Today we’re taking a close look at Doug Rogers’ HW97 Field Target competition air rifle. Why? Well, the Field Target season will be starting soon – at least here in the North East USA.
Also, Doug recently changed course in Field Target discipline. For many years he shot with a PCP. Last year he moved to a springer and was pretty successful. So he plans to continue for 2025. That’s “bucking the trend” and is interesting in itself…
Plus, because Doug is a deep thinker about airguns, it’s very interesting to see what he has chosen and how he has configured this springer for Field Target competition.
Doug Rogers’ HW97 Field Target Competition Gun – Overview
First, it’s fair to say that Doug is a long-time Weihrauch fan who loves his HW100.
He’s also always been happy with his purchases from Airguns of Arizona. So, there’s no surprise that he bought his HW97K with thumbhole stock from AoA.
For a scope, Doug selected a Sightron SIII Field Target 10-50 x 60. To be precise, the model 25018 with MOA-H illuminated reticle. This is a popular choice for Field Target shooters as we know from their widespread use in the 2024 FT World Championships.
All-up, Doug’s HW97 Field Target competition rig weighs-in at 12 Lbs 6 Oz. That’s a fair weight but – as he shoots Hunter Class – the gun is rested on sticks for shooting.
That’s the overview, now let’s look in more detail…
Doug Rogers’ HW97 Field Target Competition Gun – The Air Rifle
Surprisingly, perhaps, Doug has made few changes to the gun itself. He has slightly lightened the trigger, but not made any other significant changes.
Nor has Doug stripped, tuned and re-built this gun – even though he is eminently capable of doing so. As the HW97K shoots to his liking in factory tune, Doug is taking the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach and shoots it just as it came from the factory.
The only mechanical upgrade Doug has made is to fit aftermarket stock screw cups and screws for the two front stock screws. The source? eBay.
Doug Rogers’ HW97 Field Target Competition Gun – The Scope
In fact, Doug has devoted most time, effort and cost to the sighting system. After all, the better you can see the target, the more likely you are to hit it…
HAM reviewed the Sightron SIII 10-50 x 60 scope back in 2020. We loved it, so you can read more there about this optic – even though as a model 25011, it had a sightly different configuration to Doug’s (still current) Model 25018.
In fact, Doug’s scope was specially-modified by Sightron to deliver parallax correction out to just 60 Yards – not Infinity. (The maximum range in Field Target is 55 Yards). This makes precise focusing at longer ranges – 40 plus Yards – easier to achieve.
This scope was originally purchased before the magnification rules for Field Target competition were changed to 16x. As it did not have the newly-required 16x power marking on the zoom ring, Doug was able to return it to Sightron.
The company added the newly-required 16x setting to the zoom ring and returned it to him for just the cost of the shipping. That’s a great example of Sightron’s outstanding customer service and attention to detail!
Around the front bell of the scope, Doug has added a temperature tape – an Amazon purchase. This reads in Farenheit and Celsius and is actually a flexible thermometer.
It’s a convenient and practical way to keep track of the scope’s temperature and to allow for any changes that may be required in ranging in the heat of Summer.
Yes, this is standard stuff, but Doug is a great believer in using the factory sunshade and front lens cap for his scopes. The sunshade helps with maintaining high contrast in bright conditions. The lens cap ensures that the objective lens remains in unmarked condition.
At the rear, Doug uses this rubber extended eye cup that he purchased from England. Again, this prevents stray light from degrading the view through the scope.
Mounting scope and air rifle is undertaken with SportsMatch rings – another British product, of course. Doug loves these rings and uses them with all his scopes.
Next to the rear scope ring is a bubble level from BKL. Doug shoots with both eyes open and so he can see the bubble level to help keep from canting the gun.
The scope’s parallax-correction turret is controlled using a Nautilus sidewheel from Connecticut Custom Airguns. The spiral design of this 3D-printed sidewheel provides greater precision for focusing at longer ranges, compared to a standard circular wheel.
The range markers on the sidewheel come from Rowan Engineering in England. Sure Doug could simply have written the numbers on the tape, but this looks sharp and makes a very professional result.
Now here’s an interesting little addition that Doug has made…
In order to match the Yard markers on his sidewheel against a precise, consistent datum point, Doug added this marker. It’s arrowed in the photograph below.
In fact, this datum is part of an old credit card! In spite of appearances, it’s actually NOT held in place by the rear scope rings. (That would lead to unsatisfactory scope mounting, as Doug emphasized to me). So the support is provided by a separate ring around the body of the scope.
It’s actually a Hawke Target Wheel Pointer (Model 63 002) that’s holding the credit card datum in place. Very clever!
Finally, Doug has a good, old-fashioned, hand-written range card that he keeps in his Crosman pellet pouch. That’s the range in Yards in the left column, the holdovers on the right.
So Doug sees the range card every time he loads a pellet. Just when he needs it!
Thanks Doug for sharing the details of your HW97 Field Target competition air rifle! There’s many great ideas there that will surely be of inspiration to other airgunners, even if they are not shooting Field Target.
BUY FROM AIRGUNS OF ARIZONA
Weihrauch HW97K Air Rifle
Sightron SIII 10-50×60 Field Target Scope
The post Doug Rogers’ HW97 Field Target Competition Gun appeared first on Hard Air Magazine.
Doing the same with my .177 TX (13.5fpe -ish factory) I would probably do a little better if it was 10 or 11fpe but...I want the fpe I paid for! It's silly accurate, I'm just always playing catch up
OK serious question, why that monstrous scope?! If your limited to 16X mag on the field, it seems a waste? Would not a nice clear (and cheaper) 6×24x50 dialed down to 16X be ideal? That would give a nice eyebox still.
