Hammerli 280 Ultimate buyers Guide?

[Hunterdude]

Hello, I have admired the Hammerli 280 for years, I have recently seriously considering purchasing one. I have always admired accurate 22 rimefire, my useage for the pistol would be honing my pistol skills, and Small game hunting!
So with that being said, they don't come at low cost, I find little online info about them so far. I am wondering if there might be some Hammerli fans on this forum that could help make me an educated buyer?
Info I am interested in:
Are there any years of manufacturer or variants that are more desirable? And how to identify them?
Are there any weak parts or wear parts? And where to source replacement or upgrade parts?
I know some models have safety in grip and others eather don't? Or different location on pistol? What is considered most desirable safety? If in grip can the pistol be fitted with aftermarket Left Hand grips?
Is the polymer/ carbon?? Frame durable? Are cracks in the frame a real issue?
Ok...feel free to share your experience, good or bad, I am most interested in the 22lr version but the information on the center- fire version is welcome to! -Ben

[joel]

There's a late model for sale, a beauty, in the classifieds section at a great price imho. I believe that it uses the same grip as the SP-20 and grips are getting hard to find. However, Rink makes all sorts of grips for the 280 but you would need to make a minor modification to separate the mag chute from the grip.

Joel

[Hunterdude]

Thanks Joel, I am not ready to purchase yet until I feel reasonably well educated about the pistols. - Ben

[Hunterdude]

Would it be better to move this post to Olympic pistol? Since making the post I did a search for Hammerli 280 here and got 60 some hits....over there around 220 hits...is Olympic pistol just a more active area? -Ben

[David Levene]

Would it be better to move this post to Olympic pistol?

Done

[fc60]

Greetings,

There are two versions of the 280 I know of.

The top end on the early ones merely snap on and off with finger pressure and are secured by one draw bolt accessed through the magazine well.

The second design has an added screw at the muzzle to retain the upper. The screw inside the magazine well is still there.

Should anything happen to the upper, Walther will only replace parts with the newer design having the screw at the muzzle end.

From personal experience...

I had a 32 bolt crack early one. Haemmerli replaced it at no charge.

The trigger tongue is Aluminum and can break where the mounting screw is located. Mine broke, once.

I bought a 280 with a cracked upper (22lr). The crack was situated just above the ejection port. I bought it used so I cannot say for certain what caused the crack. I did mail the upper back to Walther and they replaced it for a fee.

If you plan to shoot optical sights, forget the 280. Mounts for the optical devices are not well designed for the pistol upper, which is Carbon-Fiber. I have seen an optical mount that attached via the three holes underneath the receiver originally intended for weights. This design may work well.

The front and rear sights come in a variety of sizes. The rear sight snaps in and out with the special tool. Do not loose the front sight screw. It is a bastard thread. (M3x0.25)

The pistol is long discontinued. Parts may be a problem. Walther may be able to supply some, I have not queried them in some time.

The manual has a nice flow chart to adjust the trigger. Yes, it may take more than one try; but, the trigger group is adjustable to suit your needs. Go online and download the manual to familiarize yourself.

If you live in the USA, who is going to work on it should problems arise?

I have noticed that the chambers on the 280 and SP-20 in 22lr are fussy about what ammo it will function with. I like CCI Standard Velocity. I buy a case and test it for functioning. If it works well, I save that ammo for the 280 only.

I still shoot my 280 in both 22lr and 32 S&W. I have been pleased with it other than the above mentioned "bumps in the road"

Cheers,

Dave

[deadeyedick]

The top end on the early ones merely snap on and off with finger pressure and are secured by one draw bolt accessed through the magazine well.

News to me ....and mechanically doubtful with regards to slide and barrel removal.

In my experience the earlier ones had two screws at the front as well as the mag well screw.
This worked fine with the .22 but caused the first shot to impact high on the .32.

The next model has one screw at the front and the mag well screw and cured the high first shot with the .32.

I have owned both versions and I would advise buying the model that has the single front disassembly screw for removal of the upper half.

[fc60]

Greetings,

Apparently there are three versions.

Mine was purchased in 1990.

To remove the top, you slacken off the screw in the magazine well and with the bolt forward, you push at the rear of the upper until it "pops" off.

My pistol has two metal studs moulded into the upper near the muzzle that locate into two bushings in the receiver.

Never experienced the high shot phenomenon quoted many times.

Cheers,

Dave

[deadeyedick]

Thanks for the update Dave...any chance of a picture or two ?

[fc60]

Greetings,

A link to a photo exactly like my pistol...

http://i32.servimg.com/u/f32/12/92/78/77/dsc_1614.jpg

The two round bits are the studs that locate in the frame.

Cheers,

Dave

[deadeyedick]

The early model I owned had the two screw heads as located below the barrel as in the picture.
However these needed to both be unscrewed along with the mag well screw before the slide/ barrel could be removed.
Are you saying that you do not have to touch the two front screws ?

[Hunterdude]

Well... there you have it, this thread is useful all ready. Many thanks to those who have contributed! I hope there is more to come.
My brother and I are Toolmakers of long standing, there is nearly nothing we could not make or replicate in metal.
Take for instance, the aluminum trigger could be machined from steel, or even Tool steel, if it is a thin profile... we could likely fit barrels turned from match grade barrel stock, not that the Hammerli needs an upgrade. Even machining an aluminum replacement slide it in the realm of possibility but likely not practical or even desirable. If I knew there was a supply of replacement carbon fiber parts that would give me a warm fuzzy. Likely the factory will not just let you purchase spares, you probably have to send them a broken part and hope they can supply a replacement.
I have seen these go for 1/2 the current USA market price on European web sites, does anyone import them like Jim E. Does match airguns? I suspect a firearm is a whole other level of crazy to import. Thanks for letting me rant, please do continue this facinating thread!

[deadeyedick]

Larry’s Guns purchased all of Hammerli 280 spares when the 280 was superseded by the SP20.

Their parts inventory is diminishing and parts like barrels/slides etc are only a memory.

However the .22 should require no major parts, and while supplies still exist I would buy a spare firing pin and extractor claw. Triggers are also still available from LG.

[Gwhite]

Unfortunately, Larry passed away suddenly in early December. I know that his daughter will be handling his estate, and I suspect she is more than a bit overwhelmed dealing with normal estate matters plus sorting out everything at LGI. I'm hopeful that somebody will either buy up all of his parts, or re-open the business. However, it may be a couple years before you can get parts again.

[fc60]

Greetings,

There are no screws at the front of my 280.

Just two pins that mate to bushings in the receiver.

Simply push it off to remove.

I have never seen one with two screws at the muzzle. Is it possible someone "upgraded" it?

Cheers,

Dave

[deadeyedick]

Possibly.....but I thank you for upgrading my knowledge regarding 280’s Dave..

Cheers. Gary

[Hunterdude]

So, I have a question, it seems the early models have a safety in the grip....if that is not present, did the safety move to the trigger guard? Or other location, or get removed all together?.... It's not totally out of question for a Target pistol not to have a safety....

[fc60]

Greetings,

Excellent question regarding the safety.

The USA models have the safety in the grip. The lever goes through the frame and trigger housing.

The European models have no safety.

The European 280 pistols will not accept the USA safety. I cannot recall if the hole in the frame, trigger group, or both is smaller.

It would suggest to me that the European shooters are safer gun handlers than those of us in the USA.

****************************************************************************************************************

Sudden recall...

The Walther GSP European models do not have the safety lever either. I have one; but, I promise to be extra safe with it.

Cheers,

Dave

[dschaller]

European shooters are not safer gun handlers than USA Shooters, however their lawmakers are not as stupid. The safety on US guns was a requirement of the saturday night special laws where certain features are "bad" and others (safeties) clearly prevent the gun from being used in a criminal manner. Adding the safety allowed the guns to be imported....

[Mike M.]

IIRC, it took Hammerli a good year to come up with the safety for the 280.

It's my understanding that there are only two uppers, one secured at the muzzle end by two studs, and a later one secured at the muzzle end by a screw. The latter is much more desirable, especially in .32 S&WL. My .32 upper will reliably kick the first shot out of the magazine about 3 inches high. There is a stabilizer subframe that replaces the weights...if you can find one. If you want to sacrifice the ability to use the weights. Which is one of the nicest things about the 280, you can set the weight and balance as you please.