Beeman R1 / HW80 rifles. Before and after.

[tjk]

When I first got into Airguns, I did like a lot of people and started out with a decent entry level sprin gun. Mine was a Crosman quest variant,...the Sierra-Pro. Had it tuned, triggered and everything else. So I bought other lower priced guns and learned to work/tune them myself. As things progressed, I eventually bought a used RX2 from a good friend of mine for a very good price. That's when I found out what separates the starter guns from the upper end guns. Eventually I bought an old Santa Rosa R1 from another Airgun enthusiast, and ever since then, I have really enjoyed these rifles. While they are not really a super magnum by today's standards, they are still one heck of an air rifle. Yes I have other quality air guns, but I still enjoy shooting my R1's a lot!! Powerful, well built, and I would go as far to say elegant in looks. Especially the older models. But one thing I have noticed on the GTA forum is the lack of posts on the R1 and the HW80 rifles. So if there are folks on here 'sitting on the fence' deciding whether or not they want to take the plunge into the higher end spring piston guns, it would be fun to hear any questions or concerns you may have on these rifles and find if one might be right for you. Besides, sometimes the German gate gets a little stale with older posts, and new life needs to be injected for the well being of the airgun community.

[Nikoman]

Couldn't have said it better myself.
The R1 is a timeless classic.
Never owned one myself but I consider my good 'ol RX-1 a rammed version of that gun.
There was no sitting on the fence on that one for me, my wife walked into the shop and said "that's the one".

[tjk]

No doubt about it Nikoman. Your RX is kind of a steroid rammed R1,......just more powerful.  Yes the R1 is still the real deal in  higher power classed springers. But the weight (not heft) and feel while shouldering them is very nice.  It is close in form and function to the FWB Sporters,...just heavier and more powerful. My late model carbine is one of my favorite power guns for sure. It is freaky accurate

[Nikoman]

Carbines are my kryptonite, I have a real weakness for them. They are my ideal companion in the field, it's better than swinging a broomstick around in tight quarters
I see you have some .20's in your stable, the very BEST airgun caliber in the world, BTW.
Ben Taylor and Dr. Robert Beeman can't be wrong, it's their favorite caliber.
I bet that carbine R1 is one of the sweetest hunters in the field

[dmflyer]

I've had my .177 since 1986, I think of it as a old Friend but it took a while to learn how to make it run as it should. In the early days It broke a lot of scopes and I learned how to hold consistently to hit with it. I can remember at least 4 different tune kits and I still change it every once in a while. Right now it has a ARH high power kit and tight fitting seal I just put in. It is doing 960 fps with 7.9 gr. JSBs,
and is my 2nd most accurate air rifle, only my R11 is better and it is nowhere neer that fast (I don't have any PCPs yet). I think you can get 22 or 23 ft. lbs. out of a good .22 cal. of course I want one.
     Rich

[Mark 611]

Tom you know I'm a big fan of the HW80/R1 guns and also a sucker for the carbines! I still have my custom put together HW80 .22cal, barrel chopped, sunnen honed, and tuned all around and I will say it's my go to woods gun for hunting and it will shoot sub dime size groups at 30yds all day long and dead nuts accurate at 75+yds

[Nikoman]

Yeah, that's it - just keep rubbing those carbines in my face!
Love it!! Nice looking shooter there, Mark.

[Mark 611]

thanks bro! I've had this sweatheart for a few yrs and she only gets better

[Larry T]

I bought this one for my wife in 1986. It's still shoots hard with the original spring, averaging 740 fps with Premiers. Our old field target group used to shoot weekly at a friends house, one of the targets was a coffee can on a string at 90 yards. She could hit it consistently, she out shot us all at that distance, but what amazed me the most was how the HW80 penetrated the can at that distance. My HW35L just caused to can to swing a little. She doesn't shoot anymore, so now it's all mine.   

Larry

[Mark 611]

Very nice rifle Larry! thats an oldy but goody there! The HW80 guns have alot of power even in stock format! uber Magnum no but more power than most people need and if you want they tune up with over 20+ftlbs easily and are very easy to shoot!

[tjk]

How about some pix of my R1 family!!!!





Top picture is the R1 clan.
Pix 2 is my .20 Huntington Beach R1k. Amazingly accurate and a stout shooter!!
Pix 3 is my .20 San Raphael full length R1 with a fresh JM tune kit! I like open sights with this rifle. Anyone interested in this R1 can drop me an email.
Pix 4 is the first R1 I ever owned. Bought this shooter from Mark and rebuilt it with various after market components. Chambered in .177 and was a pure hammer until the JM seal blew out useing pellets too light weight for the Titan spring. Currently running on OEM seal. She ain't pretty, but she does get the job done.
Pix 5 is a better view of the SR model.
R1 rifles are awesome. If I get another one,...or an HW80, it will be a .22 for sure.

[Mark 611]

Nice collection there Tom!

[tjk]

Thanks Mark. I forgot to mention that the R1 to the far left that I bought from you is of the Santa Rosa vintage. I really like the finish of the stock on this rifle, and the knot holes in the wood really give it some character. At first I wasn't too keen on the stocks looks, but it kinda grew on me, and I would surely feel at a loss if I ever had to part with it. regardless of the freckles, scratches, dings, and dents! Just a neat gun. Hope to replace the seal in it with another JM seal. The one I had sized for it that I ruined was just about perfect and the gun was an honest to goodness fire-ball shooter. I do think the Titan wire has lost a bit of its power, but shooting 'man-pellet' Kodiaks does have that effect on most springs

[lillysdad621]

I have owned several of them, and had a .22 jan kraner, maccari stocked bull barrel carbine built out of a hw80 for a little while... to me they are THE classic, quintessential springer. I own a fwb124, and even that gun does not evoque the images of far "hero" shots, strenght and reliability that the R1 has... We even had a .30 caliber R1 but that project was scrapped because we could not get a pellet die to make the ammo... But it shot so well. the impact at 50 yards on a spackle bucket was unreal... I miss those guns... I am not sure if a .20 though... to me that gun should be in .22 for long range, or .25 for short to medium hunting... But pic #3 IS really beautiful... shot me a PM and let me know what you are looking to get for that.

[kelly1]

This is a newer .22 cal no piston liner,I have been playing with two vortek kits in it ,yesterday I put in the production pg2 kit with half the spacing reduced on the tophat[coil bind].
Now jsb 15.9 's are going 765 fps.
This thread reminded me I had to finish the project,I had put it on the back burner while I played with some darksiders!
I'll allways have a few springers ..such a simple pleasure..kelly

[lillysdad621]

They are absolutely the ultimate gentleman's air rifle... purposeful, imposing, solid, and ultra reliable. I have bought old R1 sight unseen and somehow knew they would shoot... and i mean even weakly (for an R1), they did what you asked them to... At the range some of my powder burners buddies would joke about my 'BB guns"... but the conversation gets serious when the R1s are passed around...

[Jaymo]

I want an R1/HW80. I have the EAA imported HW with the R1 (or R1 length) barrel and the R9 powerplant. HW85?
It's a .177. It's been a very reliable squirrel killer.  It's a bit twangy. I need to tune it. I just hate to tear it down because it's such a good shooter.
I love the beautiful beechwood stock on it. It's amazing how nice the grain can be in a piece of beech. Looks like laminated wood, without the extra weight.
I can't decide if I'd rather have the R1 in .20 or .22 cal. I like them both. I just wish the .20 cal had as large a selection of pellets as the .22 does.

I think I want to convert my .177 Diana 48 to .20 cal. It's a bit too powerful for standard weight .177 pellets.

[Mark 611]

I don't know if RIM still does barrel swaps on 48's but he's the only one I know who use to to them!

[Electric Cowboy]

Hi Y'all
I just found this site and after reading a few posts on R1-HW80s,I knew I had to join.
To my way of thinking,the R1-Hw80 is like a 375 H and H, a timeless classic.
There is allways,newer and faster,but nothing makes me happer than shooting one of my R1s.
My first,was a hunnington beach .22 had it tuned by Mr.Hawkins. Then I found a West German .177 like Larry Ts.
that also was sent to Rob,for some Love.
My 3rd is a Mint .177 Santa Rosa,that has some how escaped being molested for 20 some years.
Oh yes life has blessed me with the Good'uns.
Love the German Gate..........
Mike.
 

[Tuck2222]

Some years ago I went into Cabelas bargin cave when their store was in the old John Deer building in downtown Sidney ,Nebr.  I looked at a nice looking pellet rifle but the front site was damaged and it was made in Germany.  The price on it was  70 some dollers.  I have had scopes on my rifles since 1949  and when I asked about a scope , I was told that I need a special scope for the air rifle because it was spring powered.  I dident know a thing about air rifles back then, still dont, but that rifle was a Beeman R 1  which I still have.  That old rifle is as heavy as my elk hunting rifles, accurate for shooting unwonted birds and with power to spare for shooting cotten tail rabbits at 25 yards.  A few ago I purchased a Benjiman  Mdl 312   pump up air rifle which I repaired so now as an old retired person I v started a new hobby getting pump up air rifles .