Weihrauch have been making air rifles in Mellrichstadt since 1899 and the current range is still built around the same idea: a rifle you buy once. The HW range splits by powerplant. The spring guns run from the HW30S, which is light enough for a younger or smaller shooter and famously easy on the shoulder, through the HW95 and HW77K to the HW97K underlever that has been the club target standard for decades. The HW100 and HW110 are the pre-charged rifles, with a shrouded barrel, a magazine and enough shot count for a serious session. Most models are available in .177 and .22 and many are threaded for a moderator. From about £280 for the HW30 up to roughly £1,440 for a fully specified HW100.
The first decision is powerplant, and it is less about quality than about how you want to shoot. The springers, the HW30S, HW95, HW77K and HW97K, need nothing but the rifle. No compressor, no dive bottle, no charging. They ask more of your technique, because a recoiling spring gun punishes an inconsistent hold, but the shooter who learns on one tends to shoot everything else better. The HW30S is the lightest and gentlest, which makes it the usual recommendation for a younger or smaller shooter, while the HW97K underlever has been a club target standard for decades. The HW100 and HW110 are pre-charged: a shrouded barrel, a magazine, no recoil and a high shot count, at the cost of needing something to fill them from.
Most models come in .177 and .22. For target work and flatter trajectory choose .177; for hunting at closer range where you want the pellet to dump its energy, .22 still has plenty of followers. Many are threaded for a moderator, which is worth having if you shoot anywhere near neighbours. All of these are sub-12 ft/lb and need no licence in England and Wales, though you must be 18 to buy one and it must be sold face to face or through our RFD network.
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A springer, such as the HW30S, HW95 or HW97K, needs nothing but the rifle, which keeps the total cost down and means you can shoot anywhere. It asks more of your technique, because a recoiling spring gun punishes an inconsistent hold. A pre-charged HW100 or HW110 has no recoil, a magazine and a high shot count, but you also need a way to fill it, either a pump, a dive bottle or a compressor. Budget for that before choosing pre-charged.
Not in England and Wales, as long as the rifle is under 12 ft/lb, which all of these are. You must be 18 or over to buy one, and the law requires the sale to be face to face, so it is collection from us or transfer to a registered dealer rather than posted to your door. Scotland requires an air weapon certificate.
.177 shoots flatter, so range estimation matters less and it is the usual pick for target work. .22 drops more but transfers energy well at closer hunting ranges, which is why it still has plenty of followers for rabbits and pests. Both are effective; pick the one that suits how you shoot.
Many models here are threaded, and some are supplied with a moderator fitted. Sound moderators for sub-12 ft/lb air rifles need no licence. Check the individual rifle for thread pitch before ordering one separately.
