Advice/opinions?

[Ithaca Gunner]

I'm in the market for a new air rifle and need some help here.

I'm thinking about an RWS 48, but it's not etched in stone. Here's what I'm thinking my requirements are;

.22 about 800-100fps. (my current air rifle is .22 and I would like to keep with the same)

Open sights with the option of mounting a scope.

Quarter size groups min. at 30yds for peskey starlings.

Something under $500.00 for sure, under $300.00 would be better!

Opinions and input wanted!

[HARRYMPOPE]

I have had one and liked it fine.the RWS 34 in .22 is cheaper and for me shot just as well.it got 710 with 14.3g pellets.I just sold it last week to a buddy and sort of regret it.

[roysha]

I agree with the statement regarding the RWS 34. I have a Diana 36, .22 caliber which is basically a fancier version of the 34, and it is my main pest shooter. I have owned the 52, a slightly fancier version of the 48, both .177 and .22, and while they were very nice rifles they did very little better, performance wise, than my 36 does. I currently have a 460 Magnum and a 54, both .22, but 90% of my airgun shooting is with the 36.

Both of those rifles chronograph in the high 800s so I doubt you will achieve much more than the very low 800s with the 48, if that, despite what the ads say.

Perhaps the 48/52 is a bit easier to shoot accurately (the extra weight makes them a bit less sensitive to hold) but once a technique is worked out I believe the 34/36 will shoot as well from a practical point of view.

Have you considered the 350 Magnum? Quite a few fellows on one of the airgun forums are quite enthralled with that model.

Your accuracy expectations may be a bit optimistic with a field grade springer but I'm sure there are some capable of that level. I'm happy with that from my 54 and it only happens once in a while.

[HARRYMPOPE]

A 34 in .22 shoots 3 moa to 65 yards.my best 50 meter groups were 1" with very few over 2" and many 1.5".

[roysha]

A 34 in .22 shoots 3 moa to 65 yards.my best 50 meter groups were 1" with very few over 2" and many 1.5".

I applaud you for your skill, shooting a field grade springer at that level. I dare say you are 1 in a 100 at least.

I have 25 yards in my barn and on a good day I feel fortunate to achieve 2" (5 shots)consistently and this is after testing with many brands and style of pellets in my 36. However, at 15 or so yards, starlings beware!

[HARRYMPOPE]

I don’t think of the 34 being an inaccurate field grade springer. The triggers are nice and when you hold them right they are quite accurate. It’s not like my TX200 in fit and finish but to 50 yards isn’t very far off accuracy wise.My Trail NP .22 is about a 1"-2" gun at 25 meters with Crosman 14.3 Hp's.That is a field grade gun IMHO
________________________________________

[MT Chambers]

For folks that are new to this all.....even the best of springers or "gas rams", have a lot "going on" between when you squeeze the trigger and when the pellet exits the muzzle, practise and proper technique help of course, but there's still a lot happening to throw things off. Some of the best Air Arms, HW, FWB, may reduce these effects some and of course there's the advantage of not needing your tank for fillups, however for accuracy only, PCP's have nothing of the sort "going on", usually have match grade triggers, bigger bores, the best of barrels, more power, albeit at higher cost. This is not meant to put down springers as they have their own appeal and fans, I am one of them, but I shoot my PCPs much better, better even then my cf rifles at least to 100 yds or so!

[Pakprotector]

Here is a neat D34, one rarely made in 5mm:
http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=53244.0

I have one just like it, but slightly newer. It is a very capable shooter. While costing nearly what a new D34 does, this one will NOT lose a large percentage of its value over time.
cheers,
Douglas

[Marvin S]

I have a 48 in 22 and it is a good gun but I think I would like to move to a pre charge Marauder as I dont shoot the springer enough to be real good with it.

[HARRYMPOPE]

I applaud you for your skill, shooting a field grade springer at that level. I dare say you are 1 in a 100 at least.

I have 25 yards in my barn and on a good day I feel fortunate to achieve 2" (5 shots)consistently and this is after testing with many brands and style of pellets in my 36. However, at 15 or so yards, starlings beware!

After work today i took out my Benjamin Trail NP 22.it has a 4X leapers scope with Crosman 14.3 Walmart Tin pellets..I shot three 5 shot groups at 25 yards kneeling.The first was the bottom and then i adjusted the scope and shot the next two.This is about 1/2 as good as my TX200 but better than it usually shoots.Bottom groups was 1.25",middle was 1.0" top was 3/4".Left group up in the pellet trap was 50yd offhand with the TX200 .177.Now if this was registered match my groups would be three times the size.

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click pic to enlarge

[HARRYMPOPE]

After those three i backed up to 50 and shot 5 more at the lower bull/They landed low but grouped well.Again shot kneeling.You can see in the pic by the upper group shape it is the same bull as above.After that i shot at 5 12ga hulls @ 50 kneeling.It took 11 shots to get them all.

two lower hole are the TX .177 from 90 yards tying to get a zero on paper to hit shotshells.

Those of you moving up(or down<G>) to PCP's keep me in mind i adopt unwanted spring rifles.

82332

[HARRYMPOPE]

I hear good things about Flying Dragon Airguns.They offer an RWS 34 copy in 22 that is supposed to be pretty good.Its the Ruger Airhawk but in 22 caliber.its only a bit over $100 delivered to your door!

http://flyingdragonairrifles.org/XISICO_XS25S.html

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Thank you all for the info...

[Norbrat]

What about this one for sale by Goodsteel? http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?213157-RWS-Diana-48-52-German-air-rifle

[roysha]

I think the RWS 34 is the way to go for what I want. Nothing fancy, just something reasonably accurate and powerful enough for starlings at about 30yds.

I believe you will be well satisfied with your choice.

Remember, like 22RF, most pellet guns seem to prefer one pellet over another so try as many different brands and styles as possible. My 36 much prefers the Meisterkugeln 14.0 gr. WC while the 460 and 54 both shoot the cheap pellets, Gamo Hunter and Crosman Premier HP respectively, best. I have over the years accumulated probably 30-35 boxes of different brands and styles of pellets in .22 alone and probably half again as many .177 although the only .177 I shoot anymore is my FWB 300S.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Ithaca Gunner: There are 3 basic brands of quality German made Spring Powered Air Rifles. Feinwerkbau, Weihrauch, and RWS/Dianna.

Sorry but the others are either not German or not worth mentioning. I have Webleys and have had Gamos and they are not in the same league with the good ones. I am not talking about hi-end target rifles made solely for that sport, I am talking field grade spring piston guns. I actually bought one of the Chinese guns once and it was so bad I sent it right back. They were not copying German stuff at the time, and I don't think they are as of yet either.

If the good ones are taken care of they will last indefinitely with little more than some oil applied now and again. My Weihrauch HW35 was purchased in 1976 and still shoots at 650fps + (was only 720 new) and still looks new. It got it's breach seal O-ring replaced last year, a35 cent part. The quality of manufacture is second to none, and these guns are on par with most firearms as far as workmanship and design goes.

One point to get out of the way. All claimed velocity numbers from Manufacturers are BS!!!! They use special pellets which weigh nothing and then try to sell that as gospel.

My HW 35 with felt cleaning pellets will crack like a .22LR but the pellets won't go 20 feet. With H&N flatnose target pellets it is 650 fps, which is what the real world numbers should be. It will kill any bird out to 50 yds you can hit. Note; my gun is nearly 40 years old and has launched 200+ shots a year, every year.

If you are willing to spend $3-500 you can get one of the good ones.

This is a case where buying the best will result in you only crying once.

http://www.weihrauch-sport.de/seiten/englisch/weitschussluftgewehre/e_weitschussluftgewehre.html

http://www.pyramydair.com/a/Air_guns/Air_rifles/Spring_piston/152 Has Beeman (made by Weihrauch) and all RWS/Dianna. Good source for info and product.

It appears that FWB (Feinwerkbau) is only producing hi end target rifle, pistols and small bore target rifles now. Their FWB124 was one helluva a air gun. One of he best ever made. If you see one in good condition buy it!

Randy

[HARRYMPOPE]

"Sorry but the others are either not German or not worth mentioning."

I'll put my English TX200 against any German spring gun(non match) at any time.The HW35 is a fine gun i will say though.The RWS 34 is all the airgun most will ever need.I shoot my air rifles over 1000 a month over the last year an a half.During that time i wrung out pretty well an Airforce Talon SS .22 and .177,Diana 75,TX200,Sheridan 5mm,Benjamin,RWS 460, NP22 and the 34P in .22.Up to about 15 yards take your pick.The TX,RWS34,75 and 460 all shot many under 1.25" at 50.(My TX will shoot under 1.5" kneeling most of the time at 50 yards BTW)The Airforce .22 shot under 1" quite regularly @ 50.The Sheridan and Benji less than 2.0" typically.All are pretty good field guns.
My kids Stoeger X5 shoots under 1.5" at 25 yards and its Chinese junker of all thing's!

George

[W.R.Buchanan]

George: just trying to liven up the conversation. There are plenty of usable guns. I just feel the German ones are the most likely to stand up to day in day out use.

The first one I ever shot was a Dianna 27? It was a $25 gun and it would put good pellets on a bottle cap at 20 yards for as long as you could stand to shoot at them. It was our house gun when I lived on the river in Bullhead City AZ in 1975. We bought a thousand H&N pellets from Beemans and shot them all up in less than 3 months.

That gun got a drop of oil in the cylinder about 3 times that I knew of and ran like a top for the year and a half we all lived in that house. We bet big money on those nightly shoots, and it was not unusual to have $200 change hands on payday. All it took was for you to miss one cap out of 10 and you had lost you ****. Sometimes we went for 5-6 rounds before some one missed, the pot increased every round.

The better guns just make it more enjoyable to shoot. That doesn't mean you have to have one to shoot well. But I assure everyone, that any one who shoots airguns frequently will shoot firearms better than those who don't shoot airguns frequently.

Randy

[roysha]

"But I assure everyone, that any one who shoots airguns frequently will shoot firearms better than those who don't shoot airguns frequently."

AMEN!!!

[MT Chambers]

Harry pope beat me to it, the 2 springers from Air Arms in Britain are the top guns for me, if talking springers!

[Norbrat]

Nice rifle, and seems to shoot good, but it's missing the front sight. I want irons and don't want to go looking for parts for a gun I just bought.

I'm sure Tim could make a suitable front sight to suit.

[HARRYMPOPE]

the Nitro Piston 22 while not always this good has been wonderful this weekend.

these two 25 meter groups rested are from 10 minutes ago-

Don't knock a good shooting Chinese airgun!

But honestly the RWS 34 has a better chance of being good than the average Chinese gun/I probably just got lucky.
Holding the springer just right is the key IMHO


82523

[HARRYMPOPE]

George: just trying to liven up the conversation. There are plenty of usable guns. I just feel the German ones are the most likely to stand up to day in day out use.

The first one I ever shot was a Dianna 27? It was a $25 gun and it would put good pellets on a bottle cap at 20 yards for as long as you could stand to shoot at them. It was our house gun when I lived on the river in Bullhead City AZ in 1975. We bought a thousand H&N pellets from Beemans and shot them all up in less than 3 months.

That gun got a drop of oil in the cylinder about 3 times that I knew of and ran like a top for the year and a half we all lived in that house. We bet big money on those nightly shoots, and it was not unusual to have $200 change hands on payday. All it took was for you to miss one cap out of 10 and you had lost you ****. Sometimes we went for 5-6 rounds before some one missed, the pot increased every round.

The better guns just make it more enjoyable to shoot. That doesn't mean you have to have one to shoot well. But I assure everyone, that any one who shoots airguns frequently will shoot firearms better than those who don't shoot airguns frequently

Randy

You are probably right.If i had $300 i would sink it into a German gun.The Chinese guns once tuned are good for the money and adequate for most but not up to German ones.Kind of like Lee molds----Good for the money but not all that good<G>