RWS Diana 34 177 or 22

[Guest 270win]

Anyone have an RWS 34 177 or 22 pellet rifle?  What kind of accuracy are you getting with it?  How far can you accurately hit targets and game?

 

Any advantage of spending more per pellet for 22 VS 177?  I used to have a CO2 Crosman 177 pellet rifle and could kill squirrels with head shots up close.  I'm going to guess these RWS 34's in 177 would do just fine on tree rats. 

 

I mainly want to buy a good pellet rifle for target shooting outside because 22 LR is so hard to find.  Secondary use would be for shooting squirrels, rabbits, and pest birds.

[TnShooter83]

.177 is my vote. I've owned many air rifles and find that in .22 you will need to know your trajectory. 

You will literally need to map your trajectory with the .22 every 10 yard increments. 

With the .177 you still need to know your trajectory but it isn't as crucial at longer distances as the .22.

Yes, .177 will kill all the stuff you are shooting to 50 yards or more. With squirrels the farther away they are the more you NEED to hit the head (just below the ear is perfect)

 

USE GOOD PELLETS -ALWAYS- Walmart does NOT carry good pellets. I suggest JSB Exact in 8.44gr or Crosman Premier Lights (7.9gr) to start.
Airguns are ammo SENSITIVE, you WILL need to find the best for your rifle. The above pellets I mentioned are a good start and should shoot at least well.

If you must find a cheap local pellet that will work ok, Try the walmart Crosman HP. i'm stressing good pellets because pellet uniformity and consistance is the key here.

Also the heavier the pellet the harder it is on the mainspring. Never dryfire a spring gun (if you do it once you'll be ok, but at some point it will break). 

Cleaning the barrel is a BAD idea unless accuracy falls off and it NEEDS to be cleaned.

Airgun barrels shoot BETTER when they are fouled to an extent. When switching pellets by make or grain, you will need to shoot 20-50 shots before you attempt to group or zero.

Never EVER oil the inside of air rifle barrel. it takes a good while to burn off the oil in the barrel. In this time accuracy is nonexistent. 

 

Remember this with spring guns. A LIGHT hold and grip will produce better groups.

If you rest the rifle use a SOFT rest likes a pillow or folded shirt the harder the rest the worse it shoots.

Trigger control is CRUCIAL to accuracy. Any jerking of the trigger will result in poor shot placement.

 

Hope this helps. Most people that jump into spring powered airguns have to find this info out the hard way.

And alot of time and shooting is need to learn these "tips".

 

Here are a few of my Airgun I owned. I don't shoot much airguns these days.

Still wish i had a few of these.

 

AirForce Talon SS

 

 

Custon Crosman

 

RWS 97

 

[TnShooter83]

here is a good chart from Beeman on Airguns and need power to kill game.

 

 

 

I should also mention that if you do chroy you pellet gun with lead conventional pellets You'll not see 1000fps as the 34 claims.

You will need to shoot super light alloy pellets to get 1000fps. And they almost all ways don't shoot well enough to use past 20 yard in anything over 600fps.

Don't waste your money. 

[Guest 270win]

Yeah I figured that the RWS 34 would not shoot anywhere near that 1000 FPS with average lead pellets.  That is pretty quick.

 

Is the RWS 34 one of the more accurate under 300 dollar pellet rifles compared to say the Gamos?

[TnShooter83]

Get the RWS...it is a better rifle.

I have owned 3 Gamos rifles. Triggers were not good at all.

HEAVY and had a mile of take up.

[RichardR]

Get the RWS...it is a better rifle.
I have owned 3 Gamos rifles. Triggers were not good at all.
HEAVY and had a mile of take up.

Yea Gamo triggers are really rough right out of the box, however they are adjustable & after some useage they do start breaking in fairly nicely.

There is also an inexpensive GRT replacement trigger group availible from Charlie Tuna (or something like that) if you are still unhappy with the stock Gamo trigger group.

[Steelharp]

TnShooter83, thank you for the valuable information and experience! Maybe there's really nothing wrong with my Beeman; it just needs a LOT of breaking in, and good pellets, apparently!

[RichardR]

TnShooter83, thank you for the valuable information and experience! Maybe there's really nothing wrong with my Beeman; it just needs a LOT of breaking in, and good pellets, apparently!

Yea air-rifles do take a lot of break-in, good pellets & a vastly different shooting technique in order to be accurate however they are worth the effort IMHO since once you get it down it'll make you a better shooter over-all.

[Steelharp]

... a vastly different shooting technique ...

That part sounds weird to me. How would it make you better over-all, if it uses completely foreign technique?

[RichardR]

That part sounds weird to me. How would it make you better over-all, if it uses completely foreign technique?

Its because the action involved in an air-rifle firing is in slow-motion so to speak when compared to firearms in general & because of their delayed expulsion of the projectile they are much more sensitive to disruption in accuracy by improper shooting technique.

When the air-rifle technique is applied when shooting actual firearms, it has a positive net effect on accuracy because it reinforces the basic shooting fundementals & slows the shooters movements, most importantly the amount time of hold over on the target after the trigger is squeezed.

It is hard to explain but it really does improve your accuracy over-all, even when shooting firearms that are not as "sensitive" as air-rifles.

Maybe someone else can explain it better than I can ...

[Steelharp]

I think you just explained it perfectly. Thanks!!

[Steelharp]

So, the pellets I have; Premier brand, from Wally... are they good enough for break in? Or should I toss them?

 

BTW, my air rifle is a Beeman Sportsman RS2. Has a .177 and a .22 barrel. I've never put the .22 on it. Really heavy, gorgeous hardwood stock.

[RichardR]

So, the pellets I have; Premier brand, from Wally... are they good enough for break in? Or should I toss them?

BTW, my air rifle is a Beeman Sportsman RS2. Has a .177 and a .22 barrel. I've never put the .22 on it. Really heavy, gorgeous hardwood stock.

They're fine for breaking in the rifle, but if you have a digital powder scale & a bit of free time I'd suggest sorting the pellets by weight, even a small difference between pellets can effect consistancy w/regards to accuracy.

This will also allow you to examine each pellet for any deformaties, toss any you find.

[Steelharp]

I don't reload, so I don't have a scale like that.

[tacturtle]

With a good rifle and scope you can easily get 1/2 inch  groups at 25yds Airgunning was the root of my love for shooting. From my first Daisy to my first German spring powered break barrel gun. I have shot thousands of rounds.  While Walmart rifles have caught up, the best guns are German and British made RWS, Beaman , Weirauch, Theoben. BSA, Webley, etc.  A good source is Pyramid Air on the internet. These are serious weapons. Awesome weapon for survival and small game. I have harvested rabbit , squirrels and groundhogs.Every gun enthusiast needs atleast one good air rifle. Airgunning can make you a very good shot.

And the RWS 34 is a good rifle 177 will be most accurate  I have both a 177 and 22 rifle

Edited May 11, 2013 by tacturtle

[Tempest455]

Ditto on the Crossman Premier. I'm also OCD and weigh my pellets on a power scale. I group them into low/med/high when I shoot them.

[Moped]

Thanks for all the posts here!  I got my first serious entry level air rifle yesterday and have already put around 75 pellets down range in my new backyard range!  It's nice not to have to load up and go to the range, when you want to do a little shooting.  I picked up a Benjamin Titan .22 yesterday at a local pawn shop for $65.  This was my 50th birthday present to myself.

 

I've been wanting a somewhat serious air rifle for about a year now, but decided this week to pull the trigger so to speak.  So on my day off, yesterday, I went around Knoxville checking out what everyone had to offer, which really wasn't much.  I had a bit of time to kill before picking up my youngest at school and stopped in at a pawn shop near our house.  And low and behold there was a Benjamin Titan GP .22 on the wall!  I walked out with it and after picking her up at school we went to Wallyworld for some pellets and a trap.  The trap was actually probably a waste of money, because it's not going to last long.  At 10 yards, the .22 Crosman Premiere HP pellets are  denting it up pretty bad.

 

I was watching EdGunUSA last night and he was talking about a pellet box with several different makes and weights of pellets that one of the major internet sellers what selling.  I may investigate that.  Sounds like an easy way to to tryout the various brands of pellets available, to see which one works best with your rifle.

 

Here are the links to the Straight Shooters Full Pellet Samplers.

 

.177 - http://www.straightshooters.com/straight-shooters-full-pellet-sampler-.177.html

 

.22 - http://www.straightshooters.com/straight-shooters-full-pellet-sampler-.22.html

Edited May 18, 2013 by Moped