New HW97k (w/barrel droop?)

[roadfix]

I just picked up a new HW97k in .20 with synthetic stock (black on black) and am loving it so far.  Beautiful piece.
   
I mounted a Bushnell Legend 3-9 x40 scope w/ side parallax using a Leapers one-piece mount and the rifle shoots 6" low and 2" to the right at 30 yards.   I used FTT pellets.   I centered the scope using V blocks.   I also flipped the one-piece mount to check alignment and still shot exactly the same.
I am able to zero the scope but am left with only one full turn on the elevation turret.  I have plenty of turns left on both sides on windage so I'm ok there.

Should I leave everything as is or should I shim the mount, or go with a drooper mount like the BKL?

Also, can you tweek a fixed barrel like this one by bending?   Visually, the barrel looks to be in straight alignment with the rest of the rifle, by  use of a straight edge and also using a digital level.

Thanks!!

[Hangtown-Shooter]

I'd give a droop compensated mount a try.

[BenjiHunter]

I'd give a droop compensated mount a try.

+1

[wimpanzee]

I've had pellets shoot that far off from being zeroed with another pellet.

Do you have some JSB or something else to try?

[roadfix]

I've had pellets shoot that far off from being zeroed with another pellet.

Do you have some JSB or something else to try?

Once zeroed I'm getting good, consistent groups at 30 yds with H&N FTT's.   But I do have some JSB's on order coming to me next week.


Thanks for the replies so far!  I'm leaning towards getting BKL drop compensated mount.

[R1]

Just shim the rear of the  scope between the scope and the ring.  Problem solved.

[Motorhead]

Drooper mount in a 1 piece ... OR a pair Sports Match adjustable singles 

Very doubtful the 97 action itself has any droop what so ever 
Fixed barrel mono tube actions seldom do 

[uglymike]

I have the BKL 1 piece droop mount, I like it. It's just barely high enough for the 50mm parallax scope+ scope cover, but do-able. Just remember the 2 dots stamped on the bottom go towards the muzzle. 

[Jeff Marshall]

Fixed barrel spring piston guns certainly can come with droop, and barrels may be bent to correct it.

Why not try shimming the scope, and see how that works out for you? It doesn't require spending money, ordering anything, or waiting for replacement scope mounting rings. If it is something that you have never done, you may want to try it just so you have some experience with the process. :-)

[roadfix]

Why not try shimming the scope, and see how that works out for you? It doesn't require spending money, ordering anything, or waiting for replacement scope mounting rings.

Thanks, this makes good practical sense.  I will shim it using a piece of card stock.

[Motorhead]

Why not try shimming the scope, and see how that works out for you? It doesn't require spending money, ordering anything, or waiting for replacement scope mounting rings.

Thanks, this makes good practical sense.  I will shim it using a piece of card stock.

Crush scope tube your screwed ... NOT recommended

[grauhanen]

Very doubtful the 97 action itself has any droop what so ever 
Fixed barrel mono tube actions seldom do 

Fixed barrel spring piston guns certainly can come with droop, and barrels may be bent to correct it.

One of the reasons for fixed barrel springers is to avoid droop, which is more common in break barrel rifles.  That's not to say droop, or more specifically a slight downward alignment of the bore can't occur.  A bore may not be drilled straight; the barrel may be misaligned with the compression tube; or the scope base may be misaligned.

As Motorhead notes, it is very unlikely that a HW97 has barrel droop.

[roadfix]

Why not try shimming the scope, and see how that works out for you? It doesn't require spending money, ordering anything, or waiting for replacement scope mounting rings.

Thanks, this makes good practical sense.  I will shim it using a piece of card stock.

Crush scope tube your screwed ... NOT recommended

I shimmed the scope last night and was very careful torquing the ring bolts on both ends, holding only the short end of the allen key to tighten.   And I took the rifle out in the back yard this morning.
After zeroing this brought the elevation to near center with almost equal amounts of turret turns left both ways.   
Now I'm watching for scope slippage, if any.

At any rate,  I will still be ordering a droop mount for this rifle as I can use this current mount on another gun. 

[Yogi]

Drooper mount in a 1 piece ... OR a pair Sports Match adjustable singles 
 

Are these Sport Match adjustable single scope mounts really strong?  I heard that they are very hard to set up and that they do not stay centred on magnum springers.  I hope I am wrong, because they would cure a lot of problems.  Do Dampa mounts have any elevation adjustment built in?
Thanks,
-Y

[Motorhead]

Drooper mount in a 1 piece ... OR a pair Sports Match adjustable singles 
 

Are these Sport Match adjustable single scope mounts really strong?  I heard that they are very hard to set up and that they do not stay centred on magnum springers.  I hope I am wrong, because they would cure a lot of problems.  Do Dampa mounts have any elevation adjustment built in?
Thanks,
-Y

Yea you make good point on the sports match singles .... given a choice on a MAGNUM SPRINGER, a one piece droop adjustable like the UTG, Hawke etc ... likely a wiser choice.
* On a PCP or lower recoiling platform the Sport Match 2-ways are the bomb !!

[k-man]

You said you just picked this rifle up? Brand new? If iits the rifle being that far off, send it back for a replacement. I would NEVER attempt bending the barrel on $700+ hw 97! Thats insanity

[HWNut]

As Motorhead notes, it is very unlikely that a HW97 has barrel droop.

It isn't at all. You can align the cylinder and barrel with a measuring rod and you can see how far the barrel drops at the muzzle end. I already sent an HW95 back because the barrel was "backwards" drooping from the locking receiver. It depends on how accurate the worker alignes the barrel with the cylinder. Sometimes they are not correctly aligned and you get that drop.

Here I took an image before it got sent back:

And no, it wasn't from firing the gun cocked with open barrel. That's how it left the factory. I noticed it because I couldn't get a sight picture as I wasn't able to get my eyes low enough on the cheek piece.

[grauhanen]

As Motorhead notes, it is very unlikely that a HW97 has barrel droop.

It isn't at all. You can align the cylinder and barrel with a measuring rod and you can see how far the barrel drops at the muzzle end. I already sent an HW95 back because the barrel was "backwards" drooping from the locking receiver. It depends on how accurate the worker alignes the barrel with the cylinder. Sometimes they are not correctly aligned and you get that drop.

Are you saying it is not likely that a HW97 will not have barrel droop?  Double negatives aside, the HW97 is a fixed barrel air rifle.  Fixed barrel air rifles can have barrel droop (as any rifle can, be it a PB or AG), but the key point is that they are unlikely (or much, much less likely, if you prefer) to have it.

[Motorhead]

As Motorhead notes, it is very unlikely that a HW97 has barrel droop.

It isn't at all. You can align the cylinder and barrel with a measuring rod and you can see how far the barrel drops at the muzzle end. I already sent an HW95 back because the barrel was "backwards" drooping from the locking receiver. It depends on how accurate the worker alignes the barrel with the cylinder. Sometimes they are not correctly aligned and you get that drop.

Here I took an image before it got sent back:

And no, it wasn't from firing the gun cocked with open barrel. That's how it left the factory. I noticed it because I couldn't get a sight picture as I wasn't able to get my eyes low enough on the cheek piece.

A BREAK barrel action and that of a SIDE or UNDER lever action are different animals !!

What TOO FEW realize is that the SCOPE is the issue more times that not when a Fixed Barrel action will not zero +/- 25 yards

In air guns where we need the apex of pellet flight to happen so close to muzzle you actually given choice need barrel to be bent upward at muzzle or Ocular end of scope to be higher than Objective end.

* When a scopes erector assembly has limited Elevation capability it simply cannot correct the intersect so close in.  Compound issue with barrel DROOP and your really out of luck with a scope angle corrective mount or a barrel angle adjustment required.

It is of my professional opinion nearly every time i read posts of folks complaining there FIXED BARREL gun has droop because scope won't zero IT IS THE SCOPE that is the problem or in combination with too high of scope rings / Objective bell diameter exacerbating the issue.

JMO ...
Scott

[roadfix]

Well, I received my BKL drop compensated mount yesterday and mounted that with my re-centered scope (using V-blocks) on the HW97k. 
Better, but still shot about 3" low at 30 yards. 
Anyhow, I zeroed the scope with the new BKL mount and all is good for now.  The rifle shoots well, accuracy wise, except for the spring buzz which I can deal with for the time being.