We’ve gone big on Weihrauch this month, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that the HW100KT LA featured on the cover and in the editor’s test is the most important airgun to carry that famous German maker’s name. You’d be wrong, though. This HW30K, junior-sized, break-barrel springer kit is every bit as ‘big’ a product, and perhaps even more important, thanks to the role it plays in our sport.
THE HW30K KIT
Let’s see what the Weihrauch HW30K Kit contains, before we evaluate its importance or anything else it may provide for its £200 price tag. For that money, or very possibly a bit less, you get the HW30K rifle in .177, a neat little 4 x 32 scope with finger-friendly turrets and a duplex reticle, and a set of two-piece mounts. Most importantly of all, the rifle is a proper Weihrauch, with all of the build quality and performance that brand carries. Along with the Weihrauch quality comes a pride of ownership that will make any junior shooter feel as important as the rifle, and this really is a massive feature.
GENUINE PERFORMANCE
Within its simple, sturdy design, the HW30K – K for ‘Karbine’ – has the heft, feel, and performance of a genuine Weihrauch. It produces around 8ft.lbs, which is perfect for serious-fun target shooting, and comes with a barrel weight/ cocking aid as standard. Also standard is the decidedly high standard (high quality) Rekord trigger unit, with its two-stage, adjustable delivery, connected to an automatic safety-catch. Many years ago, that trigger system changed the perception of airguns, and my own view along with it, and there’s absolutely no doubt that this latest version will do exactly that for junior airgunners, today.
ALL-AGES APPEAL
As I often do, I took the kit down to Bisley to let the members of silver citizens’ division give it the once-over. These splendid chaps love their airguns and between them have an air-powered armory that’s almost as distinguished as they are. In short, they loved the HW30K Kit and took turns in clattering targets with it, right out to 55 yards. I hit a reasonable amount of long rangers, myself. The amount of 35-yard spinners and knockdowns we nailed brought forth smiles, shaken heads, and the occasional hearty cheer. The initial verdict was this is a junior outfit for all the family.
JUNIOR CHOICE
From Bisley, I took the HW30K Kit to one of my shoots where a keen young airgunner by the name of Sonny was waiting to evaluate it from his own perspective. Sonny’s done a little bit of shooting and I wanted to see, not just what he thought of the kit, but also how well it would handle the role of a trainer system. For the first 50 shots or so, though, that Weihrauch was a vehicle for pure shooting enjoyment, as Sonny peppered a drinks can at 10 yards, and then 25.
He found cocking and loading the junior Weihrauch no problem at all, even with me watching his every move, and although he forgot to disengage the auto-safety button a few times, he was reassured that, after shooting Weihrauch springers for over 40 years, I still forget about that safety now and again.
FAVORITE FEATURES
While Sonny followed my instructions, I observed his use of the HW30 kit. After a little coaching, he made full use of both stages of the Rekord trigger, and Sonny turned out to be one of the most able students it’s been my pleasure to teach. As he hammered the tin can, I made notes on the little rifle’s star features, and there was no shortage of those.
Alongside that Rekord trigger, I felt the sheer solidity of the rifle was the star, here. The breech jaws can be adjusted for wear and the sprung-ball detent latches with a reassuring ‘ker-lunk’, as break-barrel Weihrauchs always do. That cocking aid does what it’s designed for, and it looks good doing it. Then there’s the ambidextrous stock with its curved rubber butt pad, and although the pull length, at a full 14 inches (355mm), could be considered long for juniors, Sonny found it just right for him and he looked comfortable to my enquiring eye.
VERDICT
The Weihrauch HW30K Kit is a splendid piece of equipment. Juniors and adults can have fun with it, and it makes a fantastic trainer for the aspiring shooter. Its recoil is mild, its performance is grin-spirational, and with the minimum of TLC, it can be passed down through the generations. Sonny had a great time with it, and so did I. Due to this outfit’s ability to inspire the next, or any, generation of airgunners, I truly believe that this little rifle is one of the biggest Weihrauchs ever made.