Should i sell my new rws 34 .22cal and get 300r diana?
April 14 2006 at 2:25 PM
artist formerly knowns as RWS (Login radrws) from IP address 71.213.85.72
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I just bought a new RWS 34 .22cal i love the gun but am thinking a 300r might be cooler? I mounted a bsa 3-12x40 scope on 34 with leepers one piece mount.
Even though I like the 300R myself, I would not see it as a replacement for a 34. It is a fine additional rifle, though. In fact, being as rare as it is, and as rare as it will remain, the 300R might become collectible.
Why I have this opinion ?
The 34 is a very sturdy, no frills gun, that will last 200 years (approximately - depending on maintenance) with good energy.
I fear that you might trade in a very useful and dependable gun for a gun with less usefulness, prone to breakage more than the 34 and with lower power.
My 34 .22 will be one of the very last airguns I would ever sell.
The more I think about it, the more I think Whiteleather was very right when he posted the following:
"Does anyone really think the 300R is worth the extra moving parts? I see those plastic magazines and just cringe. Seems to me that a PCP repeater makes sense, but a springer repeater is just odd. The advantages of multiple shots from one magazine are far outweighed by the chance of dryfire, incorrect indexing and chipped magazine cogs. You still have to cock the spring in a big motion (unlike a pump .22lr where the motion is so small that your eye never leaves the target and your finger never leaves the trigger), whats the problem with loading another pellet by hand in that instance?
Kris in NY"
(as Kris was also right about the Diana 25 and the Diana 48 in .25)
Of course: the 300R must be collectible, great fun and interesting. That's why I really wanted one myself. And that is more than enough reason to buy one. But not as a replacement to a 34.
I've been away for a while, so, please, Joris, could you remind us what Kris said about the Diana 25 and 48 in .25 cal. that wasa worth retaining? BTW, I just managed (a month ago) to find a never-shot Diana Model 27 (made in 1970) and a 90% Diana 25D (made in 1973), which fit my airgunning requirements to perfection. Meanwhile, I also successfully located/ordered three replacement barrels for my Dianas Models 25/25D, 27 and 35, in .22 cal., which I will receive in two months' time (next June), and I can't wait...I wish I could find a .25 cal. bbl for my Diana 35, as well...
If you can get all these goodies ... then ... you are VERY lucky
I have a 1970 model 25 (.177) and a 1971 model 27 (.177) both in very good condition. Very sweet guns to shoot indeed.
Indeed, the 25D and 27 Dianas are perfect for shooting them all day long. Mine are both in .177 cal., and as solid as a rock.
I've been dreaming of a Diana System, -- just like a Nikon/Canon SLR System with a main body and interchangeable lenses -- whereby interchangeable bbls in .22 cal. or other caliber could be fitted to the main compression chmber of a given vintage Diana, in order to transform each type (model) into a different animal using a variety of pellets. So, after an exhaustive search, I managed to locate in RWS's inventory, in Germany, three bbls in .22 cal. for my Dianas. This development has thrown back my plans to go after other .22 cal. Dianas, but my desire for at least one in .20 cal and another in .25 cal. remains undeterreed
Your HW77K in .25 cal. sounds like a good candidate. How does it shoot? Is it very heavy?
I like/prefer lightweight airguns, if at all possible, as I enjoy shooting them offhand for as long as possible during a single session. No benchresting for me, yet, maybe later in life...
How does a Weihrauch 77K .25 shoot ??? well: extremely fine, accurate and good.
See it as follows: the velocity generated by a Diana 24 or 27 in .177, but now with a .25 pellet. Think about 560 to 600 fps depending on pellets. 15-16fpe.
Nice links and very interesting material. I saw HW97K in a shop near by and I will find out next week if it comes in .25 cal. The shop owner is contacting his supplier and he will let me know. The HW97K (K is for carbine) is shorter than the HW77 but quite heavy, nevertheless.
The idea of the bbl swap is to appreciate the exact same chamber output with a different caliber. I shot a Diana 35 clone in India recently (called DMC-45), in .22 cal. and I got hooked! Many friends of mine own, in fact, vintage 25 and 35 Dianas in .22 cal., but they hold on to them, and I don't seem to be able to locate the whole Model 25/27/35 rifle in .22; just the replacement bbls from Germany have come my way. As soon as I get hold of the three of them, I shall let you know how practical it is to change them and how they fit.
If you can keep a secret , I am also planning to ask RWS in Germany to convert each of a set of 25/27/35 bbls to a .20 and .25 calibers, for me. I know that it has been done already, but I haven't yet heard from the workshop that has perfomed this jobby in Europe (Belgium).
