RWS 460 Magnum.

[MEHavey]

Roald,

`Would dearly love to pull my 460/.22 apart and clean/lube it from stem to stern.  (Never trust a man you've never seen laugh, or a gun your haven't torn down.)  I've got about a half century w/ firearms, but generally like to talk to those who know more than I do when it comes to things that depend on really big springs.  Therefore three questions:

- Are there any web cites w/ disassembly/inspection/lube instructions out there before I just "go at it" ?

- Are there any sources which have the *proper* lubes/greases other than in "1/2-oz" sizes that are "all out of stock" ?

- Though I don't current have problems, I hear it's a seal-eater.  Are there sources for spare parts?

With about 7 different pellets/1,000 rounds through it (and Lock-Tite/penciled witness marks everywhere), I finally trust its consistent performance.  It must be time to tear it apart and start over.  

 

[Silo]

Hi Mike,
Charlie sells lube's and can be bought from most of the Smiths on the web.
I pulled mine apart and honed the cylinder, deburred it and tarred the spring... lightly.
It's a fine shooter andstill shoots ashard and as accuratelty as ever. Th etriggers tend to be a bit heavy
but with the right TLC can be made very slippery ;-)
Why not ask Charlie ot Geneto tune for you, that way you'll know its done right and will not need
"tweaking" for a while
You'll need a spring compressor to get it undone without breaking stuff too.
I found a parts diagram that helped a lot with the taking apart on the Pyramydairsite.
SorryI could not be of more help.
Roald.

[MEHavey]

Thanks,  Roald.  I'd been prowling around and found bits & pieces of the info in various places (including Pyramidair) but your suggestion to hand it over to a pro is probably the most sound.  (I did order up a spring compressor and the chamber/cylinder lubes at Compasseco this morning, but am still digesting the info in Jim Maccari's Lube/grease site for now.)

One minor irritant you might be familiar with:

The cocking lever detent/ball bearing is held in spring tension by the adjustment screw in the underside of the front sight housing.  Like everything else in a springer, that screw tends to back out.  This results in inconsistent cocking lever retention/tension, which results in inconsistent barrel vibes -- which immediately results in groups starting to move around/open up.  (The rifle shoots RWS-Match as one hole at 20 yards when that tension adjustment screw is a half-turn off fully-locked down.)

I tried removing the screw it so I could blue/LockTite things, only to have it begin to bind up after a half-dozen turns and before it would fully unscrew loose.  

Is there any reason that I shouldn't be able to simply unscrew that thing all the way?

[Silo]

Mike, I have to admit that I have not had a problem with it and so have never removed it.
But youre right, it looks like it should just back all the way out.

[MEHavey]

It *should* back out.  
(Time for some Day-Glo Nail polish.)

[douglas george]

I have a RWS 460 Magnum in 22.  I got it used from an air gun dealer from Kansas City, at a Wichita KS gunshow last fall for $400.  The first owner never fired it!  But the first owner threw away the box...so the dealer said it was a used air gun.  He chronographed it with RWS hobby pellets...and claimed it averaged 1062 fps!  I shoot it with RWS Superpoints, and Beeman Kodiaks.  After about 200 rounds this fine rifle is real smooth...and very accurate!  It will shoot a Superpoint, and a Kodiak through one side of a heavy steel coffee can at 65 yards...and clean through it at 25 yards.  I have a RWS 30mm 3-9X44 scope on it with a RWS "Lockdown 4 screw mount.  The scope is heavy, the gun and scope together weigh more than 10 lbs.  I think this air rifle is the big brother to the RWS 46.  In 22 I think this would be a good "Bushy Tail" gun  The RWS 460 is a fine looking, hard hitting large size air rifle.  It is on the wall next to my Wicchester pre 64 model 70, and the 460 is longer and weighs more.
Douglas George

[Silo]

I agree, these are great air rifles. In fact its one of the few springers I've kept
after going to HPA / PCP.
It's deadly accurate and easy to shoot straight, it's not hold sensitive or very pellet fussy
either.