GTA
General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => Airgun Gate => : Zzyzx December 14, 2009, 03:52:29 PM
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In moving back to the farm I inherited a very nice Diana model 48 my bud had turbo tuned by Mr. Tuna. I can cock it without stressing the shoulder tendonitis problems the break barrel rifles have been giving me. (the push to get the Evanix Blizzard)
I read of the Weihrauch air rifles being top quality. How do their models compare to the Diana Model 48 I now have? It is an older one, apparently one of the early ones in the US per what my bud found out. I know it sure is nice, well built and solid. Shoots well also. It is a .177 calibre air rifle. What in the Weihrauch lineup is comparable and how would one of them be 'better' for long term use and passing down to the grandkids someday?
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I would go w/ the R9 in either a .177 or .20 cal. ( If it was me .20 cal)
Bluing will be better, stock will be nicer, plus an awesome trigger on the R9. Won't need a tune....it should shoot good right out of the box.
Good Luck
Forgot to add....I own both RWS & Beeman rifles and enjoy shooting both.
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Well, it is going to be hard to beat the tuned 48 for starters. Maybe an HW77/97 to be comparable to the power range? I would really only change horses if I felt I had to. Nothing wrong with Dianas. A little plainer and the trigger isn't quite as nice (although your gun probably has the T01 which can be made pretty darn good). It would, to me, just be a cosmetic change. And a Charlie tuned 48 is a nice heirloom in it's own right.
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I owned sevral air rifles of different brands and prices range. My favorite, without hesitation or doubt, is the RWS 48. Although it is a bit heavy, it balances really well when shooting it where it does not bother me. Its accuracy and power are among the best. I like it much better than my Beeman R-7 which Ii have not liked so far! My RWS 48 is in 0.22 caliber. I just wish they come up with a shrouded RWS rifle. This is just my own opnion.
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the beeman that you should get imo is the R1 i personally would tune any beeman you get they dont shoot bad out of the box but a tune especially paul watts or rob hawkins will bring them to a much better level or order a maccari kit for a little over a $100 bucks and do it yourself but the 48 you have is very well built nice gun too the only beeman that will be in the 48s power range would be the rx2 the r1 is close though
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I have a 48.22cal a 460.22cal these are my power house guns so to speak, they are nice guns and I enjoy shooting just as much as my HW/Beeman guns but you cannot beat an R1 .22cal or R9 gun, they are just smoother shooting and the trigger is in a class by its self the HW/ Beeman guns are just better quality all the way around, but thiers nothing wrong with a good RWS gun either.
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i have to say that the 48 out powers any beeman, including the R1. in .177 it can break 1000 fps easily. it is a great hunter and its sidelever design makes it tough and easy to manouver (weight aside). But as the owner of a R1, and having owned a .20 R9 and .20 R7, i can agree that the beeman/hw rifles are much smoother. Now the trigger is also better in the beemans, but my RWS 46 has a T01 trigger, and if you got the same it is quite adjustable and it breaks cleanly, like a rekord. As per power, the HW77 and HW97 can not shoot as hard as a 48. in .177 you be lucky to get 870 fps. in .20 you are going to have a hard time reaching 800. The 48 in .22 will spit them out in the high 7s low 8s. And the reason i leave the weight out is because the underlever beemans are also quite heavy. Also an older 48, tuned and broken in is a dream springer to own...
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I will agree with you 100% on your assessment
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now these may just take rws above the rest
http://www.diana-airguns.de/index.php?id=277&L=1&width=1366&height=768
you never know but they look good
http://www.diana-airguns.de/index.php?id=289&L=1&width=1366&height=768
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Where do I look for a stock like the side cocking rifle shown? Looks as if it might be a model 48 with a different stock. Am I right on that? In looking I see only the model 48 as a side cocking rifle from them.(here in the US)
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There are models 48, 52, and 54. Models 48 and 52 are the same the only difference is that 52 has a nicer stock. Model 54 is recoiless version. You can find those in just every airgun retailor store.
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How is the RWS Diana 48/52 out of the box. Is there much torque, twang or recoil? How is the trigger, smooth and crisp? Are there any problems with them? Do they need to be tuned or are they ok out of the box?
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All Diana rifles are dry as a bone out of the box so they need to be tuned or just lube tuned, most AG's need to be lubed out of the box! The only difference between the 48 an 52 is the stock thats it! the triggers are ok but can be made better depending on what you want in a trigger, that beeing said this should answer the rest of your questions.
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Personally I would not own an RWS under lever. Don't get me wrong I love a couple of the RWS models or Diana models. The RWS 48 through the 54 are excellent builds with quality engineereing built into them. Personally I love the RWS 34 models just because they are lighter weight and that is just my preference. The R-9, HW-97's are wonderfuly accurate air guns. If I had my choice as I have done, I would buy the R-9 and the HW-97 springers. But all those mentioned are excellent air rifles.
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Z,
Its like comparing a Corvette to a Porsche ( and I have a Corvette by the way). Both are sports cars. Both are beautiful. Both are to be envied and lusted after. Both are desirable. Both will put a lot of power to the ground. But the Porsche is more refined, better detailed, better appointed, and about 75% more money. By and large the same thing can be said of Weihrauch and RWS. The Weihrauch line, overall, is more refined, has a better trigger, better bluing and usually a nicer stock. Out of the box it is smoother and more shooter ready. There is nothing wrong with an RWS. I have several, but you get what you pay for. Although I have several Beeman riflesI still don't have an R1 (which is a Weihrauch), but I still lust after one and some day I'll find the one I want to buy. There are several RWS rifles I like, and ones I don't have that I want to acquire, but none really, that I lust after. Go hold your 48 and then pick up an R1. Both are heavy rifles but I think you will be able to feel the difference I am talking about.
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yes the 48.22 r very good i bought one in 08of sept. from impact airguns that kevin the owner decided to retire sent it to me for a great price with pellets and two hats which was very nice of him even gave me an airforce scope 4-16x50 which worked fine power was no problem it was a great airrifle all around accurate was homeruns all the time no tune was ever needed ,i got stupid and sold it after a year but still got what i paid for it and threw in the droop compensator anyway i missed it im mad cause its well made ,the person that bought it from me still has it and loves it ,it was ahmed a close friend of joe cuz for you guys that know him ,like gene and redfeather ...if i had an opportunity to get one after getting my ben xl npss .22 then i will but i would have to know the person cause to get a second hand one in great condition is hard and joecuz had one for sale last year and i missed out and it was a .20 cal at that and shrouded ....jorge lopez God bless us all from my heart to all of yours .
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Gene_SC - 2/28/2010 6:35 PM
Personally I would not own an RWS under lever. Don't get me wrong I love a couple of the RWS models or Diana models. The RWS 48 through the 54 are excellent builds with quality engineereing built into them. Personally I love the RWS 34 models just because they are lighter weight and that is just my preference. The R-9, HW-97's are wonderfuly accurate air guns. If I had my choice as I have done, I would buy the R-9 and the HW-97 springers. But all those mentioned are excellent air rifles.
The RWS 48/52 are side lever, are they better than under lever?
Thanks
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A side lever and an underlever are basicly the same concept just a different cocking method, thats like saying 48 or 460, it becomes personal preference at this point and what you intend to use the rifle for?
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If you are after an heirloom gun, buy the HW, probably the HW35E from Airguns Of Arizona. Beautifully made and a very nice walnut stock. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Diana 48, especially seeing as how it is fully tuned. They even get respect from the owners of "more expensive" guns. Like the Corvette/Porsche comparison, would you sell a tricked out 'Vette so you could drive around in a Porsche? And, speaking purely from a personal perspective, I think I would rather inherit the Corvette over a car that's a good bit more common (at least around my parts).
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Thanks for the responses. I was looking for something to shoot in the basement (50 Feet) during the winter months (Michigan). I wanted something that was accurate with a wood stock. I already have a Gamo Big Cat with a 4x16 scope, Da Tuna trigger and an air spring. At 50 feet I can make three leaf clover groups if I do my part. I don’t collect guns, I buy them and shoot them until they are worn out. I shoot mostly hand guns (Stainless Steel) for long life and ease of care. I just got in to airguns and wanted to have a couple to practice with in my spare time.
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Well you want something to shoot in the basement get an HW50's or HW30's those are ideal for that!
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Basement shooting? That's a bit different. With a good trap, you can shoot the 48 indoors (I do a 54) but I can see where something a bit lighter (in both power and weight) might be more enjoyable, especially as the joints age. The above mentioned HW's are good guns for this. Assuming you also want something wearing sights. Nothing else really comes to mind, considering your heirloom statement. One other option, although a bit more expensive, is to find a nice used HW55 target rifle. Good specimens can be had in the $450 - $550 range. Certainly the kind of gun to be handed down.
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Dennis, it is not that they are sidelevers but they are a quality built air rifle where the RWS underlevers cannot hold a candle to the 48,52 or 54 in comparison.
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Gene please explain this to me cause my 460 I think is every bit as good as my 48, my 460 will shoot a one hole group at 30yds w/cphp's with no problems!
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Mark I did not mean to imply that the RWS 460 was a bad gun. It is the engineering and build quality. Do you own any of the others I mentioned. Until you work on them every day then you wil understand what I am talking about.
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I understand Gene I wasn't offened I just have a different view on on quality, I think you should have said it is a simpler design and has less moving parts than an underlever and their for less to go wrong with the cocking system but as far as accuracy or anything else like over all quality I believe both are exelent RWS rifles suited to different tasks and operation.