gamo coyote

PCP or
GAMO COYOTE: WEIHRAUCH HW97K
SPRINGER?
GAMO
COYOTE
v
WEIHRAU
CH
HW97K
Mark Camoccio goes head-tohead with a pair of £400 air rifles
that offer two completely different
power systems…
Main image:
Engineered
to last... the
Weihrauch
HW97K
(shouldered)
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
As Gamo’s first foray into the world of precharged pneumatics, the
Coyote is something of a landmark rifle in the Spanish company’s
history. Its designers have achieved an individual feel from what
is a fairly conventional PCP layout, with a whole host of features
including distinctive woodwork and a 10-shot rotary magazine.
The German-made Weihrauch brand has a deserved reputation for
making seriously good airguns that stand the test of time, and the
circa 1993 HW97 model is a classic example. Pick it up… and you’re
left in no doubt that this traditional, adult sporter is engineered to
last. Against the Coyote, though, the HW97K feels a little weighty.
Gamo Coyote
HHHHHHHHHI
Weihrauch HW97K HHHHHHHHHI
TAKING STOCK
The Gamo’s eye-catching stock design is anything but bland, with
plenty of detail and laser-cut chequering adorning forend and pistol
grip. The beech has a pleasant grain pattern visible through the
lacquer and everything looks smart and well finished. Aesthetically,
that particularly beefy forend combines nicely with the sweeping
lines of the butt, creating the overall impression of a purposeful
sporting rifle.
The Coyote‘s butt (top) features aesthetic
sweeping lines, while the HW97K sports
a more pronounced cheekpiece
AIRGUN SHOOTER
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The Gamo‘s 10-shot rotary
magazine features a shot
indicator
Detailed laser-cut chequering adorns the
Gamo‘s stock...
...as well as the latest sporter variant of
the HW97K‘s
Weihrauch’s HW97K has evolved over the years and now sports a fully
chequered sporter stock with a higher, more pronounced cheekpiece. It’s
a practical handle, but the subtle grain pattern on my test sample’s beech
stock was rather masked by a thick lacquer finish.
Gamo Coyote
HHHHHHHHHI
Weihrauch HW97K HHHHHHHHII
SCOPING UP
Neither sports open sights, but then it would be a crime not to fit a scope
given the potential accuracy these rifles have to offer!
The Coyote‘s raised breech block is standard PCP issue, but scores over
many rivals in that it offers an uninterrupted scope rail; one that bridges
the magazine. This brings greater rigidity than a set-up in which the breech
is cut away to allow for a magazine, and also allows more flexibility where
scope positioning is concerned.
The HW97K sports a very long dovetail of standard (11mm) width,
and three holes are machined into the receiver for a studded mount –
important to eliminate scope ‘creep’ on a recoiling springer.
Gamo Coyote
HHHHHHHHHI
Weihrauch HW97K HHHHHHHHHI
ACTION POINTS
As a PCP, the Coyote needs to be pre-filled with compressed air from a
Unusually for a PCP, the Coyote offers
an uninterrupted scope rail that
bridges the magazine
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The Weihrauch‘s antibeartrap mechanism
protects your fingers
while loading
diver’s bottle or by way of a manual stirrup pump – apparatus which will
add in excess of £100 if you’re new to the PCP world. It fills to 232BAR;
quite high for a PCP, though an easy task thanks to a push-in probe system
that locates at the front of the main air cylinder – and one fill returns
around 110 shots.
The Coyote’s multi-shot action uses a well engineered, BSA-style 10shot rotary magazine sporting a shot indicator. It’s inserted from the left
side of the breech and indexes flawlessly by an easy-to-operate bolt.
Of course, as a springer, the HW97K’s powerplant is self-contained – all
that’s required is a pull-back of the under-barrel lever to cock the action
and reveal the breech courtesy of a sliding breech. The cocking stroke is
relatively easy considering the underlever’s short length, and the sears
engage with a ‘clunk’ that sounds reassuringly Weihrauch!
What’s more, you can feed a pellet directly into the rifling with your
fingers, your digits being protected while in the loading bay courtesy of the
HW97K’s anti-beartrap mechanism.
Gamo Coyote
HHHHHHHHII
Weihrauch HW97K HHHHHHHIII
Three holes are machined into the receiver
of the HW97K‘s long dovetail to take
a studded mount
AIRGUN SHOOTER
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GAMO COYOTE: WEIHRAUCH HW97K
The SAT2 Smooth Action Trigger with a
resettable safety tab on the Coyote...
The blued, highly polished metalwork on the HW97K is deep and rich
OVERALL BUILD
...and Weihrauch‘s famed
Rekord trigger unit, complete with
a gold-anodised blade on the HW97K
TRIGGER AND SAFETY
Gamo has gone to great lengths to give the Coyote its own character
and profile, and the rather jazzy, SAT2 Smooth Action Trigger adds to
this. Though the blade’s plastic, it has a perfectly acceptable – and fully
adjustable – release. My only gripe concerns the manual, resettable safety
tab inside the guard, which is positioned too near the blade itself – rather
‘iffy’ logic if you ask me!
The HW97K boasts Weihrauch’s famed Rekord trigger unit – a fully
adjustable, two-stage mechanism with a snazzy gold-anodised blade on
this model. It remains one of the very best trigger units fitted to a springpowered rifle. As well as an anti-beartrap system that engages upon
cocking and remains in operation until the underlever’s been returned,
the HW97K comes with Weihrauch’s signature automatic safety button.
Easily disengaged by your thumb, it can only be reset by re-operating
the underlever.
Gamo Coyote
HHHHHHHHII
Weihrauch HW97K HHHHHHHHII
You can screw an optional
silencer on the Coyote
after removing its ported
‘compensator‘
Although their latest spring- and gas-ram models are technologically
quite advanced, Gamo has traditionally been seen as a major player in
the budget sector. This Coyote shows real intent to move up, however;
the quality of its blueing and overall engineering raises the game, not
forgetting the decent woodwork that I’ve already mentioned.
As for the Coyote’s action block and barrel stamping, it looks
suspiciously similar to BSA’s Scorpion chassis, and with the
Birmingham-based company part of the Gamo portfolio, speculation
is inevitable as to its origins. That plastic trigger and its guard are the
only real signs of ‘budget’, though – and even they are moulded rather
well, it has to be said.
Weihrauch’s standard of finish has never faltered down the years,
though I miss the super-deep chequering of old; laser machines may be
more accurate, but they ain’t as sharp! The HW97K’s chemically blued
metalwork is deep and rich, and applied to a highly polished surface
for added quality. Oh… and there’s not a scrap of plastic to be seen
on the gun.
While the Coyote isn’t overly noisy, a silencer can be screwed on at
the muzzle after removal of the attractive ported ‘compensator’. The
Weihrauch, on the other hand, comes straight out of the box with a
silencer fitted.
Gamo Coyote
HHHHHHHHII
Weihrauch HW97K HHHHHHHHHI
HANDLING
The Coyote‘s nicely configured and fulsome forend not only looks the
part, but feels absolutely right; its rounded tip is particularly satisfying
and the cheekpiece spot-on for scope use. There’s quite a rake to the
stock’s pistol grip, though – so some may find the trigger reach a bit
of a stretch.
Weihrauch design the HW97K with quite a thick pistol grip, but
since weight alone marks this gun out as an ‘adults only’ model, the
dimensions are a good compromise. If you like a front-heavy rifle, the
HW97K will sit well on aim for you. If you don’t, then try before you
buy – it might not suit; many hunters will find it too tiring for an all-day
gun. However, its balance is well regarded in target shooting circles.
Gamo Coyote
HHHHHHHHII
Weihrauch HW97K HHHHHHHHII
CONSISTENCY
Ten-shot strings give a very good idea of how a spring-powered airgun
is performing, while the very nature of a PCP demands closer analysis
across a full charge of air to assess what kind of power curve (if any)
it possesses.
From its 232BAR fill, my .177 calibre Coyote produced a string of
60 shots with AADFs that varied by a very creditable 18fps. Over 110
shots, the high/low spread was 36fps. As most PCP shooters will shoot
within the ‘flattest’ part of the power curve (and top up accordingly),
the Gamo’s performance is par for the course.
AIRGUN SHOOTER
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GAMO COYOTE: WEIHRAUCH HW97K
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Model
CoyoteHW97K
Manufacturer
Gamo, Spain
Weihrauch, Germany
UK Distributor
BSA Guns
Hull Cartridge
www.bsaguns.co.ukwww.hullcartridge.co.uk
Action
Multi-shot precharged Spring and piston
pneumatic
Calibre
.177 (tested) and .22
.177 and .22 (tested)
Cocking
Bolt action
Underlever
Overall length
953mm1,029mm
Barrel length
470mm 300mm
Weight (unscoped) 3.5kg4.18kg
Trigger
Two-stage, adjustable SAT2
Safety
Manual, resettable
My .22 calibre test HW97K proved, quite simply, to be the most consistent
rifle I have ever tested! A 10-shot string with AADFs crossed the chrono’s
sensors with a total deviation of… wait for it… just 2fps! Extraordinary.
Gamo Coyote
HHHHHHHHII
Weihrauch HW97K HHHHHHHHHH
ACCURACY
As with several multi-shot PCP designs on the market, it’s possible to
index the Coyote’s magazine to the next shot without actually cocking
the action, so a regimented approach to the cocking procedure must be
adopted to avoid loading a ‘double’. As for downrange accuracy, groups
were effortless to achieve – and (c-to-c) they measured sub-10mm at 30
yards with AADFs.
Obviously, the recoiling Weihrauch couldn’t quite match this, but
thanks to its modest recoil, I was able to frequently put in sub-15mm
groups at that distance. That’s impressive by any gun’s standards –
springer or PCP.
Two-stage, adjustable Rekord
Automatic, non –resettable. Anti-
beartrap cocking
Sights
N/AN/A
Stock
Ambidextrous beech sporter Right-hand beech sporter
Length of pull
368mm356mm
Typical power
11.1ft/lb with AADF
11.3ft/lb with AADF
SRP
£399.99 incl. fill adaptor and spare seals
£402
Gamo Coyote
HHHHHHHHHI
Weihrauch HW97K HHHHHHHHII
VALUE FOR MONEY
With both these rifles pitched at near identical SRPs, the comparison
serves to illustrate what is available for this money. Gamo’s Coyote
is blisteringly good value when you consider that the majority of
comparable multi-shot PCPs are considerably more expensive.
There are shooters who swear by traditional spring power, though
– and in the HW97K, you’re undoubtedly getting one of the best
available. This old favourite may be heavy, and several cheaper models
will match its performance. But they’ll have trouble matching the build
quality; Weihrauch’s airguns represent a very sound investment in well
engineered hardware – and an ever-growing fan base will tell you
they’re worth every penny.
Gamo Coyote
HHHHHHHHHH
Weihrauch HW97K HHHHHHHHII
Main image:
Downrange,
groups were
effortless to
achieve with
the Coyote
(shouldered)
Gamo Coyote
Weihrauch HW97K
It is possible to index the next shot
on the Coyote without cocking the
action, so watch out!
86/100
84/100
FIN
VERDAL
ICT
Pitching the Gamo Coyote against Weihrauch’s HW97K was an unusual brief. While it wasn’t
easy to maintain parity within the set categories, it was an intriguing pairing, given the pricing
similarity. The Gamo Coyote looks exceedingly good value for money – though you may need
to factor in the fact of life that is costly charging gear if you’re not already a PCP user.
The Weihrauch’s weight might eliminate it as a prospect for slightly built shooters – and
the Gamo’s reliance on charging gear may put off those who prefer the simpler life.
So while it’s the new PCP that sneaks in on points, really it’s more a case of ‘you pays
your money, and you takes your choice’: recoilless action… or hassle-free independence?
Whichever route you choose, though, it’ll certainly be £400 well spent!
Right: The Gamo Coyote is good value, but
remember to factor in the charging gear
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AIRGUN SHOOTER
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