I would like to add to this one the warning about holding on to the barrel/under lever when loading a springer!

I was doing work on my HW97, it was out of the stock and I had to cock it. I held one hand around the body and one around the barrel all the way out to the tip of the barrel. (The HW97 is an under lever) I some how managed to set of the trigger when holding the gun and the under lever flew up and smacked the hand holding the barrel. Fuck that stung!! The under lever hit my pointing and middle finger just on the inner and outer joints with an unbelievable force. I thought for sure it had broken both my fingers. I could not move them for three days, they swelled up to twice their size and became a nice dark purple color.

A week later they still hurt and are still swollen, not as bad thought. But the thought of this happening when loading a pellet scares me!

Anything soft being in the breech if that smack shut is gone!

I still believe I was lucky to have had my hand where it was, at least my hand took the blow not the barrel. The blow was so hard that it would have bent the barrel, no doubt. I would rather mend some hurt fingers and a bruised ego than having to buy a new gun.

Also an important lesson learned: HOLD ON TO THE BARREL/ UNDERLEVER WHEN COCKING/LOADING THE GUN.

I have of course seen all the warnings about it, and have tried to remember to hold on to the barrel/ underlever when cocking my guns, but I must admit that I mostly have forgotten to do it.

Needless to say that I will never forget that again! The force of that thing smacking shut is just unbelievable! There is no way most people can imagine that amount of power.

HOLD ON TO THAT BARREL/UNDER LEVER and save you fingers!