The gun is outstanding, no doubt about it. Accuracy is great and great power to BUT......... It destroys every scope I put on it!! So far three scopes: A bushnell 3-9 trophy, a BSA made for airgun 3-9, and finally their very own, an RWS nightforce scope 30mm tube!! All were mounted on a one piece rws mount with the pin hanging in front of the rail like all experts advice. The rear ring twisted up about two turns to compensate for barell droop and all things well tightened.
I am at my wits end with this thing. Wonderful idea of mounting the action on rails, but guess what, the moment that action hits the end of of its ride it whiplashes those scopes into smitherines!! the 54 is truly a scope buster delux. Actually it does not destroy them but it is nearly impossible to hold zero on the scopes for more than just a few shots. All three scopes are still functioning on other guns, however the RWS (last victim) is not as steady as it was when it was mounted only on my 460. It is back on my 460 but I have to do minor adjustments every now and then to keep it going (something I did not used to have to do before taking a beating on the 54)
I bought the gun to get involved in field target competition. (177) No doubt the gun can do it, but before I went all out buying a bushnell elite ($450 scope) I wanted to work some kinks out with the gun, brake it in and get used to its weight, trigger etc. Now I have a different dilemma. IF this gun destroys some of the best scopes in the business what will happen to the elite?.
Ok enough of that. What I need to hear from you 54 owners is what scopes and what type of mount is working for you without it starting to creep after 50 shots. Anyone using a leapers?
You said, "All were mounted on a one piece rws mount with the pin hanging in front of the rail like all experts advice."
That may be part of the problem. Get a BKL 260 mount (drop compensated if the 54 has that issue). Degrease the gun and mount and assemble it using blue Locktite on any mount screws. Of the scopes you mentioned, the Trophy should hold. The BSA, probably not.
The best thing would be to tune it as Rick says. Even if you don't change out the spring and seal, a good polish and lube will go a long way. Good luck.
"but I'll be needin' that gun, fer squirrels and such."
Hi,
The 54 is a great rifle but the whole trick of eliminating the recoil is based on transferring it to the cylinder-barrel unit. Therefore you get the whole energy into whatever riding on it. There are special scopes for this purpose. You also need a resemble mounts for such a recoil level. Do not leave your 54. The right accesories will bring it back to course...
First response, point taken. I think a good tune would help bring down the power and achieve smoothness. I was having to shoot only Kodiaks or CP heavies just to bring the power down to about 880 fps. JSB's were shooting too close to sonic at 995 fps so a tune would allow me to shoot the JSB's which I do prefer.
The second post was confusing. Moosecat you explain a little more about what you mean: What is a resemble mount? any links? Much appreciated.
First. Sorry Mosscat for my typos. I meant to write "CAN" you explain a little more...etc (not sound like an order the way it printed).
Thanks Rick for sending me those links. I know it takes time to go get the info and put it on the message. I saved them all and come Monday I am sending out for every one of those things. Also the mount information was invaluable. My 54 does have barrel droop. I have to do two to two and a half twists on the rear ring to bring it to level with the elevation knob being neutral. Which of the two drooper mounts you guys think I should get, the .004 or the .007?
Again, can't thank you enough, it brings me back to having a better Sunday! (funny how things that go wrong with guns can ruin a day. The wife cannot understand that)
I've been thinking about this for a while. You've given me the opportunity to think out loud here.
Here's my idea:
Now I don't know if its possible to inlet the stock below the mechanism to make this idea work or not so take that into account.
Would it be possible to run a pair of oversized springs on the rails? This how I envision the idea.
You know how airgun springs run on a guide on one end and the other has a washer with its inner diameter turned up so that the spring stays centered? Would it be possible to place asomewhat larger spring (think of an oversized Bic pen spring) with one of those washers on the side the action is recoiling from? You would then have created a damper of sorts which would allow the rifle to recoil as intended, but also decrease or eliminate it touching the end of the rails. The idea is that it would slow the action down enough that it wouldn't meet the end of the rails with any real force. Not enough to jar the scope.
Springs with guides to center them on rails. I'm wondering if that would work.
Hi Harvey,
First - it is very creative.
However it is applicable only if you can measure the whole parameters of the mechanism and design a very precise spring fr this. The recoiling mechanism is originally designed so that it never travels backwards up to hitting the rear most point in the sliders mechanism. The recoil is designed to transfer its kinetic energy to heat energy that is released between the brass blocks and the steel rails. Hence - another spring will transfer (indeed, smoothly and gradually) the energy to the stock and the recoil will not be totally damped. The effect on the scope will be probably a lower shock, but it is very difficult to calculate how much since there are many variables here. To my opinion It is best to adjust the tightness of the screws that sets the friction degree and also to fit the best mounts and scope for the rifle.
You need to adjust the tension on the rails to get supreme accuracy with that rifle. That could also pose part of the problem if you haven't done it yet. Think of it as the mechanism "binding" if its not properly adjusted.
Rick, Im so sorry to hear about your 54. As Ive posted many times I LOVE mine. (its 22.cal.). I recently set one up for a friend of mine,(his new one is 177). I caught hell with his,, Kodiaks were the only thing it liked. I just came in from shooting mine & my son was impressed w/ my groups,one ragged hole at 20 yrds. nearly the same out to 40. (bench rest). Mine also CHEWED UP 3 scopes! Mostly cheap ones, Walther,(airgun rated),Center Point (from a Crossman Seira),& a Simmons 3-9x50 (off of my 30-30). I too was VERY frustrated with mine. I attributed it to the fact that the sledge recoil action was especially harsh on scopes. I now have mine set up w/ RWS. Night pro 3-9x44/30mm.tube,mounted on 1 pc. Accushot mount. To compensate for "droop" I still use an alluminum shim under rear of scope. After about 1k. shoots,its. doing well. For both of us I must ask Harvey how do you adjust rail tension?? Mine used to slide& STOP SOO hard! Ive never adjusted it but now it seems to be MUCH more subdued?? (seems to be stopping agaist rubber bumper now,,before, seemed like it hit abrick wall?). Stock screws always come loose & ruins accuracy! (mostly the front one). Rick, I know most of this is Blaa Blaa & not much help,,I hope we both hear back from Harvey as to how to adjust rail tension! (mine seems to have addjusted itself!). Good luck Rick, & DONT give up! Sweetened up, I think your 54 will serve you well for F.T.!! Tim.
Thanks but I can't hold title to this information. Other than the spring idea and then only maybe.
Anyway, this site explains with vivid photos and instructions what it is and what can be done. Its about three quarters down the page. This guy's site is truly great. You can tell how much work went into it. The pictures are clear and well lit, the instructions are also clear, and he has a way ot writing that makes you want that frickin' gun! hahaha
the RWS C-mount. It's junk. I 've had problems with it too and eventually the gimballs broke on it.
Get a BKL 260 D7 mount and put the Busnell Trophy back on the 54. There are a couple of people with 54's using the BKL 260 (non-adjustable) mount. If many Kodiak/Patriot and 350 owners use them, it means it's a solid mount. I got 2 of them, and one will be going on the 350 soon.
Diana 350 Mag .22
Hammerli 850 .22
Various Crosman CO2 & Pump
Try the BKL260-D7 mt and the Leapers 3x9x40mm with mil-dot crosshair illuminated Red/Green Lifetime warranty $90 They hold up on scope breaking Patriots and if not they send you another.I'd say your mts are screwed..............Harold
My 54 does not recoil to the point of "slamming" to it's rear most position, it stops just shy. I think you should tighten the tension screw so the ball bearing detent exerts greater holding pressure into the corresponding recess. I have a Bushnell Elite 4200 6-24 scope mounted to mine. Despite the weight of this scope, my action will remail locked forward even when I grasp the forestock and hold the rifle vertically and gently shake up and down. It will only release and slide backwards if I give a light slap to the buttstock. My scope mount is a Beeman 5039 fully adjustable and has held up to many thousands of shots with no problems. Same can't be said for the RWS "C" mount that it replaced! Never had a problem with my Bushy either!
Ive got a brand new bsa 3-12x40mm i bought up a couple of these sold some on ebay and kept a few. Never had an issue with this model. My rws 34 .22cal is a pounder, accushot 4 screw one piece is holding fine with lock tight blue drizzeled in every screw hole. Right now ive got Barska 3-12x40mm on that dialed in half a dime. If you want that one i will sell or the new bsa $95
I am a newbie to this forum. Just sprung for an RWS 54 springer. Finally got the good air rifle I've wanted for years. Anyway, I don't understand the point of putting the stop pin over the front edge of the rail when using the C-mount. I've read earlier posts at PA where they showed a set screw that went into the top mounting rail on the rifle. Has RWS changed their mount? The one I got with my rifle used the back stud that holds the back ring to lock the top and base. You cannot put the top rail on the lower rail unless you take out the rear screw of the mount that goes through the stud that holds the back ring in place. After you take the back screw out, you can then lift up on the stud so you can mount the top rail to the lower rail. The stud base,which has a flat not tapered base, fits snugly into the hole in the top of the lower mounting rail. I reinserted the cross bolt/base securing screw through the stud and torqued everything down. Haven't shot a lot yet, just a couple hundred times, but everything seems to be holding fine. Haven't had to resight in the scope. Is this a newer version of the C-mount? I can't figure out why it would be better to hang the stop pin over the front rather than put the pin in the hole. To me it makes more sense to stop both forward and rearward motion. Am I missing something?
The idea of using the stop pin in front of the rail is to let the full length of the rail holds the scope mount tight. I would agree with everyone the RWS C mount is not a good mount, in fact anytime you get a mount that can be adjusted too many ways that is for elevation and windage it is very difficult to make shure the scope tube is not in a bind. I had a older cmount that had the two set screws that were supposed to hold in the indentations of the scope rail, while it did hold the mount never would hold elevation correctly not to mention had a scope ruined within less than a tin of pellets. On the first post of this thread I have seen scopes after they take a beating on these guns not want to hold precise adjustment anymore, in fact had one repaired and sent back to me at one point and it was not the greatest after. My advice also is to use the BKL D7 mount and if you wish I would think the better scopes such as the Bushnell elite or a Weaver V16 might be a very good choice, espeacailly if you are going to shoot competitive. Basically if you are shooting heavier pellets it should be helping some of the snap also, and as others have mentioned if worse comes to worse you could do a tune on the gun, however though I have the 52 I am using stock parts and I use the JM moly for the piston seal and his Euro Lube for my mainspring, so far the gun has done very well and my BKL has held the scope rail, however my Bushenll trophy bit the dust after 2,000 rounds. All I can say is check the gun over 100% and then go with a BKL and the best scope you can afford if you plan to shoot in competition and have a spare scope as backup.
