Air Rifle

[Petrol & Powder]

I have an old RWS 34 in .22 caliber that I enjoy shooting from time to time. I’m not an avid air rifle guy but it seems there has always been one nearby since I was a kid.

As much as I like that old RWS 34, it is a break barrel type and I sort of want a side lever or underlever model. Right now, pretty much everything is unavailable – Which makes this the PERFECT time to do research.

I want to stay with the spring piston type, no pre-charged air or CO2 models.

I want to stay with .22 caliber.

I'll likely equip it with a peep sight, so scope options are not important.

The RWS 48 looks promising but I thought I would reach out to the experience and knowledge on this forum.

Any thoughts?

 

[JonB]

Back in the 90s, I was into the Air rifles, thanks to the Chinese and their cheap ($20) rifles made with real rifled steel barrels and real wood stocks. ...and then when I wanted something a bit better and did some research, I ordered a "recoilless" RWS 54 (side-lever) in .177
Oh man was that nice (I still have it). The recoilless feature is a game changer on accuracy, compared to other Spring-air rifles.
Over the years, I stumbled into a sweet deal on a RWS 54 in .22 with a Nice Burris scope (I still have it). I do prefer the heavier (but slower) pellet for small game. ANYWAY, I highly recommend a 54 if you are sticking with Spring-air.

RWS MODEL 54 .22

buy RWS MODEL 54 .22 online

www.umarexusa.com

With that said, while I still love my two model 54 rifles, technology has changed/improved, all the kids these days are buying the PCP rifles, instead of Spring-air...so you will likely find lots more advice about the PCP, which I know almost nothing about. This subject came up at the other site, not that long ago...they say it's the Cat's Meow. I suspect if I wasn't already invested in the Spring-air 54 rifles, I'd likely have researched it more and would remember why the kids are saying that a PCP rifle is better than Spring-air.

This seems like a legit bunch of info.

Spring-powered airgun or a PCP? Which should I buy?

Spring-powered airgun or a PCP? Some advice on choosing the right airgun and power source from airgunning expert Mat Manning

www.shootinguk.co.uk

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I have same rifle. Have had it for long time and your right its a good one! It. I ponied up for a special base and scoped it.

CW

 

[fiver]

I'm still stuck in the world of break open barrels... so I got nuthin.
I wouldn't mind something in 44~45~50 caliber though.

 

[jsizemore]

Air Arms TX 200 for an underlever. Still use my break barrel Theoben Sirocco shooting .22 RWS superdome.

 

[CZ93X62]

I have an RWS Model 52 in 25 caliber, and it is a wonderful hunting tool. It was re-sprung by the guy I bought it from, and is an unholy puppy mother to cock that side-lever. But it does run Beeman Crow Magnum pellets at 780 FPS, and it does a job on ground squirrels to 40 yards.

I have shot a friend's RWS 48 and 52 in .177 and 22 caliber. The cocking effort on both of those is about 3/4 that of my race-car 25 caliber monster. I have pondered getting a 22 caliber RWS 48/52/54 in the 22 caliber, the 52 imparts almost 900 FPS to a couple different 14-15 grain lead pellets. Airguns are now legal for hunting resident small game and game birds in California, and IIRC the prohibition against lead projectiles does not apply to airgun hunting. The rifle or pistol has to be .20" or larger, though--177 is a no-go.

I tried putting a scope base on my RWS 52, and I'll just say here that RWS is quite unclear on the concept. Given the ranges involved with a springer hunting rifle, scope sighting in the real world is just superfluous to me. Those PCP rifles are powerful and probably can be scoped more easily (and practically), but I don't want to mess around with tanks and compressors.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Thanks to all.

 

[BBerguson]

I have an RWS 48 in 17 caliber. It’s powerful and accurate. The power though makes it quite loud and rather violent. If I had the money laying around, I’d get a 25 cal pcp, but that’s me. I already have a pcp (17 cal) and know how sweet they are!

 

[Loren]

Weihrauch HW77 Special Edition ​

Heirloom German quality. A trigger that can spoil you to all others. Comes with iron sights and Williams makes a rear peep that fits it and Weihrauch makes a front hooded sight if you so choose.

​

 

[JonB]

Between this conversation and one at the other forum, I decided to procure some more 22 pellets. Prices sure have gone up since the 90s. I ordered a couple tins of German made pellets. One tin of 200 for $16 and another flavor for $19 (250 pellets).
The conversation on the other forum mentioned "Crossman Premium" as a more economical, but respectably accurate, pellet that retails for $12 or so, for a tin of 500...and it turns out the Walmart carries them and have them marked down to $6.24 per tin of 500...and they have .177 marked down as well, $5.44 for a tin of 500. Long story short, I cleaned out the 22 pellet inventory two closest walmarts. They had lots more of the .177 in stock, than I cared to buy, but I did pick 4k.

 

[RicinYakima]

You will need to sort the .22 "crossman premium" pellets for damage. The last ones I bought were about 10% oval based from handling. They didn't shoot as well as the round ones. FWIW

 

[JonB]

I suspect a pellet seating tool would help the Ovals out quite a bit.

 

[BBerguson]

Jsb are the best pellets I ever used. Get the heavy ones for accuracy.