Hammerli 215 & 208

Just a few questions  for you guys who own a Hammerli pistol:

1. Any significant differences between the 215 & the 208?
2. I read somewhere that high velocity 22 LR shouldn't be used in the Hammerli 215? Please comment on this. What 22LR would be considered "high velocity" ?
3. Where do you buy barrel weights for the Hammerli pistols & are parts availability an issue for these pistols?
4. Is the trigger adjustable for the 215?

Appreciate your response!

1. The frame contour on a 215 is slightly different that a 208 and they "not as highly finished".
 
2. Mini-mags, Rem thunderbolts, ect. 

3.Used market or have a custom barrel weight made. Parts availability can be an issue, depends on the part. 208/215 has been out of production for some time.

4.Trigger on 208/215 is adjustable. how it is adjusted depends on the era of production/import. The 208S and 215S models are highly sought after for the adjustability of the trigger location. 

A Hammerli 208/215 is kind of like a vintage race car. Back in the day, parts and people who knew the ins and outs was not really and issue, not so much today. People still shoot them, and assuming proper maintenance, have very few issues.

I enjoy shooting mine, but I don't put tens of thousands of rounds threw it either.

Besides the adjustable sliding trigger (fore and aft) on the H-208s, the biggest difference is that some H-215's have a single stage trigger and some have a two-stage trigger. All H-208s have a two-stage trigger. I prefer the two-stage trigger. The H-208s was the top of the Hammerli .22 semi-auto line before being sold to Sig. No high quality .22 target pistol should be shot with high velocity ammo. If you are relegated to shooting high velocity ammo, I suggest getting a good Ruger Mark I-IV pistol or maybe a Browning Buckmark, etc. Most high velocity .22 ammo has a copper washed bullet. Standard velocity ammo should have a muzzle velocity of less than around 1,140 fps. By only using standard velocity ammo, a Hammerli semi-auto .22 pistol will last many tens of thousands of rounds. Back in the day, the military teams shot them and their volume of shooting far exceeds that of the vast majority of civilians.

AMU stilll shoots them, though modified

To add another comment:  the 215/215s have a slightly different profile at the front sight than the 208/208s.  Not to mention that the finish is not as highly polished. Otherwise the 215s & 208s have practically identical adjustment features. Later models just previous to the S versions had all the adjustment features less the ‘length of pull’ adjustment for the trigger. Plus the easiest way to tell that you have the ‘s’ version is the squarish trigger guard. 

FWIW Red Feather Outfitters has many parts and Magazines for these pistols on hand at this time. There also seems to be a source out of Germany as well.  However, IMHO the clock is ticking on these. And yes the AMU still use them, but due to heavy modifications, the resemblance to the original is purely coincidental. 

YMMV

Here are two additional comments:
1) There are three successive versions of the 215/208. Within a version, they differ only by the level of finish and the barrel contour.  As others have noted, the 208 and 208s have the more polished surfaces and additional machining along the top surface of the barrel to form a rib and a distinct upstand for the front sight.  The second (and third) versions have a redesigned (2-stage) trigger, as noted in the manual for the second version:

2) As I learned from Larry Carter and also personally observed on a second-version 215 slide, some slides can develop a crack beginning at the inside corner/junction of the breech face and the left rail. Once initiated, the crack runs diagonally down and to the rear.  This may be a reason for the instruction manual to state:

Larry also pointed out to me that my 215 (second version) has a replacement slide.

Thank you guys for all your comments. These are very helpful info for my decision making. Hammerli's system of naming their pistols are confusing to say the least. The way of identifying them is almost impossible. The Hammerli International was named as the 208 but this number is not found on the pistol. Similarly with the 215.....