Finally ordered an RWS 34

[Ithaca Gunner]

After a year of dragging my feet, I finally ordered one when Pyramid Air had an 11% off sale yesterday. I didn't get a scope and don't want one on it. Now, those of you who have an RWS 34 in .22, what kind of accuracy can I expect shooting at about 20-30yds? I'll use it for back yard shooting and starlings at about that same range.

[rking22]

You will be a happy camper. I have set up a .177 version several years ago for a Christmas gift. It shot into less than 1/2 inch at 25 yards. Be aware the springers do not shoot well off a "hard" rest like sandbags. It will shoot best with a consistent hand hold, then rest the hand on a support for groups. Check that all stock screws are snug each time you shoot it, they sometimes have a tendancy to work loose and play havoc with accuracy. Clean with non petroleum products and keep oil out of the "combustion chamber and all will be well. With pellets it likes ,good eyes and "form" it should be as good or better than 1/2 inch at 25, at 10 meters it will be 1 hole. Slay those starlings :)

[GARD72977]

I clean with a piece of fishing string with about 7 patches tied on it and the first two soaked with GOOP OFF. The other 5 clean and dry the barrel. Most of my springers need cleaning around a 500 tin. I have not owned a RWS34 but have a couple HW and a TX200. If you are shooting open sight im sure you will be shooting offhand. The gun should not be very hold sensitivity.

[HARRYMPOPE]

I have gotten similar groups as rking22 did with the 34's I have owned. It takes a lot more money to get a better spring gun than that.

[Ithaca Gunner]

From the you tube videos I watched, it should be an easy gun to shoot and like! Some of those groups on guy was shooting with his were easily covered with a dime, at 25yds! That's good shooti'n with a pellet rifle in my opinion.

[monadnock#5]

I have an RWS 45 in .177. Furry critters in the 20 to 30 yard range are definitely in the dead zone.
Shooting wasps and other flying insects from 4 to 7 yards is also quite challenging for an hour or so. It's also good practice for learning how to cock and load the piece while eyeballing the target. I think it also might help desensitize the neighbor lady to whatever that funny noise might be.

[Ithaca Gunner]

I remember as a kid we would sit on the side porch and shoot flies on the walkway with our b-b guns! Loads of fun, that was!

[rking22]

Boring Bees on the wing with a S&W in 177(walther CO2) :) A hit is a giggle ! Same with the little brother to the 34, can't remember the model, but I gave each of my childern one for 6Th grade graduation. Had fun with them.

[Ithaca Gunner]

I remember those S&W co2 pistols and wish I had bought one!

[roysha]

I'm sure you will be pleased with your new 34. I have the Diana 36, (virtually identical, just a little fancier) in 22 that is my "go to" pellet rifle. If possible try several different makes and styles of pellets. My 36 very definitely prefers RWS Meisterkugeln pellets. I have 15 or so different 22 pellets and nothing else comes close for accuracy. The next closest is at the other end of the price spectrum, the Crosman Primer HP that can be purchased at some Walmarts for about a third of the cost of the RWS pellets.

You will probably need to develop a bit of consistent technique to shoot accurately but once you figure it out the fun begins.

Also a lube tune using Air Rifle Headquarters lubes, will help a bit. Certainly not necessary, but does make a difference.

As far as I'm concerned, the felt pellets are a gimmick but there are those that believe in them and if you should think you need to use them put at least three or four in when you fire so as to develop a bit of resistance. DOUBLE CHECK the bore after doing so to make sure ALL the felt is out. I rarely have to clean the bore, perhaps after 4-5 tins, and then only a dry patch using a coated rod.

Be sure not to get any lube into any place that the compressed air from the piston will contact it. This can cause, at the least dieseling and at worst detonation. VERY hard on seals.

For safety reasons hold on to the barrel while you are loading. Assuming you are right handed, just cock the gun normally with your left hand, hold on to the barrel at a convenient point, depending on your arm's length, tuck the butt between your upper right arm and torso, then insert pellet. I have seen pictures of folks that had the barrel slam shut, for one reason or another, on their thumb and it is not pretty.

Lastly, if you are new to springers, NEVER DRY FIRE them..

Have fun.

[Ithaca Gunner]

It arrived late yesterday! Just what I expected, a slim, well built and balanced arm. The trigger they put in these are first rate! No adjustment needed out of the box! Sights, (tru-glow) are better than expected and easy to use. Needs a break-in period, but I knew that when I ordered it. What's not to like? Automatic safety. I'm getting in the habit of flicking it off when breaking the gun to load it as I find it not in the best location to simply flick it off when the gun's mounted to the shoulder. Other than that, a slim rubber but pad may be added just to keep it from slipping when leaned against the kitchen wall.

I ran a few pellets through it, but not enough to sight it in, (first shot at 25yds. was center, but low). I'm still waiting on the RWS pellets to show up, (forgot to order them with the gun and have been shooting Gamo pellets I got for my Nitro Venom). Scope? Maybe sometime in the future, but I hate to ruin the slim classic lines of the this gun!

[Ithaca Gunner]

The mail was early for a change and my RWS pellets showed up! For a brand new out of the box springer, it groups pretty good. I tried some of the RWS pellets in the Nitro Venom, and still no better than the Gamo pellets. Shame an out of the box RWS with open sights will out shoot a broken in gun with a scope. I'll be putting some real time in this RWS 34. Probably would have done even better if the sticky dot I put up was a different color than the front sight. Now to read and watch you tube videos on maintaining and breaking in my new springer. (any advice here would be appreciated also):bigsmyl2:

[rking22]

Short answer, just shoot it :) , unlike most things in life, the "hard work" of breaking it in is also the fun part. Get some of the inexpensive pellets, that still weigh near 14 gr, and shoot it lots. Pay attention to any new sounds , indicating screws loosening or any sign of dieseling. I use a pull thru with alacohol followed by a patch with a very little silicon oil in the bore after a tin or so of "cheap" pellets, they are sometimes very dirty. There is some missinformation out there about lubing pellets, NOT for springers, will cause dieseling, very bad for springers. I had some sucess with a little "final finish"( a wax product) ,I think was the name, at one time . Just not worth the trouble really, it did keep pellets from oxidizing after washing thou. Also with a break barrel, be sure to wipe down the cocking area of the barrel after shooting every time. Acids from our hands can cause surface rust fairly quickly. To restate, be sure to control the barrel while loading, even if it doesn't get a fiinger, it WILL bend the barrel when it slams shut. I would also suggest changing your loading sequence to leave the safety on until after loading and closing the barrel. The safety engaging, as the barrel is broken, is a "safety net" to help prevent the barrel slaming shut. I teach folk to learn to disengage the safety during the gunmount. Same as with a shogun, the mechnical "safety" provides a bit of insurance to backup muzzle control until the last moment. Safety off as gun is mounted, back on when dismounting(just shoot your 34, or rebrake the barrel to reset safety if you mount and don't shoot).Just takes a little pracice to become "automatic". Shoot and enjoy, that is a fine rifle.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Well, I have lots of cheap pellets. I'll "work" on it this week-end. So far it has under 50 shots through it, but it shoots better already with the Super Domes.

[HARRYMPOPE]

Superdomes and JSB Exact 8.44's shot best though mine. I sold my 36 .177,34 Panther 22 and older 34 .177 because I thought I needed a higher end spring gun. Turns out the 34 was good enough. My R1 .177 is easier to shot and more accurate but a tank to carry in the field. My FWB 127D .22 and 124D .177 were easier to cock and a bit more accurate but the triggers were not as good as the 34.

[Ithaca Gunner]

That TO6 trigger is fantastic right out of the box! I'm liking my 34! Should have just spent the money on one in the first place.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Was out back shooting cans today at 25 yds in heavy wind with the 34. Had a few on the ground and one on a piece of wood in front of the wood pile. The ones on the ground were bounced around with boring regularity, the one on the wood pile never once gave an indication of being hit, (a small GF International Coffee tin rectangular in shape that had been used for a target before). I shot maybe 12-15 shots at the thing, no movement, no "tink" sound-nothing! Well I walk down to it, there's a few holes in it from previous sessions, and one big hole about the size of a quarter. I think nothing of it since it's been there a while until I go to pull it off to check for blown off rust on the back. It wouldn't move. I finally pulled it off with some effort, it had been opened up and sharp edges from the can metal had it self "nailed" into the wood. On examination, the big hole had been made by the RWS's 12-15 shots securing it to its back stop. Yeah, I like this gun!

Now, I do see quite a difference in pellets. I have a Gamo variety pack, (950 pellets for $15.00) vs the RWS Super Dome pellets, ($9.00 for 250). The Gamo pellets seem very crude when compared to the RWS, and it shows in loading and accuracy performance. The Gamo's are okay for cans and plinking, but fall short when shooting paper, looking for decent group.

[rking22]

Nice shooting, I like the "nailed it to the backstop" ! I used to hang a Sundrop can on a tree limb behind the house and shoot for group on it. Very shortly the can stops moving at the shot, unless you MISS :)
In a ductseal trap ,you can pick "groups" out of the putty as the pellets stack into the tail of the last when shooting well.
Cheap pellets rarely shoot as well as the higher quality pellet. As long as it fits the bore well and has a skirt that can stand the acceleration. I have a Theoben Classic .20, and it needs a good thick skirt to not deform the pellet at "launch". Crow Magnum pellets never shot well due to this, I caught some in old pillow stuffing and the skirt was (mostly) straight like an old Sheridan "Trashcan" pellet. They were not cheap pellets but almost anything else shot better.
Sounds like your having fun!

[beemer]

I bought a 34 Classic in .22 this year, my first serious air gun. It is a learning experience but I am pleased with the rifle. My rifle shoots Gamo Diablo pellets as well as the Super Dome, the two do not have the same poi.

Dave

[Ithaca Gunner]

I'm using the cheap pellets for the break in, about 30-40 shots a day on cans, off hand, open sights after some on paper to sight it in. Dog-gone beverage cans don't last long and fall over in a light wind, I found the steel cans better suited as targets with a nice, "tink" sound when hit and they fly nicer from impact also.

Now, I should build a pellet trap to recycle all that nice soft lead...

[RayinNH]

Now, I should build a pellet trap to recycle all that nice soft lead...

Or buy a rimfire target trap http://www.midwayusa.com/product/172588/do-all-rimfire-bullet-trap
So called pellet gun traps get beat up badly by these high powered airguns.

[Ithaca Gunner]

No worries, I was just going to melt them down and use them to soften alloy that's too hard for what I want. It may take a while with 14-15gr. pellets but I can't see leaving them in dirt or wood.