HW97K Centennial #51

[woogie_man]

Well guys I have posted this over in the UK gate, but figured I would put everything here in the correct place.

On Friday I was able to take possession of an HW97K Centennial.  With this being my step back into the spring side of things.....all I can say is WOW!  I was kind of questioning myself if I should buy this as my last spring rifle, an RWS 350 magnum, was to much and I wasn't able to shoot the darn thing.  But I figured I can already shoot my AA S410 very accurately, so I thought I need to get back to the spring side to give me a challenge.

Ok now back to this rifle......

I work nights at work, so I get home at 0730.  I looked at the tracking number and saw that the FedEx truck was going to be at my place Friday.  So I got home, took a few hour nap, and got back up.  After a few hours of working on my bicycle I though I would check the mail.  As I was on my porch I noticed a white FedEx truck down the block.  Well my neighbors might have thought I was crazy, but when I saw the truck I started jumping up and down.  So I grabbed my kindle to have something to do until the truck was parked in front of my house.  Well after around 45 minutes of watching the truck, I took my eyes off of it and when I looked back it was gone.  It was gone and not in front of my house, so a little sad I went back to working on my bike.  Then of course just before I went to go get my son from daycare I saw another white truck stock in front of my house.  This time I was on the porch waiting for the delivery man to get to the door.....well he didn't make it to the door, as I met him halfway and grabbed my box.

After dancing around for a little bit like a school girl with her dolls, I decided I should open the box. 

After opening the box all I could see was a tube of bubble wrap.  I found a small plastic package with the paperwork, a trigger hanger, and a few other things.  Then moving a styrofoam block I found a 1" unimount for a scope.  Although it was nice to see these things, I was more looking for the rifle.  A little more digging and I was able to find the rifle, nice and packaged and not going anywhere.  After getting the bubble wrap off the rifle, and then the rifle out of the plastic bag, I was able to get to the rifle.

All I can say is WOW!!!!!  This thing looked brand new!  Though after looking at it quite a bit, and under some better light, you can tell it was used.  There are a few marks on the muzzle weight, and a few very very light marks on the stock.  The one thing that I did noticed was the smell of the stock.  I know that is weird, but the stock smells just about like an olive tree or something.

Before I left to get my son I mounted a scope up and just had to take a few shots.  After getting everything mounted and shooting, I was actually a little upset.....as I couldn't get the thing to shoot well.  The pellets were all over the place.  So upset I left to get my son, and do some thinking.  It wasn't until after I showed my wife, I noticed that I grabbed the mount that I had modified a while back.  Well the mount was messed up, so I removed it and mounted the scope in a set of BKL double strap mounts.  After a few shots they seem to be holding well, though I am going to butcher the bad uni-mount rings and make a scope stop.

Now with the mount thing figured out, I went back down to shoot at 10m........  WOW!!   This thing can friggen shoot!  There is a bit of a bite with the rifle, but with the spring rifle I was expecting this.  But this thing was more of a sharp space, though very easy.....if that made any sense.  Was able to get some really impressive groups, after holding the rifle correctly.  Was able to get some one hole groups from the 10 meters using Beeman FTS pellets.  I have a few others I will play with, as well as getting the range longer as well.  The one thing that I do need help with is that I am planning on striping the rifle down and give it a good cleaning and looking over.  I am sure everything is fine, but I do this with every rifle just to get more "intimate" with it   The previous owner said it had a few upgrades in it, I wanna say the spring and the spring guide.  So I am curious as to how I could tell if they are actually upgraded, or if they came upgraded due to the centennial rifle name ( have read conflicting answers on this )

The rifle is currently wearing a Hawke 6-24 scope
The scope is sitting is a pair of BKL double strap offset rings
Was able to shoot some Beeman FTS as well as some crosman heavies.
      Will do some crony numbers here monday or so.





This one was an attempt to get a picture of the SN# for you guys.....as I need to have proof of that! 

[palonej]

She's a beauty Chris!!! I can feel your smile!!
Sorry if I missed it, but what caliber??
Mine is 177 and she loves FTTs in 4.51 head size and JSB 8.4. She thinks she's a laser with these pellets!!
I have a Hawke Sidewinder 6-24 on top of BKL rings also. Never needed a scope stop and I have around 12,000 down the chute.
Absolute joy to shoot!!
Good luck and enjoy!

[woogie_man]

Correct she is in the .177 size.

Can't wait to get her shooting more, as this this is a blast to shoot.  Going to really have to try and shoot the S410 now..

[palonej]

Chris, do you have a chrony??
I'm curious what the numbers are like.
Mine has a Vortek HO kit in it with a full tune done by Motörhead.
Can't tell you how accurate this rifle is off the bench bro!!
Here are some numbers after 8 or 9000 rounds with FTTs in 4.51 head size and a 10 shot 50 yard group....off a bench with a front bag. Can't ask for more from a springer!!

Can97 FTT pm
880.7
879.1
882.6
881.2
879.4
Hi 882.6
Lo 879.1
Avg 880.6
ES 3.46
SD 1.00

[woogie_man]

I do.   When my son goes down for a ball I plan on running a few numbers over her.

Well post up numbers today I hope.

[woogie_man]

Ok just got done shooting some strings from the rifle.  Shots were taken at 20 yards, with the crony about 8 feet from the muzzle.

Beeman Fts 8.64grain

880.4
868.5
882.4
879.2
883.2
869.4
882.0
874.3
883.7
881.7
High - 883.7
Low  - 868.5
Average - 878.48
Ft/lb - 14.8

H&N Field target 8.49

849.9
857.7
857.7
856.7
850.2
857.2
852.3
839.8
856.6
855.2

High - 857.7
Low  - 839.6
Avg  - 853.28
Ft/lb - 13.72

Crosman 10.5 grain

790.4
771.8
750.1
747.0
763.8
771.9
771.4
758.7
772.3
771.9

High - 790.4
Low  - 750.1
Avg  - 766.93
Ft/lb - 13.71

Predator Polymags 8 grain

912.8
910.9
910.0
902.5
907.4
900.3
905.9
915.3
909.5
910.7

High - 912.8
Low  - 900.3
Avg  - 908.53
Ft/lb - 14.66

Stoger Field target 8.64

878,7
881.5
884.0
882.8
881.2
886.9
888.7
888.2
892.0
890.2

High - 892.0
Low  - 878.7
Avg  - 885.4
13.27 <-----not sure what this one is... my chrono went past it to quick
Standard - 4.47
Ft/lb - 15.02

These are the numbers with the pellets that I currently have.  If someone could help with the SD of the other strings it would be great.  I didn't set up the chrono correctly before shooting, so I was only able to get the one string to pop out numbers.

[Calmark]

That's a very nice looking rifle and your chrony numbers look quite consistent and its putting out a good level of velocity.  Looking forward to the next stage of testing that really counts, the accuracy report. 

[woogie_man]

Thinking of going out tomorrow if weather is nice, and do some shooting.  Well go from close to long.

[woogie_man]

Well couldn't get out past 25 yards to shoot, but was able to get some really decent groups.  Set up two gamo field targets one at 10 and the other at 25 yards.  Was able to hit them very easily from the sitting position, with the closer with the smaller reducer and the further with the second smallest.

I know with the 410 shooting at 12 ft/lb would it be a good idea to move the 97k to the same level?  Would obviously use the vortex or vmach kit.

[mtsheron70]

She is a beauty!  Woogie if you think they shoot well from the box tune it with a Vortek kit and that rifle becomes a FT gun in the blink of an eye!  Well, not a blink but the time it takes to tune!!!!

[palonej]

Awesome numbers Chris!!
If she's smooth and twang free I'd leave her alone....if the accuracy is tight!
I have the full power PG2 kit in mine and love it!! Smooth powerful with a very slight kick!

[woogie_man]

That is just it though...not sure what smooth is on a spring rifle.

[palonej]

Couple of things to look for Chris.
When cocking.....any scraping or grinding sounds??
When firing....any buzz or twang?? When firing...hold your sight pic. Is it easy to do this or does the rifle buzz immediately after pulling the trigger. If so, it's tough to hold sight pic during follow thru.
When rifle is fired do you hear spring twang??
With the Vortek or JM kits installed you'll have none of either.

[woogie_man]

Thanks for the details Joe!

There is no grinding or scraping, just a nice pull straight back.
Sight is easy to keep on target, that is when the rifle doesn't scare me when it goes off.....Lol
No real spring noise that I can tell.

So I guess it has been upgraded, or just came that way from the factory. 
Now just to order a ton of pellets!

[ptpalpha]

Sounds like you've got a winner there, Chris!  You can compare the spring in yours to the specs of an oem spring (# of coils and diameter of wire) and take a look at your spring guide and tophat to see if what's in yours is HW-oem or an upgrade.
Or...you can just put about 5k pellets down the tube and enjoy that beauty!!!

[woogie_man]

Yeah I am enjoying her...Though I need to stay out of the classifieds.  Keep looking and finding more rifles I want!  Especially that huntsman.

[palonej]

Fight it Chris!!! Not that it would do any good tho bro!!
Just one more!!

[woogie_man]

That's just it...I want the other rifle, but would have to sell our trade the two I have!!  And don't want to do that.  Espically when I have 12 tins of pellets coming for this rifle.

Lol

Though I may grab an fd airgun being as I have a load of .22 pellets........and no rifle to shoot them.

[woogie_man]

Sorry to bring this back to the top..... BUT.... I didn't want to start another topic on the same thing.

I was able to get the rifle apart today and clean it out.  Well the seller had told me that the internals were upgraded with parts, and from what it looks like.... yeah that didn't happen.  The spring guide is metal, with a washer for a spacer, and the end of the spring guide looks like it was cut into four sections and bent around a washer and welded down.  The spring is fairly good sized, and seems to ride on a brass top hat looking thing that sits inside the piston?  The piston head is a white material.

And man did I have to clean a ton of grease and &^^& out of the cylinder and off of the piston head!!!  I was able to get her cleaned up and back together with some good grease.  Have it back up and shooting, though now I am looking at selling the 410, and use that money to get and upgrade kit for her, and possibly another stock.

Joe, you are and evil evil man....... convincing me to sell one of my rifles and work on this one       But serriously, thanks for all the help man.

[palonej]

My pleasure Chris!
I think it might be PG2 time bro!!
My 97 has about 18,000 down the chute with the kit in it and she is smoother and more accurate than ever!! She just seems to get better and better!
That kit makes a great rifle even better!