This one is not as early as Gaines HW55,but close.
(Gaines has #711 and this one is #713)

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Butt plate (probably) non original,but the diopter IS !

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Side screw in the fore end of the stock,and nice detail on the screw head from the barrel release lever.

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A diopter to die for ...............

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It still has the original rubber Eye-piece.

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The other side WITHOUT the eye-piece,it has a "tunnel" peepsight instead of the more "common" disk type.

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Now only for the ADULTS .............. IN THE NUDE .....

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Note the "peacock feather" design on the barrel release lever.

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Gaines,its unbelievable but only 2 numbers apart with yours !

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Trigger adjustment screw at the back of the cylinder.(bit fuzzy pic),sorry).

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Frank

...I should let Gaines answer this one, but actually his HW 55 no. "711" is a much later gun with Rekord trigger! Apparently HW started all over again with their serial numbers after this re-design happened.

This is a beautiful rifle! Thanks for putting the pictures of it here.

nt

I believe the side screw guns with the checkered screw head and peacock, like yours , are a whole different set of serial numbers and are older guns. I know about 10,000 HW's are in this early group because I have one near that number...Will post pictures later. At that point they seemed to have started over...bottom screw, no peacock or checkered screws but similar triggers. My 711 is a second generation gun, newer than yours by far. I will check my serial numbers and shot some pictures to support all this. The Falke looking sight shows up on the first generation like yours. As do double triggers on some. I have never heard of a second generation DT 55.

Wonderful find , truly ancient for a HW 55, one of the very first. This will make for fun research. Oddly I just bought a 55S out of the Netherlands, yesterday, , serial 3202 but believe it to be a second generation. Will know when it arrives. Still a very early gun.

Keep them coming.....and dank u ,
Gaines

Never even seen them before, mine have the more common large steel disk with no rubber....GB

That sight has a very interesting eyepiece indeed! The depth of the aperture piece, and the shape of the eyeshade, perhaps suggest that it was intended to actually be rested against the face when fired?