Over the last few months, we’ve revealed two new synthetically-stocked underlever sporters – so it was a no brainer to pit the two against each other in a Head-to-Head test. The Shooting Party, brainchild of former Webley MD, Mike Hurney, brought its inaugural rifle, the AirForceOne Hercules 100X, to the, well… party, back at the start of the year. It’s a brand-new concept and design straight out of a high-tech Turkish gunmaking factory, and the elongated design’s already carved it a niche in the market.
From new to proven, its opponent’s action has been around since 1994 – though it’s undergone a number of improvements since that first version. The Weihrauch HW97, the most famous of the German underlevers, recently had its range expanded, with the release of two synthetic, thumbhole models (one with a silver action, the other all-black) to join the original HW97K beech sporter and K-T thumbhole models.
The synthetic brigade’s making waves in the airgun industry, due to robustness, chic looks and great field handling – but that’s more on the PCP side of things, so how will these two underlever springers fare?
FIRST LOOK
It’s the carbon fibre finish Hercules that I settled on testing – as, although the entire range of 100Xs come with some kind of synthetic stock, it’s the CF that catches my eye. The rifle’s long frame offset against the silver dappling really attracts me. I wouldn’t want to take it hunting without breaking up the bright splatter – but that caveat aside, this AirForceOne just looks fresh.
It’s a similar story for the 97K-T – and I’d have scored it the same if I’d picked up the stainless barrel model version. Still, Weihrauch has produced a top-notch casing for its premier underlever – with the deeply-sweeping butt to trigger relief lines giving the mostly traditionally- shaped 97 stock a bit of dark personality.
Hercules 100X
9 out of 10
HW97K-T
8 of 10
TAKING STOCK
The hard plastic used on the 100X is surprisingly light, especially considering how long the whole set-up is – and the size of the almost-Schnabel-tipped forend, which encapsulates the trigger guard. It’s a thumbhole, with a fi xed rubber butt pad, but the jewel in its crown is the adjustable cheekpiece. A knurled thumbscrew on the butt’s underside allows you to release the cheek, so you can adjust its height to suit the sights in use. That, coupled with a grippier, fi nger-moulded pistol grip and unique rubber half-moons on the forend, make for a rifl e that handles more comfortably than a rifl e its length should. The only thing that confused me was the one-sided indent on the cheekpiece; the rest of the rifl e’s ambidextrous, so why isn’t that, too? Somehow, Weihrauch’s composite stock is nearly identical to its wooden variant – in terms of weight, geometry and balance – which certainly isn’t a bad thing considering the success of that model. The well-shaped butt sits nicely in your shoulder, and the addition of large stippled panels on the forend mean keeping your hands anchored firmly in place isn’t difficult.
Hercules 100X
9 out of 10
HW97K-T
9 out of 10
BOTH BARRELS
AirForceOne has fixed its own barrel to the Hercules, and it’s a sturdy component – though doesn’t quite have the blueing quality of its rival. It’s a full 16cm longer than the Weihrauch’s – and though it complements the sleek looking rifle, would the Hercules handle better with a shorter tube? I think so. The cocking latch is secure and supportive, though, so there’s no real muzzle flip on firing. Fixed-barrel rifles are inherently more accurate than break barrels, but adding a renowned Weihrauch bore into the equation takes that even further. They’re well produced, nicely-blued and – what with the integral moderator weight – designed with minimal muzzle flip. Plus, the underlever linkage is extremely secure.
Hercules 100X
6 out of 10
HW97K-T
8 out of 10
COCKING
It’s a small thumb slide you’ve got to move rearward on the Hercules in order to release the long underlever from its seating. Then working the long arm all the way back is easy – probably, in fact, due to that length – and quite smooth, though make sure you hear a positive click at the end of the stroke. An anti-beartrap engages upon cocking, too – so you can be sure the trigger’s deactivated until you return the underlever to its original position.
The Weihrauch’s underlever is actually only two-thirds the size and its stroke isn’t as long, so cocking isn’t quite as effortless – but it’s extremely smooth. (And that, quite literally, is German engineering in action!) It’s fitted with an anti-beartrap, too – and the secure muzzle-end bedding features the standard HW push button release situated underneath the muzzle.
Hercules 100X
8 out of 10
HW97K-T
8 out of 10
INTO THE BREECH
I can’t fault either rifle for breech access – as both have large apertures and are fitted with anti-beartrap devices to ensure your fingers are safe when the rifles are cocked. And that’s something I applaud both guns’ designers for.
Hercules 100X
10 out of 10
HW97K-T
10 out of 10
TRIGGER AND SAFETY
As well as that anti-beartrap, the Hercules features an in-trigger-guard manual lever, situated forward of the trigger. It clicks positively back and forward (to shoot), and although it, and the trigger, are pressed steel and so don’t look all that appealing, both work well.
The trigger is two stage, but isn’t adjustable – but I found the factory settings (middle ground in terms of pull weight) just fine.
On the other hand, the HW97’s famous, two-stage Rekord unit is fully-adjustable – and I did lessen its weight off a little for my personal comfort via the small screw just in front of the blade. It’s gold anodised, and while not adding anything to the actual shooting – which is unparalleled, in terms of its clean break – looks incredibly sexy when juxtaposed against the dark, deep black of the stock. The Weihrauch’s standard safety is a simple lateral bar at the rear of the cylinder, which clicks off to shoot.
Hercules 100X
8 out of 10
HW97K-T
10 out of 10
HOW TO WHISPER
It’s fortunate the Hercules doesn’t come with a silencer, as – and I’ll go into this more later – it’s a bit forward heavy. While the muzzle report is by no means a roar, it is noticeable, and the action’s got a bit of running noise to it, too.
Having said that, if you’re going to be cocking and loading an underlever in the fi eld the minor muzzle crack isn’t going to be a worry.
On the other hand, the HW97 is fitted with a steel silencer – and it really does mute the rifle’s report. Plus, if you remove the integral moderator’s end cap, it reveals a ½ in UNF thread – and Weihrauch produce an additional unit to screw on the end. Though I didn’t feel it necessary, a second module would push some weight forward as well – which some might prefer, though I had no inclination to do this.
Hercules 100X
7 out of 10
HW97K-T
9 out of 10
OVERALL FINISH
While the composite material used on the Hercules’ stock does feel a little brittle and light, it’s well-made and moulded. I’d prefer a more-thoughtfully designed trigger blade but, on the other hand, it works well. And the 100X does have two top selling points: fi rst off, it doesn’t boast standard airgun scope rails, but a 170mm Picatinny attachment rail.
It’s unusual, and means any scope you do attach will be fully arrested – though ensure you pick up the correct mounts. But the icing on the cake is the TruGlo fore and rear opens.
Although I usually scope-up (with a Mamba Lite 3-9x for this test, on both guns), I like the versatility of opens, and it only improves the rifle’s appeal to have the option.
The integral moderator dashes any chance of that on the HW97, but its standard rails do the job – though you’ll need at least medium-height mounts for any scope with an objective lens much bigger than 40mm. Standard of
finish and build quality on my test rifl e were, as always from the German company, absolutely excellent – and the synthetic stock’s been properly integrated around the action, with no corners cut.
Oh (and bear with me a second here), I’ve got to mention the box my HW97 arrived in. Normal gun boxes are basic, with polystyrene wedges to keep the rifl e in some kind of position. But
Weihrauch’s new packaging features individual cardboard inserts up and down the rifle, each with securing tabs.Not only does that ensure the rifle you receive won’t have been knocked about in transit, but if you were ever looking for a good example of Weihrauch’s meticulousness, this is it!
Hercules 100X
9 out of 10
HW97K-T
9 out of 10
FIELD HANDLING
I’ve already mentioned the length of the Hercules, and it does make for a rifle you need to be careful with. It handles lightly, and is more forward in its balance – but if you set the cheekpiece securely in place for your frame, and make full usage of the thumbhole, it’s surprisingly easy to control. In the past, I’ve made it no secret that I prefer shorter rifles, but I had no qualms with the 100X – as aside from being aware of how far the end of the barrel was from my eye, I enjoyed manhandling the rifle in the field. It is man-sized, though, and probably wouldn’t suit too small a person. A carbine version however…
The HW97K fi tted me perfectly, though. Its balance point is more neutral and it feels extremely solid in the shoulder. Heavier by over half a kilo, when you’re on aim, you’re rock solid. The thumb groove means your trigger hand’s scripted into taking a comfortable hold on the pistol grip, well within reach of the blade, too.
Hercules 100X
8 out of 10
HW97K-T
9 out of 10
OVERALL PERFORMANCE
Milbro Selects and Webley AccuPells were the ammos of choice this time around; Selects for power and AccuPells for accuracy. At 40 yards, the Hercules notched up 40mm groups. I couldn’t help thinking that a few centimetres off the end of the barrel might close up the long-range groups – as the more time the pellet spends in the rifle, the more time you’ve got to flip it off course.
Long ranges with the 97K weren’t a problem. I hit 40mm groups at 45 yards pretty consistently, and I was nearly single-holing the paper at 20 yards. The HW97 is a popular HFT gun, but what with its new all-weather guise, I’d predict its use in the field increasing dramatically.
Hercules 100X
8 out of 10
HW97K-T
9 out of 10