short-barrelled HW97K is the most popular variant.