Air Gun Home :: View topic - Help

Baron62 · New Member

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and to break barrel rifle shooting. I recently purchased a used RWS 34 in .177 and was having so much fun with it that I decided to purchase a new RWS 350P in 22 cal. I have fired roughly 1300 shots in the new gun so far and I'm disappointed with my shooting accuracy. The gun seems fine other than the breach hole where the pellet goes in is way off center (>1/16") in the barrel. Should I be concerned? I called Pyramydair and they said this should not effect accuracy so I keep working on my artillary hold. Most of my shooting is from sitting with a support to rest my hand. The gun has a leapers 4-16 X 50 scope that does not appear to be moving. (I have snugged down RWS mount with loctite on the crews.) At 36 yards most 10 shot groupings are 3-5 inches plus an occasional flyer. I have been using various RWS pellets including the dome. I just ordered some Crosman Premier domes, JSB exacts 15.9, JSB 18 and some Kodiaks because I have read that other recommend heavier pellets for better accuracy. Any recommendations would be appreciated. I'm thinking its me trying to tame this powerful spring gun. Thanks

Phil

radar · Silver Status Member

The breech hole postition should not affect accuracy as long as the muzzle crown is even and concentric.
Make sure you are not gripping the stock too tightly with your trigger finger hand. It's really easy to grip it in anticipation of the rifle going off, and not notice you are doing it.

SMP · Silver Status Member

Firstly magnum springers are an absolute brute to shoot accurately and usually they are only recommended for people with a lot of experience shooting springers. That being said your going to have to do a lot of work trying to figure out how that particular gun wants to be held.

Have a look at the crown just to be sure there isn't something there that's causing the grief. Your looking for a very clean edge showing all the lands and grooves evenly. There should be no evidence of raggedness or burrs. Check with a magnifying glass. Pass a cotton swab in and out of the muzzle to check for burrs. If strands of cotton remain behind you have a bad crown.

Next keep trying lots of different brands of pellets and stay away from anything light or gimmicky.

Hope that helps and do keep updating on how things are going.

Slavia · Moderator

Try different kinds of pellets. Practice the "artilery hold." Experiment with different fore end hand positions. Make sure the stock mounting screws are tight.

My Crosman Titan has plenty of recoil, and we're in the same boat. I'm having to re-learn everything I thought I knew about springers.

Baron62 · New Member

Thanks for the advice. Good to hear that the breach hole off center is not a factor. I did run a cotton swab through the end of the barrel and inspected the crown and all appears good. I look forward to trying the heavier pellets. I'm guessing that it is me and my technique holding the gun. I'll let you know how the testing goes with the pellets. I'm determined to become accurate with it. Any more tips or instruction on holding the gun is appreciated. Should the front hand be at the CG point of the gun?

SMP · Silver Status Member

Yes usually I support the fore end right at the balance point with a completely open hand with the hand rotated so the fingers point to the side. some people point a flat hand fingers forward. doesn't much matter.

try this

front hand flat and open at the balance point. With your trigger hand grasp the rifle as softly as you can.....barely fingertips.

squeeze the shot off and let the rifle buck and twist where ever it wants. The shot wont hit where expected but repeat this several times and see how your group is. The most important thing is absolutely the same barely enough pressure every time.

expect the gun to twist counter clockwise in your hold when the shot releases but don't try to stop it.

SureShot_ca · Member

My story is similar. I'm somewhat new to air guns too.

I've tried various grips to hold my rifle steady but haven't yet found the right one yet. To line up my scope I've begun using a tripod rest or even laying the rifle across a blanket on the hood of my Jeep which results in a much better grouping.

SureShot_ca · Member

Baron62 · New Member

Baron62 · New Member

SureShot.

I think the rws 350 has significant spring recoil from my limited experience. Earlier on I learned that my scope had to be snugged down pretty tight or it would shift. I have used blue locktite on the screws to keep the screws tight. The gun doesn't seen very loud to me. My father has a Benjamin Trail NP XL that I have not shot since getting my gun that I will try again to compare the two recoils and sound levels. I think they are about the same power. One thing I like very much on the RWS is the trigger which I have not adjusted from the factory. Very light consistent pull on the trigger so you know when she lets go.

domer_pyle · Senior Member

Maybe it's just me, but in higher powered springers heavier pellets seem to smooth the firing cycle a bit. In my XL Premiers group as well as every other pellet it likes, but it's more prone to hold sensitivity. Polymags being even 1.7gn heavier make it easy to shoot, but JSB heavies are the butter in that gun.

On a side note, typical example of springers and pellet weights, Premiers in that gun average just under 900 or so. The heavies average about 730, a whole 4 fp/e less but have almost the exact trajectory out to about the 40 yards or so that I did a quick check at.

Just remember not to go too heavy, that can make the firing cycle jumpy as well

SMP · Silver Status Member

I agree Domer, a heavier pellet like JSB Heavy can really do wonders to smooth out a snarly shot cycle

radar · Silver Status Member

+2
That seems to be the case with my guns too.
I think that little extra pellet mass for the air blast to push against helps maintain the cushion of air in front of that speeding piston a little longer.
Less piston slam-bang.

domer_pyle · Senior Member

Right, once the piston stops all of its energy is transfered to the front of the tube and makes good follow through rough to achieve. But the same is kinda true on the opposite end of the spectrum.

While testing heavier pellets for my Quest after adding the Tarantula spring I was having a hell of a time getting those bug holes not to be surrounded by a swarm of fliers. The Premier heavies are just a touch lighter than the Barracudas it loves but they fit wayyy tight. The piston could be felt hitting home and sorta bouncing, and I noticed follow through was unbelievably hard to consistently produce. Damn shame cause they're cheaper than the HN/Beeman!

Baron62 · New Member

I finally received the JSB 15.9, JSB 18.1, H&N FTT, H&N 21 baracudas for accuracy testing with other RWS pellets. I started testing and the groupings were still large and my best was the RWS HP that I had been using. I was disappointed with the accuracy of the gun when shooting in the basement at 17 yards, then for the fun of it I installed the muzzle brake (Diana Werk) that I had taken off my used RWS 34 that I purchased. After installing the brake, my groupings became much tighter with most pellets and the JSB 18.1 became tack drivers. I couldn't believe it so I repeated the test with 4 different pellets with the brake on and off several times. The gun shoots much tighter with the muzzle brake on the gun. At 17 yards I can now shoot one jagged hole groupings smaller than a dime using the JSB 18.1 and the other pellets are almost at tight. Note that this gun is the Panther version with the light weight synthetic stock. Now I'm finally happy with gun.