Had my HW40 for a while, so I thought that it is time for a proper review.... I bought it in Dec 2018, It was bought on a whim, While I was in Crawley Surplus, I tried a couple of pistols in the shop and immediately liked the 40.
In the hand it has a good "feel". The weight is just right (0.78kg or 780g) and the balance also feels good. It is all metal construction, (Edit: It is of course, NOT all metal, sorry I was getting confused with my HW45, the 40 is a polymer / composite construction, but it is non the worse for that fact). It seems to be good quality and is a nice relatively small size. (Length = 240mm, the barrel length is 170mm according the the Weihrauch website).
It comes as new in the usual Weihrauch pistol cardboard box with an owners / users manual.
I also bought a small single pistol case at the same time.
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However, this hard case now houses my HW45 and the HW40 is now in a soft padded, (Dan Wesson) pistol case. I actually prefer the softer case.
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The pistol is a recoilless action, incorporating a single stroke pneumatic, which is quiet and smooth. It has an adjustable two stage trigger, and built in fibre optic sights at both the front and rear.
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The rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation. There is a dovetail rail for fitting a scope. There is an automatically operated safety lever, which has to be turned off before every shot.
The pistol grip is ambidextrous so is suitable for right and left handed. I have since added a neoprene / rubber type "slip-on" grooved grip, which I think improves the gun as your fingers stay in place around the grip better.
The cocking action was quite stiff! it has eased a bit with use. You press the rear lever which releases the barrel, lifting the barrel is the easy bit, once lifted, insert the pellet into the barrel end (breach). You now have to close the barrel which requires some considerable force, as you are effectively compressing the air in the tube as you close it. You must keep your fingers away from the edges as you close the barrel, as at the end it "snaps" shut and catching your finger hurts!
How do I know?.... I just do.... [Ouch!]
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The trigger is surprisingly light, and can be adjusted, although I have not touched it so far and theres no signs of creep.
I'm no pistol marksman and I tend to only shoot this at 6m at our range and the accuracy is good. I get about 15mm groups at that range with the occasional cloverleaf (touching) groups. I'm not good enough for single hole groups, but I'm sure that the gun is.
Pellets, it does not seem to be that fussy, I mainly stick to Geco Flatheads, but I've also tried JSB Exacts and H&N FTT and the accuracy was pretty much the same for me.
For fun at the range we sometimes try to shoot a large brass bell (about 100mm high by about 75mm wide at the base) located at the end of our range , which is around 48yds, and I have managed to hit the bell using this pistol a few times, aiming about 200mm high to allow for the drop!
View attachment 2537The bell is in the middle of this pic, right at the back, see red circle...!
Cheaper alternatives, eg: Beeman P17, I've read a few times that the cheaper P17 is exactly the same as the HW40, but I've also read that although it looks the same, some of the parts are not the same or are of an inferiors quality.
The P17 is about £65 to £75, whereas the HW40 is about £150, although I did find one seller, Sportsmangun, who is selling them for £133?
I have shot a P17 and it did feel a bit inferior, but maybe that was just me subconsciously being a Weihrauch snob? Who knows...
Have I had any problems with my HW40? no, it has performed flawlessly. I put a small dab of oil (Pellgun) on the cylinder once in a while, and thats it.
I would personally highly recommend the Weihrauch HW40 PCA pistol.
