Q:

My complete review on my RWS 48 (Refurb) with pics

Well I got the RWS 48 today.
I didnt have alot of range to shoot so I went in the basement and set up my target at 19 yards. I was pleased with the shot cycle of the gun, there was no twangyness at all it was pretty much a solid thunk. The trigger wasnt bad either. It pulled clean and crisp every time. I tried a variety of pellets over the chrony and target.
I wasnt so happy with the power of the gun though. It is a factory refurb and the guy i got it from says less than 100 down the tube so I expect the power to go up some as she settles in. But if I want power I’m grabbing the B51 and with 40+ fpe I am set. But for backyard plinking and smallgame(squirrels,crows,Starlings and pests) this gun is just fine. I have a Baraska 3-12 x 40 AO scope with mil dots but plan to upgrade to an Eclipse or Sidewinder as soon as I save up some more cash.
Now for the Stuff all you guys wanna know
Chrony strings
CP’S 14.3 grains
Avg 698 with a spread of 3 fps over 10 shots FPE 15.5

Predator Polymags 16 gr.
Avg 637 with a spread of 4 fps over 10 shots FPE 14.3

HN Barracuda 21.1
Avg of 511 , Spread of 5 FPE 12.1

Crowmags 18.1 Gr
Avg of 558 Spread of 3 FPE 12.6

Dynamic Airbullets TM2’s 17 Gr Leadfree
Avg 607 spread of 4 FPE 13.8

and for accuracy heres the CTC sizes
CP’S .400″
Polymags .470″
Barracuda .637″
Crowmags .718″
Dynamics were the winner by a smidgen with .327″
all shots were taken at 19 yards using my Knee as a rest and scope set at 6 power
I will do some more testing at longer ranges next week when the weather clears back up
Overall I like the gun and will be even happier when the power comes up a bit I’d like to see upper Teens on FPE
heres the pics




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Viewing 14 replies - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

It’s a bit of a lighter spring. Reduces speed a bit but the recoil is less so accuracy goes up a bit. Also the plastic ends are nice to keep the spring from tearing shit up. I would add those even with the stock spring.

Here’s the site.
http://www.airrifleheadquarters.com/catalog/item/251488/2514163.htm

Here is a good site on dismantling 48’s
http://web.mac.com/photomark/iweb/Airgun%20Adventures/Diana%20RWS%2048%20Spring%20Upgrade.html

Also that sounds about right on the 48 speeds. Pellets 12grains and under would crack for me. I have been shooting H&N 21 grains lately. She also likes the predators.

what does the marconi spring do for it.

Maybe i need to break the 48 down and check it out, looked up spring life on the net and found allot of info.

don’t know that it has changed since new , it has always been very harsh, i have a M. 34 also and it is similar but not as harsh. always figured the 48 would be more noisy because of the increase in power over the 34 .

the M. 48 is shooting 1014 with 7.4 grain pellets, like 1150 with the ligher than 7.4 grain ones , but didnt shoot them very much because they were breaking the sound barrier. and in the 850.s with 9.5 s

do yaw think that is about right for a 48.

never had a crono when it was new.

Get a Maccari spring!

here is a group from my 48 at 30 y. for a comparison. i have never had it apart, i probably need to for inspection, it has had several thousand shot out of it.

i shot the bottom group first and the gun was rocking on the bags with the recoil. figured it out for the second group, the mag springer’s are definitely a challenge to keep the accuracy. i have always found this thing to be very temperamental as to how it is held. have taken allot of critters with it. i love they way it holds , especially for off hand shooting , but dam its like having some one slamming a car hood with your ear on the fender.

i never realized how much was going on with the 48 until i had been shootin the condor for a while and i picked up the 48 again. i about filled my shorts up when i pulled the trigger.

tear down was very simple
i drilled a hole 1/2 way through my bench for the notch to sit in on the gun and just pressed it with my weight
no prob for me id say a smaller persaon could have a bit of an issue
but no probem it was dont an lubed in less than 15 mins
i am going to get a full bbl shroud from rich in mich first then a Vorteck kit
so far i am impressed with the gun and the shot cycle and the accuracy

quote crowpopper:

rob i tore apart
the spring was greeat as was the seal
but it was completely dry
so i put a bit of moly paste on the back of the seal making sure none got on the face
and first shot was 779
then 6 in a row after that were 775-776
shes right at 19 fpe now thanks alot for the help

Awesome….. another issue with the Dianas are…. ~drum roll~ BONE DRY internals.

Good to hear you got her up to speed. Teardown wasnt bad, I presume? You’ll get some naysayers, typically those who have never tore apart a springer, who will say you absolutely have to have a spring compressor… bullshit. Yes, they help, but it can be done without one…as you’ve seen!

rob i tore apart
the spring was greeat as was the seal
but it was completely dry
so i put a bit of moly paste on the back of the seal making sure none got on the face
and first shot was 779
then 6 in a row after that were 775-776
shes right at 19 fpe now thanks alot for the help

well after seeing your lil link there i will try tearing apart myself
if anythings bad ill get the Vortek drop in kit and see how she is then

thanks rob at the 19 yards i was getting .327″ ctc with the Dynamics and .400″ ctc with the cp’s

A broken spring would easily give you numbers that consistent. Broken springs are one of the more common problems with the Diana guns.

Other problems that could be causing you low numbers (consistently) would be a bad piston seal or an out of round compression tube.

It is quite possible to tear down the 48 with no spring compressor. I have tuned 2 RWS 48’s and an RWS 54 with no spring compressor. There is little preload on the spring.

Here is a stripdown guide that should help…

http://www.capeairrifle.co.za/Downloads/Stripdowns/Diana%20Stripdown.pdf

I havent seen the groups as I am at work and cannot view pics, but at 20 yards with a novice shooting, the 48 should be giving you 5 shot groups you can cover with a quarter…. someone with good experience with springers should be able to cover 5 shots with dime EASILY at 20 yards.

quote mamcrackin:

Those groups at 19yds? You might think about sending it back for another
refurb….

19 yards resting on my knee in my dark basement lol

i didnt buy it i got it in a trade for another gun the guy i got it from got it refurbed

Those groups at 19yds? You might think about sending it back for another
refurb….

lol i know its low rob
i gotta figure out how to take apart without a spring compressor and see whats up.
i did take down my gamo 440 with out a spring compressor
ill have to see what i can do
i wouldnt think a broken spring would cause numbers to be so consistant
but maybe a bad seal or something

I hate to tell you, but you do not have a factory spec 48.

knowingly or not, someone traded you a bad gun.

The RWS 48/52/54 all share the same power plant. Spring and guides are also interchangeable with the B21/30 clones. I’ve had 2 RWS 48’s, an RWS 54, and a B21.

You should easily be in the range of 17-20fpe with that gun with 17fpe being with the heaviest pellets and 20fpe being with the lighter.

With numbers as low as you are reporting, I wouldnt expect the power to come up to normal levels any time soon. If you were around 17-18fpe, I could see where a bit of run in would be beneficial, but 12-15fpe…? Your gun is neutered.
😥

Viewing 14 replies - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

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