Air Rifle FAC conversion.

Moonraker68

Well-Known Member
I've got an HW35 in .177 sat here doing nothing at the moment. Is it worth applying for a FAC rated air rifle, then having it converted? I don't know much about this subject, but assume that it won't be able to reach the ft/lbs of a pre-charged rifle? Also, is a .177 pellet travelling at FAC velocities going to impart enough energy? It will be used mainly for rabbits.
 
Depends what you are looking to achieve. I suppose you are thinking of extra distance. I have standard AR and FAC springer Diana 52. Still prefer the .22 rimmy if I need a little more distance. If you can convert the HW35 you will probably only achieve another 10m usable power from a spring conversion and you may lose out on accuracy.
 
Rifles can be uprated to FAC requiremants and the final power within reason would be your choice. I run an Air Arms 410 at 28 ft lbs and find this good out to 60 odd yards on rabbits, However, I think if I were you I would keep your current rifle as it is and look out for a decent secondhand FAC rated one as these can be picked up quite cheaply.
FAC rated air weapons have their place and can be very useful indeed at times, but they are never a complete replacement for a 22 rimfire. Incidentally I would suggest that a 177 is better running at 12 ft lbs but an FAC rated rifle would be better in 22
 
I agree with the above, 177 is not warth FAC`ing really, .22 is ideal.. Personally Ii would leave this one standard as the HW35 is not a very tunable rifle. And avoid overpower springs, like OX etc,, total waste of cash and you stand more chance of making the gun a **** to shoot.
If you need FAC air, then go pcp.
 
Can't see that a HW35 would give you much more than 12fpe anyway, and would most likely turn into something nasty to cock and rough to shoot. I would get an FAC air slot, sell the 35 and buy something else. Recently saw an HW80 in FAC (18fpe approx) for £80 on the BBS, there's one on Guntrader for £180 now.
 
I agree with the above, 177 is not warth FAC`ing really, .22 is ideal.. Personally Ii would leave this one standard as the HW35 is not a very tunable rifle. And avoid overpower springs, like OX etc,, total waste of cash and you stand more chance of making the gun a **** to shoot.
If you need FAC air, then go pcp.

+1 - It wouldn't give enough extra to even try. If you push it it with BIG springs its will then shoot like a shotgun.
 
I put a Titan XS spring in a HW80 25 years ago and through the chrono it was an impressive 27ft lbs....couldn't hit a barn door with it and the safety broke after 10 shots, with a steel tipped pellet it went straight through both sides of a steel dustbin...but who hunts dustbins??
 
Theres plenty to do to convert your HW35, give it to a gunsmith to open up the port ,place a better spring in it, and also give it a good polish,,these 3 methods willup your poundage ,not sure to what until you place it on a chrono.

but lets say, it will be more than 18 maybe upto 22 ft lbs
 
Thanks for the replies. I might just ask my local gunsmith to tune it up to the legal limit for me. It doesn't seem to have much to it at the moment, but then I've not really used an air rifle since getting a .22RF twenty years ago. A pre-charged .22 would be ideal for some of the land I shoot over, but that might have to wait until I have a bit of spare cash.
 
To be perfectly honest i wouldnt FAC your 35 as people has allready mentioned. If you really want a FAC 177 buy one allready in that state.
I had a .177 FX2000 running about 18ft/lbs which is perfect in the calibre but to be perfectly honest it only gave me a few more yards and it wasnt worth the hassle stick with .177 in sub 12ft/lb. If you really want FAC air my honest opinion is go for .22 or .25 in PCP like a Theoben Rapid/AA 410/510 form.
I also used to own a .22 Theoben Eliminator , beautiful looking gun but just too big and awkward it was like hunting rabbits at 60 yards with an SLR:lol::lol:
I really dont think the 35 would be good choice in FAC and espically not in .177 , if it has to be HW breakbarrel then an 80 at 20ft/lb in .177 would be my choice
cheers
craig
 
There is some very good advice in the replies given! fac rifles do have their place, being a pesty i use them "generally running around 30 ft lbs" for holiday parks, hospitals, schools etc where the sub fac is not quite man enough but the rimmy is too much, yes you can use say the 29 ft lbs cci solids but they are a bitch for ricochets. You can as said in an earlier post pick up stupid cheap pcp,s second hand as they do not retain a re sale value. If you have the use for one then deffinetly go for it but really would not bother with the springer as there would be no comparisson against a modern pcp.
regards jamie.
 
Hi mate

If I were you, I'd get the 35 tickled up, but wouldn't waste time - and lolly - trying to uprate it to FAC..... I think you'd be disappointed with what you got out for what you'd put in. Save up for a PCP instead, and go for a .22 if you opt for an FAC version.

BTW - the Daystate is now zeroed, so hopefully I'll get chance to introduce it to some of the crows and magpies in the parish over the course of the weekend.....;). Letcha know how I get on!!

ATB,

Merlin
 
My 2 Cents worth here ,

I had a fac Rapid (40ftlbs) absolutley no use around farm building etc as it punches holes through roofs etc , if your using it in the field ie farms etc then -12ftlbs is all you need - your field craft should allow you to get close enough to any rabbit etc with a standard powered air rifle.

So (and this is only a personal view) after trying it i have found no real use for a fac air rifle .....so i sold it and went back to -12ftlbs HW100kt .177 - and love using it and wouldn't bother buying an fac rated air rifle again
 
Some places warrant it though. I`m doing a caravan park just now, and the rimmy is too much, but I need the added range of the fac rifle, not much cover on an open cravan park so am shooting out at 40mtrs or so.

But again, forget the 35 for fac,
 
You should also know that once your air rifle goes on your fac it it can not be converted back to a 12ftb non fac air rifle again if you do not like it!.
bob
 
Agree with Rake Aboot

My dept were more than happy for it to be taken off ticket, only trouble is sending it too be taken off ticket meant a different licensing dept. who wouldnt agree to it, madness so sold it for peanuts as FAC , very frustrating.
 
Some places warrant it though. I`m doing a caravan park just now, and the rimmy is too much, but I need the added range of the fac rifle, not much cover on an open cravan park so am shooting out at 40mtrs or so.

But again, forget the 35 for fac,

Yeh , i would agree that it does have some use ie ....like your caravan park ( lucky man as these park are usually overrun )but generally i never found any real benefit with mine....but everyone has different needs and situations
 
once went lamping in an open back landy, 1 lamping, 2 shooting..me with my 12ft lb air arms pro-sport and the other guy with a .22 rim ... after the first field it was 12 rabbits to the air rifle and 2 to the rimmy......enough said, you don't need a FAC rated air rifle, i was taking rabbits out to 50 yards through the head every shot and the .22 rim guy was saying you can see the pellet in the lamp, my response was 'yes you can see the pellet in the lamp hitting home everytime, with no richo's' for me 12ft lbs is plenty for an air rifle. just my thoughts Lee
 
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