Air pistols are probably the ultimate when it comes to shooting for fun. Fast-handling and well suited to the backyard range, they are perfect for informal target shooting.
The problem is that, because they have been designed with fun and affordability in mind, a lot of air pistols feel cheap and deliver disappointing performance when it comes to accuracy. That is not the case with the Weihrauch HW44 pre-charged air pistol. It may cost significantly more than a lot of its counterparts, but the extra outlay buys you a high-quality air pistol that will deliver years of reliable, accurate and thoroughly enjoyable shooting.
Despite being a cut above the run of the mill air pistol lineup the recoilless Weihrauch HW44, isn’t over engineered and is great fun to shoot. It’s a versatile performer, delivering solid accuracy on paper targets, while its slick multi-shot action makes it a fistful of fun for fast-fire tin toppling. Distributed in the UK by Hull Cartridge, the HW44 currently has a recommended retail price of £875. Let’s take a closer look at what that buys you.
Below: The Weihrauch HW44 is a high-quality air pistol with looks to match its pedigree
The HW44’s ability to deliver an uncompromising shooting experience is partly down to the fact that it’s basically scaled down version of the acclaimed Weihrauch HW110 air rifle. All the design and componentry that has been incorporated in the HW110 has been squeezed into this hand-sized offering. Fitting all that performance into a much smaller frame is no simple task, and that’s why this is not a cheap air pistol.
In terms of its proportions, the HW44 is 360mm long and weighs about 1.3kg. Much of its chassis is made from ballistic polymer. It’s a nice looking pistol and you can feel Weihrauch’s familiar German build quality as soon as you wrap your hands around its ambidextrous grips. These grips have been very thoughtfully sculpted to provide a very comfortable hold in small or large hands feature a distinct, and very practical, shelf at their base.
The ballistic polymer frame incorporates an underside Picatinny rail which is ideal should you wish to attach a laser sight to the HW44. On top you have another Picatinny rail for scope attachment, although this Weihrauch pistol is fitted with open sights which are adjustable for windage and elevation by means of a screwdriver. They are decent open sights and perfectly suited to rapid-fire plinking on the garden range but this little airgun’s accuracy does justify the extra precision afforded by a telescopic sight. I used the Weihrauch long eye relief 2x20 pistol scope, which retails for around £85, for much of the review period, and it was a perfect match for the HW44.
Below (top): Open sights are fitted and can be adjusted for windage and elevation
Below (bottom): Weihrauch's pistol scope enables the HW44 to shoot to its full accuracy potential
Like the Weihrauch HW110, the HW44 pistol runs a ten-shot rotary magazine and comes supplied with two of them. I love the simplicity of Weihrauch magazines – they’re easy to load and there’s really nothing to go wrong on them. Don’t be fooled by that simplicity though because they are brilliantly engineered and pair with a tried and tested sidelever mechanism to give fast, reliable pellet-friendly reloading time and time again. Best of all, the system prevents you from being able to double-load – and you can get the lever reversed for left-handers.
Below (top): Flick up the retainer switch to remove the HW44's ten-shot magazine
Below (bottom): A tried and tested sidelever action ensures rapid and reliable reloading
All shooters know that a good trigger will greatly enhance accuracy and enjoyment. Weihrauch knows a thing or two about making good triggers, and that is very apparent on the HW44. The blade is a fairly typical design with a gentle curve and a wide face, and the two-stage action can be adjusted. This trigger on the review gun was brilliant straight out of the box – first stage weight and length felt very good to me, the first stage stop point was very clear and the second stage break was crisp, predictable and completely free from creep.
The ambidextrous safety catch has switches on each side, conveniently positioned just above the trigger blade, and can’t be set until the pistol is cocked. You push it down to put it into the safe position, then flip it up when you’re ready to take the shot.
Below: Weihrauch triggers are legendary, and the one on the HW44 meets the usual high standard
Power-wise, the HW44 is producing a muzzle energy of around 5.3ft/lb. It doesn’t have a regulator in the true sense but has what is usually referred to as a regulated valve. It was very consistent over the chronograph, remaining within 6 feet per second over a ten-shot string. There is a subtle power curve, which amounted to a variation of 15 feet per second over 50 shots.
Although the HW44 only has a comparatively small cylinder, it holds enough air to return more than 100 shots in .177 calibre and over 120 in .22 when filled to its 200 bar maximum pressure. Air pressure is displayed on a very clearly marked gauge at the front of the cylinder. When it’s time to refill, you simply pull the stopper out of the inlet at the front of the cylinder and plug in the supplied quick fill probe.
I did most of my shooting with the telescopic sight fitted and also fitted Weihrauch’s HW44 silencer. The silencer slots on and fastens with grub screws which locate into discreet holes to ensure secure attachment and perfect alignment. This silencer has a recommended retail price of £80 and, although compact, is very effective, and enabled me to do plenty of backyard shooting without upsetting my neighbours. Fully-kitted up with scope and silencer, the HW44 did feel a little front-heavy. It still handled extremely well as I like to have the balance forward when using a pistol for quick-fire tin toppling.
Below (top): A clearly marked gauge makes it easy to keep tabs on air reserves
Below (bottom): The sleek Weihrauch HW44 silencer does and good job of hushing down muzzle report
Given that this pre-charged air pistol has serious pedigree and a 25cm match-grade barrel, it is obviously capable of much more than just toppling tins. The truth is that it is probably capable of the same level of accuracy as the Weihrauch HW110 from which it takes many of its features, but it is harder to extra that accuracy from pistol because the different shooting technique demanded by its smaller proportions means you can’t lock it into your body like a rifle.
An air pistol of the HW44's standard deserves decent ammo, so I chose Rifle Super Selected Flathead Heavy (8.18 grain / 4.5mm) for most of my testing.
With the recoilless HW44 rested on a bag on the bench, I could consistently hit 20mm discs at 20m. Shooting it freehand, as a proper pistol should be, 45mm spinners weren’t difficult to hit at 15m, and I am sure that a more accomplished pistol shooter could do much better than that.
Apart from being accurate, the HW44 is also a really fun pistol to shoot, and I really struggled to put it down. My son joined me on one of my test sessions, and we had a brilliant time trying to outdo each other by whacking targets at ever-increasing distances.
There is no denying that the Weihrauch HW44 is quite an expensive pistol, but that is testament to its quality. Weihrauch don’t make cheap airguns, they make quality airguns and those values are clear to see, and feel, on in this excellent pistol. It really is a great piece of kit that should deliver years of excellent performance.
From: Hull Cartridge weihrauch.co.uk
Manufacturer: Weihrauch, Germany
Model: HW44 pistol
Length: 360mm (14.2in)
Weight: 1.3kg (2.9lb)
Barrel length: 250mm (9.8in)
Maximum fill pressure: 200 bar
Shots per fill: 100 in .177, 120 in .22
Muzzle energy: 5.3 ft/lb
RRP: £875
Article first published May 6th 2025
